Buch, Englisch, 150 Seiten, Paperback, Format (B × H): 133 mm x 205 mm, Gewicht: 199 g
ISBN: 978-3-540-54811-9
Verlag: Springer Berlin Heidelberg
This well-known booklet, now in its third, expanded edition, provides an informal survey of applications of singularity theory in a wide range of areas. Although the first few chapters touch briefly (and critically) on theThom-Zeeman catastrophe theory, most of the book is concerned with more recent and less controversial aspects, covering such topics as: bifurcations and stability loss, wavefront propagation, the distribution of matter in the universe, optimization and control problems, visible contours,bypassing an obstacle, symplectic and contact geometry, complex singularities, and the surprising connections between singularities and widely disparate mathematical objects such as regular polyhedra and reflection groups. Readers familiar with the previous editions will find much that is new. Results have been brought up to date, and among the new or expanded topics discussed are delayed loss of stability, cascades of period doublings and triplings, shock waves, implicit differential equationsand folded singularities, interior scattering, and more. Three new sections give an overview of the history of singularity theory and its applications from Leonardo da Vinci to modern times, a discussion of perestroika in terms of the theory of metamorphoses, and a list of 93 problems touching on most of the subject matter in the book. The text is enhanced by fifteen new drawings (there are now 87 in all) and improvements to old ones. The already extensive literature list has been updated and expanded. As a result, the book has been enlarged by almost a third. Arnol'd's goal with this edition remains the same: to explain the essence of the results and applications to readers having a minimal mathematical background. All that he asks, is that the reader have an inquiring mind.
Zielgruppe
Research
Fachgebiete
- Mathematik | Informatik Mathematik Topologie Analytische Topologie
- Mathematik | Informatik Mathematik Topologie Mengentheoretische Topologie
- Mathematik | Informatik Mathematik Mathematische Analysis Elementare Analysis und Allgemeine Begriffe
- Mathematik | Informatik Mathematik Mathematische Analysis Moderne Anwendungen der Analysis
- Naturwissenschaften Physik Physik Allgemein Theoretische Physik, Mathematische Physik, Computerphysik
- Mathematik | Informatik Mathematik Geometrie
Weitere Infos & Material
1 Singularities, Bifurcations, and Catastrophes.- 2 Whitney’s Singularity Theory.- 3 Applications of Whitney’s Theory.- 4 A Catastrophe Machine.- 5 Bifurcations of Equilibrium States.- 6 Loss of Stability of Equilibrium and of Self-Oscillating Modes of Behaviour.- 7 Singularities of the Stability Boundary and the Principle of the Fragility of Good Things.- 8 Caustics, Wave Fronts, and Their Metamorphoses.- 9 The Large-Scale Distribution of Matter in the Universe.- 10 Singularities in Optimization Problems: the Maximum function.- 11 Singularities of the Boundary of Attainability.- 12 Smooth Surfaces and Their Projections.- 13 The Problem of Bypassing an Obstacle.- 14 Symplectic and Contact Geometry.- 15 Complex Singularities.- 16 The Mysticism of Catastrophe Theory.- Appendix The Precursors of Catastrophe Theory.- Conclusion.- Problems.- References.
