Nonlinear Science
Alwyn Scott(Author)
Oxford University Press
Published on 1. April 1999
Book
Hardback
492 pages
978-0-19-850107-7 (ISBN)
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Description
The study of nonlinear systems has quietly revolutionized the realm of science. Models of physical phenomena had previously been assumed to be linear, or nearly so. This allowed the construction of equations which were relatively simple to solve. It has, however, become increasingly evident that this assumption of linearity leads the theorist to miss qualitatively significant phenomena. For nonlinear systems, it is now known, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, leading to the emergence of new structures that have their own features, lifetimes and peculiar ways of interacting. Since these interactions are also nonlinear, new dynamics give rise to other emergent structures appearing at yet higher levels of description. Thus the molecules of chemistry emerge from nonlinear interactions between the elements of atomic physics, providing a structural basis for the proteins and ribonucleic acids of biochemistry, and so on, up through the many levels of activity in a living organism. The intricacy of this hierarchical perspective is much closer to reality, and its discovery is a watershed in the history of science.
This book is intended for graduate students and researchers in physics, applied mathematics, biomathematics, biophysics and engineering. Unknown function:
This book is intended for graduate students and researchers in physics, applied mathematics, biomathematics, biophysics and engineering. Unknown function:
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Language
English
Place of publication
Oxford
United Kingdom
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
Illustrations
Illustrations
ISBN-13
978-0-19-850107-7 (9780198501077)
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Book
09/2003
2nd Edition
Oxford University Press
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Content
The birth of a paradigm; linear wave theory; the classical soliton equations; nonlinear diffusion in excitable media; nonlinear lattices; inverse scattering methods; perturbation theory; quantum lattice solitons; looking ahead.