This volume continues the series of proceedings of summer schools on theoretical physics which aim at an adequate description of the structure of condensed matter in terms of sophisticated, advanced mathematical tools. This time, the main emphasis is put on the question of whether (and when) the energy bands in solids are continuous. Profs. L Michel, J Zak and others consider the origin, existence and continuity of band structure. Also, some previously discussed problems (magnetic symmetry, flux quantization, statistics, quasicrystals, the Bethe ansatz) are pursued further, and appropriate mathematical tools, rooted in “actions of groups on sets”, are developed.

This volume continues the series of proceedings of summer schools on theoretical physics which aim at an adequate description of the structure of condensed matter in terms of sophisticated, advanced mathematical tools. This time, the main emphasis is put on the question of whether (and when) the energy bands in solids are continuous. Profs. L Michel, J Zak and others consider the origin, existence and continuity of band structure. Also, some previously discussed problems (magnetic symmetry, flux quantization, statistics, quasicrystals, the Bethe ansatz) are pursued further, and appropriate mathematical tools, rooted in “actions of groups on sets”, are developed.