Ferdinand Verhulst – författare

Perturbation theory, one of the most intriguing and essential topics in mathematics, and its applications to the natural and engineering sciences is the main focus of this workbook. In a systematic introductory manner, this unique book deliniates boundary layer theory for ordinary and partial differential equations, multi-timescale phenomena for nonlinear oscillations, diffusion and nonlinear wave equations. The book provides analysis of simple examples in the context of the general theory, as well as a final discussion of the more advanced problems. Precise estimates and excursions into the theoretical background makes this workbook valuable to both the applied sciences and mathematics fields. As a bonus in its last chapter the book includes a collection of rare and useful pieces of literature, such as the summary of the Perturbation theory of Matrices.

Detailed illustrations, stimulating examples and exercises as well as a clear explanation of the underlying theory makes this workbook ideal for senior undergraduate and beginning graduate students in applied mathematics as well as science and engineering fields.

Perturbation theory and in particular normal form theory has shown strong growth during the last decades. So it is not surprising that the authors have presented an extensive revision of the first edition of the Averaging Methods in Nonlinear Dynamical Systems book. There are many changes, corrections and updates in chapters on Basic Material and Asymptotics, Averaging, and Attraction. Chapters on Periodic Averaging and Hyperbolicity, Classical (first level) Normal Form Theory, Nilpotent (classical) Normal Form, and Higher Level Normal Form Theory are entirely new and represent new insights in averaging, in particular its relation with dynamical systems and the theory of normal forms. Also new are surveys on invariant manifolds in Appendix C and averaging for PDEs in Appendix E. Since the first edition, the book has expanded in length and the third author, James Murdock has been added.

Review of First Edition

"One of the most striking features of the book is the nice collection of examples, which range from the very simple to some that are elaborate, realistic, and of considerable practical importance. Most of them are presented in careful detail and are illustrated with profuse, illuminating diagrams." - Mathematical Reviews

The book describes the life of Henri Poincaré, his work style and  in detail most of his unique achievements in mathematics and physics. Apart from biographical details, attention is given to Poincaré''s contributions to automorphic functions, differential equations and dynamical systems, celestial mechanics, mathematical physics in particular the theory of the electron and relativity, topology (analysis situs). A chapter on philosophy explains Poincaré''s conventionalism in mathematics and his view of conventionalism in physics; the latter has a very different character. In the foundations of mathematics his position is between intuitionism and axiomatics.

One of the purposes of the book is to show how Poincaré  reached his fundamentally new results in many different fields, how he thought and  how one should read him. One of the new aspects is the description of two large fields of his attention: dynamical systems as presented  in his book on `new methods for celestial mechanics'' and his theoretical physics papers. At the same time it will be made clear how analysis and geometry are intertwined in Poincaré''s thinking and work.In dynamical systems this becomes clear in his description of invariant manifolds, his association of differential equation flow with mappings and his fixed points theory.

There is no comparable book on Poincaré, presenting such a relatively complete vision of his life and achievements. There exist some older biographies in the French language, but they pay only restricted attention to his actual work. The reader can obtain from this book many insights in the working of a very original mind while at the same time learning about fundamental results for modern science

In den Niederlanden erscheint seit etwa zehn Jahren die erfolgreiche "Zebra-Reihe", die durch eine einzigartige Kooperation von Schulpraktikern, Mathematikdidaktikern und Fachwissenschaftlern entstanden ist. Ohne vertiefte Vorkenntnisse ermöglichen sie eigenes Erforschen und Entdecken von Mathematik.

Aus den bisher erschienenen Bänden wurden für das vorliegende Buch sechs mit Schwerpunktthema Geometrie ins Deutsche übersetzt. Die zahlreichen Facetten der Geometrie und ihre Querverbindungen innerhalb und außerhalb der Mathematik werden in dieser Sammlung sichtbar. Die Leserinnen und Leser werden zudem angeregt, durch eigene Aktivität mehr zu erfahren; es stehen dazu auch Internet-basierte Materialien bereit.

Studierende des Lehramts Mathematik werden in diesem Buch eine wertvolle Quelle für die fachdidaktische und wie auch die fachwissenschaftliche Ausbildung finden. Die Vielfalt der Themen und ihre attraktive Aufbereitung wird Schüler und mathematisch interessierte Laien ansprechen.