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Forces, Growth and Form in Soft Condensed Matter : At the Interface between Physics and Biology
This volume comprises the proceedings of a NATO Advanced Study Institute held at Geilo, Norway, 24 March - 3 April 2003, the seventeenth ASI in a series held every two years since 1971. The objective of this ASI was to identify and discuss areas where synergism between modern physics, soft condensed matter and biology might be most fruitful. The main pedagogical approach was to have lecturers focussing on basic understanding of important aspects of the relative role of the various interaction- electrostatic, hydrophobic, steric, conformational, van der Waals etc. Soft condensed matter and the connection between physics and biology have been the themes of several earlier Geilo Schools. A return to these subjects thus allowed a fresh look and a possibility for defining new directions for research. Examples of soft materials, which were discussed at this ASI, included colloidal dispersions, gels, biopolymers and charged polymer solutions, polyelectrolytes, protein/membrane complexes, nucleic acids and their complexes. Indeed, most forms of condensed matter are soft and these substances are composed of aggregates and macromolecules, with interactions that are too weak and complex to form crystals spontaneously. A characteristic feature is that small external forces, slight perturbations in temperature, pressure or concentration, can all be enough to induce significant structural changes. Thermal fluctuations are almost by definition strong in soft materials and entropy is a predominant determinant of structure, so that disorder, slow dynamics and plastic deformation are the rule. Hence the phrase ‘soft condensed matter’ has been coined.
Fast Reactions in Energetic Materials : High-Temperature Decomposition of Rocket Propellants and Explosives
Modern energetic materials include explosives, blasting powders, pyrotechnic m- tures and rocket propellants [1, 2]. The study of high-temperature decomposition of condensed phases of propellants and their components (liquid, solid and hybrid) is currently of special importance for the development of space-system engineering [3, 4]. To better understand the burning mechanisms (stationary, nonstationary, - steady) of composite solid propellants and their components, information about the macrokinetics of their high-temperature decomposition is required [5]. To be able to evaluate the ignition parameters and conditions of safe handling of heat-affected explosives, one needs to know the kinetic constants of their high-temperature - composition. The development of new composite solid propellants characterized by high performance characteristics (high burning rates, high thermal stability, stability to intrachamber perturbations, and other aspects) is not possible without quanti- tive data on the high-temperature decomposition of composite solid propellants and their components [6].
Exponentially Dichotomous Operators and Applications
In this monograph the natural evolution operators of autonomous first-order differential equations with exponential dichotomy on an arbitrary Banach space are studied in detail. Characterizations of these so-called exponentially dichotomous operators in terms of their resolvents and additive and multiplicative perturbation results are given. The general theory of the first three chapters is then followed by applications to Wiener-Hopf factorization and Riccati equations, transport equations, diffusion equations of indefinite Sturm-Liouville type, noncausal infinite-dimensional linear continuous-time systems, and functional differential equations of mixed type.
Dynamical Systems : Examples of Complex Behaviour
Our aim is to introduce, explain, and discuss the fundamental problems, ideas, concepts, results, and methods of the theory of dynamical systems and to show how they can be used in specific examples. Itis also important to find out when a certain dynamic behavior is stable under small perturbations, as well as to understand the various scenarios of instability. Finally, an essential aspect of a dynamic evolution is the transformation of some given initial state into some final or asymptotic state as time proceeds. The temporal evolution of a dynamical system maybe continuous or discrete, but it turns out that many of the concepts to be introduced a reuseful in either case.
Duality for Nonconvex Approximation and Optimization
Most recently, many researchers have been studying more complicated classes of problems that still can be studied by means of convex analysis, so-called "anticonvex" and "convex-anticonvex" optimizaton problems.
Dryland Ecohydrology
By combining the analysis of biotic and abiotic components of terrestrial ecosystems, this volume provides a synthesis of material on arid and semiarid landscapes, which is currently scattered in a number of books and journal articles. The focus on water-limited ecosystems is motivated by their high sensitivity to daily, seasonal, and decadal perturbations in water availability, and by the ecologic, climatic, and economic significance of most of the world's drylands. Conceived as a tool for scientists working in the area of the earth and environmental sciences, this book presents the basic principles of eco-hydrology as well as a broad spectrum of topics and advances in this research field.
DNA Repair and Human Disease
DNA Repair and Human Disease highlights the molecular complexities of a few well-known human hereditary disorders that arise due to perturbations in the fidelity of diverse DNA repair machineries.
Convexity and Well-Posed Problems
This book deals mainly with the study of convex functions and their behavior from the point of view of stability with respect to perturbations. We shall consider convex functions from the most modern point of view: a function is de?ned to be convex whenever its epigraph, the set of the points lying above the graph, is a convex set. Thus many of its properties can be seen also as properties of a certain convex set related to it. Moreover, we shall consider extended real valued functions.
Construction of Mappings for Hamiltonian Systems and Their Applications
Based on the method of canonical transformation of variables and the classical perturbation theory, this innovative book treats the systematic theory of symplectic mappings for Hamiltonian systems and its application to the study of the dynamics and chaos of various physical problems described by Hamiltonian systems. It develops a new, mathematically-rigorous method to construct symplectic mappings which replaces the dynamics of continuous Hamiltonian systems by the discrete ones. Applications of the mapping methods encompass the chaos theory in non-twist and non-smooth dynamical systems, the structure and chaotic transport in the stochastic layer, the magnetic field lines in magnetically confinement devices of plasmas, ray dynamics in waveguides, etc. The book is intended for postgraduate students and researches, physicists and astronomers working in the areas of plasma physics, hydrodynamics, celestial mechanics, dynamical astronomy, and accelerator physics. It should also be useful for applied mathematicians involved in analytical and numerical studies of dynamical systems.
Mathematical Aspects of Classical and Celestial Mechanics
In this book we describe the basic principles, problems, and methods of clssical mechanics. Our main attention is devoted to the mathematical side of the subject. Although the physical background of the models considered here and the applied aspects of the phenomena studied in this book are explored to a considerably lesser extent, we have tried to set forth first and foremost the “working” apparatus of classical mechanics. This apparatus is contained mainly in Chapters 1, 3, 5, 6, and 8. Chapter 1 is devoted to the basic mathematical models of classical - chanics that are usually used for describing the motion of real mechanical systems. Special attention is given to the study of motion with constraints and to the problems of realization of constraints in dynamics. In Chapter 3 we discuss symmetry groups of mechanical systems and the corresponding conservation laws. We also expound various aspects of ord- reduction theory for systems with symmetries, which is often used in appli- tions. Chapter 4 is devoted to variational principles and methods of classical mechanics. They allow one, in particular, to obtain non-trivial results on the existence of periodic trajectories. Special attention is given to the case where the region of possible motion has a non-empty boundary. Applications of the variational methods to the theory of stability of motion are indicated.
Changing Forests : Collective Action, Common Property, and Coffee in Honduras
It merges political ecology, collective-action theories, and institutional analysis to study how the people and forests have changed through socioeconomic and political transitions. It studies the complex, often contradictory relationships between the people and their natural resources to understand why forest cover endures."Changing Forests" therefore encompasses three broad phases: (1) the premodern period, which considers historic perturbations in western Honduras from the period of colonialism into the middle of the twentieth century; (2) the period of state-led logging and intervention in La Campa, which caused major degradation in forest cover; and (3) the recent period in which export coffee production transformed property rights, and people’s perceptions of the forest gained new conservationist and economic dimensions. Each phase entails perspectives and experiences that influenced human use of forests, and shaped subsequent transformations.
Cardiac Mechanotransduction
For about hundred years the investigation of heart physiology has had one central guiding principle, the "law" of Frank and Starling. This connects the return of blood into the heart and the blood pressure with cardiac con traction force. The "law" does it in a way that enables the cardiovascular system to react to perturbations without major malfunctions. This book is a compilation of reviews of prominent scientists on this subject. The differ ence of the original formulation of the Frank-Starling principle is that mechanotransduction is the central theme that leads the reader through the book. Since the discovery of the "law" the scope of topics related to this subject has broadened enormously, as can be seen easily by glancing at the contents of this book. Mechanotransduction in the heart has many faces that range from molecules to humans and their diseases.
Canonical Perturbation Theories, Degenerate Systems, and Resonance
Canonical Perturbation Theories, Degenerate Systems and Resonance presents the foundations of Hamiltonian Perturbation Theories used in Celestial Mechanics, emphasizing the Lie Series Theory and its application to degenerate systems and resonance. This book is the complete text on the subject including advanced topics in Hamiltonian Mechanics, Hori’s Theory, and the classical theories of Poincaré, von Zeipel-Brouwer, and Delaunay.
Atomic structure theory : Lectures on atomic physics
This is a textbook for students with a background in quantum mechanics. The text is designed to give hands-on experience with atomic structure calculations. Material covered includes angular momentum methods, the central field Schrödinger and Dirac equations, Hartree-Fock and Dirac-Hartree-Fock equations, multiplet structure, hyperfine structure, the isotope shift, dipole and multipole transitions, basic many-body perturbation theory, configuration interaction, and correlation corrections to matrix elements.
Asymptotic Analysis and Boundary Layers
Presents a new method of asymptotic analysis of boundary-layer problems, the Successive Complementary Expansion Method (SCEM). The first part is devoted to a general comprehensive presentation of the tools of asymptotic analysis. It gives the keys to understand a boundary-layer problem and explains the methods to construct an approximation. The second part is devoted to SCEM and its applications in fluid mechanics, including external and internal flows. The advantages of SCEM are discussed in comparison with the standard Method of Matched Asymptotic Expansions. In particular, for the first time, the theory of Interactive Boundary Layer is fully justified. With its chapter summaries, detailed derivations of results, discussed examples and fully worked out problems and solutions, the book is self-contained.
Analyse asymptotique et couche limite = Asymptotic analysis and boundary layer
The aim of the book is to give teachers and students (from Bac + 4) in applied mathematics and fluid mechanics a teaching and learning tool illustrated by fifty problems accompanied by their detailed correction. This book presents a new method of asymptotic analysis for "boundary layer" problems. This is called MASC "Method of Complementary Successive Approximations". The first half of the book is devoted, in addition to the presentation of the MASC, to organize the knowledge necessary for the asymptotic analysis and to give the keys allowing the understanding of what is a problem called "boundary layer" and the methods allowing. to build an approximation. The second part is devoted to the application of MASC in fluid mechanics and to the comparison with the more traditional methods resulting from the famous MDAR, "Method of Connected Asymptotic Developments".
An Introduction to Echo Analysis : Scattering Theory and Wave Propagation
The use of various types of wave energy is an increasingly promising, non-destructive means of detecting objects and of diagnosing the properties of quite complicated materials. An analysis of this technique requires an understanding of how waves evolve in the medium of interest and how they are scattered by inhomogeneities in the medium. These scattering phenomena can be thought of as arising from some perturbation of a given, known system and they are analysed by developing a scattering theory. This monograph provides an introductory account of scattering phenomena and a guide to the technical requirements for investigating wave scattering problems.
Advances in Variable Structure and Sliding Mode Control
Sliding Mode Control is recognized as an efficient tool to design controllers which are robust with respect to uncertainty. The resulting controllers have low sensitivity to plant parameters and perturbations and allow the possibility of decoupling the original plant system into two components of lower dimension. In addition many controllers ensure finite time convergence to the switching surface and can be straightforwardly implemented. However, in addition to this traditional area of exploitation, sliding mode concepts are being increasingly deployed for the design of observers for estimation and identification.
Advanced Visual Quantum Mechanics
Investigate and to teach quantum mechanics with the aid of computer-generated animations. It is a self-contained textbook that combines selected topics from atomic physics (spherical symmetry, the hydrogen atom, and particles with spin) with an introduction to quantum information theory (qubits, EPR paradox, teleportation, quantum computers). It explores relativistic quantum mechanics and the strange behavior of Dirac equation solutions. A series of appendices covers important topics from perturbation and scattering theory. The book places an emphasis on ideas and concepts, with a fair to moderate amount of mathematical rigor. Though this book stands alone, it can also be paired with Thaller Visual Quantum Mechanics to form a comprehensive course in quantum mechanics. The software for the first book earned the European Academic Software Award 2000 for outstanding innovation in its field.
A Short Course on Operator Semigroups
Gives a streamlined and systematic introduction to strongly continuous semigroups of bounded linear operators on Banach spaces. It treats the fundamental Hille-Yosida generation theorem as well as perturbation and approximation theorems for generators and semigroups.
