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In the decades the of the formation of structures past subject spontaneous in far from has into a branch of - systems equilibrium major physics grown search with ties to It has become evident that strong neighboring disciplines. a diverse of can be understood within a common mat- phenomena range matical framework which has been called nonlinear of continuous dynamics This name the close to the field of nonlinear systems. emphasizes relationship of with few of freedom which has evolved into a dynamics systems degrees mature in the recent features mathematically subject past. Many dynamical of continuous be described reduction few can a to a systems actually through of freedom and of the latter of continue to degrees properties type systems of continuous the inspire study systems. The of this book is to demonstrate the numerous goal through examples that exist for the of nonlinear the opportunities study phenomena through tools of mathematical and use of common analyses dynamical interpretations. Instead of overview of the a providing comprehensive rapidly evolving field, the contributors to this book are to communicate to a wide scientific trying audience the of what have learnt about the formation of essence they spon- neous structures in continuous and about the dissipative systems competition between order and chaos that characterizes these It is that systems. hoped the book will be even to those scientists whose not helpful are disciplines the authors.
List of contents
Mathematical Tools for Pattern Formation.- Formation of Dynamical Structures in Axisymmetric Fluid Systems.- Pattern Formation in Binary Fluid Convection and in Systems with Throughflow.- Dynamical Structures in Open Fluid Systems.- Theoretical and Experimental Investigations of the Faraday Instability.- Pattern Formation in an Inhomogeneous Environment.- Electrically Driven Instabilities in Smectic Liquid Crystal Films.- Electrohydrodynamic Convection in Nematics.- Dynamics of Patterns of Chemical Reactions on Surfaces.- Convection and Pattern Formation Induced by Autocatalytic Chemical Reactions.- Formation of Spatio-Temporal Structures in Semiconductors.- Formation of Patterns in Granular Materials.- Spontaneous Generation of Magnetic Fields in the Laboratory.- From Single Cells to a Multicellular Organism: The Development of the Social Amoebae Dictyostelium Discoideum.
Report
From the reviews:
"Overall, the book is a remarkable achievement, bringing together as it does so many of the strands ofresearch in so many different fields of physics and mathematics, and managing to present a digestible mixture of experiment and theory in almost every article." (UK Nonlinear News, 2001)
