Arzhantseva, G.N.; Bartholdi, L.; Burillo, J.; Ventura, E. (Eds.)

Geometric Group Theory

Geneva and Barcelona Conferences
With contributions by numerous experts

Series: Trends in Mathematics
2007, Approx. 300 p., Hardcover
ISBN: 978-3-7643-8411-1

About this book

This volume assembles research papers in geometric and combinatorial group theory. This wide area may be defined as the study of those groups that are defined by their action on a combinatorial or geometric object, in the spirit of Klein's programme.

The contributions range over a wide spectrum: limit groups, groups associated with equations, with cellular automata, their structure as metric objects, their decomposition, etc. Their common denominator is the language of group theory, used to express and solve problems ranging from geometry to logic.

Written for:

Graduates, postgraduates and researchers in algebra and geometric group theory

Table of contents

Preface.- Solution of the Membership Problem for Magnus Subgroups in Certain One-Relator Free Products.- Computational Explorations in Thompson's Group F.- A General Construction of JSJ Decompositions.- Conjugacy and Centralizers for IWIP Automorphisms of Free Groups.- Algebraic Extensions in Free Groups.- Classifying Spaces for Wallpaper Groups.- Totally Disconnected, Locally Compact Groups as Geometric Objects.- On the Surjectivity of Artinian Linear Cellular Automata Over Residually Finite Groups.- Some Residually Finite Groups.- Decompositions de Groupes par Produit Direct et Groupes de Coxeter.- Limit Groups of Equationally Noetherian Groups.- Solution of the Conjugacy Problem and Malnormality of Subgroups in Certain Relative Small Cancellation Group Presentations

Giesl, Peter

Construction of Global Lyapunov Functions Using Radial Basis Functions

Series: Lecture Notes in Mathematics , Vol. 1904
2007, VIII, 170 p., 27 illus., Softcover
ISBN: 978-3-540-69907-1

About this book

The basin of attraction of an equilibrium of an ordinary differential equation can be determined using a Lyapunov function. A new method to construct such a Lyapunov function using radial basis functions is presented in this volume intended for researchers and advanced students from both dynamical systems and radial basis functions. Besides an introduction to both areas and a detailed description of the method, it contains error estimates and many examples.

Written for:

Researchers and graduate students
Keywords:
Lyapunov function
basin of attraction
error estimates
ordinary differential equation
radial basis functions

Table of contents


Christopher, Colin, Li, Chengzhi

Limit Cycles of Differential Equations

Series: Advanced Courses in Mathematics - CRM Barcelona
2007, Approx. 180 p., Softcover
ISBN: 978-3-7643-8409-8

About this textbook

This textbook contains the lecture series originally delivered at the "Advanced Course on Limit Cycles of Differential Equations" in the Centre de Rechercha Mathematica Barcelona in 2006. It covers the center-focus problem for polynomial vector fields and the application of abelian integrals to limit cycle bifurcations. Both topics are related to the authors' interests in Hilbert's sixteenth problem, but would also be of interest to those working more generally in the qualitative theory of dynamical systems.

Written for:

Graduate students and researchers interested in the qualitative theory of dynamical systems

Table of contents

Preface.- I. Abelian Integrals and Applications to the Weak Hilbert's 16th Problem - 1. Hilbert's 16th Problem and Its Weak Form - 2. Abelian Integrals and Limit Cycles - 3. Esitmate of the Number of Zeroes - 4. A Unified Proof on the Weak Hilberts's 16th Problem for N=2.- II. Around the Center-Focus Problem - 1. Centers and Limit Cycles - 2. Darboux Integrability - 3. Liouvillian Integrability - 4. Symmetry - 5. Cherka's Systems - 6. Monodromy - 7. The Tangential Center-Focus Problem - 8. Monodromy of Hyperelliptic Abelian Integrals - 9. Holonomy and the Lotka-Volterra System - 10. Other Approaches.

Mielke Jr., Paul W., Berry, Kenneth J.

Permutation Methods, 2nd ed.
A Distance Function Approach

Series: Springer Series in Statistics
2007, Approx. 445 p., Hardcover
ISBN: 978-0-387-69811-3

About this book

The book will provide a comprehensive treatment of statistical inference using permutation techniques. Its purpose is to make available to practitioners a variety of useful and powerful data analytic tools that rely on very few distributional assumptions. Although many of these procedures have appeared in journal articles, they are not readily available to practitioners.

Table of contents

Introduction.- Description of MRPP.- Additional MRPP applications.- Description of MRBP.- Regression analysis, prediction, and agreement.- Goodness-of-Fit tests.- Contingency tables.- Multisample homogeneity tests.- Selected permutation studies.


Cuntz, Joachim, Meyer, Ralf, Rosenberg, Jonathan M.

Topological and Bivariant K-theory

Series: Oberwolfach Seminars , Preliminary entry 37
2007, Approx. 300 p., Softcover
ISBN: 978-3-7643-8398-5

About this textbook

Topological K-theory is one of the most important invariants for noncommutative algebras. Bott periodicity, homotopy invariance, and various long exact sequences distinguish it from algebraic K-theory. This book describes a bivariant K-theory for bornological algebras, which provides a vast generalization of topological K-theory. In addition, it details other approaches to bivariant K-theories for operator algebras. The book studies a number of applications, including K-theory of crossed products, the Baum-Connes assembly map, twisted K-theory with some of its applications, and some variants of the Atiyah-Singer Index Theorem.

Written for:

Senior researchers and graduate students working in areas related to K-theory, operator algebras, or noncommutative geometry

Table of contents

Preface.- The Elementary Algebra of K-theory.- Functional Calculus and Topological K-theory.- Homotopy Invariance of Stabilized Algebraic K-theory.- Bott periodicity.- K-theory of Crossed Products.- Bivariant K-theory.- Connections with Index Theory.- Localization of Triangulated Categories.- Algebras of Continuous Trace and Twisted K-theory.- Connes' Thom Isomorphism.- Applications to Physics.

Erdi, Peter

Complexity Explained

2007, Approx. 350 p., Hardcover

ISBN: 978-3-540-35777-3

About this textbook

This introductory textbook explains why complex systems research is important in understanding the structure, function and dynamics of complex natural and social phenomena. It illuminates how complex collective behavior emerges from the parts of a system, due to the interaction between the system and its environment. You will learn the basic concepts and methods of complex system research. It is shown that very different complex phenomena of nature and society can be analyzed and understood by nonlinear dynamics since many systems of very different fields, such as physics, chemistry, biology, economics, psychology and sociology etc. have similar architecture. "Complexity Explained" is not highly technical and mathematical, but teaches and uses the basic mathematical notions of dynamical system theory making the book useful for students of science majors and graduate courses, but it should be readable for a more general audience; actually for those, who ask: What complex systems really are?

Table of contents

1. COMPLEX SYSTEMS: CONCEPTUAL INTRODUCTION What are the characteristics of simple and complex systems? Structural, functional, dynamic and algorithmic complexity Complexity in physics, biology, economics, sociology and art

2. HISTORY of COMPLEX SYSTEM RESEARCH Reductionist success stories vs. the importance of organization principles Some fundamental theories of the 20th centuries: System theory, cybernetics, theory of dissipative structures, synergetics and catastrophe theory.

2. FROM CLOCK WORK WORLD VIEW to IRREVERSIBILITY Ancient and modern time concepts The dynamic world view Periodicity: the rise and (partial) fall of the Newtonian paradigm Mechanics versus Thermodynamics States and processes: beyond Mechanics Direction of evolution Competition and cooperation: the Lotka-Volterra world and beyond The mathematics of oscillation. Chemical, ecological and socioeconomic applications.) The chaos paradigm: than and now

3. THE DYNAMIC WORLD VIEW in ACTION PHYSICS: mechanics, thermodynamics, electrodynamics CHEMISTRY: chemical kinetics: change of compositions BIOLOGY: population dynamics, epidemics, development, evolution, neurodynamics PSYCHOLOGY: change of attitiude, cooperation, altruism, rumor propagation SOCIOLOGY: segregation dynamics, group dynamics, opinion dynamics ECONOMICS: business cycles, stock market dynamics ART: pattern generation: possible and impossible forms

4. THE SEARCH FOR LAWS: DEDUCTIVE VERSUS INDUCTIVE Deductive arguments Inductive arguments Newton' Principia Principia Mathematica (Whitehead and Russell Vienna Circle Karl Popper Cybernetics Herbert Simon and the bounded rationality Inductive Reasoning and Bounded Rationality: from Herbert Simon to Brian Arthur Minority Game

5. STATISTICAL LAWS: FROM SYMMETRIC TO ASYMMETRIC While biology is characterized by (the symmetric) Gaussian distribution, social system shows often skew distribution (as power law distribution.) How sociobiological mechanisms led to the formation of asymetric distributions?

6. SIMPLE AND COMPLEX STRUCTURES: BETWEEN DETERMINISM AND RANDOMNESS Self-organization is a vague concept in many respects, still a powerfull notion of modern science. Specifiacally and counterintuitivly, noise proved to have beneficial role in constructing macroscopically ordered structures. Elementary mathematical models of noise-induced ordering Networks everywhere: Real world systems in many cases can be represented by networks.

7. BRAIN - MIND ? COMPUTER It is often said in a colloquial sense that the brain is a prototype of complex system. Several different notions of complexity may be more formally related to neural systems. First, structural complexity appears (i) in the arborization of the nerve terminals at the single neuron level, (ii) in the complexity of the graph structure at the network level, and (iii) in the systems of networks forming closed loops of closed loops. Second, functional complexity is associated with the set of tasks performed by the neural system. Third, dynamic complexity can be identified with the different attractors of dynamic processes, such as point attractors, closed curves related to periodic orbits, and strange attractors expressing the presence of chaotic behaviour. Experimental methods and disciplines Levels Neural representation: cells, networks, modules Neural computation versus computational neuroscience From brain theory to technological applications The complexity of mood regulation

8. EVOLUTIONARY DISCIPLINES Biology, Computation, Economics, Linguistics, Psychology Evolutionary epistemology

9. MODELS, DECESION MAKING, (UN)PREDICTIBILITY Equation based versus agent-based models Game theory: where we are now? Widening the Limits to Predictions: Epileptics Seizures, Earthquake Eruptions and Stock Market Crashes

10. HOW MANY CULTURES WE HAVE? C.P. Snow, and the "two culture". The third culture movement:. The "New humanisms": Human-Machine-Society- Universe Godel-Escher-Bach: 25+ years after In defense of (bounded) rationality