368 pages | 60 illustrations | 235x156mm
978-0-19-979810-0 | Paperback | November 2011 (estimated)
Winner of the 2010 Phi Beta Kappa Book Award in Science
Author platform: well-known scientist in the field of complex systems
Engagingly written in an accessible style for non-specialist readers
Longlisted for the Royal Society Prize for Science Books, 2010
What enables individually simple insects like ants to act with such precision and purpose as a group? How do trillions of neurons produce something as extraordinarily complex as consciousness? In this remarkably clear and companionable book, leading complex systems scientist Melanie Mitchell provides an intimate tour of the sciences of complexity, a broad set of efforts that seek to explain how large-scale complex, organized, and adaptive behavior can emerge from simple interactions among myriad individuals. Based on her work at the Santa Fe Institute and drawing on its interdisciplinary strategies, Mitchell brings clarity to the workings of complexity across a broad range of biological, technological, and social phenomena, seeking out the general principles or laws that apply to all of them. Richly illustrated, Complexity: A Guided Tour--winner of the 2010 Phi Beta Kappa Book Award in Science--offers a wide-ranging overview of the ideas underlying complex systems science, the current research at the forefront of this field, and the prospects for its contribution to solving some of the most important scientific questions of our time.
Readership: Popular science readers, scientists interested in complexity studies
280 pages | 18 b/w line figures | 246x171mm
978-0-19-959075-9 | Hardback | September 2011 (estimated
First book on the subject at the undergraduate level
Quick introduction to many major topics in fundamental theoretical physics suitable for undergraduate courses
High interest currently in quantum gravity among physicists worldwide
Controversial subject which needs good, impartial introduction from respected scientists
This book provides an accessible introduction to loop quantum gravity and some of its applications, at a level suitable for undergraduate students and others with only a minimal knowledge of college level physics. In particular it is not assumed that the reader is familiar with general relativity and only minimally familiar with quantum mechanics and Hamiltonian mechanics. Most chapters end with problems that elaborate on the text, and aid learning. Applications such as loop quantum cosmology, black hole entropy and spin foams are briefly covered. The text is ideally suited for an undergraduate course in the senior year of a physics major. It can also be used to introduce undergraduates to general relativity and quantum field theory as part of a 'special topics' type of course.
Readership: Undergraduates and beginning graduate physics students, lecturers in physics.
1: Why quantize gravity
2: Special relativity and electromagnetism
3: Some elements of general relativity
4: Hamiltonian mechanics including constraints and fields
5: Yang-Mills theories
6: Quantum mechanics and elements of quantum field theories
7: General relativity in terms of Ashtekar's variables
8: Loop representation for general relativity
9: An application: loop quantum cosmology
10: Further developments
11: Open issues and controversies
Series: Springer Series in Statistics
2011, XVIII, 556 p. 8 illus. in color.
Hardcover, ISBN 978-3-642-20191-2
Due: May 2011
Modern statistics deals with large and complex data sets, and consequently with models containing a large number of parameters. This book presents a detailed account of recently developed approaches, including the Lasso and versions of it for various models, boosting methods, undirected graphical modeling, and procedures controlling false positive selections.
A special characteristic of the book is that it contains comprehensive mathematical theory on high-dimensional statistics combined with methodology, algorithms and illustrations with real data examples. This in-depth approach highlights the methodsf great potential and practical applicability in a variety of settings. As such, it is a valuable resource for researchers, graduate students and experts in statistics, applied mathematics and computer science.
Introduction.- Lasso for linear models.- Generalized linear models and the Lasso.- The group Lasso.- Additive models and many smooth univariate functions.- Theory for the Lasso.- Variable selection with the Lasso.- Theory for l1/l2-penalty procedures.- Non-convex loss functions and l1-regularization.- Stable solutions.- P-values for linear models and beyond.- Boosting and greedy algorithms.- Graphical modeling.- Probability and moment inequalities.- Author Index.- Index.- References.- Problems at the end of each chapter.
2011, X, 85 p.
Softcover, ISBN 978-1-4419-9957-3
This book is a rigorous presentation of the method of matched asymptotic expansions, the primary tool for attacking singular perturbation problems. A knowledge of conventional asymptotic analysis is assumed. The first chapter introduces the theory and is followed by four chapters of applications to ordinary differential equation problems of increasing complexity. Exercises are included as well as several Maple programs for computing the terms of the various asymptotic expansions that arise in solving the problems.
Uniform Expansion.- First Order Differential Equations.- Second Order Differential Equations.- Logarithm Problems.- Oscillation Problems.- References.
Series: Springer Undergraduate Mathematics Series
2011, XVIII, 458 p. 49 illus.
Softcover, ISBN 978-0-85729-709-9
Due: August 2011
Affine geometry and quadrics are fascinating subjects alone, but they are also important applications of linear algebra. They give a first glimpse into the world of algebraic geometry yet they are equally relevant to a wide range of disciplines such as engineering.
This text discusses and classifies affinities and Euclidean motions culminating in classification results for quadrics. A high level of detail and generality is a key feature unmatched by other books available. Such intricacy makes this a particularly accessible teaching resource as it requires no extra time in deconstructing the authorfs reasoning. The provision of a large number of exercises with hints will help students to develop their problem solving skills and will also be a useful resource for lecturers when setting work for independent study.
Affinities, Euclidean Motions and Quadrics takes rudimentary, and often taken-for-granted, knowledge and presents it in a new, comprehensive form. Standard and non-standard examples are demonstrated throughout and an appendix provides the reader with a summary of advanced linear algebra facts for quick reference to the text. All factors combined, this is a self-contained book ideal for self-study that is not only foundational but unique in its approach.f
This text will be of use to lecturers in linear algebra and its applications to geometry as well as advanced undergraduate and beginning graduate students.
Affine Spaces.- Affinities.- Classification of Affinities.- Classification of Affinities in Arbitrary Dimension.- Euclidean Affine Spaces.- Euclidean motions.- Euclidean Motions of the Line, the Plane and of Space.- Affine Classification of Real Quadrics.- Orthogonal Classification of Quadrics.- Appendices.