This book describes the mathematical theory inspired by the irreversible nature of time-evolving events. The first part of the book deals with the ability to steer a system from any point of departure to any desired destination. The second part deals with optimal control--the problem of finding the best possible course. The author demonstrates an overlap with mathematical physics using the maximum principle, a fundamental concept of optimality arising from geometric control, which is applied to time-evolving systems governed by physics as well as to man-made systems governed by controls. He...

This eminent work focuses on the interplay between the behavior of random walks and discrete structure theory. Wolfgang Woess considers Markov chains whose state space is equipped with the structure of an infinite, locally-finite graph, or of a finitely generated group. He assumes the transition probabilities are adapted to the underlying structure in some way that must be specified precisely in each case. He also explores the impact the particular type of structure has on various aspects of the behavior of the random walk. In addition, the author shows how random walks are useful tools for...

This book treats the very special and fundamental mathematical properties of a family of Gaussian (or normal) random variables. Such random variables have many applications in probability theory, statistics and theoretical physics. The book concentrates on the mathematical structures common to all these applications. This will be an excellent resource for all researchers whose work involves random variables.

Spectral sequences are among the most elegant and powerful methods of computation in mathematics. This book describes some of the most important examples of spectral sequences and some of their most spectacular applications. The first part treats the algebraic foundations for this sort of homological algebra, starting from informal calculations. The heart of the text is an exposition of the classical examples from homotopy theory, with chapters on the Leray-Serre spectral sequence, the Eilenberg-Moore spectral sequence, the Adams spectral sequence, and, in this new edition, the Bockstein...

This book describes various approaches to the Inverse Galois Problem, a classical unsolved problem of mathematics posed by Hilbert at the beginning of the century. It brings together ideas from group theory, algebraic geometry and number theory, topology, and analysis. Assuming only elementary algebra and complex analysis, the author develops the necessary background from topology, Riemann surface theory and number theory. The first part of the book is quite elementary, and leads up to the basic rigidity criteria for the realization of groups as Galois groups. The second part presents more...

Spectral sequences are among the most elegant and powerful methods of computation in mathematics. This book describes some of the most important examples of spectral sequences and some of their most spectacular applications. The first part treats the algebraic foundations for this sort of homological algebra, starting from informal calculations. The heart of the text is an exposition of the classical examples from homotopy theory, with chapters on the Leray-Serre spectral sequence, the Eilenberg-Moore spectral sequence, the Adams spectral sequence, and, in this new edition, the Bockstein...

The Hardy-Littlewood method is a means of estimating the number of integer solutions of equations and was first applied to Waring's problem on representations of integers by sums of powers. This introduction to the method deals with its classical forms and outlines some of the more recent developments. Now in its second edition it has been fully updated; the author has made extensive revisions and added a new chapter to take account of major advances by Vaughan and Wooley. The reader is expected to be familiar with elementary number theory and postgraduate students should find it of great use...

This book provides an introduction to some aspects of the analytic theory of automorphic forms on G=SL2(R) or the upper-half plane X, with respect to a discrete subgroup DEGREESD*G of G of finite covolume. The point of view is inspired by the theory of infinite dimensional unitary representations of G; this is introduced in the last sections, making this connection explicit. The topics treated include the construction of fundamental domains, the notion of automorphic form on DEGREESD*GG and its relationship with the classical automorphic forms on X, Poincare series, constant terms, cusp...

In this book, Davies introduces the reader to the theory of partial differential operators, up to the spectral theorem for bounded linear operators on Banach spaces. He also describes the theory of Fourier transforms and distributions as far as is needed to analyze the spectrum of any constant coefficient partial differential operator. He also presents a completely new proof of the spectral theorem for unbounded self-adjoint operators and demonstrates its application to a variety of second order elliptic differential operators. Finally, the book contains a detailed account of the application...

The theme of this unique work, the logarithmic integral, lies athwart much of twentieth century analysis. It is a thread connecting many apparently separate parts of the subject, and is a natural point at which to begin a serious study of real and complex analysis. Professor Koosis' aim is to show how, from simple ideas, one can build up an investigation that explains and clarifies many different, seemingly unrelated problems; to show, in effect, how mathematics grows. The presentation is straightforward, so this, the first of two volumes, is self-contained, but more importantly, by following...