Rhythms are a basic phenomenon in all physiological systems. They cover an enormous range of frequencies with periods from the order of milliseconds up to some years. They are described by many disciplines and are investigated usually in the context of the physiology of the respective function or organ. The importance given to the research on rhythmicity is quite different in different systems. In some cases where the functional significance is obvious rhythms are at the center of interest, as in the case of respiration or locomotion. In other fields they are considered more or less as...

The chapters in this book centre around one main theme, the concept of the machine and its use as metaphor in a variety of contexts. This concept is deeply rooted in western culture and is frequently used to interpret complex systems in nature and society. With the advent of electronic computers, the machine metaphor applied to thinking and the brain has becOIne even more pertinent. The idea of a machine has changed over time. In this book these transformations are made trans- parent, various aspects of the machine metaphor are discussed and limitations and pitfalls of the metaphor are...

It is increasingly being recognized that the experimental and theoretical study of the complex system brain requires the cooperation of many disciplines, in- cluding biology, medicine, physics, chemistry, mathematics, computer science, linguistics, and others. In this way brain research has become a truly interdis- ciplinary endeavor. Indeed, the most important progress is quite often made when different disciplines cooperate. Thus it becomes necessary for scientists to look across the fence surrounding their disciplines. The present book is written precisely in this spirit. It addresses...

This fourth edition contains a few additional figures. Otherwise only typographical er rors have been removed. The final chapter on Fundamentals of the Quantum Theory of Chemical Bonding is continued in an extended way in the textbook Molecular Physics and Elements of Quantum Chemistry by the same authors. This book contains, in particular, a profound presentation of group theory as applied to atoms and molecules. Furthermore, the in teraction between atoms and molecules and light is treated in detail. We thank again Springer-Verlag, in particular Dr. H.1. Kblsch and Mr. C.-D. Bachem for...

Dieses Lehrbuch wendet sich an Studenten der Physik, der Naturwissenschaften oder der Elektrotechnik ab 3. Semester. Die Atomphysik und die dazugeh rige Quantenphysik bilden die Grundlage f r viele moderne Gebiete der Physik, der Chemie, Biologie wie auch der Elektrotechnik. Es f hrt sorgf ltig und leicht verst ndlich in die Ergebnisse und Methoden der empirischen Atomphysik ein. Gleichzeitig wird dem Leser das R stzeug der Quantentheorie vermittelt, wobei die Wechselwirkung zwischen Experiment und Theorie besonders herausgearbeitet wird. Die Autoren haben die neuesten Resultate mit ber...

Atomic physics and its underlying quantum theory are the point of departure for many modern areas of physics, astrophysics, chemistry, biology, and even electrical engineering. This textbook provides a careful and eminently readable introduction to the results and methods of empirical atomic physics. The student will acquire the tools of quantum physics and at the same time learn about the interplay between experiment and theory. A chapter on the quantum theory of the chemical bond provides the reader with an introduction to molecular physics. Plenty of problems are given to elucidate the...

Nonlinear dynamics is now recognized as playing a crucial role in a wide variety of disciplines. But what is only just beginning is the important process of cross fertilization and transfer of knowledge and expertise from one area to another. This book is intended to promote this process which will undoubtedly contribute greatly to furthering our understanding of complex systems. Contributions are provided by leading experts from the areas of sociology, cognitive science, chemistry, physiology, ecology, economics, neural networks and physics.

Die Festkorperphysik ist eines der groBen Hauptgebiete der heutigen Physik. Der Festkorper stelIt mit seinen verwickelten elektrischen, optischen, thermischen und magnetischen Eigenschaften ein auBerst reizvolIes Objekt moderner Grundlagen forschung dar. In der Tat gelingt es hier, die oft sehr komplizierten Erscheinungen aufzuklaren und bis in die Details hinein zu verfolgen. Das damit verbundene tief greifende Verstandnis der physikalischen Vorgange im Festkorper fUhrt dariiber hinaus zu auBerst wichtigen Anwendungen, z. B. in der Nachrichten-und Computer technik. Der Studierende, der sich...

This book contains the invited papers presented at an international sympo- sium held at Schloss Elmau, Bavaria (FRG), May 4-9, 1987. Leading experts from neurobiology, medicine, physics, and the computer sciences joined to- gether to present and discuss their most recent results. A particular example of the natural computational systems discussed is the visual system of man and animals. A bridge between neural networks and physical systems is provided by spin glass models of neural networks, which were also treated. Concrete realizations of new kinds of devices in microelectronics were among...

At a first glance the reader of this book might be puzzled by the variety of its topics which range from phase-transition-like phenomena of chemical reactions, lasers and electrical currents to biological systems, like neuron networks and membranes, to population dynamics and socio logy. When looking more closely at the different subjects the reader will recognize, however, that this book deals with one main problem: the behaviour of systems which are composed of many elements of one or a few kinds. We are sure the reader will be surprised in the same way as the participants of a recent...