This textbook gives a contemporary account of singularity theory and its principal application, bifurcation theory.

The new edition of this non-mathematical review of catastrophe theory contains updated results and many new or expanded topics including delayed loss of stability, shock waves, and interior scattering. Three new sections offer the history of singularity and its applications from da Vinci to today, a discussion of perestroika in terms of the theory of metamorphosis, and a list of 93 problems touching on most of the subject matter in the book.

Based on a lecture course, this text gives a rigorous introduction to nonlinear analysis, dynamical systems and bifurcation theory including catastrophe theory. Wherever appropriate it emphasizes a geometrical or coordinate-free approach allowing a clear focus on the essential mathematical structures. It brings out features common to different branches of the subject while giving ample references for more advanced or technical developments.

This book has been written in a frankly partisian spirit-we believe that singularity theory offers an extremely useful approach to bifurcation prob lems and we hope to convert the reader to this view. In this preface we will discuss what we feel are the strengths of the singularity theory approach. This discussion then Ieads naturally into a discussion of the contents of the book and the prerequisites for reading it. Let us emphasize that our principal contribution in this area has been to apply pre-existing techniques from singularity theory, especially unfolding theory and classification theory, to bifurcation problems. Many ofthe ideas in this part of singularity theory were originally proposed by Rene Thom; the subject was then developed rigorously by John Matherand extended by V. I. Arnold. In applying this material to bifurcation problems, we were greatly encouraged by how weil the mathematical ideas of singularity theory meshed with the questions addressed by bifurcation theory. Concerning our title, Singularities and Groups in Bifurcation Theory, it should be mentioned that the present text is the first volume in a two-volume sequence. In this volume our emphasis is on singularity theory, with group theory playing a subordinate role. In Volume II the emphasis will be more balanced. Having made these remarks, Iet us set the context for the discussion of the strengths of the singularity theory approach to bifurcation. As we use the term, bifurcation theory is the study of equations with multiple solutions.

Bifurcation theory and catastrophe theory are two well-known areas within the field of dynamical systems. Both are studies of smooth systems, focusing on properties that seem to be manifestly non-smooth. Bifurcation theory is concerned with the sudden changes that occur in a system when one or more parameters are varied. Examples of such are familiar to students of differential equations, from phase portraits. Understanding the bifurcations of the differential equations that describe real physical systems provides important information about the behavior of the systems. Catastrophe theory became quite famous during the 1970's, mostly because of the sensation caused by the usually less than rigorous applications of its principal ideas to "hot topics", such as the characterization of personalities and the difference between a "genius" and a "maniac". Catastrophe theory is accurately described as singularity theory and its (genuine) applications. The authors of this book, previously published as Volume 5 of the Encyclopaedia, have given a masterly exposition of these two theories, with penetrating insight.

Advances in computer technology have conveniently coincided withtrends in numerical analysis toward increased complexity ofcomputational algorithms based on finite difference methods. It isno longer feasible to perform stability investigation of thesemethods manually--and no longer necessary. As this book shows,modern computer algebra tools can be combined with methods fromnumerical analysis to generate programs that will do the jobautomatically. Comprehensive, timely, and accessible--this is the definitivereference on the application of computerized symbolic manipulationsfor analyzing the stability of a wide range of difference schemes.In particular, it deals with those schemes that are used to solvecomplex physical problems in areas such as gas dynamics, heat andmass transfer, catastrophe theory, elasticity, shallow watertheory, and more. Introducing many new applications, methods, and concepts,Computer-Aided Analysis of Difference Schemes for PartialDifferential Equations * Shows how computational algebra expedites the task of stabilityanalysis--whatever the approach to stability investigation * Covers ten different approaches for each stability method * Deals with the specific characteristics of each method and itsapplication to problems commonly encountered by numerical modelers * Describes all basic mathematical formulas that are necessary toimplement each algorithm * Provides each formula in several global algebraic symboliclanguages, such as MAPLE, MATHEMATICA, and REDUCE * Includes numerous illustrations and thought-provoking examplesthroughout the text For mathematicians, physicists, and engineers, as well as forpostgraduate students, and for anyone involved with numericsolutions for real-world physical problems, this book provides avaluable resource, a helpful guide, and a head start ondevelopments for the twenty-first century.

Comment penser la puissance africaine et les enjeux de la transition hgmonique globale au 21e sicle ? Telle est la question thmatique centrale de cet ouvrage qui se veut un cahier de recherche doctrinale en polmologie et en irnologie endognes, dans un contexte o la mondialisation des enjeux scuritaires signifie pour lAfrique, un reclassement gostratgique du continent o le maintien de la paix et la rsolution des conflits sont devenus un terrain daffirmation de puissance. Analytique et oprationnelle, cette publication est le fruit de nombreuses expriences de terrain, de missions denseignements, de travaux ditoriaux, de publications scientifiques et de confrences internationales.

Singularity theory is growing very fast and many new results have been discovered since the Russian edition appeared: for instance the relation of the icosahedron to the problem of by passing a generic obstacle. The reader can find more details about this in the articles "Singularities of ray systems" and "Singularities in the calculus of variations" listed in the bi bliography of the present edition. Moscow, September 1983 v. I. Arnold Preface to the Russian Edition "Experts discuss forecasting disasters" said a New York Times report on catastrophe theory in November 1977. The London Times declared Catastrophe Theory to be the "main intellectual movement of the century" while an article on catastrophe theory in Science was headed "The emperor has no clothes". This booklet explains what catastrophe theory is about and why it arouses such controversy. It also contains non-con troversial results from the mathematical theories of singulari ties and bifurcation. The author has tried to explain the essence of the fundamen tal results and applications to readers having minimal mathe matical background but the reader is assumed to have an in quiring mind. Moscow 1981 v. I. Arnold Contents Chapter 1. Singularities, Bifurcations, and Catastrophe Theories ............... 1 Chapter 2. Whitney's Singularity Theory ... 3 Chapter 3. Applications of Whitney's Theory 7 Chapter 4. A Catastrophe Machine ...... 10 Chapter 5. Bifurcations of Equilibrium States 14 Chapter 6. Loss of Stability of Equilibrium and the Generation of Auto-Oscillations . . . . . . 20 .

An overview of the distributive dynamics of economic systems in a broad theoretical and empirical sense from the econophysical viewpoint.

Nonlinear System Theory