In recent years, the Geomathematics Group, TU Kaiserslautern, has worked to set up a theory of spherical functions of mathematical physics. This book is a collection of all the material that group generated during the process.

This book is an enlarged second edition of a monograph published in the Springer AGEM2-Series, 2009. It presents, in a consistent and unified overview, a setup of the theory of spherical functions of mathematical (geo-)sciences. The content shows a twofold transition: First, the natural transition from scalar to vectorial and tensorial theory of spherical harmonics is given in a coordinate-free context, based on variants of the addition theorem, Funk-Hecke formulas, and Helmholtz as well as Hardy-Hodge decompositions. Second, the canonical transition from spherical harmonics via zonal (kernel) functions to the Dirac kernel is given in close orientation to an uncertainty principle classifying the space/frequency (momentum) behavior of the functions for purposes of data analysis and (geo-)application. The whole palette of spherical functions is collected in a well-structured form for modeling and simulating the phenomena and processes occurring in the Earth's system. The result is a work which, while reflecting the present state of knowledge in a time-related manner, claims to be of largely timeless significance in (geo-)mathematical research and teaching.

?Adapted from a series of lectures given by the authors, this monograph focuses on radial basis functions (RBFs), a powerful numerical methodology for solving PDEs to high accuracy in any number of dimensions. This method applies to problems across a wide range of PDEs arising in fluid mechanics, wave motions, astro- and geosciences, mathematical biology, and other areas and has lately been shown to compete successfully against the very best previous approaches on some large benchmark problems. Using examples and heuristic explanations to create a practical and intuitive perspective, the authors address how, when, and why RBF-based methods work.? The authors trace the algorithmic evolution of RBFs, starting with brief introductions to finite difference (FD) and pseudospectral (PS) methods and following a logical progression to global RBFs and then to RBF-generated FD (RBF-FD) methods. The RBF-FD method, conceived in 2000, has proven to be a leading candidate for numerical simulations in an increasingly wide range of applications, including seismic exploration for oil and gas, weather and climate modeling, and electromagnetics, among others.? This is the first survey in book format of the RBF-FD methodology and is suitable as the text for a one-semester first-year graduate class.

Special functions enable us to formulate a scientific problem by reduction such that a new, more concrete problem can be attacked within a well-structured framework, usually in the context of differential equations. A good understanding of special functions provides the capacity to recognize the causality between the abstractness of the mathematical concept and both the impact on and cross-sectional importance to the scientific reality. The special functions to be discussed in this monograph vary greatly, depending on the measurement parameters examined (gravitation, electric and magnetic fields, deformation, climate observables, fluid flow, etc.) and on the respective field characteristic (potential field, diffusion field, wave field). The differential equation under consideration determines the type of special functions that are needed in the desired reduction process. Each chapter closes with exercises that reflect significant topics, mostly in computational applications. As a result, readers are not only directly confronted with the specific contents of each chapter, but also with additional knowledge on mathematical fields of research, where special functions are essential to application. All in all, the book is an equally valuable resource for education in geomathematics and the study of applied and harmonic analysis. Students who wish to continue with further studies should consult the literature given as supplements for each topic covered in the exercises.

Written by leading experts, this book provides a clear and comprehensive survey of the “status quo” of the interrelating process and cross-fertilization of structures and methods in mathematical geodesy. Starting with a foundation of functional analysis, potential theory, constructive approximation, special function theory, and inverse problems, readers are subsequently introduced to today’s least squares approximation, spherical harmonics reflected spline and wavelet concepts, boundary value problems, Runge-Walsh framework, geodetic observables, geoidal modeling, ill-posed problems and regularizations, inverse gravimetry, and satellite gravity gradiometry. All chapters are self-contained and can be studied individually, making the book an ideal resource for both graduate students and active researchers who want to acquaint themselves with the mathematical aspects of modern geodesy.

During his long and distinguished career, J. Rowland Higgins (1935-2020) made a substantial impact on many mathematical fields through his work on sampling theory, his deep knowledge of its history, and his service to the community. This volume is a tribute to his work and legacy, featuring chapters written by distinguished mathematicians that explore cutting-edge research in sampling, approximation, signal analysis, and other related areas. An introductory chapter provides a biography of Higgins that explores his rich and unique life, along with a bibliography of his papers; a brief history of the SampTA meetings – of which he was a Founding Member – is also included. The remaining articles are grouped into four sections – classical sampling, theoretical extensions, frame theory, and applications of sampling theory – and explore Higgins’ contributions to these areas, as well as some of the latest developments.

A comprehensive summary of the fundamental mathematical principles behind key topics in geophysics and geodesy. Each section begins with a problem in gravimetry, geomagnetics or seismology and analyses its mathematical features. With each chapter ending with a series of review questions, this is a valuable reference for students and researchers.

During the last three decades geosciences and geo-engineering were influenced by two essential scenarios: First, the technological progress has changed completely the observational and measurement techniques. Modern high speed computers and satellite based techniques are entering more and more all geodisciplines. Second, there is a growing public concern about the future of our planet, its climate, its environment, and about an expected shortage of natural resources. Obviously, both aspects, viz. efficient strategies of protection against threats of a changing Earth and the exceptional situation of getting terrestrial, airborne as well as spaceborne data of better and better quality explain the strong need of new mathematical structures, tools, and methods. Mathematics concerned with geoscientific problems, i.e., Geomathematics, is becoming increasingly important. The ‘Handbook Geomathematics’ as a central reference work in this area comprises the following scientific fields: (I) observational and measurement key technologies (II) modelling of the system Earth (geosphere, cryosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, biosphere) (III) analytic, algebraic, and operator-theoretic methods (IV) statistical and stochastic methods (V) computational and numerical analysis methods (VI) historical background and future perspectives.

This volume gathers the proceedings of the IX Hotine-Marussi Symposium on Mathematical Geodesy, which was held from 18 to 22 June 2018 at the Faculty of Civil and Industrial Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy. Since 2006, the Hotine-Marussi Symposia series has been produced under the auspices of the Inter-Commission Committee on Theory (ICCT) within the International Association of Geodesy (IAG). The ICCT has organized the last four Hotine-Marussi Symposia, held in Wuhan (2006) and Rome (2009, 2013 and 2018). The overall goal of the ICCT and Hotine-Marussi Symposia has always been to advance geodetic theory, as reflected in the 25 peer-reviewed research articles presented here. The IX Hotine-Marussi Symposium was divided into 10 topical sessions covering all aspects of geodetic theory including reference frames, gravity field modelling, adjustment theory, atmosphere, time series analysis and advanced numerical methods. In total 118 participants attended the Symposium and delivered 82 oral and 37 poster presentations. During a special session at the Accademia Nazionale deiLincei, the oldest scientific academy in the world, six invited speakers discussed interactions of geodesy with oceanography, glaciology, atmospheric research, mathematics, Earth science and seismology.

The goal of this book is to introduce the reader to methodologies in recovery problems for objects, such as functions and signals, from partial or indirect information. The recovery of objects from a set of data demands key solvers of inverse and sampling problems. Until recently, connections between the mathematical areas of inverse problems and sampling were rather tenuous. However, advances in several areas of mathematical research have revealed deep common threads between them, which proves that there is a serious need for a unifying description of the underlying mathematical ideas and concepts. Freeden and Nashed present an integrated approach to resolution methodologies from the perspective of both these areas. Researchers in sampling theory will benefit from learning about inverse problems and regularization methods, while specialists in inverse problems will gain a better understanding of the point of view of sampling concepts. This book requires some basic knowledge of functional analysis, Fourier theory, geometric number theory, constructive approximation, and special function theory. By avoiding extreme technicalities and elaborate proof techniques, it is an accessible resource for students and researchers not only from applied mathematics, but also from all branches of engineering and science.