Outer Billiards on Kites
Outer Billiards on Kites

Author: Richard Evan Schwartz

Publisher: Princeton University Press

Published: 2009-10-05

Total Pages: 321

ISBN-13: 1400831970

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Outer billiards is a basic dynamical system defined relative to a convex shape in the plane. B. H. Neumann introduced this system in the 1950s, and J. Moser popularized it as a toy model for celestial mechanics. All along, the so-called Moser-Neumann question has been one of the central problems in the field. This question asks whether or not one can have an outer billiards system with an unbounded orbit. The Moser-Neumann question is an idealized version of the question of whether, because of small disturbances in its orbit, the Earth can break out of its orbit and fly away from the Sun. In Outer Billiards on Kites, Richard Schwartz presents his affirmative solution to the Moser-Neumann problem. He shows that an outer billiards system can have an unbounded orbit when defined relative to any irrational kite. A kite is a quadrilateral having a diagonal that is a line of bilateral symmetry. The kite is irrational if the other diagonal divides the quadrilateral into two triangles whose areas are not rationally related. In addition to solving the basic problem, Schwartz relates outer billiards on kites to such topics as Diophantine approximation, the modular group, self-similar sets, polytope exchange maps, profinite completions of the integers, and solenoids--connections that together allow for a fairly complete analysis of the dynamical system.

The Plaid Model
The Plaid Model

Author: Richard Evan Schwartz

Publisher: Princeton University Press

Published: 2019-02-19

Total Pages: 280

ISBN-13: 0691181381

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Outer billiards provides a toy model for planetary motion and exhibits intricate and mysterious behavior even for seemingly simple examples. It is a dynamical system in which a particle in the plane moves around the outside of a convex shape according to a scheme that is reminiscent of ordinary billiards. The Plaid Model, which is a self-contained sequel to Richard Schwartz’s Outer Billiards on Kites, provides a combinatorial model for orbits of outer billiards on kites. Schwartz relates these orbits to such topics as polytope exchange transformations, renormalization, continued fractions, corner percolation, and the Truchet tile system. The combinatorial model, called “the plaid model,” has a self-similar structure that blends geometry and elementary number theory. The results were discovered through computer experimentation and it seems that the conclusions would be extremely difficult to reach through traditional mathematics. The book includes an extensive computer program that allows readers to explore the materials interactively and each theorem is accompanied by a computer demonstration.

XVIIth International Congress on Mathematical Physics
XVIIth International Congress on Mathematical Physics

Author: Arne Jensen

Publisher: World Scientific

Published: 2014

Total Pages: 743

ISBN-13: 9814449245

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

This is an in-depth study of not just about Tan Kah-kee, but also the making of a legend through his deeds, self-sacrifices, fortitude and foresight. This revised edition sheds new light on his political agonies in Mao's China over campaigns against capitalists and intellectuals.

Annals of Mathematics Studies
Annals of Mathematics Studies

Author: Richard Evan Schwartz

Publisher:

Published: 1940

Total Pages: 324

ISBN-13:

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

"Outer billiards is a basic dynamical system defined relative to a convex shape in the plane. B. H. Neumann introduced this system in the 1950s, and J. Moser popularized it as a toy model for celestial mechanics. All along, the so-called Moser-Neumann question has been one of the central problems in the field. This question asks whether or not one can have an outer billiards system with an unbounded orbit. The Moser-Neumann question is an idealized version of the question of whether, because of small disturbances in its orbit, the Earth can break out of its orbit and fly away from the Sun. In Outer Billiards on Kites, Richard Schwartz presents his affirmative solution to the Moser-Neumann problem. He shows that an outer billiards system can have an unbounded orbit when defined relative to any irrational kite. A kite is a quadrilateral having a diagonal that is a line of bilateral symmetry. The kite is irrational if the other diagonal divides the quadrilateral into two triangles whose areas are not rationally related. In addition to solving the basic problem, Schwartz relates outer billiards on kites to such topics as Diophantine approximation, the modular group, self-similar sets, polytope exchange maps, profinite completions of the integers, and solenoids--connections that together allow for a fairly complete analysis of the dynamical system."--Publisher website.

Geometric and Probabilistic Structures in Dynamics
Geometric and Probabilistic Structures in Dynamics

Author: Keith Burns

Publisher: American Mathematical Soc.

Published: 2008

Total Pages: 358

ISBN-13: 0821842862

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

"This book presents a collection of articles that cover areas of mathematics related to dynamical systems. The authors are well-known experts who use geometric and probabilistic methods to study interesting problems in the theory of dynamical systems and its applications. Some of the articles are surveys while others are original contributions. The topics covered include: Riemannian geometry, models in mathematical physics and mathematical biology, symbolic dynamics, random and stochastic dynamics. This book can be used by graduate students and researchers in dynamical systems and its applications."--BOOK JACKET.

Dear Professor Dyson
Dear Professor Dyson

Author: Freeman John Dyson

Publisher: World Scientific

Published: 2016

Total Pages: 386

ISBN-13: 9814759090

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

"Freeman Dyson has designed nuclear reactors and bomb-powered spacecraft; he has studied the origins of life and the possibilities for the long-term future; he showed quantum mechanics to be consistent with electrodynamics and started cosmological eschatology; he has won international recognition for his work in science and for his work in reconciling science to religion; he has advised generals and congressional committees. An STS (Science, Technology, Society) curriculum or discussion group that engages topics such as nuclear policies, genetic technologies, environmental sustainability, the role of religion in a scientific society, and a hard look towards the future, would count itself privileged to include Professor Dyson as a class participant and mentor. In this book, STS topics are not discussed as objectified abstractions, but through personal stories. The reader is invited to observe Dyson's influence on a generation of young people as they wrestle with issues of science, technology, society, life in general and our place in the universe. The book is filled with personal anecdotes, student questions and responses, honest doubts and passions"--

Peregrinations From Physics To Phylogeny: Essays On The Occasion Of Hao Bailin's 80th Birthday
Peregrinations From Physics To Phylogeny: Essays On The Occasion Of Hao Bailin's 80th Birthday

Author: Kok Khoo Phua

Publisher: World Scientific

Published: 2016-02-29

Total Pages: 386

ISBN-13: 9814759104

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

'Professor Hao Bailin is one of China's most talented and most versatile theoretical physicists. He has made important contributions to a wide variety of research fields, including biology in which he pioneered a multidimensional method for studying the evolutionary pathways of bacteria. Indeed he calls himself, appreciatively I believe, a guerrilla fighter.'Chen-Ning Yang, Nobel Laureate

Mathematical Writing
Mathematical Writing

Author: Franco Vivaldi

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2014-11-04

Total Pages: 213

ISBN-13: 1447165276

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

This book teaches the art of writing mathematics, an essential -and difficult- skill for any mathematics student. The book begins with an informal introduction on basic writing principles and a review of the essential dictionary for mathematics. Writing techniques are developed gradually, from the small to the large: words, phrases, sentences, paragraphs, to end with short compositions. These may represent the introduction of a concept, the abstract of a presentation or the proof of a theorem. Along the way the student will learn how to establish a coherent notation, mix words and symbols effectively, write neat formulae, and structure a definition. Some elements of logic and all common methods of proofs are featured, including various versions of induction and existence proofs. The book concludes with advice on specific aspects of thesis writing (choosing of a title, composing an abstract, compiling a bibliography) illustrated by large number of real-life examples. Many exercises are included; over 150 of them have complete solutions, to facilitate self-study. Mathematical Writing will be of interest to all mathematics students who want to raise the quality of their coursework, reports, exams, and dissertations.

In the Tradition of Ahlfors-Bers, V
In the Tradition of Ahlfors-Bers, V

Author: Mario Bonk

Publisher: American Mathematical Soc.

Published: 2010

Total Pages: 346

ISBN-13: 0821847325

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

The Ahlfors-Bers Colloquia commemorate the mathematical legacy of Lars Ahlfors and Lipman Bers. The core of this legacy lies in the fields of geometric function theory, Teichmuller theory, hyperbolic geometry, and partial differential equations. However, the work of Ahlfors and Bers has impacted and created interactions with many other fields of mathematics, such as algebraic geometry, dynamical systems, topology, geometric group theory, mathematical physics, and number theory. Recent years have seen a flowering of this legacy with an increased interest in their work. This current volume contains articles on a wide variety of subjects that are central to this legacy. These include papers in Kleinian groups, classical Riemann surface theory, translation surfaces, algebraic geometry and dynamics. The majority of the papers present new research, but there are survey articles as well.

The Octagonal PETs
The Octagonal PETs

Author: Richard Evan Schwartz

Publisher: American Mathematical Soc.

Published: 2014-07-03

Total Pages: 226

ISBN-13: 1470415224

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

A polytope exchange transformation is a (discontinuous) map from a polytope to itself that is a translation wherever it is defined. The 1-dimensional examples, interval exchange transformations, have been studied fruitfully for many years and have deep connections to other areas of mathematics, such as Teichmüller theory. This book introduces a general method for constructing polytope exchange transformations in higher dimensions and then studies the simplest example of the construction in detail. The simplest case is a 1-parameter family of polygon exchange transformations that turns out to be closely related to outer billiards on semi-regular octagons. The 1-parameter family admits a complete renormalization scheme, and this structure allows for a fairly complete analysis both of the system and of outer billiards on semi-regular octagons. The material in this book was discovered through computer experimentation. On the other hand, the proofs are traditional, except for a few rigorous computer-assisted calculations.