A mathematical study of the geometrical aspects of sets of both integral and fractional Hausdorff dimension. Considers questions of local density, the existence of tangents of such sets as well as the dimensional properties of their projections in various directions.
Written in a style that is accessible to a wide audience, The Fractal Geometry of Nature inspired popular interest in this emerging field. Mandelbrot's unique style, and rich illustrations will inspire readers of all backgrounds.
Since its original publication in 1990, Kenneth Falconer's Fractal Geometry: Mathematical Foundations and Applications has become a seminal text on the mathematics of fractals. It introduces the general mathematical theory and applications of fractals in a way that is accessible to students from a wide range of disciplines. This new edition has been extensively revised and updated. It features much new material, many additional exercises, notes and references, and an extended bibliography that reflects the development of the subject since the first edition. * Provides a comprehensive and accessible introduction to the mathematical theory and applications of fractals. * Each topic is carefully explained and illustrated by examples and figures. * Includes all necessary mathematical background material. * Includes notes and references to enable the reader to pursue individual topics. * Features a wide selection of exercises, enabling the reader to develop their understanding of the theory. * Supported by a Web site featuring solutions to exercises, and additional material for students and lecturers. Fractal Geometry: Mathematical Foundations and Applications is aimed at undergraduate and graduate students studying courses in fractal geometry. The book also provides an excellent source of reference for researchers who encounter fractals in mathematics, physics, engineering, and the applied sciences. Also by Kenneth Falconer and available from Wiley: Techniques in Fractal Geometry ISBN 0-471-95724-0 Please click here to download solutions to exercises found within this title: http://www.wileyeurope.com/fractal
Fractal geometry represents a radical departure from classical geometry, which focuses on smooth objects that "straighten out" under magnification. Fractals, which take their name from the shape of fractured objects, can be characterized as retaining their lack of smoothness under magnification. The properties of fractals come to light under repeated magnification, which we refer to informally as "zooming in". This zooming-in process has its parallels in dynamics, and the varying "scenery" corresponds to the evolution of dynamical variables. The present monograph focuses on applications of one branch of dynamics--ergodic theory--to the geometry of fractals. Much attention is given to the all-important notion of fractal dimension, which is shown to be intimately related to the study of ergodic averages. It has been long known that dynamical systems serve as a rich source of fractal examples. The primary goal in this monograph is to demonstrate how the minute structure of fractals is unfolded when seen in the light of related dynamics. A co-publication of the AMS and CBMS.
From the reviews: "In the world of mathematics, the 1980's might well be described as the "decade of the fractal". Starting with Benoit Mandelbrot's remarkable text The Fractal Geometry of Nature, there has been a deluge of books, articles and television programmes about the beautiful mathematical objects, drawn by computers using recursive or iterative algorithms, which Mandelbrot christened fractals. Gerald Edgar's book is a significant addition to this deluge. Based on a course given to talented high- school students at Ohio University in 1988, it is, in fact, an advanced undergraduate textbook about the mathematics of fractal geometry, treating such topics as metric spaces, measure theory, dimension theory, and even some algebraic topology. However, the book also contains many good illustrations of fractals (including 16 color plates), together with Logo programs which were used to generate them. ... Here then, at last, is an answer to the question on the lips of so many: 'What exactly is a fractal?' I do not expect many of this book's readers to achieve a mature understanding of this answer to the question, but anyone interested in finding out about the mathematics of fractal geometry could not choose a better place to start looking." #Mathematics Teaching#1
Both fractal geometry and dynamical systems have a long history of development and have provided fertile ground for many great mathematicians and much deep and important mathematics. These two areas interact with each other and with the theory of chaos in a fundamental way: many dynamical systems (even some very simple ones) produce fractal sets, which are in turn a source of irregular 'chaotic' motions in the system. This book is an introduction to these two fields, with an emphasis on the relationship between them. The first half of the book introduces some of the key ideas in fractal geometry and dimension theory - Cantor sets, Hausdorff dimension, box dimension - using dynamical notions whenever possible, particularly one-dimensional Markov maps and symbolic dynamics. Various techniques for computing Hausdorff dimension are shown, leading to a discussion of Bernoulli and Markov measures and of the relationship between dimension, entropy, and Lyapunov exponents. In the second half of the book some examples of dynamical systems are considered and various phenomena of chaotic behaviour are discussed, including bifurcations, hyperbolicity, attractors, horseshoes, and intermittent and persistent chaos. These phenomena are naturally revealed in the course of our study of two real models from science - the FitzHugh - Nagumo model and the Lorenz system of differential equations. This book is accessible to undergraduate students and requires only standard knowledge in calculus, linear algebra, and differential equations. Elements of point set topology and measure theory are introduced as needed. This book is a result of the MASS course in analysis at Penn State University in the fall semester of 2008.
Following on from the success of Fractal Geometry: Mathematical Foundations and Applications, this new sequel presents a variety of techniques in current use for studying the mathematics of fractals. Much of the material presented in this book has come to the fore in recent years. This includes methods for studying dimensions and other parameters of fractal sets and measures, as well as more sophisticated techniques such as thermodynamic formalism and tangent measures. In addition to general theory, many examples and applications are described, in areas such as differential equations and harmonic analysis. This book is mathematically precise, but aims to give an intuitive feel for the subject, with underlying concepts described in a clear and accessible manner. The reader is assumed to be familiar with material from Fractal Geometry, but the main ideas and notation are reviewed in the first two chapters. Each chapter ends with brief notes on the development and current state of the subject. Exercises are included to reinforce the concepts. The author's clear style and up-to-date coverage of the subject make this book essential reading for all those who with to develop their understanding of fractal geometry.