Synopses & Reviews
This revised and updated second edition of a highly successful text embraces a universal approach to three major developments in classical physics: namely, nonlinear waves, solitons, and chaos. The authors include new material on biology and laser theory, and go on to discuss important recent developments such as soliton metamorphosis. They also offer a new section on a direct method to study transverse instabilities of pulse-like structures. A comprehensive treatment of basic plasma and fluid configurations and instabilities is followed by a study of the relevant nonlinear structures. Additional key features comprise color illustrations of soliton dynamics and end-of-chapter problems. In general, it will be of value to final year undergraduates and beginning graduate students studying fluid dynamics, plasma physics and applied mathematics.
Review
From reviews of the first edition: ' ... as clear an introduction to nonlinear waves and solitons as one may find.' Appl. Mech. Rev.
Review
' ... highly recommended as a brief introduction to these important developments in classical physics ...' Physics in Canada
Review
' ... an important contribution to the study of nonlinear waves ...' Math. Rev.
Synopsis
'This is the only English language text at this level to embrace a universal approach to three developments in physics: nonlinear waves, solitons and chaos. The new edition has been extended so as to include applications in biology and optics and discusses recent developments in soliton dynamics.\n
'
Synopsis
This revised and updated second edition of a highly successful book is the only text at this level to embrace a universal approach to three major developments in classical physics; namely nonlinear waves, solitons and chaos. The authors now include new material on biology and laser theory, and go on to discuss important recent developments such as soliton metamorphosis. In general, it will be of value to final year undergraduates and beginning graduate students studying fluid dynamics, plasma physics and applied mathematics.
Description
Includes bibliographical references (p. 360-377) and index.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction; 2. Linear waves and instabilities in infinite media; 3. Convective and non-convective instabilities; group velocity in unstable media; 4. A first look at surface waves and instabilities; 5. Model equations for small amplitude waves and solitons; weakly nonlinear theory; 6. Exact methods for fully nonlinear waves and solitons; 7. Cartesian solitons in one and two space dimensions; 8. Evolution and stability of initially one-dimensional waves and solitons; 9. Cylindrical and spherical solitons in plasmas and other media; 10. Soliton metamorphosis; 11. Non-coherent phenonemena; Appendices; References.