Classical Mechanics: Transformations, Flows, Integrable and Chaotic Dynamics [Paperback]

Joseph L. McCauley (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0521578825 | ISBN-13: 978-0521578820 | Publication Date: May 13, 1997

An advanced text for first-year graduate students in physics and engineering taking a standard classical mechanics course, this is the first book to describe the subject in the context of the language and methods of modern nonlinear dynamics. The organizing principle of the text is integrability vs. nonintegrability. It introduces flows in phase space and transformations early and illustrates their applications throughout the text. The standard integrable problems of elementary physics are analyzed from the standpoint of flows, transformations, and integrability. This approach allows the author to introduce most of the interesting ideas of modern nonlinear dynamics via the most elementary nonintegrable problems of Newtonian mechanics. This text will also interest specialists in nonlinear dynamics, mathematicians, engineers and system theorists.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"...a fascinating account of the history and foundations of mechanics... a significant and timely, and indeed personal, contribution to the literature on mechanics, and one which will sit comfortably alongside other definitive Cambridge publications." The Times Higher Education Supplement

"This new book on classical dynamics based on new discoveries in chaos is needed and justified because it is written from a new perspective....A particular merit of this book is its instructive presentation of examples of simple dynamic systems....This is a thought provoking book...[it] can serve as both a textbook for physics and engineering graduate students and a reference or self-study book for physicists, engineers and mathematicians....Serious readers who are interested in chaotic dynamics are advised to read Chaos, Dynamics and Fractal--An Algorithmic Approach to Deterministic Chaos by the same author (Cambridge University Press, 1993)." Journal of Mechanical Engineering Science

"...well written and easy to follow. It provides an excellent physical insight into the modern theory of nonlinear dynamics. This reviewer enjoyed reading this book very much because it clarifies many issues which are presented in an abstract format in other books." Applied Mechanics Reviews

Book Description

This advanced text is the first book to describe the subject of classical mechanics in the context of the language and methods of modern nonlinear dynamics. The organizing principle of the text is integrability vs. nonintegrability.

Product Details

• Paperback: 488 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press (May 13, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521578825
• ISBN-13: 978-0521578820
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 6.9 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,309,668 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars too much chatter..., October 26, 2003

By 

Smigs (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Classical Mechanics: Transformations, Flows, Integrable and Chaotic Dynamics (Paperback)

Ok, so McCauley does succeed in utilizing very useful techniques such as integrability, phase flows, etc., in his book which gets you thinking in terms of concepts every grad student should know that is applicable to many different areas in physics. But, he needs to do a couple of things, that I can think of off the top of my head, to make his book better:

1) When I bought the book, I paid for it to learn physics, not to hear him bash the Catholic Church and his thoughts on the multi-causal nature of what factors may have hindered the progress of science throughout history, such as in the 1st chapter. Stick with physics buddy! A Carl Sagan he is not. Also the grammar needs some serious work. Sometimes his sentences are not technically sentences. In fact, I don't know what they are, but grammar is not his virtue.

2) GET YOUR INDICES RIGHT!!! There are way too many errors which is confusing for a student learning this for the first time.

3) If you are going to copy problems out of Goldstein, at least copy them correctly. Basically, there is serious revision that needs to occur b/c there are way too many typos.

Besides that, I like his approach...it's modern and interesting, but things could be organized better. Basically, I think you are better starting off with Goldstein and then using McCauley for reference if you plan to do non-linear dynamics etc., later on in your physics career!

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Must Read On "Integrability", July 27, 2000

By 

Edward Qubain (Austin TX USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Classical Mechanics: Transformations, Flows, Integrable and Chaotic Dynamics (Hardcover)

This book provides an excellent discussion of "integrability" which dispells some confusions that exist about this subject. The style is accessible and the book does not require years of study of differential geometry before reading. My only complaint is that sometimes the discussion drags on longer than I like; a more concise presentation could be made in places. However, this is a minor quibble and a prolonged discussion is definitely less of a defect than an abstract, poorly explained discussion that one finds in too many other books.

18 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Not recommended as a mechanics text, December 15, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Classical Mechanics: Transformations, Flows, Integrable and Chaotic Dynamics (Hardcover)

Unfortunately, McCauley fails to meet the stated goal of this book as "... an advanced text for first-year graduate students in physics and engineering taking a standard classical mechanics course." The perspective presented by McCauley would be enlightening, were it not for this book's significant flaws. Foremost, the number of mistakes in equations, diagrams, problems, and the text presents an obstacle to understanding. The book appears to have been published without review by an editor, let alone one with a knowledge of mechanics. To be fair, some of the descriptions are lucid and well written, specifically some sections on flows in phase space, but generally topics seem to be incompletely, though sometimes verbosely, presented. The problems, often lifted from other sources, poorly illustrate the concepts and methods presented. Furthermore, the book suffers from a poor index which limits its usefulness as a reference. Given the flaws, I cannot recommend the use of this book as a text nor reference.