An Introduction To Chaotic Dynamical Systems, Second Edition (Addison-Wesley Studies in Nonlinearity) [Hardcover]

Robert Devaney (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0201130467 | ISBN-13: 978-0201130461 | Publication Date: January 21, 1989 | Edition: 2 Sub

The study of nonlinear dynamical systems has exploded in the past 25 years, and Robert L. Devaney has made these advanced research developments accessible to undergraduate and graduate mathematics students as well as researchers in other disciplines with the introduction of this widely praised book.In this second edition of his best-selling text, Devaney includes new material on the orbit diagram fro maps of the interval and the Mandelbrot set, as well as striking color photos illustrating both Julia and Mandelbrot sets.This book assumes no prior acquaintance with advanced mathematical topics such as measure theory, topology, and differential geometry, Assuming only a knowledge of calculus, Devaney introduces many of the basic concepts of modern dynamical systems theory and leads the reader to the point of current research in several areas. The first two chapters introduce the reader to a broad spectrum of fundamental topics in dynamics: hyperbolicity, symbolic dynamics, structural stability, stable and unstable manifolds and bifurcation theory. Readers familiar with linear algebra and complex analysis will be led to the brink of contemporary research in the book’s concluding chapter, but for anyone with a background in calculus, Devaney provides a comprehensive exploration into the mathematics of chaos.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This book provides a wonderful introduction to the subject...I strongly recommend it." -- Philip Holmes, Cornell University --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

About the Author

Professor Robert L. Devaney received his A.B. from Holy Cross College and his Ph.D. from the University of California at Berkeley in 1973. He taught at Northwestern University, Tufts University, and the University of Maryland before coming to Boston University in 1980. He served there as chairman of the Department of Mathematics from 1983 to 1986. His main area of research is dynamical systems, including Hamiltonian systems, complex analytic dynamics, and computer experiments in dynamics. He is the author of An Introduction to Chaotic Dynamical Systems, and Chaos, Fractals, and Dynamics: Computer Experiments in Modern Mathematics, which aims to explain the beauty of chaotic dynamics to high school students and teachers.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 360 pages
• Publisher: Westview Press; 2 Sub edition (January 21, 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0201130467
• ISBN-13: 978-0201130461
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #867,622 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #90 in Books > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Physics > Chaos Theory

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good introduction to the beginning student, August 10, 2001

By 

Dr. Lee D. Carlson (Baltimore, Maryland USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: An Introduction To Chaotic Dynamical Systems, Second Edition (Addison-Wesley Studies in Nonlinearity) (Hardcover)

This book gives a quick and elementary introduction to the field of chaotic dynamical systems that could be read by anyone with a background in calculus and linear algebra. The approach taken by the author is very intuitive, lots of diagrams are used to illustrate the major points, and there are many useful exercises throughout the book. It could serve well in an undergraduate mathematics course in dynamical systems, and in a physics undergraduate course in advanced mechanics. The author emphasizes the mathematical aspects of dynamical systems, and readers will be well prepared after finishing it to read more advanced books on dynamical systems.

Chapter 1 introduces one-dimensional dynamics, with the analysis of the quadratic map given particular attention. Called the logistic map in some circles, this very important dynamical system has been the subject of much study, and exhibits generically the properties of chaotic dynamical systems. The author also gives a brief review of some elementary notions in calculus needed for the chapter, making the book even more accessible to a wider readership. The important concept of hyperbolicity is discussed in the context of one-dimensional maps and a good discussion is given on symbolic dynamics. Structural stability, which is really useful only in dynamical systems in higher dimensions, is treated here. The intuition gained in one-dimension is invaluable though before moving on to higher-dimensional examples. Sarkovskii's theorem, which states that a one-dimensional dynamical system with a period three periodic orbit has periodic orbits for all other periods, is proved in detail. In addition, the Schwarzian derivative, so important in complex dynamics, is defined here. The author also gives an introduction to bifurcation theory, which again, is most interesting in high dimensions, and introduces the concept of homoclinicity in this discussion. Maps of the circle and the all-important Morse-Smale diffeomorphisms, are treated in this chapter also. The author introduces the reader briefly to the idea of genericity when discussing Morse-Smale diffeomorphisms. Kneading theory, so important in the mathematical theory of dynamical systems, is introduced here also.

In chapter 2, the author generalizes the results to higher dimensions, and begins with a review of linear algebra and some results from multivariable calculus, such as the implicit function theorem and the contraction mapping theorem. This is followed by a treatment of the dynamics of linear maps in two and three dimensions. Whereas the canonical example of one-dimensional dynamics is represented by the logistic map, in higher-dimensional dynamics this is represented by the Smale horseshoe map. The author carefully constructs this map and details its properties. Then he takes up the hyperbolic toral automorphisms (or Anosov systems as they are called in some books). Both the Smale horseshoe map and the toral automorphisms are excellent, easily understandable examples of higher dimensional dynamics and the associated symbolic dynamics.

The concept of an attractor is also treated in chapter 2 in the context of the solenoid and the Plykin attractor. Both of these are of purely mathematical interest, but by studying them the physicist reader can get a better understanding of what to look for in actual physical examples of attractors (or the more exotic concept of a strange attractor). The author also gives a proof of the stable manifold theorem in dimension two. This is the best part of the book, for this theorem is rarely proved in textbooks on chaotic dynamics, the proof being delegated to the original papers. However, the proof in these papers is extremely difficult to get through, and so the author has given the reader a nice introduction to this important result, even though it is done only in two dimensions. This is followed by a very understandable discussion of Morse-Smale diffeomorphisms. In addition, the author introduces the Hopf bifurcation, of upmost importance in applications, and introduces the Henon map as an application of the results obtained so far.

The last chapter of the book is a brief overview of complex analytic dynamics. Complex dynamical systems are very important from a mathematical point of view, and they have fascinating connections with number theory, cryptography, algebraic geometry, and coding theory. The author reviews some elementary complex analysis and then reintroduces the quadratic maps but this time over the complex plane instead of the real line. The Julia set is introduced, and the reader who has not seen the computer graphical images of this set should peruse the Web for these images, due to their beauty. The geometry of the Julia set and the associated complex polynomial maps are given a fairly detailed treatment by the author in the space provided.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book; unique in its accessibility and coverage of deep results, September 13, 2005

By 

Alexander C. Zorach "Alex Zorach" (Lancaster, PA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: An Introduction to Chaotic Dynamical Systems, 2nd Edition (Paperback)

This book is an introduction to dynamical systems defined by iterative maps of continuous functions. It doesn't require much advanced knowledge, but it does require a familiarity and certain level of comfort with proofs. The basic idea of this book is to explore (in the context of iterative maps) the major themes of dynamical systems, which can later be explored in the messier setting of differential equations and continuous-time systems. While this book doesn't discuss differential equations directly, the techniques used here can be transferred (with considerable work and thought) to that setting. Someone wanting an elementary book covering differential equations as dynamical systems might want to check out the excellent multi-volume work by J. Hubbard; the combination of that work with this book would provide the background to tackle the tougher and less-accessible texts dealing with chaotic systems of differential equations.

Although this is a pure math book, the book does mention key applications and motivation behind the material; applied mathematicians will find this book quite useful, not necessarily because of the choice of topics but just because it greatly helps develop ones' intuition. The material is presented in a way that gives the student a sense of the big picture--what the theorems mean, how they fit together. Proofs are rigorous but as easy to follow as I have seen them in this subject.

The choice and order of subjects is also both practical and fun. The book begins with 1-dimensional systems and explores just about everything interesting that happens with them (including Sarkovski's Theorem, one of the most bizarre and surprising mathematical results), before moving into two-dimensions and then dynamics in the complex plane.

The bottom line? This book would be excellent both as a textbook and for self-study. If you're interested in this subject at all, this is a book you will want on your shelf. I know of no other book on the subject that covers such deep material while remaining as accessible.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best starting point., June 25, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: An Introduction To Chaotic Dynamical Systems, Second Edition (Addison-Wesley Studies in Nonlinearity) (Hardcover)

This book covers almost every aspect of theory of discrete dynamical systems and by far the easiest explains and proofs with useful exercises, anyone with solid calculus and linear algebra background shouldn't have any problem absorbing this material and is highly recommended to whom wants to know about the theory of chaos from the scratch.