Chaos, Dynamics, and Fractals. An Algorithmic Approach to Deterministic Chaos

MCCAULEY, Joseph L.

ISBN 10: 0521416582 / ISBN 13: 9780521416580

Published by Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1993

About this Item

xiii + 323 p. [Cambridge Nonlinear Science Series ; 2]. Seller Inventory # 015583

Bibliographic Details

Title: Chaos, Dynamics, and Fractals. An ...

Publisher: Cambridge University Press, Cambridge

Publication Date: 1993

Binding: Hardcover

Condition: Very Good

Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good

Edition: 1st Edition

About this title

Synopsis:

This book develops deterministic chaos and fractals from the standpoint of iterated maps, but the emphasis makes it very different from all other books in the field. It provides the reader with an introduction to more recent developments, such as weak universality, multifractals, and shadowing, as well as to older subjects like universal critical exponents, devil's staircases and the Farey tree. The author uses a fully discrete method, a 'theoretical computer arithmetic', because finite (but not fixed) precision cannot be avoided in computation or experiment. This leads to a more general formulation in terms of symbolic dynamics and to the idea of weak universality. The connection is made with Turing's ideas of computable numbers and it is explained why the continuum approach leads to predictions that are not necessarily realized in computation or in nature, whereas the discrete approach yields all possible histograms that can be observed or computed.

Review:

' a very readable account ... an excellent introduction to fractals and deterministic chaos ...' Chemistry in Britain

'very well written' Journal of the Association of C and C++ Users