Symbolic dynamics is a coarse-grained description of dynamics. It provides a rigorous way to understand the global systematics of periodic and chaotic motion in a system. In the last decade it has been applied to nonlinear systems described by one- and two-dimensional maps as well as by ordinary differential equations. This book will help practitioners in nonlinear science and engineering to master that powerful tool.

Symbolic dynamics is a coarse-grained description of dynamics. It has been a long-studied chapter of the mathematical theory of dynamical systems, but its abstract formulation has kept many practitioners of physical sciences and engineering from appreciating its simplicity, beauty, and power. At the same time, symbolic dynamics provides almost the only rigorous way to understand global systematics of periodic and, especially, chaotic motion in dynamical systems. In a sense, everyone who enters the field of chaotic dynamics should begin with the study of symbolic dynamics. However, this has not been an easy task for non-mathematicians. On one hand, the method of symbolic dynamics has been developed to such an extent that it may well become a practical tool in studying chaotic dynamics, both on computers and in laboratories. On the other hand, most of the existing literature on symbolic dynamics is mathematics-oriented. This book is an attempt at partially filling up this apparent gap by emphasizing the applied aspects of symbolic dynamics without mathematical rigor. Contents: Preface to the Second Edition Preface to the First Edition Introduction Symbolic Dynamics of Unimodal Maps Maps with Multiple Critical Points Symbolic Dynamics of Circle Maps Symbolic Dynamics of Two-Dimensional Maps Application to Ordinary Differential Equations Counting the Number of Periodic Orbits Symbolic Dynamics and Grammatical Complexity Symbolic Dynamics and Knot Theory Appendix References Index Readership: Researchers and students interested in chaotic dynamics. Keywords: Symbolic Dynamics;ChaosReview: Key Features: No previous knowledge of dynamical systems theory is required in order to read this book The revisions concern mainly the application to ordinary differential equations via constructing two-dimensional symbolic dynamics of the corresponding Poincare maps

Several distinctive aspects make Dynamical Systems unique, including: treating the subject from a mathematical perspective with the proofs of most of the results included providing a careful review of background materials introducing ideas through examples and at a level accessible to a beginning graduate student

This introduction to applied nonlinear dynamics and chaos places emphasis on teaching the techniques and ideas that will enable students to take specific dynamical systems and obtain some quantitative information about their behavior. The new edition has been updated and extended throughout, and contains a detailed glossary of terms. From the reviews: "Will serve as one of the most eminent introductions to the geometric theory of dynamical systems." --Monatshefte für Mathematik

This book is a monograph on chaos in dissipative systems written for those working in the physical sciences. Emphasis is on symbolic description of the dynamics and various characteristics of the attractors, and written from the view-point of practical applications without going into formal mathematical rigour. The author used elementary mathematics and calculus, and relied on physical intuition whenever possible. Substantial attention is paid to numerical techniques in the study of chaos. Part of the book is based on the publications of Chinese researchers, including those of the author's collaborators.

Latest Edition: Applied Symbolic Dynamics and Chaos (2nd Edition)Symbolic dynamics is a coarse-grained description of dynamics. It provides a rigorous way to understand the global systematics of periodic and chaotic motion in a system. In the last decade it has been applied to nonlinear systems described by one- and two-dimensional maps as well as by ordinary differential equations. This book will help practitioners in nonlinear science and engineering to master that powerful tool.

This textbook is aimed at newcomers to nonlinear dynamics and chaos, especially students taking a first course in the subject. The presentation stresses analytical methods, concrete examples, and geometric intuition. The theory is developed systematically, starting with first-order differential equations and their bifurcations, followed by phase plane analysis, limit cycles and their bifurcations, and culminating with the Lorenz equations, chaos, iterated maps, period doubling, renormalization, fractals, and strange attractors.