Ian Stewart

Martin Golubitsky

Starting with an analysis of the different forms of symmetry, the authors show how a few key principles can help us undrstand everything from cats' movements, corn circles and snow crystals to subatomic particles and the overall structure of the cosmos.

Is God a Geometer?

Fearful Symmetry

Michael Field

A Search for Pattern in Mathematics, Art, and Nature

Symmetry in Chaos

A striking full-colour book which explores how combining symmetry and chaos can lead to the construction of remarkable images. This book is an engaging look at the interplay of art and mathematics, and between symmetry and chaos. The underlying mathematics involved in the generation of the images is described.

A Search for Pattern in Mathematics, Art and Nature, Second Edition

Steven H. Strogatz

Dan Luss

This volume contains a number of mini-review articles authored by speakers and attendees at the IMA workshop on Pattern Formation in Continuous and Coupled Systems. Pattern formation has been studied intensively for most of this century by both experimentalists and theoreticians. This workshop focused on new directions in the patterns literature. The goals were to continue communication between these groups, and to familiarize a larger audience with some of the newer directions in the field. Systems that generate new types of pattern such as discrete coupled systems, systems with global coupling, and combustion experiments were stressed, as were new types of pattern. The mini-reviews in this volume are intended to be pointers to the current literature for researchers at all levels and therefore include extensive bibliographies. They are also intended to discuss why certain subjects are currently exciting and worthy of additional research.

A Survey Volume

Pattern Formation in Continuous and Coupled Systems

The framework of ‘symmetry’ provides an important route between the abstract theory and experimental observations. The book applies symmetry methods to dynamical systems, focusing on bifurcation and chaos theory. Its exposition is organized around a wide variety of relevant applications. From the reviews: "[The] rich collection of examples makes the book...extremely useful for motivation and for spreading the ideas to a large Community."--MATHEMATICAL REVIEWS

From Equilibrium to Chaos in Phase Space and Physical Space

The Symmetry Perspective

This IMA Volume in Mathematics and its Applications PATTERN FORMATION IN CONTINUOUS AND COUPLED SYSTEMS is based on the proceedings of a workshop with the same title, but goes be yond the proceedings by presenting a series of mini-review articles that sur vey, and provide an introduction to, interesting problems in the field. The workshop was an integral part of the 1997-98 IMA program on "EMERG ING APPLICATIONS OF DYNAMICAL SYSTEMS." I would like to thank Martin Golubitsky, University of Houston (Math ematics) Dan Luss, University of Houston (Chemical Engineering), and Steven H. Strogatz, Cornell University (Theoretical and Applied Mechan ics) for their excellent work as organizers of the meeting and for editing the proceedings. I also take this opportunity to thank the National Science Foundation (NSF), and the Army Research Office (ARO), whose financial support made the workshop possible. Willard Miller, Jr., Professor and Director v PREFACE Pattern formation has been studied intensively for most of this cen tury by both experimentalists and theoreticians, and there have been many workshops and conferences devoted to the subject. In the IMA workshop on Pattern Formation in Continuous and Coupled Systems held May 11-15, 1998 we attempted to focus on new directions in the patterns literature.

"From the shapes of clouds to dewdrops on a spider's web, this accessible book employs the mathematical concepts of symmetry to portray fascinating facets of the physical and biological world. More than 120 figures illustrate the interaction of symmetry with dynamics and the mathematical unity of nature's patterns"--

Martin Golubitsky

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