World Scientific Series on Nonlinear Science, Series A, Volume 47: Chaos, Bifurcations and Fractals Around Us: A Brief Introduction

During the last twenty years, a large number of books on nonlinear chaotic dynamics in deterministic dynamical systems have appeared. These academic tomes are intended for graduate students and require a deep knowledge of comprehensive, advanced mathematics. There is a need for a book that is accessible to general readers, a book that makes it possible to get a good deal of knowledge about complex chaotic phenomena in nonlinear oscillators without deep mathematical study. Chaos, Bifurcations and Fractals Around Us: A Brief Introduction fills that gap. It is a very short monograph that, owing to geometric interpretation complete with computer color graphics, makes it easy to understand even very complex advanced concepts of chaotic dynamics. This invaluable publication is also addressed to lecturers in engineering departments who want to include selected nonlinear problems in full time courses on general mechanics, vibrations or physics so as to encourage their students to conduct further study. When we observe evolution in time of various phenomena in the macroscopic world that surrounds us, we often use the terms "chaos", or "chaotic", meaning that the changes in time are without pattern and out of control, and hence are unpredictable. A short monograph that, owing to geometric interpretation complete with computer colour graphics, makes it easy to understand even very complex advanced concepts of chaotic dynamics.