Catastrophe Theory And Bifurcation Routledge Revivals

Mathematical models have long been used by geographers and regional scientists to explore the working of urban and regional systems, via a system where the equilibrium point changes slowly and smoothly as the parameters change slowly and smoothly. However, this all changed with the advent of catastrophe theory and bifurcation, which enabled the development of models where a quite sudden change in the position of the equilibrium point results from a slow, small, smooth change in one or more parameters. First published in 1981, this reissue of Professor Wilson’s classic study outlines the implications of these mathematical models for geography and regional science, by way of a survey of contemporary applications.

Mathematical models have long been used by geographers and regional scientists to explore the working of urban and regional systems, via a system where the equilibrium point changes slowly and smoothly as the parameters change slowly and smoothly. However, this all changed with the advent of catastrophe theory and bifurcation, which enabled the development of models where a quite sudden change in the position of the equilibrium point results from a slow, small, smooth change in one or more parameters. First published in 1981, this reissue of Professor Wilson's classic study outlines the implications of these mathematical models for geography and regional science, by way of a survey of contemporary applications.

Mathematical models have long been used by geographers and regional scientists to explore the working of urban and regional systems. However, this all changed with the advent of catastrophe theory and bifurcation. This study outlines the implications of these mathematical models for geography and regional science.

This advanced-level treatment describes the mathematics of catastrophe theory and its applications to problems in mathematics, physics, chemistry and engineering. 28 tables. 397 black-and-white illustrations. 1981 edition.

The new edition of this non-mathematical review of catastrophe theory contains updated results and many new or expanded topics including delayed loss of stability, shock waves, and interior scattering. Three new sections offer the history of singularity and its applications from da Vinci to today, a discussion of perestroika in terms of the theory of metamorphosis, and a list of 93 problems touching on most of the subject matter in the book.

Singularity theory is growing very fast and many new results have been discovered since the Russian edition appeared: for instance the relation of the icosahedron to the problem of by passing a generic obstacle. The reader can find more details about this in the articles "Singularities of ray systems" and "Singularities in the calculus of variations" listed in the bi bliography of the present edition. Moscow, September 1983 v. I. Arnold Preface to the Russian Edition "Experts discuss forecasting disasters" said a New York Times report on catastrophe theory in November 1977. The London Times declared Catastrophe Theory to be the "main intellectual movement of the century" while an article on catastrophe theory in Science was headed "The emperor has no clothes". This booklet explains what catastrophe theory is about and why it arouses such controversy. It also contains non-con troversial results from the mathematical theories of singulari ties and bifurcation. The author has tried to explain the essence of the fundamen tal results and applications to readers having minimal mathe matical background but the reader is assumed to have an in quiring mind. Moscow 1981 v. I. Arnold Contents Chapter 1. Singularities, Bifurcations, and Catastrophe Theories ............... 1 Chapter 2. Whitney's Singularity Theory ... 3 Chapter 3. Applications of Whitney's Theory 7 Chapter 4. A Catastrophe Machine ...... 10 Chapter 5. Bifurcations of Equilibrium States 14 Chapter 6. Loss of Stability of Equilibrium and the Generation of Auto-Oscillations . . . . . . 20 .

This edited collection, first published in 1987, provides a comparative analysis of different approaches to urban modelling, and lays the foundations for the possibility of integration and a more unified field. The first part contextualises the development of the field of urban systems modelling, focusing on the variety of approaches and possible implications of this on the future of research and methodology. Next, the editors consider economic and ‘non-economic’ approaches, followed by an analysis of spatial-interaction-based approaches. Providing an overview to the field and research literature, the overarching argument is that there should be an integrated methodological approach to urban system modelling.