Dynamical Systems, Ergodic Theory and Applications [Hardcover]

This EMS volume, the first edition of which was published as Dynamical Systems II, EMS 2, sets out to familiarize the reader to the fundamental ideas and results of modern ergodic theory and its applications to dynamical systems and statistical mechanics. The exposition starts from the basic of the subject, introducing ergodicity, mixing and entropy. The ergodic theory of smooth dynamical systems is treated. Numerous examples are presented carefully along with the ideas underlying the most important results. Moreover, the book deals with the dynamical systems of statistical mechanics, and with various kinetic equations. For this second enlarged and revised edition, published as Mathematical Physics I, EMS 100, two new contributions on ergodic theory of flows on homogeneous manifolds and on methods of algebraic geometry in the theory of interval exchange transformations were added. This book is compulsory reading for all mathematicians working in this field, or wanting to learn about it.I. General Ergodic Theory of Groups of Measure Preserving Transformations (contributions by I.P.Kornfeld, Ya.G.Sinai, and A.M.Vershik).- II. Ergodic Theory of Smooth Dynamical Systems (contributions by L.A.Bunimovich, M.V.Jakobson, Y.B.Pesin, and Ya.G.Sinai).- III. Dynamical Systems on Homogeneous Spaces (by S.G.Dani).- IV. The Dynamics of Billiard Flows in Rational Polygons (by J.Smillie).- V. Dynamical Systems of Statistical Mechanics and Kinetic Equations (contributions by R.L.Dobrushin, N.B.Maslova, Ya.G.Sinai, and Yu.M.Sukhov).- References.- Subject Index

... The list of topics gives some idea of the impressive scope of this volume, and the comprehensive bibliographies represent the state of knowledge right up to the late 1990's. ... This survey is much more than a place where one can quickly look up the current state of knowledge on a particular topic or get an idea about the scope of a branch of the theroy. It is also highly recommended and fascinating reading for expelÓ!