Peter D. Lax

Mariano Giaquinta

S. R. S. Varadhan

The 11 papers discuss analysis, partial differential equations, applied mathematics, and scientific computing, focusing on the work of Peter Lax and Louis Nirenberg, whose 70th birthdays occasioned the conference. Specific topics include viscosity solutions for the porous medium equation, holomorphic curves in contact dynamics, and minimizing volume among Lagrangian submanifolds. No index. Member prices are $31 for institutions and $23 or individuals. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR.

La Pietra 1996 : Conference on Differential Equations Marking the 70th Birthdays of Peter Lax and Louis Nirenberg, July 3-7, 1996, Villa La Pietra, Florence, Italy

Differential Equations: La Pietra 1996

The description for this book, Multiple Integrals in the Calculus of Variations and Nonlinear Elliptic Systems. (AM-105), Volume 105, will be forthcoming.

Multiple Integrals in the Calculus of Variations and Nonlinear Elliptic Systems

Giuseppe Modica

Jiri Soucek

This monograph (in two volumes) deals with non scalar variational problems arising in geometry, as harmonic mappings between Riemannian manifolds and minimal graphs, and in physics, as stable equilibrium configuations in nonlinear elasticity or for liquid crystals. The presentation is selfcontained and accessible to non specialists. Topics are treated as far as possible in an elementary way, illustrating results with simple examples; in principle, chapters and even sections are readable independently of the general context, so that parts can be easily used for graduate courses. Open questions are often mentioned and the final section of each chapter discusses references to the literature and sometimes supplementary results. Finally, a detailed Table of Contents and an extensive Index are of help to consult this monograph

Cartesian Currents

Cartesian Currents in the Calculus of Variations I

Guiseppe Modica

Both in the Department of Mathematics Mariano Giaquinta

Variational Integrals

Cartesian Currents in the Calculus of Variations II

Luca Martinazzi

This volume deals with the regularity theory for elliptic systems. We may find the origin of such a theory in two of the problems posed by David Hilbert in his celebrated lecture delivered during the International Congress of Mathematicians in 1900 in Paris: 19th problem: Are the solutions to regular problems in the Calculus of Variations always necessarily analytic? 20th problem: does any variational problem have a solution, provided that certain assumptions regarding the given boundary conditions are satisfied, and provided that the notion of a solution is suitably extended? During the last century these two problems have generated a great deal of work, usually referred to as regularity theory, which makes this topic quite relevant in many fields and still very active for research. However, the purpose of this volume, addressed mainly to students, is much more limited. We aim to illustrate only some of the basic ideas and techniques introduced in this context, confining ourselves to important but simple situations and refraining from completeness. In fact some relevant topics are omitted. Topics include: harmonic functions, direct methods, Hilbert space methods and Sobolev spaces, energy estimates, Schauder and L^p-theory both with and without potential theory, including the Calderon-Zygmund theorem, Harnack's and De Giorgi-Moser-Nash theorems in the scalar case and partial regularity theorems in the vector valued case; energy minimizing harmonic maps and minimal graphs in codimension 1 and greater than 1. In this second deeply revised edition we also included the regularity of 2-dimensional weakly harmonic maps, the partial regularity of stationary harmonic maps, and their connections with the case p=1 of the L^p theory, including the celebrated results of Wente and of Coifman-Lions-Meyer-Semmes.

An Introduction to the Regularity Theory for Elliptic Systems, Harmonic Maps and Minimal Graphs

Non-scalar variational problems appear in different fields. In geometry, for in stance, we encounter the basic problems of harmonic maps between Riemannian manifolds and of minimal immersions; related questions appear in physics, for example in the classical theory of a-models. Non linear elasticity is another example in continuum mechanics, while Oseen-Frank theory of liquid crystals and Ginzburg-Landau theory of superconductivity require to treat variational problems in order to model quite complicated phenomena. Typically one is interested in finding energy minimizing representatives in homology or homotopy classes of maps, minimizers with prescribed topological singularities, topological charges, stable deformations i. e. minimizers in classes of diffeomorphisms or extremal fields. In the last two or three decades there has been growing interest, knowledge, and understanding of the general theory for this kind of problems, often referred to as geometric variational problems. Due to the lack of a regularity theory in the non scalar case, in contrast to the scalar one - or in other words to the occurrence of singularities in vector valued minimizers, often related with concentration phenomena for the energy density - and because of the particular relevance of those singularities for the problem being considered the question of singling out a weak formulation, or completely understanding the significance of various weak formulations becames non trivial.

Jean Pierre Bourguignon

Paolo de Bartolomeis

Proceedings from a conference on geometry and partial differential equations.

Geometric Theory of Singular Phenomena in Partial Differential Equations

Marcus Giaquinto

Reader in Philosophy Marcus Giaquinto

Drawing from philosophical work on the nature of concepts and from empirical studies of visual perception, mental imagery, and numerical cognition, Giaquinto explores a major source of our grasp of mathematics, using examples from basic geometry, arithmetic, algebra, and real analysis.

Visual Thinking in Mathematics

Examines linear structures, the topology of metric spaces, and continuity in infinite dimensions, with detailed coverage at the graduate level Includes applications to geometry and differential equations, numerous beautiful illustrations, examples, exercises, historical notes, and comprehensive index May be used in graduate seminars and courses or as a reference text by mathematicians, physicists, and engineers

Linear and Metric Structures and Continuity

Mathematical Analysis

Paolo Freguglia

This monograph explores the early development of the calculus of variations in continental Europe during the Eighteenth Century by illustrating the mathematics of its founders. Closely following the original papers and correspondences of Euler, Lagrange, the Bernoullis, and others, the reader is immersed in the challenge of theory building. We see what the founders were doing, the difficulties they faced, the mistakes they made, and their triumphs. The authors guide the reader through these works with instructive commentaries and complements to the original proofs, as well as offering a modern perspective where useful. The authors begin in 1697 with Johann Bernoulli’s work on the brachystochrone problem and the events leading up to it, marking the dawn of the calculus of variations. From there, they cover key advances in the theory up to the development of Lagrange’s δ-calculus, including: • The isoperimetrical problems • Shortest lines and geodesics • Euler’s Methodus Inveniendi and the two Additamenta Finally, the authors give the readers a sense of how vast the calculus of variations has become in centuries hence, providing some idea of what lies outside the scope of the book as well as the current state of affairs in the field. This book will be of interest to anyone studying the calculus of variations who wants a deeper intuition for the techniques and ideas that are used, as well as historians of science and mathematics interested in the development and evolution of modern calculus and analysis.

Mariano Giaquinta

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