Chaos: An Introduction to Dynamical Systems

CHAOS: An Introduction to Dynamical Systems was developed and class-tested by a distinguished team of authors at two universities through their teaching of courses based on the material. Intended for courses in nonlinear dynamics offered either in Mathematics or Physics, the text requires only calculus, differential equations, and linear algebra as prerequisites. Spanning the wide reach of nonlinear dynamics throughout mathematics, natural and physical science, CHAOS develops and explains the most intriguing and fundamental elements of the topic and examines their broad implications. Among the major topics included are: discrete dynamical systems, chaos, fractals, nonlinear differential equations, and bifurcations. The text also features Lab Visits, short reports that illustrate relevant concepts from the physical, chemical, and biological sciences, drawn from the scientific literature. There are Computer Experiments throughout the text that present opportunities to explore dynamics through computer simulation, designed to be used with any software package. And each chapter ends with a Challenge, which provides students a tour through an advanced topic in the form of an extended exercise.