Wave Physics: Oscillations - Solitons - Chaos - Softcover

This is a lecture course for 2nd and 3rd year students intending to graduate in physics, mathematics, or engineering. After elucidating the mathematical foundations, the author proceeds to discuss applications to physical systems; classical oscillators, waves on strings, electromagnetic waves, Schroedinger's equation and the postulates of quantum mechanics. Modern concepts like solitons and chaos are also dealt with. The step-by-step development leads the student from the traditional Fourier analysis to advanced concepts such as the method of inverse scattering in soliton theory. The final part contains an essay by Prof. M.C.Gutzwiller on chaos and associated phenomena.