Matrix algebra has been called "the arithmetic of higher mathematics" [Be]. We think the basis for a better arithmetic has long been available, but its versatility has hardly been appreciated, and it has not yet been integrated into the mainstream of mathematics. We refer to the system commonly called 'Clifford Algebra', though we prefer the name 'Geometric Algebra' suggested by Clifford himself. Many distinct algebraic systems have been adapted or developed to express geometric relations and describe geometric structures. Especially notable are those algebras which have been used for this purpose in physics, in particular, the system of complex numbers, the quaternions, matrix algebra, vector, tensor and spinor algebras and the algebra of differential forms. Each of these geometric algebras has some significant advantage over the others in certain applications, so no one of them provides an adequate algebraic structure for all purposes of geometry and physics. At the same time, the algebras overlap considerably, so they provide several different mathematical representations for individual geometrical or physical ideas.

This work is unique compared to the existing literature. It is very didactical and accessible to both students and researchers, without neglecting the formal character and the deep algebraic completeness of the topic along with its physical applications.

This volume contains selected papers presented at the Second Workshop on Clifford Algebras and their Applications in Mathematical Physics. These papers range from various algebraic and analytic aspects of Clifford algebras to applications in, for example, gauge fields, relativity theory, supersymmetry and supergravity, and condensed phase physics. Included is a biography and list of publications of Mário Schenberg, who, next to Marcel Riesz, has made valuable contributions to these topics. This volume will be of interest to mathematicians working in the fields of algebra, geometry or special functions, to physicists working on quantum mechanics or supersymmetry, and to historians of mathematical physics.

This volume offers a comprehensive approach to the theoretical, applied and symbolic computational aspects of the subject. Excellent for self-study, leading experts in the field have written on the of topics mentioned above, using an easy approach with efficient geometric language for non-specialists.

Differential geometry is the study of the curvature and calculus of curves and surfaces. A New Approach to Differential Geometry using Clifford's Geometric Algebra simplifies the discussion to an accessible level of differential geometry by introducing Clifford algebra. This presentation is relevant because Clifford algebra is an effective tool for dealing with the rotations intrinsic to the study of curved space. Complete with chapter-by-chapter exercises, an overview of general relativity, and brief biographies of historical figures, this comprehensive textbook presents a valuable introduction to differential geometry. It will serve as a useful resource for upper-level undergraduates, beginning-level graduate students, and researchers in the algebra and physics communities.

This volume describes the substantial developments in Clifford analysis which have taken place during the last decade and, in particular, the role of the spin group in the study of null solutions of real and complexified Dirac and Laplace operators. The book has six main chapters. The first two (Chapters 0 and I) present classical results on real and complex Clifford algebras and show how lower-dimensional real Clifford algebras are well-suited for describing basic geometric notions in Euclidean space. Chapters II and III illustrate how Clifford analysis extends and refines the computational tools available in complex analysis in the plane or harmonic analysis in space. In Chapter IV the concept of monogenic differential forms is generalized to the case of spin-manifolds. Chapter V deals with analysis on homogeneous spaces, and shows how Clifford analysis may be connected with the Penrose transform. The volume concludes with some Appendices which present basic results relating to the algebraic and analytic structures discussed. These are made accessible for computational purposes by means of computer algebra programmes written in REDUCE and are contained on an accompanying floppy disk.

This is the second edition of a popular work offering a unique introduction to Clifford algebras and spinors. The beginning chapters could be read by undergraduates; vectors, complex numbers and quaternions are introduced with an eye on Clifford algebras. The next chapters will also interest physicists, and include treatments of the quantum mechanics of the electron, electromagnetism and special relativity with a flavour of Clifford algebras. This edition has three new chapters, including material on conformal invariance and a history of Clifford algebras.