The author integrates discussions of fractal geometry, surface modeling techniques, and applications to real world problems to provide a comprehensive, accessible overview of the field. His work will equip researchers with the basic tools for measurement and interpretation of data, stimulating more work on these problems and, perhaps, leading to an understanding of the reasons that Nature has adopted this geometry to shape much of our world.

Fractal Functions, Fractal Surfaces, and Wavelets, Second Edition, is the first systematic exposition of the theory of local iterated function systems, local fractal functions and fractal surfaces, and their connections to wavelets and wavelet sets. The book is based on Massopust's work on and contributions to the theory of fractal interpolation, and the author uses a number of tools—including analysis, topology, algebra, and probability theory—to introduce readers to this exciting subject. Though much of the material presented in this book is relatively current (developed in the past decades by the author and his colleagues) and fairly specialized, an informative background is provided for those entering the field. With its coherent and comprehensive presentation of the theory of univariate and multivariate fractal interpolation, this book will appeal to mathematicians as well as to applied scientists in the fields of physics, engineering, biomathematics, and computer science. In this second edition, Massopust includes pertinent application examples, further discusses local IFS and new fractal interpolation or fractal data, further develops the connections to wavelets and wavelet sets, and deepens and extends the pedagogical content. - Offers a comprehensive presentation of fractal functions and fractal surfaces - Includes latest developments in fractal interpolation - Connects fractal geometry with wavelet theory - Includes pertinent application examples, further discusses local IFS and new fractal interpolation or fractal data, and further develops the connections to wavelets and wavelet sets - Deepens and extends the pedagogical content

This book brings together two of the most exciting and widely studied subjects in modern physics: namely fractals and surfaces. To the community interested in the study of surfaces and interfaces, it brings the concept of fractals. To the community interested in the exciting field of fractals and their application, it demonstrates how these concepts may be used in the study of surfaces. The authors cover, in simple terms, the various methods and theories developed over the past ten years to study surface growth. They describe how one can use fractal concepts successfully to describe and predict the morphology resulting from various growth processes. Consequently, this book will appeal to physicists working in condensed matter physics and statistical mechanics, with an interest in fractals and their application. The first chapter of this important new text is available on the Cambridge Worldwide Web server: http://www.cup.cam.ac.uk/onlinepubs/Textbooks/textbookstop.html

In the last few years there has been an explosion of activity in the field of the dynamics of fractal surfaces, which, through the convergence of important new results from computer simulations, analytical theories and experiments, has led to significant advances in our understanding of nonequilibrium surface growth phenomena. This interest in surface growth phenomena has been motivated largely by the fact that a wide variety of natural and industrial processes lead to the formation of rough surfaces and interfaces. This book presents these developments in a single volume by bringing together the works containing the most important results in the field.The material is divided into chapters consisting of reprints related to a single major topic. Each chapter has a general introduction to a particular aspect of growing fractal surfaces. These introductory parts are included in order to provide a scientific background to the papers reproduced in the main part of the chapters. They are written in a pedagogical style and contain only the most essential information. The contents of the reprints are made more accessible to the reader as they are preceded by a short description of what the editors find to be the most significant results in the paper.

In the last few years there has been an explosion of activity in the field of the dynamics of fractal surfaces, which, through the convergence of important new results from computer simulations, analytical theories and experiments, has led to significant advances in our understanding of nonequilibrium surface growth phenomena. This interest in surface growth phenomena has been motivated largely by the fact that a wide variety of natural and industrial processes lead to the formation of rough surfaces and interfaces. This book presents these developments in a single volume by bringing together the works containing the most important results in the field.The material is divided into chapters consisting of reprints related to a single major topic. Each chapter has a general introduction to a particular aspect of growing fractal surfaces. These introductory parts are included in order to provide a scientific background to the papers reproduced in the main part of the chapters. They are written in a pedagogical style and contain only the most essential information. The contents of the reprints are made more accessible to the reader as they are preceded by a short description of what the editors find to be the most significant results in the paper.

Scattering, Natural Surfaces, and Fractals provides a comprehensive overview of electromagnetic scattering from natural surfaces, ranging from the classical to the more recent (fractal) approach. As remote sensing applications become increasingly important, this text provides readers with a solid background in interpretation, classification and thematization of microwave images. The "scattering problem is discussed in detail with emphasis on its application to electromagnetic wave propagation, remote sensing, radar detection, and electromagnetic diagnostics. Natural surface and fractals complete this treatise focusing on how the fractal model represents our natural environment and other planets in our solar system, most recently as used to research the planet Venus and Titan, one of the moons of Saturn. An example of how scattering, fractals, and natural surfaces are of great importance is the following: Natural oil slicks in the ocean have been found to be fractal while man-made ones (generated by illegal washing of oil carrying ships) are not. Processing of an ocean image from space may detect the latter by means of a fractal analysis. - An elegant and clear treatment of a rigorous topic with informative prose and realistic illustrations of scattering - Provides readers with a solid background in interpretation, classification, and thematization of microwave images - The only book available on fractal models and their application to scattering

Important developments in the progress of the theory of rock mechanics during recent years are based on fractals and damage mechanics. The concept of fractals has proved to be a useful way of describing the statistics of naturally occurring geometrics. Natural objects, from mountains and coastlines to clouds and forests, are found to have boundaries best described as fractals. Fluid flow through jointed rock masses and clusterings of earthquakes are found to follow fractal patterns in time and space. Fracturing in rocks at all scales, from the microscale (microcracks) to the continental scale (megafaults), can lead to fractal structures. The process of diagenesis and pore geometry of sedimentary rock can be quantitatively described by fractals, etc. The book is mainly concerned with these developments, as related to fractal descriptions of fragmentations, damage and fracture of rocks, rock burst, joint roughness, rock porosity and permeability, rock grain growth, rock and soil particles, shear slips, fluid flow through jointed rocks, faults, earthquake clustering, and so on. The prime concerns of the book are to give a simple account of the basic concepts, methods of fractal geometry, and their applications to rock mechanics, geology, and seismology, and also to discuss damage mechanics of rocks and its application to mining engineering. The book can be used as a textbook for graduate students, by university teachers to prepare courses and seminars, and by active scientists who want to become familiar with a fascinating new field.