This book discusses discrete geometric analysis, especially topological crystallography and discrete surface theory for trivalent discrete surfaces. Topological crystallography, based on graph theory, provides the most symmetric structure among given combinatorial structures by using the variational principle, and it can reproduce crystal structures existing in nature. In this regard, the topological crystallography founded by Kotani and Sunada is explained by using many examples. Carbon structures such as fullerenes are considered as trivalent discrete surfaces from the viewpoint of discrete geometric analysis. Discrete surface theories usually have been considered discretization of smooth surfaces. Here, consideration is given to discrete surfaces modeled by crystal/molecular structures, which are essentially discrete objects.

This volume comprises eight papers delivered at the RIMS International Conference "Mathematical Challenges in a New Phase of Materials Science", Kyoto, August 4–8, 2014. The contributions address subjects in defect dynamics, negatively curved carbon crystal, topological analysis of di-block copolymers, persistence modules, and fracture dynamics. These papers highlight the strong interaction between mathematics and materials science and also reflect the activity of WPI-AIMR at Tohoku University, in which collaborations between mathematicians and experimentalists are actively ongoing.

Novel carbon allotropes, such as spherical fullerenes and nanotubes, have been added, in the last three decades, to the traditionally recognised diamond and graphite. Although fullerene C60 has been speculated about for a long time. A fullerene is, according to a classical definition, an all-carbon molecule consisting entirely of pentagons (exactly 12) and hexagons (n/2-10). Non-classical fullerene extensions to include rings of other sizes have been considered. Fullerenes are commonly synthesised by arc-discharge or laser ablation methods. Spherical fullerenes became nowadays parts of real chemistry: they can be functionalised or inserted in supramolecular assemblies.

In this collection from the working group meeting of November 2001, contributors formulate problems, share ideas and approaches, and plan an agenda for future interactions. Their fields included theoretical and applied computer science, statistics, discrete and non-discrete mathematics, chemistry and information science, and the topics centered on

The central theme of the present book is zigzags and central-circuits of three- or four-regular plane graphs, which allow a double covering or covering of the edgeset to be obtained. The book presents zigzag and central circuit structures of geometric fullerenes and several other classes of graph of interest in the fields of chemistry and mathematics. It also discusses the symmetries, parameterization and the Goldberg–Coxeter construction for those graphs. It is the first book on this subject, presenting full structure theory of such graphs. While many previous publications only addressed particular questions about selected graphs, this book is based on numerous computations and presents extensive data (tables and figures), as well as algorithmic and computational information. It will be of interest to researchers and students of discrete geometry, mathematical chemistry and combinatorics, as well as to lay mathematicians.