Lively discussions and stimulating research were part of a five-day conference on Mathematical Methods in Nonlinear Wave Propagation sponsored by the NSF and CBMS. This volume is a collection of lectures and papers stemming from that event. Leading experts present dynamical systems and chaos, scattering and spectral theory, nonlinear wave equations, optimal control, optical waveguide design, and numerical simulation. The book is suitable for a diverse audience of mathematical specialists interested in fiber optic communications and other nonlinear phenomena. It is also suitable for engineers and other scientists interested in the mathematics of nonlinear wave propagation.

This book surveys analytical and numerical techniques appropriate to the description of fluid motion with an emphasis on the most widely used techniques exhibiting the best performance.Analytical and numerical solutions to hyperbolic systems of wave equations are the primary focus of the book. In addition, many interesting wave phenomena in fluids are considered using examples such as acoustic waves, the emission of air pollutants, magnetohydrodynamic waves in the solar corona, solar wind interaction with the planet venus, and ion-acoustic solitons.

This IMA Volume in Mathematics and its Applications MULTIDIMENSIONAL HYPERBOLIC PROBLEMS AND COMPUTATIONS is based on the proceedings of a workshop which was an integral part ofthe 1988-89 IMA program on NONLINEAR WAVES. We are grateful to the Scientific Commit tee: James Glimm, Daniel Joseph, Barbara Keyfitz, Andrew Majda, Alan Newell, Peter Olver, David Sattinger and David Schaeffer for planning and implementing an exciting and stimulating year-long program. We especially thank the Work shop Organizers, Andrew Majda and James Glimm, for bringing together many of the major figures in a variety of research fields connected with multidimensional hyperbolic problems. A vner Friedman Willard Miller PREFACE A primary goal of the IMA workshop on Multidimensional Hyperbolic Problems and Computations from April 3-14, 1989 was to emphasize the interdisciplinary nature of contemporary research in this field involving the combination of ideas from the theory of nonlinear partial differential equations, asymptotic methods, numerical computation, and experiments. The twenty-six papers in this volume span a wide cross-section of this research including some papers on the kinetic theory of gases and vortex sheets for incompressible flow in addition to many papers on systems of hyperbolic conservation laws. This volume includes several papers on asymptotic methods such as nonlinear geometric optics, a number of articles applying numerical algorithms such as higher order Godunov methods and front tracking to physical problems along with comparison to experimental data, and also several interesting papers on the rigorous mathematical theory of shock waves.

This edited volume consists of twelve contributions related to the EU Marie Curie Transfer of Knowledge Project Cooperation of Estonian and Norwegian Scienti c Centres within Mathematics and its Applications, CENS-CMA (2005-2009), - der contract MTKD-CT-2004-013909, which ?nanced exchange visits to and from CENS, the Centre for Nonlinear Studies at the Institute of Cybernetics of Tallinn University of Technology in Estonia. Seven contributions describe research highlights of CENS members, two the work of members of CMA, the Centre of Mathematics for Applications,Univ- sity of Oslo, Norway, as the partner institution of CENS in the Marie Curie project, and three the ?eld of work of foreign research fellows, who visited CENS as part of theproject. Thestructureofthebookre?ectsthedistributionofthetopicsaddressed: Part I Waves in Solids Part II Mesoscopic Theory Part III Exploiting the Dissipation Inequality Part IV Waves in Fluids Part V Mathematical Methods The papers are written in a tutorial style, intended for non-specialist researchers and students, where the authors communicate their own experiences in tackling a problem that is currently of interest in the scienti?c community. The goal was to produce a book, which highlights the importance of applied mathematics and which can be used for educational purposes, such as material for a course or a seminar. To ensure the scienti?c quality of the contributions, each paper was carefully - viewed by two international experts. Special thanks go to all authors and referees, without whom making this book would not have been possible.