This volume contains the proceedings of a meeting entitled 'Nonlinear Oscillations in Biology and Chemistry', which was held at the University of Utah May 9-11,1985. The papers fall into four major categories: (i) those that deal with biological problems, particularly problems arising in cell biology, (ii) those that deal with chemical systems, (iii) those that treat problems which arise in neurophysiology, and (iv), those whose primary emphasis is on more general models and the mathematical techniques involved in their analysis. Except for the paper by Auchmuty, all are based on talks given at the meeting. The diversity of papers gives some indication of the scope of the meeting, but the printed word conveys neither the degree of interaction between the participants nor the intellectual sparks generated by that interaction. The meeting was made possible by the financial support of the Department of Mathe matics of the University of Utah. I am indebted to Ms. Toni Bunker of the Department of Mathematics for her very able assistance on all manner of details associated with the organization of the meeting. Finally, a word of thanks to all participants for their con tributions to the success of the meeting, and to the contributors to this volume for their efforts in preparing their manuscripts.

This book offers a fundamental explanation of nonlinear oscillations in physical systems. Originally intended for electrical engineers, it remains an important reference for the increasing numbers of researchers studying nonlinear phenomena in physics, chemical engineering, biology, medicine, and other fields. Originally published in 1986. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.

This unique book provides a concise presentation of many of the fundamental strategies for calculating approximations to the oscillatory solutions of “truly nonlinear” (TNL) oscillator equations. The volume gives a general overview of the author's work on harmonic balance, iteration and combined linearization-averaging methods. However, full discussions are also presented on parameter expansion procedures and a first-order averaging technique for TNL oscillators. The calculational basis of each method is clarified by applying them to a set of standard TNL oscillator equations. This allows a direct comparison to be made among the various methods.The book is self-contained and therefore suitable for both classroom use and self-study by students and professionals who desire to learn, understand, and apply these technique to the field of nonlinear oscillations.

The growing impact of nonlinear science on biology and medicine is fundamentally changing our view of living organisms and disease processes. This book introduces the application to biomedicine of a broad range of interdisciplinary concepts from nonlinear dynamics, such as self-organization, complexity, coherence, stochastic resonance, fractals and chaos. It comprises 18 chapters written by leading figures in the field and covers experimental and theoretical research, as well as the emerging technological possibilities such as nonlinear control techniques for treating pathological biodynamics, including heart arrhythmias and epilepsy. This book will attract the interest of professionals and students from a wide range of disciplines, including physicists, chemists, biologists, sensory physiologists and medical researchers such as cardiologists, neurologists and biomedical engineers.

A systematic outline of the basic theory of oscillations, combining several tools in a single textbook. The author explains fundamental ideas and methods, while equally aiming to teach students the techniques of solving specific (practical) or more complex problems. Following an introduction to fundamental notions and concepts of modern nonlinear dynamics, the text goes on to set out the basics of stability theory, as well as bifurcation theory in one and two-dimensional cases. Foundations of asymptotic methods and the theory of relaxation oscillations are presented, with much attention paid to a method of mappings and its applications. With each chapter including exercises and solutions, including computer problems, this book can be used in courses on oscillation theory for physics and engineering students. It also serves as a good reference for students and scientists in computational neuroscience.

An introduction to the mathematical, computational, and analytical techniques used for modeling biological rhythms, presenting tools from many disciplines and example applications. All areas of biology and medicine contain rhythms, and these behaviors are best understood through mathematical tools and techniques. This book offers a survey of mathematical, computational, and analytical techniques used for modeling biological rhythms, gathering these methods for the first time in one volume. Drawing on material from such disciplines as mathematical biology, nonlinear dynamics, physics, statistics, and engineering, it presents practical advice and techniques for studying biological rhythms, with a common language. The chapters proceed with increasing mathematical abstraction. Part I, on models, highlights the implicit assumptions and common pitfalls of modeling, and is accessible to readers with basic knowledge of differential equations and linear algebra. Part II, on behaviors, focuses on simpler models, describing common properties of biological rhythms that range from the firing properties of squid giant axon to human circadian rhythms. Part III, on mathematical techniques, guides readers who have specific models or goals in mind. Sections on “frontiers” present the latest research; “theory” sections present interesting mathematical results using more accessible approaches than can be found elsewhere. Each chapter offers exercises. Commented MATLAB code is provided to help readers get practical experience. The book, by an expert in the field, can be used as a textbook for undergraduate courses in mathematical biology or graduate courses in modeling biological rhythms and as a reference for researchers.