The book gathers contributions from the fourth conference on Information Geometry and its Applications, which was held on June 12-17, 2016, at Liblice Castle, Czech Republic on the occasion of Shun-ichi Amari's 80th birthday and was organized by the Czech Academy of Sciences' Institute of Information Theory and Automation. The conference received valuable financial support from the Max Planck Institute for Mathematics in the Sciences (Information Theory of Cognitive Systems Group), Czech Academy of Sciences' Institute of Information Theory and Automation, and Universita degli Studi di Roma Tor Vergata. The aim of the conference was to highlight recent advances in the field of information geometry and to identify new research directions. To this end, the event brought together leading experts in the field who, in invited talks and poster sessions, discussed both theoretical work and achievements in the many fields of application in which information geometry plays an essential role.

Manifolds are abound in mathematics and physics, and increasingly in cybernetics and visualization where they often reflect properties of complex systems and their configurations. Differential topology gives us the tools to study these spaces and extract information about the underlying systems. This book offers a concise and modern introduction to the core topics of differential topology for advanced undergraduates and beginning graduate students. It covers the basics on smooth manifolds and their tangent spaces before moving on to regular values and transversality, smooth flows and differential equations on manifolds, and the theory of vector bundles and locally trivial fibrations. The final chapter gives examples of local-to-global properties, a short introduction to Morse theory and a proof of Ehresmann's fibration theorem. The treatment is hands-on, including many concrete examples and exercises woven into the text, with hints provided to guide the student.

Differential geometry is the study of curved spaces using the techniques of calculus. It is a mainstay of undergraduate mathematics education and a cornerstone of modern geometry. It is also the language used by Einstein to express general relativity, and so is an essential tool for astronomers and theoretical physicists. This introductory textbook originates from a popular course given to third year students at Durham University for over twenty years, first by the late L. M. Woodward and later by John Bolton (and others). It provides a thorough introduction by focusing on the beginnings of the subject as studied by Gauss: curves and surfaces in Euclidean space. While the main topics are the classics of differential geometry - the definition and geometric meaning of Gaussian curvature, the Theorema Egregium, geodesics, and the Gauss-Bonnet Theorem - the treatment is modern and student-friendly, taking direct routes to explain, prove and apply the main results. It includes many exercises to test students' understanding of the material, and ends with a supplementary chapter on minimal surfaces that could be used as an extension towards advanced courses or as a source of student projects.

Differential geometry is the study of curved spaces using the techniques of calculus. It is a mainstay of undergraduate mathematics education and a cornerstone of modern geometry. It is also the language used by Einstein to express general relativity, and so is an essential tool for astronomers and theoretical physicists. This introductory textbook originates from a popular course given to third year students at Durham University for over twenty years, first by the late L. M. Woodward and later by John Bolton (and others). It provides a thorough introduction by focusing on the beginnings of the subject as studied by Gauss: curves and surfaces in Euclidean space. While the main topics are the classics of differential geometry - the definition and geometric meaning of Gaussian curvature, the Theorema Egregium, geodesics, and the Gauss-Bonnet Theorem - the treatment is modern and student-friendly, taking direct routes to explain, prove and apply the main results. It includes many exercises to test students' understanding of the material, and ends with a supplementary chapter on minimal surfaces that could be used as an extension towards advanced courses or as a source of student projects.

This book arises from the INdAM Meeting "Complex and Symplectic Geometry", which was held in Cortona in June 2016. Several leading specialists, including young researchers, in the field of complex and symplectic geometry, present the state of the art of their research on topics such as the cohomology of complex manifolds; analytic techniques in Kahler and non-Kahler geometry; almost-complex and symplectic structures; special structures on complex manifolds; and deformations of complex objects. The work is intended for researchers in these areas.

This book provides an introduction to topology, differential topology, and differential geometry. It is based on manuscripts refined through use in a variety of lecture courses. The first chapter covers elementary results and concepts from point-set topology. An exception is the Jordan Curve Theorem, which is proved for polygonal paths and is intended to give students a first glimpse into the nature of deeper topological problems. The second chapter of the book introduces manifolds and Lie groups, and examines a wide assortment of examples. Further discussion explores tangent bundles, vector bundles, differentials, vector fields, and Lie brackets of vector fields. This discussion is deepened and expanded in the third chapter, which introduces the de Rham cohomology and the oriented integral and gives proofs of the Brouwer Fixed-Point Theorem, the Jordan-Brouwer Separation Theorem, and Stokes's integral formula. The fourth and final chapter is devoted to the fundamentals of differential geometry and traces the development of ideas from curves to submanifolds of Euclidean spaces. Along the way, the book discusses connections and curvature--the central concepts of differential geometry. The discussion culminates with the Gauss equations and the version of Gauss's theorema egregium for submanifolds of arbitrary dimension and codimension. This book is primarily aimed at advanced undergraduates in mathematics and physics and is intended as the template for a one- or two-semester bachelor's course.

This book is the first collection of lipid-membrane research conducted by leading mechanicians and experts in continuum mechanics. It brings the overall intellectual framework afforded by modern continuum mechanics to bear on a host of challenging problems in lipid membrane physics. These include unique and authoritative treatments of differential geometry, shape elasticity, surface flow and diffusion, interleaf membrane friction, phase transitions, electroelasticity and flexoelectricity, and computational modelling.

This volume consists of invited lecture notes, survey papers and original research papers from the AAGADE school and conference held in Bedlewo, Poland in September 2015. The contributions provide an overview of the current level of interaction between algebra, geometry and analysis and demonstrate the manifold aspects of the theory of ordinary and partial differential equations, while also pointing out the highly fruitful interrelations between those aspects. These interactions continue to yield new developments, not only in the theory of differential equations but also in several related areas of mathematics and physics such as differential geometry, representation theory, number theory and mathematical physics. The main goal of the volume is to introduce basic concepts, techniques, detailed and illustrative examples and theorems (in a manner suitable for non-specialists), and to present recent developments in the field, together with open problems for more advanced and experienced readers. It will be of interest to graduate students, early-career researchers and specialists in analysis, geometry, algebra and related areas, as well as anyone interested in learning new methods and techniques.

This volume gathers contributions reflecting topics presented during an INDAM workshop held in Rome in May 2016. The event brought together many prominent researchers in both Mathematical Analysis and Numerical Computing, the goal being to promote interdisciplinary collaborations. Accordingly, the following thematic areas were developed: 1. Lagrangian discretizations and wavefront tracking for synchronization models; 2. Astrophysics computations and post-Newtonian approximations; 3. Hyperbolic balance laws and corrugated isometric embeddings; 4. "Caseology" techniques for kinetic equations; 5. Tentative computations of compressible non-standard solutions; 6. Entropy dissipation, convergence rates and inverse design issues. Most of the articles are presented in a self-contained manner; some highlight new achievements, while others offer snapshots of the "state of the art" in certain fields. The book offers a unique resource, both for young researchers looking to quickly enter a given area of application, and for more experienced ones seeking comprehensive overviews and extensive bibliographic references.

This volume consists of papers inspired by the special session on pseudo-differential operators at the 10th ISAAC Congress held at the University of Macau, August 3-8, 2015 and the mini-symposium on pseudo-differential operators in industries and technologies at the 8th ICIAM held at the National Convention Center in Beijing, August 10-14, 2015. The twelve papers included present cutting-edge trends in pseudo-differential operators and applications from the perspectives of Lie groups (Chapters 1-2), geometry (Chapters 3-5) and applications (Chapters 6-12). Many contributions cover applications in probability, differential equations and time-frequency analysis. A focus on the synergies of pseudo-differential operators with applications, especially real-life applications, enhances understanding of the analysis and the usefulness of these operators.

The goal in putting together this unique compilation was to present the current status of the solutions to some of the most essential open problems in pure and applied mathematics. Emphasis is also given to problems in interdisciplinary research for which mathematics plays a key role. This volume comprises highly selected contributions by some of the most eminent mathematicians in the international mathematical community on longstanding problems in very active domains of mathematical research. A joint preface by the two volume editors is followed by a personal farewell to John F. Nash, Jr. written by Michael Th. Rassias. An introduction by Mikhail Gromov highlights some of Nash's legendary mathematical achievements. The treatment in this book includes open problems in the following fields: algebraic geometry, number theory, analysis, discrete mathematics, PDEs, differential geometry, topology, K-theory, game theory, fluid mechanics, dynamical systems and ergodic theory, cryptography, theoretical computer science, and more. Extensive discussions surrounding the progress made for each problem are designed to reach a wide community of readers, from graduate students and established research mathematicians to physicists, computer scientists, economists, and research scientists who are looking to develop essential and modern new methods and theories to solve a variety of open problems.

This monograph provides an accessible introduction to the applications of pseudoholomorphic curves in symplectic and contact geometry, with emphasis on dimensions four and three. The first half of the book focuses on McDuff's characterization of symplectic rational and ruled surfaces, one of the classic early applications of holomorphic curve theory. The proof presented here uses the language of Lefschetz fibrations and pencils, thus it includes some background on these topics, in addition to a survey of the required analytical results on holomorphic curves. Emphasizing applications rather than technical results, the analytical survey mostly refers to other sources for proofs, while aiming to provide precise statements that are widely applicable, plus some informal discussion of the analytical ideas behind them. The second half of the book then extends this program in two complementary directions: (1) a gentle introduction to Gromov-Witten theory and complete proof of the classification of uniruled symplectic 4-manifolds; and (2) a survey of punctured holomorphic curves and their applications to questions from 3-dimensional contact topology, such as classifying the symplectic fillings of planar contact manifolds. This book will be particularly useful to graduate students and researchers who have basic literacy in symplectic geometry and algebraic topology, and would like to learn how to apply standard techniques from holomorphic curve theory without dwelling more than necessary on the analytical details. This book is also part of the Virtual Series on Symplectic Geometry http://www.springer.com/series/16019

This volume contains selected papers authored by speakers and participants of the 2013 Arbeitstagung, held at the Max Planck Institute for Mathematics in Bonn, Germany, from May 22-28. The 2013 meeting (and this resulting proceedings) was dedicated to the memory of Friedrich Hirzebruch, who passed away on May 27, 2012. Hirzebruch organized the first Arbeitstagung in 1957 with a unique concept that would become its most distinctive feature: the program was not determined beforehand by the organizers, but during the meeting by all participants in an open discussion. This ensured that the talks would be on the latest developments in mathematics and that many important results were presented at the conference for the first time. Written by leading mathematicians, the papers in this volume cover various topics from algebraic geometry, topology, analysis, operator theory, and representation theory and display the breadth and depth of pure mathematics that has always been characteristic of the Arbeitstagung.

Now in its second edition, this monograph explores the Monge-Ampere equation and the latest advances in its study and applications. It provides an essentially self-contained systematic exposition of the theory of weak solutions, including regularity results by L. A. Caffarelli. The geometric aspects of this theory are stressed using techniques from harmonic analysis, such as covering lemmas and set decompositions. An effort is made to present complete proofs of all theorems, and examples and exercises are offered to further illustrate important concepts. Some of the topics considered include generalized solutions, non-divergence equations, cross sections, and convex solutions. New to this edition is a chapter on the linearized Monge-Ampere equation and a chapter on interior Hoelder estimates for second derivatives. Bibliographic notes, updated and expanded from the first edition, are included at the end of every chapter for further reading on Monge-Ampere-type equations and their diverse applications in the areas of differential geometry, the calculus of variations, optimization problems, optimal mass transport, and geometric optics. Both researchers and graduate students working on nonlinear differential equations and their applications will find this to be a useful and concise resource.

This 4-th edition of the leading reference volume on distance metrics is characterized by updated and rewritten sections on some items suggested by experts and readers, as well a general streamlining of content and the addition of essential new topics. Though the structure remains unchanged, the new edition also explores recent advances in the use of distances and metrics for e.g. generalized distances, probability theory, graph theory, coding theory, data analysis. New topics in the purely mathematical sections include e.g. the Vitanyi multiset-metric, algebraic point-conic distance, triangular ratio metric, Rossi-Hamming metric, Taneja distance, spectral semimetric between graphs, channel metrization, and Maryland bridge distance. The multidisciplinary sections have also been supplemented with new topics, including: dynamic time wrapping distance, memory distance, allometry, atmospheric depth, elliptic orbit distance, VLBI distance measurements, the astronomical system of units, and walkability distance. Leaving aside the practical questions that arise during the selection of a 'good' distance function, this work focuses on providing the research community with an invaluable comprehensive listing of the main available distances. As well as providing standalone introductions and definitions, the encyclopedia facilitates swift cross-referencing with easily navigable bold-faced textual links to core entries. In addition to distances themselves, the authors have collated numerous fascinating curiosities in their Who's Who of metrics, including distance-related notions and paradigms that enable applied mathematicians in other sectors to deploy research tools that non-specialists justly view as arcane. In expanding access to these techniques, and in many cases enriching the context of distances themselves, this peerless volume is certain to stimulate fresh research.

This book presents tensors and differential geometry in a comprehensive and approachable manner, providing a bridge from the place where physics and engineering mathematics end, and the place where tensor analysis begins. Among the topics examined are tensor analysis, elementary differential geometry of moving surfaces, and k-differential forms. The book includes numerous examples with solutions and concrete calculations, which guide readers through these complex topics step by step. Mindful of the practical needs of engineers and physicists, book favors simplicity over a more rigorous, formal approach. The book shows readers how to work with tensors and differential geometry and how to apply them to modeling the physical and engineering world. The authors provide chapter-length treatment of topics at the intersection of advanced mathematics, and physics and engineering: * General Basis and Bra-Ket Notation * Tensor Analysis * Elementary Differential Geometry * Differential Forms * Applications of Tensors and Differential Geometry * Tensors and Bra-Ket Notation in Quantum Mechanics The text reviews methods and applications in computational fluid dynamics; continuum mechanics; electrodynamics in special relativity; cosmology in the Minkowski four-dimensional space time; and relativistic and non-relativistic quantum mechanics. Tensor Analysis and Elementary Differential Geometry for Physicists and Engineers benefits research scientists and practicing engineers in a variety of fields, who use tensor analysis and differential geometry in the context of applied physics, and electrical and mechanical engineering. It will also interest graduate students in applied physics and engineering.

This book gathers contributions by respected experts on the theory of isometric immersions between Riemannian manifolds, and focuses on the geometry of CR structures on submanifolds in Hermitian manifolds. CR structures are a bundle theoretic recast of the tangential Cauchy-Riemann equations in complex analysis involving several complex variables. The book covers a wide range of topics such as Sasakian geometry, Kaehler and locally conformal Kaehler geometry, the tangential CR equations, Lorentzian geometry, holomorphic statistical manifolds, and paraquaternionic CR submanifolds. Intended as a tribute to Professor Aurel Bejancu, who discovered the notion of a CR submanifold of a Hermitian manifold in 1978, the book provides an up-to-date overview of several topics in the geometry of CR submanifolds. Presenting detailed information on the most recent advances in the area, it represents a useful resource for mathematicians and physicists alike.

This volume collects contributions written by different experts in honor of Prof. Jaime Munoz Masque. It covers a wide variety of research topics, from differential geometry to algebra, but particularly focuses on the geometric formulation of variational calculus; geometric mechanics and field theories; symmetries and conservation laws of differential equations, and pseudo-Riemannian geometry of homogeneous spaces. It also discusses algebraic applications to cryptography and number theory. It offers state-of-the-art contributions in the context of current research trends. The final result is a challenging panoramic view of connecting problems that initially appear distant.

The volume is a follow-up to the INdAM meeting "Special metrics and quaternionic geometry" held in Rome in November 2015. It offers a panoramic view of a selection of cutting-edge topics in differential geometry, including 4-manifolds, quaternionic and octonionic geometry, twistor spaces, harmonic maps, spinors, complex and conformal geometry, homogeneous spaces and nilmanifolds, special geometries in dimensions 5-8, gauge theory, symplectic and toric manifolds, exceptional holonomy and integrable systems. The workshop was held in honor of Simon Salamon, a leading international scholar at the forefront of academic research who has made significant contributions to all these subjects. The articles published here represent a compelling testimony to Salamon's profound and longstanding impact on the mathematical community. Target readership includes graduate students and researchers working in Riemannian and complex geometry, Lie theory and mathematical physics.

This book explores the work of Bernhard Riemann and its impact on mathematics, philosophy and physics. It features contributions from a range of fields, historical expositions, and selected research articles that were motivated by Riemann's ideas and demonstrate their timelessness. The editors are convinced of the tremendous value of going into Riemann's work in depth, investigating his original ideas, integrating them into a broader perspective, and establishing ties with modern science and philosophy. Accordingly, the contributors to this volume are mathematicians, physicists, philosophers and historians of science. The book offers a unique resource for students and researchers in the fields of mathematics, physics and philosophy, historians of science, and more generally to a wide range of readers interested in the history of ideas.

This volume is a tribute to Maxim Kontsevich, one of the most original and influential mathematicians of our time. Maxim's vision has inspired major developments in many areas of mathematics, ranging all the way from probability theory to motives over finite fields, and has brought forth a paradigm shift at the interface of modern geometry and mathematical physics. Many of his papers have opened completely new directions of research and led to the solutions of many classical problems. This book collects papers by leading experts currently engaged in research on topics close to Maxim's heart. Contributors: S. Donaldson A. Goncharov D. Kaledin M. Kapranov A. Kapustin L. Katzarkov A. Noll P. Pandit S. Pimenov J. Ren P. Seidel C. Simpson Y. Soibelman R. Thorngren

This book presents current research on Ulam stability for functional equations and inequalities. Contributions from renowned scientists emphasize fundamental and new results, methods and techniques. Detailed examples are given to theories to further understanding at the graduate level for students in mathematics, physics, and engineering. Key topics covered in this book include: Quasi means Approximate isometries Functional equations in hypergroups Stability of functional equations Fischer-Muszely equation Haar meager sets and Haar null sets Dynamical systems Functional equations in probability theory Stochastic convex ordering Dhombres functional equation Nonstandard analysis and Ulam stability This book is dedicated in memory of Stanilsaw Marcin Ulam, who posed the fundamental problem concerning approximate homomorphisms of groups in 1940; which has provided the stimulus for studies in the stability of functional equations and inequalities.

The book is devoted to the study of the geometrical and topological structure of gauge theories. It consists of the following three building blocks:- Geometry and topology of fibre bundles,- Clifford algebras, spin structures and Dirac operators,- Gauge theory.Written in the style of a mathematical textbook, it combines a comprehensive presentation of the mathematical foundations with a discussion of a variety of advanced topics in gauge theory.The first building block includes a number of specific topics, like invariant connections, universal connections, H-structures and the Postnikov approximation of classifying spaces.Given the great importance of Dirac operators in gauge theory, a complete proof of the Atiyah-Singer Index Theorem is presented. The gauge theory part contains the study of Yang-Mills equations (including the theory of instantons and the classical stability analysis), the discussion of various models with matter fields (including magnetic monopoles, the Seiberg-Witten model and dimensional reduction) and the investigation of the structure of the gauge orbit space. The final chapter is devoted to elements of quantum gauge theory including the discussion of the Gribov problem, anomalies and the implementation of the non-generic gauge orbit strata in the framework of Hamiltonian lattice gauge theory.The book is addressed both to physicists and mathematicians. It is intended to be accessible to students starting from a graduate level.

Since the year 2000, we have witnessed several outstanding results in geometry that have solved long-standing problems such as the Poincare conjecture, the Yau-Tian-Donaldson conjecture, and the Willmore conjecture. There are still many important and challenging unsolved problems including, among others, the Strominger-Yau-Zaslow conjecture on mirror symmetry, the relative Yau-Tian-Donaldson conjecture in Kahler geometry, the Hopf conjecture, and the Yau conjecture on the first eigenvalue of an embedded minimal hypersurface of the sphere. For the younger generation to approach such problems and obtain the required techniques, it is of the utmost importance to provide them with up-to-date information from leading specialists.The geometry conference for the friendship of China and Japan has achieved this purpose during the past 10 years. Their talks deal with problems at the highest level, often accompanied with solutions and ideas, which extend across various fields in Riemannian geometry, symplectic and contact geometry, and complex geometry.

From the preface: "Hopf algebras, Hopf fibration of spheres, Hopf-Rinow complete Riemannian manifolds, Hopf theorem on the ends of groups - can one imagine modern mathematics without all this? Many other concepts and methods, fundamental in various mathematical disciplines, also go back directly or indirectly to the work of Heinz Hopf: homological algebra, singularities of vector fields and characteristic classes, group-like spaces, global differential geometry, and the whole algebraisation of topology with its influence on group theory, analysis and algebraic geometry. It is astonishing to realize that this oeuvre of a whole scientific life consists of only about 70 writings. Astonishing also the transparent and clear style, the concreteness of the problems, and how abstract and far-reaching the methods Hopf invented."