Many special functions occuring in physics and partial differential equations can be represented by integral transformatIons: the fundamental solutions of many PDE's, Newton-Coulomb potentials, hypergeometric functions, Feynman integrals, initial data of (inverse) tomography problems, etc. The general picture of such transfor- mations is as follows. There is an analytic fibre bundle E --+ T, a differential form w on E, whose restrictions on the fibres are closed, and a family of cycles in these fibres, parametrized by the points of T and depending continuously on these points. Then the integral of the form w along these cycles is a function on the base. The analytic properties of such functions depend on the monodromy action, i.e., on the natural action of the fundamental group of the base in the homology of the fibre: this action on the integration cycles defines the ramification of the analytic continuation of our function. The study of this action (which is a purely topological problem) can answer questions about the analytic behaviour of the integral function, for instance, is this function single-valued or at least algebraic, what are the singular points of this function, and what is its asymptotics close to these points. In this book, we study such analytic properties of three famous classes of func- tions: the volume functions, which appear in the Archimedes-Newton problem on in- tegrable bodies; the Newton-Coulomb potentials, and the Green functions of hyperbolic equations (studied, in particular, in the Hada- mard-Petrovskii-Atiyah-Bott-Garding lacuna theory).

Integration in infinitely dimensional spaces (continual integration) is a powerful mathematical tool which is widely used in a number of fields of modern mathematics, such as analysis, the theory of differential and integral equations, probability theory and the theory of random processes. This monograph is devoted to numerical approximation methods of continual integration. A systematic description is given of the approximate computation methods of functional integrals on a wide class of measures, including measures generated by homogeneous random processes with independent increments and Gaussian processes. Many applications to problems which originate from analysis, probability and quantum physics are presented. This book will be of interest to mathematicians and physicists, including specialists in computational mathematics, functional and statistical physics, nuclear physics and quantum optics.

This volume contains the Proceedings of the IABEM International Sym- posium on Boundary I~ntegrall Methods for Nonlinear Problems, held at the Certosa di Pontignano near Siena (Italy) on May 28 - June 3, 1995. The Symposium was sponsored by IABEM (International Association for Boundary Element Methods) and co-sponsored by IUTAM (International Union of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics). The members of the Scientific Committee of the Symposium are Heinz Antes (Germany) Satya N. Atluri (USA) Dimitri E. Beskos (Greece) Thomas Cruse (USA) Massimo Guiggiani (Italy) George C. Hsiao (USA) Shoichi Kobayashi (Japan) Gunther Kuhn (Germany) Vladimir G. Maz'ya (Sweden) Luigi Morino (Italy, co-organizer) Renzo Piva (Italy) Wolfgang L. Wendland (Germany, co-organizer) Pieter J. Zandbergen (The Netherlands) Franz Ziegler ( Austria, IUTAM representative) The contributions include mathematical issues on boundary integral equa- tions and boundary element methods as well as applications to fluid and solid mechanics and to heat transfer. The individual contributions are briefly reviewed in the following.

The last decade has seen a remarkable development of the "Marginal and Moment Problems" as a research area in Probability and Statistics. Its attractiveness stemmed from its lasting ability to provide a researcher with difficult theoretical problems that have direct consequences for appli cations outside of mathematics. The relevant research aims centered mainly along the following lines that very frequently met each other to provide sur prizing and useful results : -To construct a probability distribution (to prove its existence, at least) with a given support and with some additional inner stochastic property defined typically either by moments or by marginal distributions. -To study the geometrical and topological structure of the set of prob ability distributions generated by such a property mostly with the aim to propose a procedure that would result in a stochastic model with some optimal properties within the set of probability distributions. These research aims characterize also, though only very generally, the scientific program of the 1996 conference "Distributions with given marginals and moment problems" held at the beginning of September in Prague, Czech Republic, to perpetuate the tradition and achievements of the closely related 1990 Roma symposium "On Frechet Classes" 1 and 1993 Seattle" AMS Summer Conference on Marginal Problem".

This volume of the Proceedings of the congress ISAAC '97 collects the con tributions of the four sections 1. Function theoretic and functional analytic methods for pde, 2. Applications of function theory of several complex variables to pde, 3. Integral equations and boundary value problems, 4. Partial differential equations. Most but not all of the authors have participated in the congress. Unfortunately some from Eastern Europe and Asia have not managed to come because of lack of financial support. Nevertheless their manuscripts of the proposed talks are included in this volume. The majority of the papers deal with complex methods. Among them boundary value problems in particular the Riemann-Hilbert, the Riemann (Hilbert) and related problems are treated. Boundary behaviour of vector-valued functions are studied too. The Riemann-Hilbert problem is solved for elliptic complex equations, for mixed complex equations, and for several complex variables. It is considered in a general topological setting for mappings into q;n and related to Toeplitz operators. Convolution operators are investigated for nilpotent Lie groups leading to some consequences for the null space of the tangential Cauchy Riemann operator. Some boundary value problems for overdetermined systems in balls of q;n are solved explicitly. A survey is given for the Gauss-Manin connection associated with deformations of curve singularities. Several papers deal with generalizations of analytic functions with various applications to mathematical physics. Singular integrals in quaternionic anal ysis are studied which are applied to the time-harmonic Maxwell equations."

One service mathematics has rendered the l moil ..., Ii j'avait su comment en revenir, je n'y serais point aUe.' human race. It has put common sense back Jules Verne where it belongs, on the topmost shelf next to the dusty canister labelled 'discarded non- The series is divergent; therefore we may be sense'. Eric T. Bell able to do something with it. O. Heaviside Mathematics is a tool for thought. A highly necessary tool in a world where both feedback and non linearities abound. Similarly, all kinds of parts of mathematics serve as tools for other parts and for other sciences. Applying a simple rewriting rule to the quote on the right above one finds such statements as: 'One service topology has rendered mathematical physics .. .'; 'One service logic has rendered com puter science .. .'; 'One service category theory has rendered mathematics .. .'. All arguably true. And all statements obtainable this way form part of the raison d'(ftre of this series."

"This book collects in one volume the author's considerable results in the area of the summation of series and their representation in closed form, and details the techniques by which they have been obtained... the calculations are given in plenty of detail, and closely related work which has appeared in a variety of places is conveniently collected together." --The Australian Mathematical Society Gazette

One service mathematici has rendered the 'Et moi, ... si j'avait IU comment en revenir. je n'y serais point alle.' human race. It has put common sense back Jules Verne where it belong., on the topmost shelf next to the dusty canister labelled 'discarded non- The series is divergent; therefore we may be sense', Eric T. Bell able to do something with it. O. H eaviside Mathematics is a tool for thought. A highly necessary tool in a world where both feedback and non linearities abound. Similarly, all kinds of parts of mathematics serve as tools for other pans and for other sciences. Applying a simple rewriting rule to the quote on the right above one finds such statements as: 'One service topology has rendered mathematical physics .. .'; 'One service logic has rendered com puter science .. .'; 'One service category theory has rendered mathematics .. .'. All arguably true. And all statements obtainable this way form part of the raison d'el;re of this series."

The subject. The phrase "integral operator" (like some other mathematically informal phrases, such as "effective procedure" and "geometric construction") is sometimes defined and sometimes not. When it is defined, the definition is likely to vary from author to author. While the definition almost always involves an integral, most of its other features can vary quite considerably. Superimposed limiting operations may enter (such as L2 limits in the theory of Fourier transforms and principal values in the theory of singular integrals), IJ' spaces and abstract Banach spaces may intervene, a scalar may be added (as in the theory of the so-called integral operators of the second kind), or, more generally, a multiplication operator may be added (as in the theory of the so-called integral operators of the third kind). The definition used in this book is the most special of all. According to it an integral operator is the natural "continuous" generali zation of the operators induced by matrices, and the only integrals that appear are the familiar Lebesgue-Stieltjes integrals on classical non-pathological mea sure spaces. The category. Some of the flavor of the theory can be perceived in finite dimensional linear algebra. Matrices are sometimes considered to be an un natural and notationally inelegant way of looking at linear transformations. From the point of view of this book that judgement misses something."

The Summer School and Conference on Mathematical Logic and its Applications, September 24 - October 4, 1986, Druzhba, Bulgaria, was honourably dedicated to the 80-th anniversary of Kurt Godel (1906 - 1978), one of the greatest scientists of this (and not only of this) century. The main topics of the Meeting were: Logic and the Foundation of Mathematics; Logic and Computer Science; Logic, Philosophy, and the Study of Language; Kurt Godel's life and deed. The scientific program comprised 5 kinds of activities, namely: a) a Godel Session with 3 invited lecturers b) a Summer School with 17 invited lecturers c) a Conference with 13 contributed talks d) Seminar talks (one invited and 12 with no preliminary selection) e) three discussions The present volume reflects an essential part of this program, namely 14 of the invited lectures and all of the contributed talks. Not presented in the volltme remai ned si x of the i nvi ted lecturers who di d not submi t texts: Yu. Ershov - The Language of : -expressions and its Semantics; S. Goncharov - Mathematical Foundations of Semantic Programming; Y. Moschovakis - Foundations of the Theory of Algorithms; N. Nagornyj - Is Realizability of Propositional Formulae a GBdelean Property; N. Shanin - Some Approaches to Finitization of Mathematical Analysis; V. Uspensky - Algorithms and Randomness - joint with A. N.

This book deals with the constructive Weierstrassian approach to the theory of function spaces and various applications. The first chapter is devoted to a detailed study of quarkonial (subatomic) decompositions of functions and distributions on euclidean spaces, domains, manifolds and fractals. This approach combines the advantages of atomic and wavelet representations. It paves the way to sharp inequalities and embeddings in function spaces, spectral theory of fractal elliptic operators, and a regularity theory of some semi-linear equations. The book is self-contained, although some parts may be considered as a continuation of the author's book Fractals and Spectra. It is directed to mathematicians and (theoretical) physicists interested in the topics indicated and, in particular, how they are interrelated. - - - The book under review can be regarded as a continuation of [his book on "Fractals and spectra", 1997] (...) There are many sections named: comments, preparations, motivations, discussions and so on. These parts of the book seem to be very interesting and valuable. They help the reader to deal with the main course. (Mathematical Reviews)

'Ht moi, ..., si j'avait su comment en revenir, One lemce mathematics has rendered the je n'y serai. point aile.' human race. It has put common sense back Jule. Verne ..... "'" it belong., on the topmost shelf next to the dusty caniller labelled 'discarded non- The series is divergent; therefore we may be sense'. able to do something with it. Eric T. Bell O. Heaviside Mathematics is a tool for thought. A highly necessary tool in a world where both feedback and non linearities abound. Similarly, all kinds of parts of mathematics serve as tools for other parts and for other sciences. Applying a simple rewriting rule to the quote on the right above one finds such statements as: 'One service topology has rendered mathematical physics .. .'; 'One service logic has rendered com puter science .. .'; 'One service category theory has rendered mathematics .. .'. All arguably true. And all statements obtainable this way form part of the raison d' re of this series."

Introduction I. General remarks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 II. Notations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 III. Lie algebras: some basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Chapter 1 Operator calculus and Appell systems I. Boson calculus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 II. Holomorphic canonical calculus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 III. Canonical Appell systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Chapter 2 Representations of Lie groups I. Coordinates on Lie groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 II. Dual representations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 III. Matrix elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 IV. Induced representations and homogeneous spaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 General Appell systems Chapter 3 I. Convolution and stochastic processes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 II. Stochastic processes on Lie groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 III. Appell systems on Lie groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Chapter 4 Canonical systems in several variables I. Homogeneous spaces and Cartan decompositions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 II. Induced representation and coherent states . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 III. Orthogonal polynomials in several variables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 Chapter 5 Algebras with discrete spectrum I. Calculus on groups: review of the theory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 II. Finite-difference algebra . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85 III. q-HW algebra and basic hypergeometric functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 IV. su2 and Krawtchouk polynomials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 V. e2 and Lommel polynomials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101 Chapter 6 Nilpotent and solvable algebras I. Heisenberg algebras . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113 II. Type-H Lie algebras . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118 Vll III. Upper-triangular matrices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125 IV. Affine and Euclidean algebras . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127 Chapter 7 Hermitian symmetric spaces I. Basic structures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131 II. Space of rectangular matrices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133 III. Space of skew-symmetric matrices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136 IV. Space of symmetric matrices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143 Chapter 8 Properties of matrix elements I. Addition formulas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147 II. Recurrences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148 III. Quotient representations and summation formulas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149 Chapter 9 Symbolic computations I. Computing the pi-matrices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153 II. Adjoint group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154 III. Recursive computation of matrix elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

This volume contains a selection of papers on modern operator theory and its applications, arising from a joint workshop on linear one-dimensional singular integral equations. The book is of interest to a wide audience in the mathematical and engineering sciences.

A decade has passed since Problems of Nonlinear Deformation, the first book by E.I. Grigoliuk and V.I. Shalashilin was published. This book gave a systematic account of the parametric continuation method. Over the last ten years, the understanding of this method has sufficiently broadened. For example, it is now clear that one parametric continuation algorithm can work efficiently for building up any parametric set. This fact significantly widens its potential applications. In this book the authors refer to the continuation solution with the optimal parameter as the best parametrization.

The optimal continuation parameter provides the best conditions in a linearized system of equations at any moment of the continuation process. In this book the authors consider the best parameterization for nonlinear algebraic or transcendental equations, initial value or Cauchy problems for ordinary differential equations (ODEs), including stiff systems, differential-algebraic equations, functional-differential equations, the problems of interpolation and approximation of curves, and for nonlinear boundary-value problems for ODEs with a parameter. They also consider the best parameterization for analyzing the behavior of solutions near singular points.

Parametric Continuation and Optimal Parametrization is one of the first books in which the best parametrization is regarded systematically for a wide class of problems. It is of interest to scientists, specialists and postgraduate students working in the field of applied and numerical mathematics and mechanics.

The theory of Laplace transformation is an important part of the mathematical background required for engineers, physicists and mathematicians. Laplace transformation methods provide easy and effective techniques for solving many problems arising in various fields of science and engineering, especially for solving differential equations. What the Laplace transformation does in the field of differential equations, the z-transformation achieves for difference equations. The two theories are parallel and have many analogies. Laplace and z transformations are also referred to as operational calculus, but this notion is also used in a more restricted sense to denote the operational calculus of Mikusinski. This book does not use the operational calculus of Mikusinski, whose approach is based on abstract algebra and is not readily accessible to engineers and scientists. The symbolic computation capability of Mathematica can now be used in favor of the Laplace and z-transformations. The first version of the Mathematica Package LaplaceAndzTransforrns developed by the author appeared ten years ago. The Package computes not only Laplace and z-transforms but also includes many routines from various domains of applications. Upon loading the Package, about one hundred and fifty new commands are added to the built-in commands of Mathematica. The code is placed in front of the already built-in code of Laplace and z-transformations of Mathematica so that built-in functions not covered by the Package remain available. The Package substantially enhances the Laplace and z-transformation facilities of Mathematica. The book is mainly designed for readers working in the field of applications."

The NATO Advanced Study Institute "Microlocal Analysis and Spectral The ory" was held in Tuscany (Italy) at Castelvecchio Pascoli, in the district of Lucca, hosted by the international vacation center "11 Ciocco," from September 23 to October 3, 1996. The Institute recorded the considerable progress realized recently in the field of Microlocal Analysis. In a broad sense, Microlocal Analysis is the modern version of the classical Fourier technique in solving partial differential equa tions, where now the localization proceeding takes place with respect to the dual variables too. Precisely, through the tools of pseudo-differential operators, wave-front sets and Fourier integral operators, the general theory of the lin ear partial differential equations is now reaching a mature form, in the frame of Schwartz distributions or other generalized functions. At the same time, Microlocal Analysis has grown up into a definite and independent part of Math ematical Analysis, with other applications all around Mathematics and Physics, one major theme being Spectral Theory for Schrodinger equation in Quantum Mechanics."

The present monograph consists of two parts. Before Part I, a chapter of introduction is supplemented, where an overview of the whole volume is given for reader's convenience. The former part is devoted mainly to expose linear inte gral operators introduced by the author. Several properties of the operators are established, and specializations as well as generalizations are attempted variously in order to make use them in the latter part. As compared with the former part, the latter part is de voted mainly to develop several kinds of distortions under actions of integral operators for various familiar function also absolute modulus. real part. range. length and area. an gular derivative, etc. Besides them, distortions on the class of univalent functions and its subclasses, Caratheodory class as well as distortions by a differential operator are dealt with. Related differential operators play also active roles. Many illustrative examples will be inserted in order to help understanding of the general statements. The basic materials in this monograph are taken from a series of researches performed by the author himself chiefly in the past two decades. While the themes of the papers pub lished hitherto are necessarily not arranged chronologically Preface viii and systematically, the author makes here an effort to ar range them as, orderly as possible. In attaching the import ance of the self-containedness to the book, some of unfamil iar subjects will also be inserted and, moreover, be wholly accompanied by their respective proofs, though unrelated they may be."

This book, written by our distinguished colleague and friend, Professor Han-Lin Chen of the Institute of Mathematics, Academia Sinica, Beijing, presents, for the first time in book form, his extensive work on complex harmonic splines with applications to wavelet analysis and the numerical solution of boundary integral equations. Professor Chen has worked in Ap proximation Theory and Computational Mathematics for over forty years. His scientific contributions are rich in variety and content. Through his publications and his many excellent Ph. D. students he has taken a leader ship role in the development of these fields within China. This new book is yet another important addition to Professor Chen's quality research in Computational Mathematics. In the last several decades, the theory of spline functions and their ap plications have greatly influenced numerous fields of applied mathematics, most notably, computational mathematics, wavelet analysis and geomet ric modeling. Many books and monographs have been published studying real variable spline functions with a focus on their algebraic, analytic and computational properties. In contrast, this book is the first to present the theory of complex harmonic spline functions and their relation to wavelet analysis with applications to the solution of partial differential equations and boundary integral equations of the second kind. The material presented in this book is unique and interesting. It provides a detailed summary of the important research results of the author and his group and as well as others in the field."

The aim of this book is to develop a new approach which we called the hyper geometric one to the theory of various integral transforms, convolutions, and their applications to solutions of integro-differential equations, operational calculus, and evaluation of integrals. We hope that this simple approach, which will be explained below, allows students, post graduates in mathematics, physicists and technicians, and serious mathematicians and researchers to find in this book new interesting results in the theory of integral transforms, special functions, and convolutions. The idea of this approach can be found in various papers of many authors, but systematic discussion and development is realized in this book for the first time. Let us explain briefly the basic points of this approach. As it is known, in the theory of special functions and its applications, the hypergeometric functions play the main role. Besides known elementary functions, this class includes the Gauss's, Bessel's, Kummer's, functions et c. In general case, the hypergeometric functions are defined as a linear combinations of the Mellin-Barnes integrals. These ques tions are extensively discussed in Chapter 1. Moreover, the Mellin-Barnes type integrals can be understood as an inversion Mellin transform from the quotient of products of Euler's gamma-functions. Thus we are led to the general construc tions like the Meijer's G-function and the Fox's H-function."

This volume is a collection of manscripts mainly originating from talks and lectures given at the Workshop on Recent Trends in Complex Methods for Par tial Differential Equations held from July 6 to 10, 1998 at the Middle East Technical University in Ankara, Turkey, sponsored by The Scientific and Tech nical Research Council of Turkey and the Middle East Technical University. This workshop is a continuation oftwo workshops from 1988 and 1993 at the In ternational Centre for Theoretical Physics in Trieste, Italy entitled Functional analytic Methods in Complex Analysis and Applications to Partial Differential Equations. Since classical complex analysis of one and several variables has a long tra dition it is of high level. But most of its basic problems are solved nowadays so that within the last few decades it has lost more and more attention. The area of complex and functional analytic methods in partial differential equations, however, is still a growing and flourishing field, in particular as these methods are not only applied. Whithin the framework of holomorphic functions but are also combined with properties of generalized analytic functions. This can be seen by the many books which recently were published in this field and also by the proceedings in this ISAAC series and the ISAAC congresses and workshops."

Integration is the sixth and last of the Books that form the core of the Bourbaki series; it draws abundantly on the preceding five Books, especially General Topology and Topological Vector Spaces, making it a culmination of the core six. The power of the tool thus fashioned is strikingly displayed in Chapter II of the author's Theories Spectrales, an exposition, in a mere 38 pages, of abstract harmonic analysis and the structure of locally compact abelian groups.

The present volume comprises Chapters 1-6 in English translation (a second volume will contain the remaining Chapters 7-9). The individual fascicles of the original French edition have been extensively reviewed. Chapters 1-5 received very substantial revisions in a second edition, including changes to some fundamental definitions. Chapters 6-8 are based on the first editions of Chs. 1-5. The English edition has given the author the opportunity to correct misprints, update references, clarify the concordance of Chapter 6 with the second editions of Chapters 1-5, and revise the definition of a key concept in Chapter 6 (measurable equivalence relations)."

'Et moi .... si favait su comment en revenir. One service mathematics bllS rendered the je n'y serais point aile.' human race. It hal put common sense back Jules Verne where it bdongs, on the topmost shelf next to the dusty canister labelled 'discarded non- The series is divergent; therefore we may be sense', able to do something with it. Eric T. Bell O. Heaviside Mathematics is a tool for thOUght. A highly necessary tool in a world where both feedback and non Iinearities abound. Similarly, all kinds of parts of mathematics serve as tools for other parts and for other sciences. Applying a simple rewriting rule to the quote on the right above one finds such statements as: 'One service topology has rendered mathematical physics .. .'; 'One service logic has rendered com puter science .. .'; 'One service category theory has rendered mathematics .. .'. All arguably true. And all statements obtainable this way form part of the raison d'etre of this series."

In preparing this translation for publication certain minor modifications and additions have been introduced into the original Russian text, in order to increase its readibility and usefulness. Thus, instead of the first person, the third person has been used throughout; wherever possible footnotes have been included with the main text. The chapters and their subsections of the Russian edition have been renamed parts and chapters respectively and the last have been numbered consecutively. An authors and subject index has been added. In particular, the former has been combined with the list of references of the original text, in order to enable the reader to find quickly all information on anyone reference in which he may be especially interested. This has been considered most important with a view to the difficulties experienced outside Russia in obtaining references, published in that country. Russian names have been printed in Russian letters in the authors index, in order to overcome any possible confusion arising from transliteration.

This book considers methods of approximate analysis of mechanical, elec tromechanical, and other systems described by ordinary differential equa tions. Modern mathematical modeling of sophisticated mechanical systems consists of several stages: first, construction of a mechanical model, and then writing appropriate equations and their analytical or numerical ex amination. Usually, this procedure is repeated several times. Even if an initial model correctly reflects the main properties of a phenomenon, it de scribes, as a rule, many unnecessary details that make equations of motion too complicated. As experience and experimental data are accumulated, the researcher considers simpler models and simplifies the equations. Thus some terms are discarded, the order of the equations is lowered, and so on. This process requires time, experimentation, and the researcher's intu ition. A good example of such a semi-experimental way of simplifying is a gyroscopic precession equation. Formal mathematical proofs of its admis sibility appeared some several decades after its successful introduction in engineering calculations. Applied mathematics now has at its disposal many methods of approxi mate analysis of differential equations. Application of these methods could shorten and formalize the procedure of simplifying the equations and, thus, of constructing approximate motion models. Wide application of the methods into practice is hindered by the fol lowing. 1. Descriptions of various approximate methods are scattered over the mathematical literature. The researcher, as a rule, does not know what method is most suitable for a specific case. 2."