This volume of the Encyclopaedia contains three contributions in the field of complex analysis. The topics treated are mean periodicity and convolutionequations, Yang-Mills fields and the Radon-Penrose transform, and stringtheory. The latter two have strong links with quantum field theory and the theory of general relativity. In fact, the mathematical results described inthe book arose from the need of physicists to find a sound mathematical basis for their theories. The authors present their material in the formof surveys which provide up-to-date accounts of current research. The book will be immensely useful to graduate students and researchers in complex analysis, differential geometry, quantum field theory, string theoryand general relativity.

This volume of the EMS contains four survey articles on analytic spaces. They are excellent introductions to each respective area. Starting from basic principles in several complex variables each article stretches out to current trends in research. Graduate students and researchers will find a useful addition in the extensive bibliography at the end of each article.