Numerous well-presented and important papers from the conference are gathered in the proceedings for the purpose of pointing directions for useful future research in diverse areas of mathematics including algebraic geometry, analysis, commutative algebra, complex analysis, discrete mathematics, dynamical systems, number theory and topology. Several papers on computational and applied mathematics such as wavelet analysis, quantum mechanics, piecewise linear modeling, cosmological models of super symmetry, fluid dynamics, interpolation theory, optimization, ergodic theory and games theory are also presented.

The book is based on a course given by J.-P. Serre at the College de France in 1980 and 1981. Basic techniques in Diophantine geometry are covered, such as heights, the Mordell-Weil theorem, Siegel's and Baker's theorems, Hilbert's irreducibility theorem, and the large sieve. Included are applications to, for example, Mordell's conjecture, the construction of Galois extensions, and the classical class number 1 problem. Comprehensive bibliographical references."

To mark the World Mathematical Year 2000 an International Conference on Number Theory and Discrete Mathematics in honour of the legendary Indian Mathematician Srinivasa Ramanuj~ was held at the centre for Advanced study in Mathematics, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India during October 2-6, 2000. This volume contains the proceedings of that conference. In all there were 82 participants including 14 overseas participants from Austria, France, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Korea, Singapore and the USA. The conference was inaugurated by Prof. K. N. Pathak, Hon. Vice-Chancellor, Panjab University, Chandigarh on October 2, 2000. Prof. Bruce C. Berndt of the University of Illinois, Urbana Chaimpaign, USA delivered the key note address entitled "The Life, Notebooks and Mathematical Contributions of Srinivasa Ramanujan". He described Ramanujan--as one of this century's most influential Mathematicians. Quoting Mark K. ac, Prof. George E. Andrews of the Pennsylvania State University, USA, in his message for the conference, described Ramanujan as a "magical genius". During the 5-day deliberations invited speakers gave talks on various topics in number theory and discrete mathematics. We mention here a few of them just as a sampling: * M. Waldschmidt, in his article, provides a very nice introduction to the topic of multiple poly logarithms and their special values. * C.

7 Les Houches Number theory, or arithmetic, sometimes referred to as the queen of mathematics, is often considered as the purest branch of mathematics. It also has the false repu tation of being without any application to other areas of knowledge. Nevertheless, throughout their history, physical and natural sciences have experienced numerous unexpected relationships to number theory. The book entitled Number Theory in Science and Communication, by M.R. Schroeder (Springer Series in Information Sciences, Vol. 7, 1984) provides plenty of examples of cross-fertilization between number theory and a large variety of scientific topics. The most recent developments of theoretical physics have involved more and more questions related to number theory, and in an increasingly direct way. This new trend is especially visible in two broad families of physical problems. The first class, dynamical systems and quasiperiodicity, includes classical and quantum chaos, the stability of orbits in dynamical systems, K.A.M. theory, and problems with "small denominators", as well as the study of incommensurate structures, aperiodic tilings, and quasicrystals. The second class, which includes the string theory of fundamental interactions, completely integrable models, and conformally invariant two-dimensional field theories, seems to involve modular forms and p adic numbers in a remarkable way.

The theory of transcendental numbers is closely related to the study of diophantine approximation. This book deals with values of the usual exponential function ez: a central open problem is the conjecture on algebraic independence of logarithms of algebraic numbers. Two chapters provide complete and simplified proofs of zero estimates (due to Philippon) on linear algebraic groups.

The present book contains fourteen expository contributions on various topics connected to Number Theory, or Arithmetics, and its relationships to Theoreti cal Physics. The first part is mathematically oriented; it deals mostly with ellip tic curves, modular forms, zeta functions, Galois theory, Riemann surfaces, and p-adic analysis. The second part reports on matters with more direct physical interest, such as periodic and quasiperiodic lattices, or classical and quantum dynamical systems. The contribution of each author represents a short self-contained course on a specific subject. With very few prerequisites, the reader is offered a didactic exposition, which follows the author's original viewpoints, and often incorpo rates the most recent developments. As we shall explain below, there are strong relationships between the different chapters, even though every single contri bution can be read independently of the others. This volume originates in a meeting entitled Number Theory and Physics, which took place at the Centre de Physique, Les Houches (Haute-Savoie, France), on March 7 - 16, 1989. The aim of this interdisciplinary meeting was to gather physicists and mathematicians, and to give to members of both com munities the opportunity of exchanging ideas, and to benefit from each other's specific knowledge, in the area of Number Theory, and of its applications to the physical sciences. Physicists have been given, mostly through the program of lectures, an exposition of some of the basic methods and results of Num ber Theory which are the most actively used in their branch."

The C.I.M.E. session in Diophantine Approximation, held in Cetraro (Italy) June 28 - July 6, 2000 focused on height theory, linear independence and transcendence in group varieties, Baker's method, approximations to algebraic numbers and applications to polynomial-exponential diophantine equations and to diophantine theory of linear recurrences. Very fine lectures by D. Masser, Y. Nesterenko, H.-P. Schlickewei, W.M. Schmidt and M. Walsschmidt have resulted giving a good overview of these topics, and describing central results, both classical and recent, emphasizing the new methods and ideas of the proofs rather than the details. They are addressed to a wide audience and do not require any prior specific knowledge.

The theory of transcendental numbers is closely related to the study of diophantine approximation. This book deals with values of the usual exponential function ez: a central open problem is the conjecture on algebraic independence of logarithms of algebraic numbers. It includes proofs of the main basic results (theorems of Hermite-Lindemann, Gelfond-Schneider, 6 exponentials theorem), an introduction to height functions and Lehmer's problem, several proofs of Baker's theorem as well as explicit measures of linear independence of logarithms. An original feature is the systematic use, in proofs, of Laurent's interpolation determinants. The most general result is the so-called Theorem of the Linear Subgroup, an effective version of which is also included. It yields new results of simultaneous approximation and of algebraic independence. Two chapters written by D. Roy provide complete and at the same time simplified proofs of zero estimates (due to Philippon) on linear algebraic groups.

The present book contains fourteen expository contributions on various topics connected to Number Theory, or Arithmetics, and its relationships to Theoreti cal Physics. The first part is mathematically oriented; it deals mostly with ellip tic curves, modular forms, zeta functions, Galois theory, Riemann surfaces, and p-adic analysis. The second part reports on matters with more direct physical interest, such as periodic and quasiperiodic lattices, or classical and quantum dynamical systems. The contribution of each author represents a short self-contained course on a specific subject. With very few prerequisites, the reader is offered a didactic exposition, which follows the author's original viewpoints, and often incorpo rates the most recent developments. As we shall explain below, there are strong relationships between the different chapters, even though every single contri bution can be read independently of the others. This volume originates in a meeting entitled Number Theory and Physics, which took place at the Centre de Physique, Les Houches (Haute-Savoie, France), on March 7 - 16, 1989. The aim of this interdisciplinary meeting was to gather physicists and mathematicians, and to give to members of both com munities the opportunity of exchanging ideas, and to benefit from each other's specific knowledge, in the area of Number Theory, and of its applications to the physical sciences. Physicists have been given, mostly through the program of lectures, an exposition of some of the basic methods and results of Num ber Theory which are the most actively used in their branch."

Before his untimely death in 1986, Alain Durand had undertaken a systematic and in-depth study of the arithmetic perspectives of polynomials. Four unpublished articles of his, formed the centerpiece of attention at a colloquium in Paris in 1988 and are reproduced in this volume together with 11 other papers on closely related topics. A detailed introduction by M. Langevin sets the scene and places these articles in a unified perspective.

This volume contains the proceedings of the International Conference on Number Theory and Discrete Mathematics in honour of Srinivasa Ramanujan, held at the Centre for Advanced Study in Mathematics, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India, in October 2000, as a contribution to the International Year of Mathematics. It collects 29 articles written by some of the leading specialists worldwide. Most of the papers provide recent trends, problems and their current states as well as historical backgrounds of their subjects. Some contributions are related to Ramanujan's mathematics, which should stimulate the interest in his work.