The Theory of Dynamical Systems was first introduced by the great mathematician Henri Poincaré as a qualitative study of differential equations. For more than forty years, Jacob Palis has made outstanding contributions to this area of mathematics. In the 1970s, following in the wake of Stephen Smale, he became one of the major figures in developing the Theory of Hyperbolic Dynamics and Structural Stability. This volume presents a selection of Jacob Palis’ mathematical contributions, starting with his PhD thesis and ending with papers on what is widely known as the Palis Conjecture. Most of the papers included in the present volume are inspired by the earlier work of Poincaré and, more recently, by Steve Smale among others. They aim at providing a description of the general structure of dynamical systems. Jacob Palis, whose work has been distinguished with numerous international prizes, is broadly recognized as the father of the Latin American School of Mathematics in Dynamical Systems and one of the most important scientific personalities on the continent. In 2010 he was awarded the Balzan Prize for his fundamental contributions in the Mathematical Theory of Dynamical Systems, which has been the basis for many applications in various scientific disciplines.

Over the last century quantum field theory has made a significant impact on the formulation and solution of mathematical problems and inspired powerful advances in pure mathematics. However, most accounts are written by physicists, and mathematicians struggle to find clear definitions and statements of the concepts involved. This graduate-level introduction presents the basic ideas and tools from quantum field theory to a mathematical audience. Topics include classical and quantum mechanics, classical field theory, quantization of classical fields, perturbative quantum field theory, renormalization, and the standard model. The material is also accessible to physicists seeking a better understanding of the mathematical background, providing the necessary tools from differential geometry on such topics as connections and gauge fields, vector and spinor bundles, symmetries and group representations.

Welington de Melo (Guape, 1946 - Rio de Janeiro, 2016) was a brazilian mathematician whose contributions were deeply connected with Smale and Palis school of dynamical systems. In particular the classification of smooth dynamical systems and the study of its generic properties are recurrent topics in his work. This book collected some of his most significant contributions, from his early work on structural stability of diffeomorphisms in the 1970's to his groundbreaking results on one-dimensional dynamics. Indeed his interest in one-dimensional dynamics is a clear distinction from early influences. An effervescent work in discrete dynamics on the interval and the circle started in the 1970s. It was soon realized that those systems have surprisingly rich dynamics. But, at the same time, an impressive set of tools were developed to study them. There are two main sets of tools. Real methods such as bounded distortion control via Schwarzian derivative and later cross-ratio estimates allows one to understand some of its features. However, often complex methods, with deep connections with Teichmuller theory, are necessary to obtain some of the most striking results. This is especially true in renormalization theory, a theme Welington was very fond of, and that appears prominently in his collected works. Welington played an important role in the development on both fronts, and this book is a testament of his influence in the field which resonates to this day.

One-dimensional dynamics has developed in the last decades into a subject in its own right. Yet, many recent results are inaccessible and have never been brought together. For this reason, we have tried to give a unified ac count of the subject and complete proofs of many results. To show what results one might expect, the first chapter deals with the theory of circle diffeomorphisms. The remainder of the book is an attempt to develop the analogous theory in the non-invertible case, despite the intrinsic additional difficulties. In this way, we have tried to show that there is a unified theory in one-dimensional dynamics. By reading one or more of the chapters, the reader can quickly reach the frontier of research. Let us quickly summarize the book. The first chapter deals with circle diffeomorphisms and contains a complete proof of the theorem on the smooth linearizability of circle diffeomorphisms due to M. Herman, J.-C. Yoccoz and others. Chapter II treats the kneading theory of Milnor and Thurstonj also included are an exposition on Hofbauer's tower construction and a result on fuB multimodal families (this last result solves a question posed by J. Milnor).

Originating with the pioneering works of P. Fatou and G. Julia, the subject of complex dynamics has seen great advances in recent years. Complex dynamical systems often exhibit rich, chaotic behavior, which yields attractive computer generated pictures, for example the Mandelbrot and Julia sets, which have done much to renew interest in the subject. This self-contained book discusses the major mathematical tools necessary for the study of complex dynamics at an advanced level. Complete proofs of some of the major tools are presented; some, such as the Bers-Royden theorem on holomorphic motions, appear for the very first time in book format. An appendix considers Riemann surfaces and Teichmuller theory. Detailing the very latest research, the book will appeal to graduate students and researchers working in dynamical systems and related fields. Carefully chosen exercises aid understanding and provide a glimpse of further developments in real and complex one-dimensional dynamics.