Chaos in Dynamical Systems

by Edward Ott

Book Overview

In the new edition of this classic textbook Ed Ott has added much new material and has significantly increased the number of homework problems. The most important change is the addition of a completely new chapter on control and synchronization of chaos. Other changes include new material on riddled basins of attraction, phase locking of globally coupled oscillators, fractal aspects of fluid advection by Lagrangian chaotic flows, magnetic dynamos,...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0521010845
• ISBN13: 9780521010849
• Release Date: September 2002
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Length: 492 Pages
• Weight: 1.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 7.4" x 9.7"

Customer Reviews

Echo...echo...echo...

I can only echo the comments made by other reviewers: excellent, well-paced introduction that focuses on the meat of the subject and leaves out all the pretty-picture stuff. Suitably pitched at non-mathematicians who are drawn to this fascinating subject, it eschews the formal theorem-proof format and carefully explains concepts, then applies them. If you are scientifically literate, I highly recommend this textbook. Genuinely useful.

no pretty fractal diagrams, but good explanations

Ott gives a very clear description of the concept of chaos or chaotic behaviour in a dynamical system of equations. Where often these equations are nonlinear. While containing rigour, the text proceeds at a pace suitable for a non-mathematician in the physical sciences. In other words, it is not at a very formal level, like the epsilon-delta approach to teaching calculus. The concepts are also backed by well drawn diagrams, that illustrate key points. The book does not have the lovely diagrams of Julia sets and fractals, that you often see in other books on this subject. Those are certainly pretty and useful. But Ott's book concentrates on the ideas.

Very good for Physicists

The best book on chaos in Dynamical Systems for physicists: clear, well written, contains the right things and does not waste time treating less necessary sections on the subject. Particularly valuable is the part on Entropy, Information and strange attractors. A good choice is to use it together with V.I. Arnold's CM. Contains also a final part on connections between QM and chaos.

Good for physicists

A good introduction to chaos in dynamical systems for physicists. The emphasis is not on time-series analysis or nonlinear systems, but chaos in "physical" systems (in the sense of applications in physics). A good reading for undergrads in physics and maths. One of the best starters for getting deeper into chaos theory...

Destined to become the standard text of the field

An excellent text that is written in a very understandable and careful style. It gives the readers a good grasp of the fundamentals by emphasizing main ideas instead of harping on technical definitions. The bibliography at the end of the book is also a good source for readers who want to delve further into the technical literature.