Introduction to Dynamics

Recent advances in dynamics, with wide applications throughout the sciences and engineering, have meant that a new approach to the subject is needed. Furthermore, the mathematical and scientific background of students has changed in recent years. In this book, the subject of dynamics is introduced at undergraduate level through the elementary qualitative theory of differential equations, the geometry of phase curves and the theory of stability. Each subject, from the most elementary topic to some important discoveries of recent decades, is introduced through simple examples and illustrated with many diagrams. The text is supplemented with over a hundred exercises. The examples and exercises cover subjects as diverse as mechanics and population dynamics.

The mathematical background required of the reader is an understanding of the elementary theory of differential equations and matrix arithmetic. The book will be of interest to second-year and third-year undergraduates at universities, polytechnics and technical colleges who are studying science and engineering courses. It is also suitable for graduates and research workers in such fields as plasma, atomic, particle and molecular physics, astronomy and theoretical ecology.