Philosophy of the Text This text presents an introductory survey of the
basic concepts and applied mathematical methods of nonlinear science as
well as an introduction to some simple related nonlinear experimental
activities. Students in engineering, phys- ics, chemistry, mathematics,
computing science, and biology should be able to successfully use this
book. In an effort to provide the reader with a cutting edge approach to
one of the most dynamic, often subtle, complex, and still rapidly
evolving, areas of modern research-nonlinear physics-we have made
extensive use of the symbolic, numeric, and plotting capabilities of the
Maple software sys- tem applied to examples from these disciplines. No
prior knowledge of Maple or computer programming is assumed, the reader
being gently introduced to Maple as an auxiliary tool as the concepts of
nonlinear science are developed. The CD-ROM provided with this book
gives a wide variety of illustrative non- linear examples solved with
Maple. In addition, numerous annotated examples are sprinkled throughout
the text and also placed on the CD. An accompanying set of experimental
activities keyed to the theory developed in Part I of the book is given
in Part II. These activities allow the student the option of "hands on"
experience in exploring nonlinear phenomena in the REAL world. Although
the experiments are easy to perform, they give rise to experimental and
theoretical complexities which are not to be underestimated.
