Assouad Dimension And Fractal Geometry

The first thorough treatment of the Assouad dimension in fractal geometry, with applications to many fields within pure mathematics.

This collection of contributions originates from the well-established conference series "Fractal Geometry and Stochastics" which brings together researchers from different fields using concepts and methods from fractal geometry. Carefully selected papers from keynote and invited speakers are included, both discussing exciting new trends and results and giving a gentle introduction to some recent developments. The topics covered include Assouad dimensions and their connection to analysis, multifractal properties of functions and measures, renewal theorems in dynamics, dimensions and topology of random discrete structures, self-similar trees, p-hyperbolicity, phase transitions from continuous to discrete scale invariance, scaling limits of stochastic processes, stemi-stable distributions and fractional differential equations, and diffusion limited aggregation. Representing a rich source of ideas and a good starting point for more advanced topics in fractal geometry, the volume will appeal to both established experts and newcomers.

This ASI- which was also the 28th session of the Seminaire de mathematiques superieures of the Universite de Montreal - was devoted to Fractal Geometry and Analysis. The present volume is the fruit of the work of this Advanced Study Institute. We were fortunate to have with us Prof. Benoit Mandelbrot - the creator of numerous concepts in Fractal Geometry - who gave a series of lectures on multifractals, iteration of analytic functions, and various kinds of fractal stochastic processes. Different foundational contributions for Fractal Geometry like measure theory, dy namical systems, iteration theory, branching processes are recognized. The geometry of fractal sets and the analytical tools used to investigate them provide a unifying theme of this book. The main topics that are covered are then as follows. Dimension Theory. Many definitions of fractional dimension have been proposed, all of which coincide on "regular" objects, but often take different values for a given fractal set. There is ample discussion on piecewise estimates yielding actual values for the most common dimensions (Hausdorff, box-counting and packing dimensions). The dimension theory is mainly discussed by Mendes-France, Bedford, Falconer, Tricot and Rata. Construction of fractal sets. Scale in variance is a fundamental property of fractal sets.

This book deals with fractal geometries that have features similar to ones of ordinary Euclidean spaces, while at the same time being quite different from Euclidean spaces.. A basic example of this feature considered is the presence of Sobolev or Poincaré inequalities, concerning the relationship between the average behavior of a function and the average behavior of its small-scale oscillations. Remarkable results in the last few years through Bourdon-Pajot and Laakso have shown that there is much more in the way of geometries like this than have been realized, only examples related to nilpotent Lie groups and Carnot metrics were known previously. On the other had, 'typical' fractals that might be seen in pictures do not have these same kinds of features. This text examines these topics in detail and will interest graduate students as well as researchers in mathematics and various aspects of geometry and analysis.

Since its original publication in 1990, Kenneth Falconer's Fractal Geometry: Mathematical Foundations and Applications has become a seminal text on the mathematics of fractals. It introduces the general mathematical theory and applications of fractals in a way that is accessible to students from a wide range of disciplines. This new edition has been extensively revised and updated. It features much new material, many additional exercises, notes and references, and an extended bibliography that reflects the development of the subject since the first edition. * Provides a comprehensive and accessible introduction to the mathematical theory and applications of fractals. * Each topic is carefully explained and illustrated by examples and figures. * Includes all necessary mathematical background material. * Includes notes and references to enable the reader to pursue individual topics. * Features a wide selection of exercises, enabling the reader to develop their understanding of the theory. * Supported by a Web site featuring solutions to exercises, and additional material for students and lecturers. Fractal Geometry: Mathematical Foundations and Applications is aimed at undergraduate and graduate students studying courses in fractal geometry. The book also provides an excellent source of reference for researchers who encounter fractals in mathematics, physics, engineering, and the applied sciences. Also by Kenneth Falconer and available from Wiley: Techniques in Fractal Geometry ISBN 0-471-95724-0

From the reviews: "In the world of mathematics, the 1980's might well be described as the "decade of the fractal". Starting with Benoit Mandelbrot's remarkable text The Fractal Geometry of Nature, there has been a deluge of books, articles and television programmes about the beautiful mathematical objects, drawn by computers using recursive or iterative algorithms, which Mandelbrot christened fractals. Gerald Edgar's book is a significant addition to this deluge. Based on a course given to talented high- school students at Ohio University in 1988, it is, in fact, an advanced undergraduate textbook about the mathematics of fractal geometry, treating such topics as metric spaces, measure theory, dimension theory, and even some algebraic topology. However, the book also contains many good illustrations of fractals (including 16 color plates), together with Logo programs which were used to generate them. ... Here then, at last, is an answer to the question on the lips of so many: 'What exactly is a fractal?' I do not expect many of this book's readers to achieve a mature understanding of this answer to the question, but anyone interested in finding out about the mathematics of fractal geometry could not choose a better place to start looking." #Mathematics Teaching#1

This volume contains the proceedings from three conferences: the PISRS 2011 International Conference on Analysis, Fractal Geometry, Dynamical Systems and Economics, held November 8-12, 2011 in Messina, Italy; the AMS Special Session on Fractal Geometry in Pure and Applied Mathematics, in memory of Benoit Mandelbrot, held January 4-7, 2012, in Boston, MA; and the AMS Special Session on Geometry and Analysis on Fractal Spaces, held March 3-4, 2012, in Honolulu, HI. Articles in this volume cover fractal geometry (and some aspects of dynamical systems) in pure mathematics. Also included are articles discussing a variety of connections of fractal geometry with other fields of mathematics, including probability theory, number theory, geometric measure theory, partial differential equations, global analysis on non-smooth spaces, harmonic analysis and spectral geometry. The companion volume (Contemporary Mathematics, Volume 601) focuses on applications of fractal geometry and dynamical systems to other sciences, including physics, engineering, computer science, economics, and finance.

Fractal geometry represents a radical departure from classical geometry, which focuses on smooth objects that "straighten out" under magnification. Fractals, which take their name from the shape of fractured objects, can be characterized as retaining their lack of smoothness under magnification. The properties of fractals come to light under repeated magnification, which we refer to informally as "zooming in". This zooming-in process has its parallels in dynamics, and the varying "scenery" corresponds to the evolution of dynamical variables. The present monograph focuses on applications of one branch of dynamics--ergodic theory--to the geometry of fractals. Much attention is given to the all-important notion of fractal dimension, which is shown to be intimately related to the study of ergodic averages. It has been long known that dynamical systems serve as a rich source of fractal examples. The primary goal in this monograph is to demonstrate how the minute structure of fractals is unfolded when seen in the light of related dynamics. A co-publication of the AMS and CBMS.