Nonlinear Differential Equations

Detailed treatment covers existence and uniqueness of a solution of the initial value problem, properties of solutions, properties of linear systems, stability of nonlinear systems, and two-dimensional systems. 1962 edition.

Bridging the gap between elementary courses and the research literature in this field, the book covers the basic concepts necessary to study differential equations. Stability theory is developed, starting with linearisation methods going back to Lyapunov and Poincaré, before moving on to the global direct method. The Poincaré-Lindstedt method is introduced to approximate periodic solutions, while at the same time proving existence by the implicit function theorem. The final part covers relaxation oscillations, bifurcation theory, centre manifolds, chaos in mappings and differential equations, and Hamiltonian systems. The subject material is presented from both the qualitative and the quantitative point of view, with many examples to illustrate the theory, enabling the reader to begin research after studying this book.

Ordinary differential equations have long been an important area of study because of their wide application in physics, engineering, biology, chemistry, ecology, and economics. Based on a series of lectures given at the Universities of Melbourne and New South Wales in Australia, Nonlinear Ordinary Differential Equations takes the reader from basic elementary notions to the point where the exciting and fascinating developments in the theory of nonlinear differential equations can be understood and appreciated. Each chapter is self-contained, and includes a selection of problems together with some detailed workings within the main text. Nonlinear Ordinary Differential Equations helps develop an understanding of the subtle and sometimes unexpected properties of nonlinear systems and simultaneously introduces practical analytical techniques to analyze nonlinear phenomena. This excellent book gives a structured, systematic, and rigorous development of the basic theory from elementary concepts to a point where readers can utilize ideas in nonlinear differential equations.

This Special Edition contains new results on Differential and Integral Equations and Systems, covering higher-order Initial and Boundary Value Problems, fractional differential and integral equations and applications, non-local optimal control, inverse, and higher-order nonlinear boundary value problems, distributional solutions in the form of a finite series of the Dirac delta function and its derivatives, asymptotic properties’ oscillatory theory for neutral nonlinear differential equations, the existence of extremal solutions via monotone iterative techniques, predator–prey interaction via fractional-order models, among others. Our main goal is not only to show new trends in this field but also to showcase and provide new methods and techniques that can lead to future research.

This is a thoroughly updated and expanded 4th edition of the classic text Nonlinear Ordinary Differential Equations by Dominic Jordan and Peter Smith. Including numerous worked examples and diagrams, further exercises have been incorporated into the text and answers are provided at the back of the book. Topics include phase plane analysis, nonlinear damping, small parameter expansions and singular perturbations, stability, Liapunov methods, Poincare sequences, homoclinic bifurcation and Liapunov exponents. Over 500 end-of-chapter problems are also included and as an additional resource fully-worked solutions to these are provided in the accompanying text Nonlinear Ordinary Differential Equations: Problems and Solutions, (OUP, 2007). Both texts cover a wide variety of applications whilst keeping mathematical prequisites to a minimum making these an ideal resource for students and lecturers in engineering, mathematics and the sciences.

In recent years considerable interest has developed in the mathe matical analysis of chemically reacting systems both in the absence and in the presence of diffusion. Earlier work has been limited to simple problems amenable to closed form solutions, but now the computer permits the numerical solution of complex systems of nonlinear differ ential equations. The numerical approach provides quantitative infor mation, but for practical reasons it must be limited to a rather narrow range of the parameters of the problem. Consequently, it is desirable to obtain broader qualitative information about the solutions by in vestigating from a more fundamental mathematical point of view the structure of the differential equations. This theoretical approach can actually complement and guide the computational approach by narrow ing down trial and error procedures, pinpointing singularities and suggesting methods for handling them. The study of the structure of the differential equations may also clarify some physical principles and suggest new experiments. A serious limitation ofthe theoretical approach is that many of the results obtained, such as the sufficient conditions for the stability of the steady state, turn out to be very conservative. Thus the theoretical and computational approaches are best used to gether for the purpose of understanding, designing, and controlling chemically reacting systems. The present monograph is intended as a contribution to the theory of the differential equations describing chemically reacting systems.

The Handbook of Nonlinear Partial Differential Equations is the latest in a series of acclaimed handbooks by these authors and presents exact solutions of more than 1600 nonlinear equations encountered in science and engineering--many more than any other book available. The equations include those of parabolic, hyperbolic, elliptic and other types, and the authors pay special attention to equations of general form that involve arbitrary functions. A supplement at the end of the book discusses the classical and new methods for constructing exact solutions to nonlinear equations. To accommodate different mathematical backgrounds, the authors avoid wherever possible the use of special terminology, outline some of the methods in a schematic, simplified manner, and arrange the equations in increasing order of complexity. Highlights of the Handbook: