3 Review(s)

Dynamical systems are systems that change with the passage of time. Wherever the time evolution of systems is being investigated, nonlinear dynamical techniques are used. The investigation of such systems has become a fertile field of research outside the traditional areas of physics, mathematics and engineering, due in part to the widespread, increasing availability of powerful computers capable of handling extremely complex "nonlinear" systems. Its importance spans a wide range of fields such as meteorology, physics, medicine, biology, civil and electrical engineering, and chemistry. It can, however, be a confusing subject to come to terms with due to the large number of specialist terms and topics which have developed. Providing both elementary and more advanced definitions of over 500 key terms, this dictionary should be useful to specialists and non-specialists in nonlinear dynamics.