Bibliography: Nonlinear Dynamics, Fractals and Chaos
1. Mandelbrot, Benoit, _The Fractal Geometry of Nature_
This is one of the best-known books on fractals, and it also
discusses the related topics of nonlinear dynamics and chaos. The book is
full of interesting graphics, including realistic-looking
computer-generated fractal landscapes. This is not a book you just read.
Mandelbrot expects you to know quite a bit about the subjects he discusses.
However, it can be a fascinating book to browse through.
2. Rasband, S. Neil, _Chaotic Dynamics of Nonlinear Systems_, New
York, Wiley 1990
This is a fairly readable book for dynamics freaks like me. I
wouldn't recommend it for the casual reader. Rasband does a good job of
giving the reader the tools he needs to identify and simulate chaotic
systems.
3. Ott, Edward, Sauer, Tim, Yorke, James (eds.) _Coping with Chaos_,
New York, Wiley 1994
The GMR library acquired this book a few weeks ago and I've been
trading two-week perusals of it with another researcher. It appears to be a
compendium of papers on how to recognize, cope with, deal with and yes,
utilize chaos in signal processing, data acquisition and control systems.
4. Gleick, James, _Chaos: Making a New Science_
This is one of the most readable introductions to be found. Gleick
examines the history of the study of chaos, and he also gives surprisingly
good insights into the mathematics of chaos for a popular book. Must
reading for anyone who wants to develop some familiarity with chaos theory.
A fascinating point Gleick makes and documents extensively is that
mathematicians, physicists, engineers and others who deal with dynamics
largely ignored chaos until quite recently.
5. Schroeder, Manfred, _Chaos, Fractals, Power Laws_
An introductory book like Gleick, except on a more technical level.
Still readable by the layperson however. Schroeder is (or was -- I believe
he's retired now) one of the participants in the development of chaos
theory. Schroeder has a playful sense of humor, which shows up throughout
the book.
6. Peterson, _Chaos and order in the capital markets_
Peterson works for a Wall Street brokerage and has been looking
into applications of chaos theory (and other esoteric math I'm sure) in
modeling financial markets. The book is quite readable, and has some
experiments in modeling chaos which can be performed by anyone with access
to Lotus or some other spreadsheet.
7. Lewin, Roger, _Complexity: Life at the Edge of Chaos_
8. Waldrop , M. Mitchell, _Complexity_
A very readable popular level introduction.
9. Levy, Steven _Artificial Life_
10. Kauffman , Stuart _Origins of Order_
I haven't read it yet, but Terry Grey describes it as "On the more
technical and intractable side"
Bill Hamilton | Vehicle Systems Research
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