Calculus of Variations I

1996
ISBN: 978-3-540-50625-6
Verlag: Springer Berlin Heidelberg

Buch, Englisch, Band 310, 474 Seiten, Format (B × H): 160 mm x 241 mm, Gewicht: 1950 g

Reihe: Grundlehren der mathematischen Wissenschaften

This book describes the classical aspects of the variational calculus which are of interest to analysts, geometers and physicists alike. Volume 1 deals with the for­ mal apparatus of the variational calculus and with nonparametric field theory, whereas Volume 2 treats parametric variational problems as well as Hamilton­ Jacobi theory and the classical theory of partial differential equations of first ordel;. In a subsequent treatise we shall describe developments arising from Hilbert's 19th and 20th problems, especially direct methods and regularity theory. Of the classical variational calculus we have particularly emphasized the often neglected theory of inner variations, i. e. of variations of the independent variables, which is a source of useful information such as mono tonicity for­ mulas, conformality relations and conservation laws. The combined variation of dependent and independent variables leads to the general conservation laws of Emmy Noether, an important tool in exploiting symmetries. Other parts of this volume deal with Legendre-Jacobi theory and with field theories. In particular we give a detailed presentation of one-dimensional field theory for nonpara­ metric and parametric integrals and its relations to Hamilton-Jacobi theory, geometrical optics and point mechanics. Moreover we discuss various ways of exploiting the notion of convexity in the calculus of variations, and field theory is certainly the most subtle method to make use of convexity. We also stress the usefulness of the concept of a null Lagrangian which plays an important role in we give an exposition of Hamilton-Jacobi several instances.

Zielgruppe

Research

Autoren/Hrsg.

Hildebrandt, Stefan

Giaquinta, Mariano

Fachgebiete

• Naturwissenschaften Physik Mechanik
• Mathematik | Informatik Mathematik Mathematische Analysis Vektoranalysis, Physikalische Felder
• Mathematik | Informatik Mathematik Mathematische Analysis Variationsrechnung
• Naturwissenschaften Physik Physik Allgemein Theoretische Physik, Mathematische Physik, Computerphysik

Inhaltsverzeichnis

of Calculus of Variations I.- 1. The First Variation.- 2. Variational Problems with Subsidiary Conditions.- 3. General Variational Formulas.- 4. Second Variation, Excess Function, Convexity.- 5. Weak Minimizers and Jacobi Theory.- 6. Weierstrass Field Theory for One-Dimensional Integrals and Strong Minimizers.- Supplement. Some Facts from Differential Geometry and Analysis.- 1. Euclidean Spaces.- 2. Some Function Classes.- 3. Vector and Covector Fields. Transformation Rules.- 4. Differential Forms.- 6. Mean Curvature and Gauss Curvature.