Preface
Since the days
of
Newton, Leibniz, Euler and Laplace, mathematical
physics has been inseparably bound to differential equations. Phys-
ical and engineering problems continue to provide very important
models for mathematicians studying differential equations,
as
well
as
valuable intuition
as
to the solutions and properties. In recent
years, advances in computation and in nonlinear functional analysis
have brought rigorous theory closer to realistic applications, and
a
mathematical physicist must now be quite knowledgeable in these
areas.
In this volume we have selected several articles on the forefront
of research in differential equations and mathematical physics. We
have made an effort to ensure that the articles are readable
as
well
as
topical, and have been fortunate to include
as
contributions many
luminaries
of
the field
as
well as several young mathematicians doing
creative and important work. Some of the articles are closely tied
to work presented at the International Conference on Differential
Equations and Mathematical Physics,
a
large conference which the
editors organized in March,
1992,
with the support and sponsorship
of the National Science Foundation, the Institute for Mathematics
and its Applications, the Georgia Tech Foundation, and IMACS.
Other articles were submitted and selected later after
a
refereeing
process, to ensure coherence
of
this volume. The topics on which
this volume focuses are: nonlinear differential and integral equations,
semiclassical quantum mechanics, spectral and scattering theory, and
symmetry analysis.
These Editors believe that this volume comprises
a
useful chapter
in the life of our disciplines and we leave in the care
of
our readers
the final evaluation.
The high quality of the format of this volume is primarily due to
the efforts of Annette Rohrs. The Editors are very much indebted
to her.
W.
F.
Ames,
E.
M. Harrell
11,
J.
V.
Herod
Atlanta, Georgia, USA
ix