Distributions in the Physical and Engineering Sciences ― Random and Anomalous Fractional Dynamics in Continuous Media

Continuing the authors’ multivolume project, this text considers the theory of distributions from an applied perspective, demonstrating how effective a combination of analytic and probabilistic methods can be for solving problems in the physical and engineering sciences. Volume 1 covered foundational topics such as distributional and fractional calculus, the integral transform, and wavelets, and Volume 2 explored linear and nonlinear dynamics in continuous media. With this volume, the scope is extended to the use of distributional tools in the theory of generalized stochastic processes and fields, and in anomalous fractional random dynamics. Distributions in the Physical and Engineering Sciences is intended to fill a gap in the typical undergraduate engineering/physical sciences curricula, and as such it will be a valuable resource for researchers and graduate students working in these areas. The only prerequisites are a three-four semester calculus sequence (including ordinary differential equations, Fourier series, complex variables, and linear algebra), and some probability theory, but basic definitions and facts are covered as needed. An appendix also provides background material concerning the Dirac-delta and other distributions.

Alexander I. Saichev was Professor of Mathematics at the Radio Physics Faculty of the Nizhny Novgorod University and a Professor in the Department of Management, Technology, and Economics at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology.