Dynamics in infinite dimensions. Appendix by Krzysztof P. Rybakowski. (Q1614989)

The book is entitled ``Dynamics in Infinite Dimensions, Second Edition'', however, one would fail to find the first edition of the same title. An earlier book by the authors (with K.P. Rybakowski contributing an appendix on Conley index, as in the present text) bears the title ``An Introduction to Infinite Dimensional Dynamical Systems - Geometric Theory'' [Applied Mathematical Sciences, Vol. 47. New York, Springer-Verlag (1984; Zbl 0533.58001)]. This ``discrepancy'' in titles reflects well the contents of the two books. While the general theme and approach (theory of infinite-dimensional dynamical systems with emphasis on retarded functional differential equations) are preserved, the scope of changes and additions in the present volume make it more a new monograph than a new edition. The first book, like the present one, is to a large extent devoted to functional differential equations. But for many years it has served as a reference for general properties of infinite-dimensional dynamical systems. In particular, it has been the canonical reference for structural stability of Morse-Smale systems in infinite dimensions (actually the only reference, Oliva's original manuscript aside). This part of the text got significantly extended and up-dated. Results on Morse-Smale semiflows are added to their counterparts on maps and examples of such semiflows are discussed in some detail. Monotone dynamical systems (which in the present text refer to dynamical systems with a discrete Lyapunov functional, such as the zero number or oscillation number) belong to this category. The authors devote a chapter to these systems, with examples of ordinary and functional differential equations, as well as parabolic partial differential equations (who would resist to retell the success story of Chafee-Infante equations at such an occasion). Hyperbolicity is a crucial concept behind structural stability and persistence properties in various contexts. One chapter of the book is devoted to hyperbolicity (and its weaker form, nonuniform hyperbolicity) of invariant sets. Another completely new chapter deals with realization of vector fields. In recent years, realization of vector fields in a class of differential equations (such as delay equations with a given number of delays, or scalar parabolic differential equations on domains of given dimension) proved to be a useful tool for examining possible dynamics of such equations. The idea is to determine whether or not there are limitations on vector fields that can be obtained by restrictions of the semiflows in the given class to finite-dimensional invariant manifolds. Ruling out any limitations, one shows that the equations in question exhibit very complex (in a sense arbitrary) dynamics. On the other hand, if there are restrictions, one would like to understand them and, if possible, determine canonical (or normal) forms of resulting vector fields. The authors consider these issues for retarded functional differential equations. The present editions of chapters that appeared in the first book, Invariant sets and attractors, Functional differential equations on manifolds, The dimension of the attractor, Attractor sets as \(C^1\)-manifolds, The Kupka-Smale theorem, Conley index in noncompact spaces, are up-dated and contain additional examples. As the first book of the authors, the present one will be of interest and will be useful to a broad group of readers.