No label defined (Q4524282)

This historical essay recaps highlights in the development of wavelet theory and some of its principal applications. The theoretical properties discussed include: (i) the notion of an unconditional basis and how wavelets are unconditional bases for many function spaces including Besov and Hölder spaces, (ii) how this concept can be applied to denoising problems, culminating in Donoho's method of wavelet shrinkage, (iii) the problem of nonlinear approximation based on ideas of DeVore, Jawerth and Popov and the applications of wavelet in this context to denoising astronomical data and solutions to hyperbolic equations, (iv) the notion of multifractal formalism and the use of wavelets in defining or estimating the fractal spectrum. Further applications discussed include solution of the Navier-Stokes equation, Calderón-Zygmund operators and information coding. For the entire collection see [Zbl 0947.00008].