Recent interactions between the fields of geometry, classical and quantum dynamical systems, and visualization of geometric objects such as curves and surfaces have led to the observation that most concepts of surface theory and of the theory of integrable systems have natural discrete analogues. These are characterized by the property that the corresponding difference equations are integrable, and has led in turn to some important applications in areas of condensed matter physics and quantum field theory, amongst others. The book combines the efforts of a distinguished team of authors from various fields in mathematics and physics in an effort to provide an overview of the subject. The mathematical concepts of discrete geometry and discrete integrable systems are firstly presented as fundamental and valuable theories in themselves. In the following part these concepts are put into the context of classical and quantum dynamics.
Interactions between the fields of geometry, dynamical systems, and the visualization of geometric objects such as curves and surfaces have led to recent exciting new mathematical developments. These have in turn been seen to have important applications in other areas such as condensed matter physics and quantum field theory. This book brings together several distinguished authors from various areas of mathematics and physics in order to provide an overview of both the mathematical theory and its applications.
Interactions between the fields of geometry, dynamical systems, and the visualization of geometric objects such as curves and surfaces have led to recent exciting new mathematical developments. These have in turn been seen to have important applications in other areas such as condensed matter physics and quantum field theory. This book brings together several distinguished authors from various areas of mathematics and physics in order to provide an overview of both the mathematical theory and its applications.