This book deals with asymptotic solutions of linear and nonlinear equa- tions which decay as h ---+ 0 outside a neighborhood of certain points, curves and surfaces. Such solutions are almost everywhere well approximated by the functions cp(x) exp{iS(x)/h}, x E 1R3, where S(x) is complex, and ImS(x) ~ o. When the phase S(x) is real (ImS(x) = 0), the method for obtaining asymp- totics of this type is known in quantum mechanics as the WKB-method. We preserve this terminology in the case ImS(x) ~ 0 and develop the method for a wide class of problems in mathematical physics. Asymptotics of this type were constructed recently for many linear prob- lems of mathematical physics; certain specific formulas were obtained by differ- ent methods (V. M. Babich [5 -7], V. P. Lazutkin [76], A. A. Sokolov, 1. M. Ter- nov [113], J. Schwinger [107, 108], E. J. Heller [53], G. A. Hagedorn [50, 51], V. N. Bayer, V. M. Katkov [21], N. A. Chernikov [35] and others). However, a general (Hamiltonian) formalism for obtaining asymptotics of this type is clearly required; this state of affairs is expressed both in recent mathematical and physical literature. For example, the editors of the collected volume [106] write in its preface: "One can hope that in the near future a computational pro- cedure for fields with complex phase, similar to the usual one for fields with real phase, will be developed.

Book Information
ISBN 9783034896696
Author Victor P. Maslov
Format Paperback
Page Count 304
Imprint Springer Basel
Publisher Springer Basel
Weight(grams) 486g