Gamma-Lines - On the Geometry of Real and Complex Functions (Hardcover)

The history of mathematics is, to a considerable extent, connected with the study of solutions of the equation f(x)=a=const for functions f(x) of one real or complex variable. Therefore, it is surprising that we know very little about solutions of u(x,y)=A=const. for functions of two real variables. These two solutions, called level of sets, are very important with regard to applications in physics, biology and economics as they make a map of appropriate processes described by the function u(x,y) for given parameters (x,y). In the present volume we study a concept, Gamma-lines which generalizes the concept of levels of sets and, at the same time, the concept of a-points. The aim of the authors is to provide a book on Gamma-lines for the broad specialist and to show the large range of their field of applications. One can expect that the general methods proposed in this volume will be of great use to both physicists and engineers.