Focus Series on Nonlinear Physics

Although systems near equilibrium are often amenable to a relatively simple quantitative description, for large deviations from equilibrium a proper understanding of the physics involved can be a difficult, but exciting and stimulating process. Small variations in the characteristic parameters may lead to drastic changes in the system behavior, sometimes leading to formidable challenges for the interested researchers. Since systems far from equilibrium are ubiquitous in nature, the techniques developed to solve problems in one particular discipline often find application across many branches of the scientific endeavor.

It is precisely the purpose of this Focus Series to facilitate the cross-fertilization of the concepts and techniques of nonlinear science. With this in mind, the nonlinear behavior of various systems is examined. The targets of the research published here range from genuine physical problems such as the use of pseudospectral methods in Rayleigh-Bénard convection and the calculation of exit times in open chaotic maps, to applications in such frontier interdisciplinary areas as neural synchronization and the energy harvesting from fluctuations.

This Focus Series of Papers in Physics should help to catalyze the interdisciplinary dissemination of the ideas and methods of nonlinear physics among researchers in various active fields of research.