Lectures on Clifford (Geometric) Algebras and Applications

Advances in technology over the last 25 years have created a situation in which workers in diverse areas of computerscience and engineering have found it neces­ sary to increase their knowledge of related fields in order to make further progress. Clifford (geometric) algebra offers a unified algebraic framework for the direct expression of the geometric ideas underlying the great mathematical theories of linear and multilinear algebra, projective and affine geometries, and differential geometry. Indeed, for many people working in this area, geometric algebra is the natural extension of the real number system to include the concept of direction. The familiar complex numbers of the plane and the quaternions of four dimen­ sions are examples of lower-dimensional geometric algebras. During "The 6th International Conference on Clifford Algebras and their Ap­ plications in Mathematical Physics" held May 20--25, 2002, at Tennessee Tech­ nological University in Cookeville, Tennessee, a Lecture Series on Clifford Ge­ ometric Algebras was presented. Its goal was to to provide beginning graduate students in mathematics and physics and other newcomers to the field with no prior knowledge of Clifford algebras with a bird's eye view of Clifford geometric algebras and their applications. The lectures were given by some of the field's most recognized experts. The enthusiastic response of the more than 80 partici­ pants in the Lecture Series, many of whom were graduate students or postdocs, encouraged us to publish the expanded lectures as chapters in book form.

From the reviews:

"...This book is recommended reading for beginning graduate students and other newcomers in this field. The authors of each chapter are world leading experts in their fields and the chapters are well written and organized. In spite of the introductory level of each chapter, many references are given which will help the interested reader go deeper into the subject of interest. Moreover, an appendix written by the editors gives a summary of the existing Clifford algebra software for symbolic computations."―Mathematical Reviews

"This text contains a set of lectures presented by P. Lounesto, Introduction to Clifford Algebras; I. Porteous, Mathematical Structure of Clifford Algebras; J. Ryan, Clifford Analysis; W.E. Baylis, Applications of Clifford Algebras in Physics; J.M. Selig, Clifford Algebras in Engineering; T. Branson, Clifford Bundles and Clifford Algebras; and an appendix by R. Ablamowicz and G. Sobczyk describing software for solving different kinds of problems involving computations with Clifford algebras. Each one of the lectures is a jewel and will be appreciated [by] newcomers wanting an introduction to a rapidly developing field as well [as] by practitioners, [who] for pleasure certainly will enjoy reading the texts of those well-known experts...."―Zentralblatt Math

"The book under review contains the series of lectures on Clifford Geometric Algebras ... . the principal aim of the book to provide beginning graduate students in mathematics and physics and other who are new-interested with no prior knowledge in the secrets of Clifford algebras has been achieved. ... the presented material subsumes research activities and some of the recent scientific advances of this theory, and it is an useful learning tool for scientists and engineers from academia and industry." (Clementina D. Mladenova, Journal of Geometry and Symmetry in Physics, Issue 3, 2005)