Aizik Isaakovich Vol'pert
Encyclopedia
Aizik Isaakovich Vol'pert (1923(?) – January 2006) was a Soviet mathematician
and chemical engineer
working in partial differential equation
s, functions of bounded variation
and chemical kinetics
.
: in the paper he introduced the concept of functional superposition of functions of bounded variation
, constructing a calculus for such functions and proving the usefulness of this concept in the theory of partial differential equation
s. By using the results in the cited paper, it is easy to prove that functions of bounded variation form an algebra
of discontinuous functions. His work on chemical kinetics as a chemical engineer
lead him to define and study differential equations on graphs (see ).
Mathematician
A mathematician is a person whose primary area of study is the field of mathematics. Mathematicians are concerned with quantity, structure, space, and change....
and chemical engineer
Chemical engineer
In the field of engineering, a chemical engineer is the profession in which one works principally in the chemical industry to convert basic raw materials into a variety of products, and deals with the design and operation of plants and equipment to perform such work...
working in partial differential equation
Partial differential equation
In mathematics, partial differential equations are a type of differential equation, i.e., a relation involving an unknown function of several independent variables and their partial derivatives with respect to those variables...
s, functions of bounded variation
Bounded variation
In mathematical analysis, a function of bounded variation, also known as a BV function, is a real-valued function whose total variation is bounded : the graph of a function having this property is well behaved in a precise sense...
and chemical kinetics
Chemical kinetics
Chemical kinetics, also known as reaction kinetics, is the study of rates of chemical processes. Chemical kinetics includes investigations of how different experimental conditions can influence the speed of a chemical reaction and yield information about the reaction's mechanism and transition...
.
Work
He was one of the leading contributors to the theory of BV-functionsBounded variation
In mathematical analysis, a function of bounded variation, also known as a BV function, is a real-valued function whose total variation is bounded : the graph of a function having this property is well behaved in a precise sense...
: in the paper he introduced the concept of functional superposition of functions of bounded variation
Bounded variation
In mathematical analysis, a function of bounded variation, also known as a BV function, is a real-valued function whose total variation is bounded : the graph of a function having this property is well behaved in a precise sense...
, constructing a calculus for such functions and proving the usefulness of this concept in the theory of partial differential equation
Partial differential equation
In mathematics, partial differential equations are a type of differential equation, i.e., a relation involving an unknown function of several independent variables and their partial derivatives with respect to those variables...
s. By using the results in the cited paper, it is easy to prove that functions of bounded variation form an algebra
Algebra (ring theory)
In mathematics, specifically in ring theory, an algebra over a commutative ring is a generalization of the concept of an algebra over a field, where the base field K is replaced by a commutative ring R....
of discontinuous functions. His work on chemical kinetics as a chemical engineer
Chemical engineer
In the field of engineering, a chemical engineer is the profession in which one works principally in the chemical industry to convert basic raw materials into a variety of products, and deals with the design and operation of plants and equipment to perform such work...
lead him to define and study differential equations on graphs (see ).