Minkowski Geometry

Encyclopedia of Mathematics and its Applications #63

by A.C. Thompson

This is a comprehensive treatment of Minkowski geometry. The author begins by describing the fundamental metric properties and the topological properties of existence of Minkowski space. This is followed by a treatment of two-dimensional spaces and characterizations of Euclidean space among normed spaces. The central three chapters present the theory of area and volume in normed spaces--a fascinating geometrical interplay among the various roles of the ball in Euclidean space. Later chapters deal with trigonometry and differential geometry in Minkowski spaces. The book ends with a brief look at J. J. Schaffer's ideas on the intrinsic geometry of the unit sphere.

368 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1996