Patterns are becoming the focal point of many areas of scientific endeavor in recent years owing to the progress of computer science, laboratory experiments and observations and analytical tools. This book brings together articles by the leading experts in these fields.Contents:Coherent Approach to Order Formation (M Suzuki)Phase Transitions in Contact Process and Its Related Processes (M Katori & N Konno)Renormalization Group for Fractal Growth Phenomena (T Nagatani)Fractal Analysis of Front Pattern of Aspergillus Oryzae Colony (S Matsuura & S Miyazima)Pattern Formation in Liquid Crystals (H Orihara et al.)Pattern Formation in Precipitation (S Kai)Morphological Transitions in Ordering Dynamics under Static and Dynamic External Conditions (H Furukawa)Phase Ordering Dynamics and Topological Defects in Nonconserved Systems with Continuous Symmetry (H Toyoki)Readership: Materials scientists, physicists and mathematicians.Key Features:Deals with the theory of exchange rate determination as well as the theory of the balance of payments under fixed exchange ratesEmphasizes the microstructure approach to exchange rates as a viable alternative to the macroeconomic approachDeals with various models in an integrated matterSuggests other alternatives to the macroeconomic approach such as the behavioral finance and post-Keynesian approaches to exchange ratesProvides a fair and balanced perspective not driven by ideologyWritten from a positive rather than a normative perspective