Aste T., Weaire D. Pursuit of perfect packing (IOP 2000)(147s).pdf

Preface
There are many things which might be packed into a book about packing. Our
choice has been eclectic. Around the mathematical core of the subject we have
gathered examples from far and wide.
It was difficult to decide how to handle references. This is not intended as
a heavyweight monograph or an all-inclusive handbook, but the reader may well
wish to check or pursue particular topics. We have tried to give a broad range
of general references to authoritative books and review articles. In addition we
have identified the original source of many of the key results which are discussed,
together with enough clues in the text to enable other points to be followed up,
for example with a biographical dictionary.
Thanks are due to many colleagues who have helped us, including Nicolas
Rivier (a constant source of stimulation and esoteric knowledge), Stefan Hutzler
and Robert Phelan. Rob Kusner and Jörg Wills made several suggestions for the
text, which we have adopted.
Denis Weaire benefited from the research support of Enterprise Ireland and
Shell during the period in which this was written, and Tomaso Aste was a Marie
Curie Research Fellow of the EU during part of it.
Tomaso Aste
Denis Weaire
December 1999
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