p-Adic Methods and Their Applications

The p-adic numbers and more generally local fields have become increasingly important in a range of mathematical disciplines, and are now seen as essential tools in many areas of mathematics, including number theory, algebraic geometry, group representation theory and algebraic topology.

A number of texts have recently become available which provide good general introductions to p-Adic numbers and p-Adic analysis. However, there is at present a gap between such books and the sophisticated applications in the research literature. The aim of this book is to bridge this gulf by providing a collection of intermediate level articles on various applications of p-Adic techniques throughout mathematics. The idea for producing such a volume was suggested by Oxford University Press in connection with a three day meeting `p-Adic Methods and their Applications'' held at Manchester University in September 1989 and which have received financial support from the London Mathematical Society. Some of these articles grew out of talks given at this conference, others were written by invitation especially for this volume. All contributions were refereed with a particular view to their suitability for inclusion in such a book.