Introduction

Abstract

Although the theory of wavelet analysis is a relatively new and still evolving discipline, there is a deep and sophisticated body of work currently available. Much of this work, however, requires a fairly in-depth knowledge of several areas of advanced mathematics and hence limits its accessibility. It is a main objective of this work to strike a balance between accessibility and rnathernatical rigor that sacrifices as little as possible of both. To help achieve this goal, the dissemination of the material is provided by a hybrid combination of traditional (text) and nontraditional (Internet and electronic) media.