An Introduction to Compactness Results in Symplectic Field Theory

Based on the author's lectures, this book introduces symplectic field theory. Beginning with compactness results for holomorphic curves, the coverage includes extensions of certain compactness results believed to be true, but not yet published in detail.

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The book grew out of lectures given by the author in 2005. Symplectic field theory is a new important subject which is currently being developed. The starting point of this theory are compactness results for holomorphic curves established in 2004. The book gives a systematic introduction providing a lot of background material much of which is scattered throughout the literature. The aim is to provide an entry point into symplectic field theory for non-specialists and for graduate students. In addition, the book provides extensions of certain compactness results which are believed to be true by the specialists but which have not yet been published in the literature in detail.