Oscillation matrices and kernels and small vibrations of mechanical systems

Fifty years after the original Russian Edition, this classic work is finally available in English for the general mathematical audience. This book lays the foundation of what later became "Krein's Theory of String". The original ideas stemming from mechanical considerations are developed with exceptional clarity. A unique feature is that it can be read profitably by both research mathematicians and engineers. The authors study in depth small oscillations of one-dimensional continua with a finite or infinite number of degrees of freedom. They single out an algebraic property responsible for the