Dynamics with Infinitely Many Derivatives: The Initial Value Problem

Understand

Differential equations of infinite order are an increasingly important class of equations in theoretical physics.

• Such equations are ubiquitous in string field theory and have recently attracted considerable interest also from cosmologists.
• Though these equations have been studied in the classical mathematical literature, it appears that the physics community is largely unaware of the relevant formalism.
• Of particular importance is the fate of the initial value problem.