This book gives an introduction to distribution theory, based on the work of Schwartz and of many other people. Additionally, the aim is to show how the theory is combined with the study of operators in Hilbert space by methods of functional analysis, with applications to ordinary and partial differential equations. In some of the latter chapters, the author illustrates how distribution theory is used to define pseudodifferential operators and how they are applied in the discussion of solvability of PDE, with or without boundary conditions. Each chapter has been enhanced with many exercises and examples, and a bibliography of relevant books and papers is collected at the end.

A few of the unique topics include: (1) Boundary value problems in a constant-coefficient case; (2) Pseudodifferential Boundary Operators; (3) Families of extensions.

Gerd Grubb is Professor of Mathematics at University of Copenhagen.