ABSTRACT

This paper is an attempt at a brief survey of the theory of a specific range of ordinary differential equations (ODE) known as “stiff systems” (SS). We will discuss theoretical questions only. The numerical procedure for solving SS has been applied for about 30 years and has been well developed. Gear’s well-known code is an example, and now there are many similar codes. However, there is no universally accepted theoretical conception of SS. We will proceed from initial notions and definitions through to any theoretical concepts developed in recent years. The concept of SS discussed subsequently in this text is by no means complete nor the only one possible. We chose to narrow the subject in order to provide a fairly clear picture.