title: Introduction to Focus Issue: statistical mechanics and billiard-type dynamical systems.
abstract: Dynamical systems of the billiard type are of fundamental importance for the description of numerous phenomena observed in many different fields of research, including statistical mechanics, Hamiltonian dynamics, nonlinear physics, and many others. This Focus Issue presents the recent progress in this area with contributions from the mathematical as well as physical stand point.
authors: Departamento de Estatística, Matemática Aplicada e Computação, UNESP, Univ Estadual Paulista, 13506-900 Rio Claro, São Paulo, Brazil. edleonel@rc.unesp.br
authors: Edson D
authors: ED
authors: Leonel
authors: Marcus W
authors: MW
authors: Beims
authors: Leonid A
authors: LA
authors: Bunimovich