Applied Math 3010, Fall 2007

Nonlinear Dynamical Systems and Chaos


Course Information

Class: MWF 12-12:50 ECCR 116
Instructor:A. RadulescuECOT 338
Office Hours:TBAOther times--by appointment
Text Strogatz, S. Nonlinear Dynamics and Chaos (Addison-Wesley, Reading)


Chaos is a relatively new area of applied mathematics that has influenced everything from spacecraft trajectories, the design of lasers, ultrafast spectroscopy, the design of micro-mixers, and stock market analysis to even psychology, drama, and literature. Our study will begin with simplest of systems in one dimension and progress to systems with more degrees of freedom (We will not move linearly through the text!). Our study include differential equations and maps, bifurcations and catastrophes, and the qualitative analysis of dynamical systems. The emphasis will be on dynamics that model real world phenomena.

Homework and schedules

Computers

A list of software for dynamics—much of it free—is at <http:// amath.colorado.edu/faculty/jdm/faq-[5].html>. I will use the computers in the ECCR 143 for demonstrations, and extensively use the softwares Maple and Matlab, which are both installed on all computers in the lab.

Programs & examples