Graduate overview
Where we are
What we've got
Our grad students
How to apply
Financial aid
A grad student's life
Facilities
Research
areas
|
Nonlinear Dynamics
Meurice, Polyzou, Skiff
Nonlinear dynamics is the study of systems that are
described by nonlinear equations of motion. Chaos is a topic of particular
interest. This topic is important in almost every branch of science
and engineering. Our faculty study chaos two ways: as a phenomenon
of classical mechanics, and as quantum chaos, which is the study of
the interface between the quantum and classical descriptions for classically
chaotic systems. The department offers a second semester of classical
mechanics devoted to nonlinear dynamics.
|
|
|
| Our inter-disciplinary research in
nonlinear dynamics allows students to choose an experimental or theoretical
project. Students can choose a theoretical project and apply the methods
of chaos to field theory or to the many body problem. Additionally,
students may choose an experimental project, studying the observable
effects of chaos in plasmas, where the exchange of energy amongst
waves and particles is chaotic. Our previous work on chaos has been
published in leading journals such as Physical Review Letters
and reported as invited talks at major conferences. One of our previous
PhD students received a major national prize for a thesis on nonlinear
dynamics. |
|
|
| |
|
Yannick
Meurice |
Theory of dynamical
systems
- Topics
related to lattice field theory or renormalization group; chaos in classical
lattice field theory
- Applications
of the KAM theorem: action-angle variables, small denominators, resonance
in systems of coupled oscillators, construction of scaling variables
- Employment of
former students: postdoc at University of Illinois in Urbana Champaign;
instructor at Hawkeye College; senior research scientist in driving
simulation project
- Students are involved
weekly in two seminars
- Students travel
to summer schools and conferences
|
|
|
Wayne
Polyzou
|
Theoretical
nonlinear dynamics
- Primary
research area is nuclear and particle theory
- Quantum
chaos, constrained Hamiltonian systems, scaling phenomena
- A previous graduate
student did thesis research on quantum chaos
- Students develop
skills in writing code in C or Fortran
|
|
|
Frederick
Skiff |
Experiments
and simulations of chaos
- Primary
research area is experimental plasma physics; many of these problems
involve nonlinear dynamics
- Analysis
of time series and the analysis of chaotic signals; experiments and
simulations of interacting sound and radio frequency waves; spatio-temporal
chaos
- Experimental facilities
include: 3-meter linear magnetized-plasma device for waves and spectroscopy,
single-frequency scanning lasers for high-resolution laser spectroscopy
- Students also
interact with group members including a postdoc and students, they participate
in the plasma seminar and interact with other theoretical and experimental
faculty
- Students develop
skills including designing and building apparatus, electronics, computation
- In most years,
grant support is available for multiple RA stipends and student travel
to conferences
|
