Linear and Nonlinear Waves

From sound and light waves to water waves and traffic jams, wave phenomena are everywhere around us. In this seminar, we will discuss linear and nonlinear waves as well as the propagation of wave packets. Among the tools we shall use and learn about are numerical simulations in Matlab and analytical techniques from ordinary and partial differential equations. We will also explore applications in nonlinear optics and to traffic flow problems. Prerequisites: MATH 0180 and either APMA 0330 - 0340 or APMA 0350 - 0360 . No background in partial differential equations is required.