Course Information
Description
Introduction to nonlinear dynamics and chaos in dissipative systems. Forced and parametric oscillators. Phase space. Periodic, quasiperiodic, and aperiodic flows. Sensitivity to initial conditions and strange attractors. Lorenz attractor. Period doubling, intermittency, and quasiperiodicity. Scaling and universality. Analysis of experimental data: Fourier transforms, Poincare sections, fractal dimension, and Lyapunov exponents. Applications to mechanical systems, fluid dynamics, physics, geophysics, and chemistry. See 12.207J/18.354J for Nonlinear Dynamics: Continuum Systems.
Class Notes
See MIT Schedule for times and locations;
Faculty: Daniel H. Rothman;
Prereq: Physics II (GIR) and (18.03 or 18.032);
Subject Level: Undergraduate
Available for Harvard Cross Registration
