Instabilities, Chaos and Turbulence: An Introduction to Nonlinear Dynamics and Complex Systems

Paul Manneville

ISBN 10: 1860944914 / ISBN 13: 9781860944918

Published by ICP 2004-10, 2004

About this Item

Seller Inventory # 6666-IUK-9781860944918

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Instabilities, Chaos and Turbulence: An Introduction to Nonlinear Dynamics and Complex Systems
• Publisher: ICP 2004-10
• Publication Date: 2004
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1860944914
• ISBN 13: 9781860944918
• Binding: PF
• Condition: New

About this title

Synopsis

This book is an introduction to the application of nonlinear dynamics to problems of stability, chaos and turbulence arising in continuous media and their connection to dynamical systems. With an emphasis on the understanding of basic concepts, it should be of interest to nearly any science-oriented undergraduate and potentially to anyone who wants to learn about recent advances in the field of applied nonlinear dynamics. Technicalities are, however, not completely avoided. They are instead explained as simply as possible using heuristic arguments and specific worked examples.

From the Inside Flap

This book (2nd edition) is a self-contained introduction to a wide body of knowledge on nonlinear dynamics and chaos. Manneville emphasises the understanding of basic concepts and the nontrivial character of nonlinear response, contrasting it with the intuitively simple linear response. He explains the theoretical framework using pedagogical examples from fluid dynamics, though prior knowledge of this field is not required. Heuristic arguments and worked examples replace most esoteric technicalities. Only basic understanding of mathematics and physics is required, at the level of what is currently known after one or two years of undergraduate training: elementary calculus, basic notions of linear algebra and ordinary differential calculus, and a few fundamental physical equations (specific complements are provided when necessary). Methods presented are of fully general use, which opens up ample windows on topics of contemporary interest. These include complex dynamical processes such as patterning, chaos control, mixing, and even the Earth's climate. Numerical simulations are proposed as a means to obtain deeper understanding of the intricacies induced by nonlinearities in our everyday environment, with hints on adapted modelling strategies and their implementation.