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2011/2 Provisional Module Catalogue - UNDER CONSTRUCTION & SUBJECT TO CHANGE
 Module Code: PHY3028 Module Title: NON LINEAR PHYSICS
Module Provider: Physics Short Name: PH3-NLP
Level: HE3 Module Co-ordinator: BARBIERI C Dr (Physics)
Number of credits: 10 Number of ECTS credits: 5
 
Module Availability

Module Availability:

 

Semester 2

 

Assessment Pattern

Unit(s) of Assessment

 
Weighting Towards Module Mark( %)

 

Examination

 

100%

 

Qualifying Condition(s) 

 

University general regulations refer.

 
Module Overview

The module provides an introduction to the theory of nonlinear physics and chaos theory and discusses relevant examples.

 
Prerequisites/Co-requisites

PHY2056 – Mathematical, Quantum and Computational Physics module.

 
Module Aims

To provide a sound grounding and the basis theorems, methods and applications of the theory of nonlinear physics.

 
Learning Outcomes

Students will appreciate the implications of nonlinearity in physics and learn to analyze and classify nonlinear dynamics by identifying periodic, quasi-periodic or chaotic behaviour. They will learn to appreciate the concept and the benefits of chaos control.

 
Module Content

·                Linear and nonlinear dynamics.

 

·                Fixpoints, strange attractors. Chaos and Bifurcations.

 

·                Measures of nonlinearity and quantification by Lyapunov-exponents and dimensional analysis.

 

·                Fractals and strange attractors.

 

·                The concept of chaos control.

 

·                Examples from physics, engineering and biology.

 
Methods of Teaching/Learning

24 hours of lectures.

 
Selected Texts/Journals

i.                S H Strogatz, Nonlinear Dynamics and Chaos: With Applications to Physics, Biology, Chemistry and Engineering (Perseus Books, 2000).

 

ii.              L Lam, Introduction to Nonlinear Physics (Springer, 2003).

 

iii.             H G Schuster and W Just, Deterministic Chaos (Wiley-VCH, 2005).

 

iv.            E Schöll and H G Schuster, Handbook of Chaos Control (Wiley-VCH, 2007).

 

v.              S Wolfram, The Mathematica Book, 5th Ed (Wolfram Media, 2003).

 
Last Updated

August 2010.