Fourth Year Classes Page

I am particularly proud of the class work conducted at Caltech. The classes have been challenging but rewarding.

 

A note about the courses: During the fourth year we are no-longer required to take courses. However, I decided to take the course CDS 140a introduction to dynamics to learn more about dynamical systems. As my adviser Dr. Meiron said "you never know when these techniques may come on handy". For the winter and spring terms I decided to take the course on turbulence offered by Dr. Paul Dimotakis

 
 
Spring 2005
    AE 239b: Turbulence, Dr. Paul Dimotakis
    Content:  Karman-Howarth equation, velocity and scalar structure functions, small-scale turbulence and Lundgren spiral vortex model of turbulence, kinematics and dynamics of vorticity, stretched vortex model, turbulent two-dimensional shear layers, Brown-Roshko experiments (1971, 1974), large-eddy simulation of turbulent flows, vortex models, shear layer flow, turbulent axisymmetric jet, entrainment and mixing in turbulent jets, measurement of mixing through chemical reactions, mixing models
    Books: Class notes


Winter 2005
    AE239a: Turbulence, Dr. Paul Dimotakis
    Content: Definition of turbulence, Fourier decomposition of spatial correlations, kinetic energy dissipation, spectra (Kolmogorov 1941), turbulence cascade, mixing transition, scalar fluctuations and mixing, structure of flow at small scales, scalar fluctuations spectrum, refined turbulence hypothesis (Kolmogorov 1962)
    Books: Class notes

     

Fall 2004
CDS 140a: Introduction to Dynamics, Dr. Mabuchi
Content: Linear systems: Uncoupled linear systems, diagonalization, exponential of operators, the fundamental theorem of linear systems, complex eigenvalues, multiple eigenvalues, Jordan form, Stability theory.
Nonlinear systems: Local Theory: The fundamental existence-uniqueness theorem, dflow defined by a differential equation, linearization, the stable manifold theorem, the Hartman-Grobman theorem, stability and Liapunov functions, saddles, nodes, foci and centers, nonhyperbolic critical points in R2, center manifold theory, normal form theory, gradient and hamiltonian systems.
Nonlinear systems: Global Theory: Dynamical systems and global existence theorems, limit sets and attractors, periodic orbits, Poincare' map, the stable manifold theorem for periodic orbits, Floquet Theory.
Analytical Mechanics: Lagrangian Mechanics, virtual work, the Lagrangian, the Hamiltonian, linear oscillators, the Hill equation, the Mathieu equation.
Books: Perko, Lawrence, "Differential Equations and Dynamical Systems", Springer-Verlag 2000
Hand, LN and Finch, JD, "Analytical Mechanics", Cambridge 1998
Readings from: Guckenheimer, J and Holmes, P, "Nonlinear Oscillations, Dynamical Systems, and Bifurcation of Vector fields, Springer-Verlag 1997


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Last updated: May 12, 2006
comments e-mail: mlatini@acm.caltech.edu