Geometrical Theory Of Dynamical Systems And Fluid Flows

"This is an introductory textbook on the geometrical theory of dynamical systems, fluid flows and certain integrable systems. The topics are interdisciplinary and extend from mathematics, mechanics and physics to mechanical engineering, and the approach is very fundamental. The main theme of this book is a unified formulation to understand dynamical evolutions of physical systems within mathematical ideas of Riemannian geometry and Lie groups by using well-known examples. Underlying mathematical concepts include transformation invariance, covariant derivative, geodesic equation and curvature tensors on the basis of differential geometry, theory of Lie groups and integrability. These mathematical theories are applied to physical systems such as free rotation of a top, surface wave of shallow water, action principle in mechanics, diffeomorphic flow of fluids, vortex motions and some integrable systems. In the latest edition, a new formulation of fluid flows is also presented in a unified fashion on the basis of the gauge principle of theoretical physics and principle of least action along with new type of Lagrangians. A great deal of effort has been directed toward making the description elementary, clear and concise, to provide beginners easy access to the topics."-

This is an introductory textbook on the geometrical theory of dynamical systems, fluid flows, and certain integrable systems. The subjects are interdisciplinary and extend from mathematics, mechanics and physics to mechanical engineering, and the approach is very fundamental. The underlying concepts are based on differential geometry and theory of Lie groups in the mathematical aspect, and on transformation symmetries and gauge theory in the physical aspect. A great deal of effort has been directed toward making the description elementary, clear and concise, so that beginners will have an access to the topics.

This monograph presents a geometric theory for incompressible flow and its applications to fluid dynamics. The main objective is to study the stability and transitions of the structure of incompressible flows and its applications to fluid dynamics and geophysical fluid dynamics. The development of the theory and its applications goes well beyond its original motivation of the study of oceanic dynamics. The authors present a substantial advance in the use of geometric and topological methods to analyze and classify incompressible fluid flows. The approach introduces genuinely innovative ideas to the study of the partial differential equations of fluid dynamics. One particularly useful development is a rigorous theory for boundary layer separation of incompressible fluids. The study of incompressible flows has two major interconnected parts. The first is the development of a global geometric theory of divergence-free fields on general two-dimensional compact manifolds. The second is the study of the structure of velocity fields for two-dimensional incompressible fluid flows governed by the Navier-Stokes equations or the Euler equations. Motivated by the study of problems in geophysical fluid dynamics, the program of research in this book seeks to develop a new mathematical theory, maintaining close links to physics along the way. In return, the theory is applied to physical problems, with more problems yet to be explored. The material is suitable for researchers and advanced graduate students interested in nonlinear PDEs and fluid dynamics.

Leading experts present a unique, invaluable introduction to the study of the geometry and typology of fluid flows. From basic motions on curves and surfaces to the recent developments in knots and links, the reader is gradually led to explore the fascinating world of geometric and topological fluid mechanics. Geodesics and chaotic orbits, magnetic knots and vortex links, continual flows and singularities become alive with more than 160 figures and examples. In the opening article, H. K. Moffatt sets the pace, proposing eight outstanding problems for the 21st century. The book goes on to provide concepts and techniques for tackling these and many other interesting open problems.

"The organizing committee envisioned bringing together three groups of people working on the following topics in fluid and plasma dynamics: 1. Geometric aspects : Hamiltonian structures, perturbation theory and nonlinear stability by variational methods, 2) Analytical and numerical methods: contour dynamics, spectral methods, and functional analytic techniques, 3) Dynamical systems aspects: experimental and numerical methods, bifurcation theory, and chaos."- introduction

Written jointly by a specialist in geophysical fluid dynamics and an applied mathematician, this is the first accessible introduction to a new set of methods for analysing Lagrangian motion in geophysical flows. The book opens by establishing context and fundamental mathematical concepts and definitions, exploring simple cases of steady flow, and touching on important topics from the classical theory of Hamiltonian systems. Subsequent chapters examine the elements and methods of Lagrangian transport analysis in time-dependent flows. The concluding chapter offers a brief survey of rapidly evolving research in geophysical fluid dynamics that makes use of this new approach.

Including: An Introduction to the Homotopy Theory in Noncompact Spaces

An application of the techniques of dynamical systems and bifurcation theories to the study of nonlinear oscillations. Taking their cue from Poincare, the authors stress the geometrical and topological properties of solutions of differential equations and iterated maps. Numerous exercises, some of which require nontrivial algebraic manipulations and computer work, convey the important analytical underpinnings of problems in dynamical systems and help readers develop an intuitive feel for the properties involved.

This textbook describes the fundamental OC physicalOCO aspects of fluid flows for beginners of fluid mechanics in physics, mathematics and engineering, from the point of view of modern physics. It also emphasizes the dynamical aspects of fluid motions rather than the static aspects, illustrating vortex motions, waves, geophysical flows, chaos and turbulence. Beginning with the fundamental concepts of the nature of flows and the properties of fluids, the book presents fundamental conservation equations of mass, momentum and energy, and the equations of motion for both inviscid and viscous fluids. In addition to the fundamentals, this book also covers water waves and sound waves, vortex motions, geophysical flows, nonlinear instability, chaos, and turbulence. Furthermore, it includes the chapters on superfluids and the gauge theory of fluid flows. The material in the book emerged from the lecture notes for an intensive course on Elementary Fluid Mechanics for both undergraduate and postgraduate students of theoretical physics given in 2003 and 2004 at the Nankai Institute of Mathematics (Tianjin) in China. Hence, each chapter may be presented separately as a single lecture."