University of Wisconsin-Madison
Mathematics Department

Math 415
Applied Dynamical Systems, Chaos and Modeling
Lecturer: Gheorghe Craciun

Fall 2009


 

About the course: Math 415 is an introduction to nonlinear dynamical systems including stability, bifurcations and chaos. The course will give underlying mathematical ideas, and will also emphasize applications from many scientific fields.

 

Course Content:
1. One-dimensional maps and difference equations: linear and nonlinear problems, graphical solutions, bifurcations, chaos.
2. First-order differential equations (one-dimensional flows): linear and nonlinear equations, graphical solutions, bifurcations.
3. Two-dimensional flows: phase plane, stability of fixed points, periodic solutions, and limit cycles. Introduction to bifurcation theory, local and global bifurcations. Tools for studying global behavior of flows: Lyapunov functions, Poincare-Bendixson Theorem, gradient flows.
4. Three-dimensional flows: Lyapunov exponents, Poincare sections, strange attractors, chaos.

 

Lectures: There will be three 50 minute lectures per week: MWF 8:50-9:40 in room B123 Van Vleck.

 

Text: The textbook for the course is Nonlinear Dynamics and Chaos, by Stephen Strogatz.

 

Office hours: MWF 8:30am - 8:50am, 9:40am-10:10am, and by appointment. For appointments, please talk to me before or after class.

 

Grading: The grade will be based on homework and the exams as follows: Homework, Quizzes, and Class Participation: 25% Midterms: 2x25% Final Exam: 25%.

 

Homework: Homework will be due weekly on Monday, before the lecture.

 

Quizzes: There will be weekly quizzes in the lecture room, usually on Mondays. Your lowest two quiz scores will be discarded; there will be no make-up quizzes.

 

Exams: There will be two 50-minute midterm exams (Midterm 1 on Monday Oct 12, and Midterm 2 will be on Wednesday Nov 18) and a 2-hour final exam on Dec 22 from 12:25 to 2:25pm (final exam room: B123 Van Vleck). No make-up midterm exams will be given, unless proof of extraordinary circumstance is provided at least two weeks before exam day. According to University policy, no early final exams will be given for any reason.

 

 

Homework assignments:

 

(The “*” denotes the exercises I think are most important.)

 

Weeks 1-2 (due Monday Sept 14 just before the lecture):
1. Write up and hand in exercises 2.1.2, 2.1.3*, 2.1.5, 2.2.1, 2.2.3, 2.2.5, 2.2.7*, 2.2.8*, 2.2.9*, 2.2.10*, 2.2.13, 2.3.2*, 2.3.3*, 2.3.4, 2.4.2, 2.4.5, 2.4.6, 2.4.8*, 2.5.1*, 2.5.2*, 2.5.3*, 2.5.4, 2.5.6, 2.6.1*, 2.6.2 (on pages 36-41 in the textbook). Also, please read and make sure you would be able to solve all the other exercises in these sections. Some exercises have answers at the end of the book; compare them with your answers.
2. Reading: please read sections 1.0-1.3 and 2.0-2.8 in the textbook.

 

Week 3 (due Monday Sept 21 just before the lecture):

1. Write up and hand in exercises 2.7.1, 2.7.2, 2.7.3, 2.7.4, 2.7.6*, 2.8.1*, 2.8.2*, 3.1.1*, 3.1.3*, 3.1.4, 3.1.5 (on pages 42,79,80 in the textbook). Also, please read and make sure you would be able to solve all the other exercises in sections 2.7 and 3.1. Some exercises have answers at the end of the book; compare them with your answers.

Bonus problems: if you have experience with programming, try to solve some of: 2.8.3, 2.8.4, 2.8.5, 2.8.6, 2.8.7. Note that 2.8.6, 2.8.7 have partial answers at the end of the book.

2. Reading: please read sections 3.0-3.7 in the textbook.

 

Week 4 (due Monday Sept 28 just before the lecture):

1. Write up and hand in exercises 3.2.1, 3.2.2*, 3.3.1*, 3.3.2*, 3.4.1, 3.4.11*, 3.4.16*. Also, make sure that you know how to use the software dfield, pplane, and 3D-XplorMath.

2. Reading: please read sections 5.0-5.3 in the textbook.

 

Week 5 (due Monday Oct 5 just before the lecture):

1. Write up and hand in exercises 5.1.1*, 5.1.2*, 5.1.5, 5.1.7, 5.1.9*, 5.2.1*, 5.2.2, on pages 140-143.

2. Reading: please read sections 5.3, 6.0-6.3 in the textbook.

 

Week 8 (due Wednesday Oct 28 just before the lecture):

1. Write up and hand in exercises 6.1.1*, 6.1.3, 6.1.7*, 6.2.2, 6.3.1*, 6.3.5, 6.3.10*, 6.4.1, 6.4.4*, 6.4.6*, on pages 181-185. (Hint: use PPLANE to check some of your answers.)

2. Reading: sections 6.1-6.5 and 6.7 in the textbook.

 

Week 9 (due Monday Nov 2 just before the lecture):

1. Write up and hand in exercises 6.5.1*, 6.5.4, 6.5.6*, 6.5.7, 6.7.1, 6.7.2*, on pages 181-192. (hints: you can use PPLANE to check some of your answers; in 6.5.6 you can eliminate one parameter by changing time units.)

2. Reading: sections 7.1-7.5 in the textbook.

 

Week 10 (due Wednesday Nov 11 just before the lecture):

1. Write up and hand in exercises 7.1.3*, 7.1.5, 7.2.2, 7.2.12*, 7.2.13*, 7.3.1*, 7.3.3, 7.4.2*, 7.5.1, 7.5.2*, 7.6.2, 7.6.18*.

2. Reading: sections 8.1-8.5 in the textbook.

 

Week 11 (due Monday Nov 16 just before the lecture):

1. Write up and hand in exercises 8.1.3*, 8.1.6*, 8.1.13, 8.2.1*, 8.2.3, 8.2.8*.   

2. Reading: review for midterm exam 2.