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Eigenmodes of drums and Physical Nobel Prizes

GFM seminar
IIIUL, B1-01
2011-04-15 14:00 .. 15:00
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by Nick Trefethen (Oxford University)

In recent years Timo Betcke and I have developed methods for high-accuracy computation of eigenfunctions of the Laplacian on planar regions. This talk will present some beautiful images resulting from these computations, focussing on a collection of eight examples such as L-shaped regions, gaskets with holes, and infinite channels with kinks and elbows. It is remarkable how many physical phenomena can be seen in such results, and in particular, we shall relate eigenfunctions of drums of various shapes to the Nobel Prizes in Physics awarded in 1902, 1903, 1907, 1909, 1918, 1919, 1933, 1952, 1963, 1964, 1977, and 1981.