Course Descriptions - Undergraduate Calendar 2023-2024

Vector integral calculus-line integrals, surface integrals and vector fields, Green's theorem, the Divergence theorem, and Stokes' theorem. Applications include conservation laws, fluid flow and electromagnetic fields. An introduction to Fourier analysis. Fourier series and the Fourier transform. Parseval's formula. Frequency analysis of signals. Discrete and continuous spectra. [Offered: F,W,S]

A rigorous introduction to the field of computational mathematics. The focus is on the interplay between continuous models and their solution via discrete processes. Topics include pitfalls in computation, solution of linear systems, interpolation, discrete Fourier transforms, and numerical integration. Applications are used as motivation.

Physical systems which lead to differential equations (examples include mechanical vibrations, population dynamics, and mixing processes). Dimensional analysis and dimensionless variables. Solving linear differential equations: first- and second-order scalar equations and first-order vector equations. Laplace transform methods of solving differential equations. [Offered: F,W,S]

AMATH 251 is an advanced-level version of AMATH 250. This course offers a more theoretical treatment of differential equations and solution methods. In addition, emphasis will be placed on computational analysis of differential equations and on applications in science and engineering.

Newtonian dynamics, gravity and the two-body problem, introduction to Lagrangian mechanics, introduction to Hamiltonian mechanics, non-conservative forces, oscillations, introduction to special relativity. [Offered: F]

Topology of Euclidean spaces, continuity, norms, completeness. Contraction mapping principle. Fourier series. Various applications, for example, to ordinary differential equations, optimization and numerical approximation.

Complex numbers, Cauchy-Riemann equations, analytic functions, conformal maps and applications to the solution of Laplace's equation, contour integrals, Cauchy integral formula, Taylor and Laurent expansions, residue calculus and applications.

Manifolds and tensors, Lie derivatives and Lie groups, differential forms and applications to physics. This course covers the basic concepts of differential geometry from the perspective of its applications to physics. The course focuses on the concepts and the techniques that allow us to formulate physical problems in the powerful language of differential geometry including thermodynamics, classical mechanics, fluid dynamics, and relativity. [Offered: F]

An introduction to numerical methods for ordinary and partial differential equations. Ordinary differential equations: multistep and Runge-Kutta methods; stability and convergence; systems and stiffness; boundary value problems. Partial differential equations: finite difference methods for elliptic, hyperbolic and parabolic equations; stability and convergence. The course focuses on introducing widely used methods and highlights applications in the natural sciences, the health sciences, engineering, and finance. [Offered: F,W]

Difference equations and discrete dynamical systems. Mathematical models are taken from ecology, biology, economics, and other fields.

First order ordinary differential equations. Applications to continuous compounding and the dynamics of supply and demand. Higher order linear ordinary differential equations. Systems of linear ordinary differential equations. Introduction to linear partial differential equations. The Fourier Transform and the diffusion equation. Discussion of the Black-Scholes partial differential equations, and solutions thereof. [Offered: F,W]

Linear differential equations with non-constant coefficients, Sturm comparison, oscillation and separation theorems, series solutions and special functions. Boundary value problems. Linear systems in Rn, an introduction to dynamical systems. Laplace transforms applied to linear systems, transfer functions, the convolution theorem. An introduction to dynamical systems and stability. Perturbation methods for differential equations. Applications are discussed throughout. [Offered: F,S]

Second order linear partial differential equations - the diffusion equation, wave equation, and Laplace's equation. Methods of solution - separation of variables and eigenfunction expansions, the Fourier transform. Physical interpretation of solutions in terms of diffusion, waves and steady states. First order non-linear partial differential equations and the method of characteristics. Applications are emphasized throughout. [Offered: W,S]

Stress and strain tensors; analysis of stress and strain. Lagrangian and Eulerian methods for describing flow. Equations of continuity, motion and energy, constitutive equations. Navier-Stokes equation. Basic equations of elasticity. Various applications. [Offered: W]

An introduction to the mathematical description of the climate. Topics covered include solar radiation and how the Earth is heated, climate feedbacks, the role of the oceans and the Earth's rotation, climate data and climate variability, and simple models of human-climate interactions. Calculus and computation will be used throughout the course. [Offered in W of even years.]

Critical experiments and old quantum theory. Basic concepts of quantum mechanics: observables, wavefunctions, Hamiltonians, and the Schroedinger equation. Uncertainty, correspondence, and superposition principles. Simple applications to finite and extended one-dimensional systems, harmonic oscillator, rigid rotor, and hydrogen atom. [Offered: W]

An introduction to dynamic mathematical modeling of cellular processes. The emphasis is on using computational tools to investigate differential equation-based models. A variety of cellular phenomena are discussed, including ion pumps, membrane potentials, intercellular communication, genetic networks, regulation of metabolic pathways, and signal transduction. [Offered in the W of even numbered years.]

An introduction to the mathematical modelling of biological processes, with emphasis on population biology. Topics include ecology, epidemiology, microbiology, and physiology. Techniques include difference equations, ordinary differential equations, partial differential equations, stability analysis, phase plane analysis, travelling wave solutions, mathematical software. Includes collaborative projects and computer labs.

An introduction to some of the deep connections between mathematics and music. Topics covered include acoustics, including pitch and harmonics, basic Fourier analysis, the mathematics behind the differing pitch and timbre of string, wind and percussion instruments, scales and temperaments, digital music, musical synthesis.

An introduction to contemporary mathematical concepts in signal analysis. Fourier series and Fourier transforms (FFT), the classical sampling theorem and the time-frequency uncertainty principle. Wavelets and multiresolution analysis. Applications include oversampling, denoising of audio, data compression, and singularity detection.

This course studies several classes of methods for the numerical solution of partial differential equations in multiple dimensions on structured and unstructured grids. Finite volume methods for hyperbolic conservation laws: linear and nonlinear hyperbolic systems; stability; numerical conservation. Finite element methods for elliptic and parabolic equations: weak forms; existence of solutions; optimal convergence; higher-order methods. Examples from fluid and solid mechanics. Additional topics as time permits. [Offered: F]

A unified view of linear and nonlinear systems of ordinary differential equations in Rn. Flow operators and their classification: contractions, expansions, hyperbolic flows. Stable and unstable manifolds. Phase-space analysis. Nonlinear systems, stability of equilibria and Lyapunov functions. The special case of flows in the plane, Poincare-Bendixson theorem and limit cycles. Applications to physical problems will be a motivating influence. [Offered: W]

A thorough discussion of the class of second order linear partial differential equations with constant coefficients, in two independent variables. Laplace's equation, the wave equation and the heat equation in higher dimensions. Theoretical/qualitative aspects: well-posed problems, maximum principles for elliptic and parabolic equations, continuous dependence results, uniqueness results (including consideration of unbounded domains), domain of dependence for hyperbolic equations. Solution procedures: elliptic equations -- Green functions, conformal mapping; hyperbolic equations -- generalized d'Alembert solution, spherical means, method of descent; transform methods -- Fourier, multiple Fourier, Laplace, Hankel (for all three types of partial differential equations); Duhamel's method for inhomogeneous hyperbolic and parabolic equations.

Feedback control with applications. System theory in both time and frequency domain, state-space computations, stability, system uncertainty, loopshaping, linear quadratic regulators, and estimation. [Offered: W]

Concept of functional and its variations. The solution of problems using variational methods - the Euler-Lagrange equations. Applications include an introduction to Hamilton's principle and optimal control. [Offered: F]

Incompressible, irrotational flow. Incompressible viscous flow. Introduction to wave motion and geophysical fluid mechanics. Elements of compressible flow. [Offered: F]

The Hilbert space of states, observables, and time evolution. Feynman path integral and Greens functions. Approximation methods. Co-ordinate transformations, angular momentum, and spin. The relation between symmetries and conservation laws. Density matrix, Ehrenfest theorem, and decoherence. Multiparticle quantum mechanics. Bell inequality and basics of quantum computing. [Offered: F]

Theory of correlations and entanglement; theory of quantum channels, detectors; the measurement problem, in quantum mechanics; phase space formulation of quantum mechanics; entanglement in infinite dimensional quantum systems; introduction to open quantum systems; and exploration of current research directions in quantum information. [Offered: W]

Tensor analysis. Curved space-time and the Einstein field equations. The Schwarzschild solution and applications. The Friedmann-Robertson-Walker cosmological models. [Offered: W]

Random variables, expectations, conditional probabilities, conditional expectations, convergence of a sequence of random variables, limit theorems, minimum mean square error estimation, the orthogonality principle, random process, discrete-time and continuous-time Markov chains and applications, forward and backward equation, invariant distribution, Gaussian process and Brownian motion, expectation maximization algorithm, linear discrete stochastic equations, linear innovation sequences, Kalman filter, various applications.

Reading course as announced by the department.

A research-based course that allows students with an interest in applied mathematics or mathematical physics to participate in a research project with a faculty member. The student is required to approach a faculty member of the applied mathematics department for supervision. The enrolled student is expected to hand in a written report of their research to the supervisor and present a summary of the project orally in front of a subset of the applied mathematics undergraduate committee as a final assessment. [Offered:S]