MATH 431 FALL 2005- COURSE LOG

8/24    Course outline and policies
            Ex1: 1st order, linear, non-homog
            Ex2: x'=x^2- diagram of solutions, blowup in finite time
            Autonomous equations: equilibria, phase line (intro)
             READ: ch 1 of [1],  sections 1.1, 1.2, 1.3
             Problems: 2, 8, 9, 10 (ch.1)

8/26     Examples using dfield in MATLAB
            Ex 1: a non-homog linear eqn with periodic steady-state
             Ex2: autonomous eqn defined by a cubic polynomial
             Ex3: logistic growth
                    3a:) constant harvesting- two regimes (small rate, large rate)
                     3b) time-dependent carrying capacity: a non-autonomous perturbation
             Problems: 3, 4, 5,7 (ch.1)

8/29      Logistic equation: phase line analysis, blowup in finite time of negative solutions
            
logistic with constant harvesting; stable vs. bifurcation values of the parameter, bifurcation diagram
             non-vanishing of derivative at equilibria and stable parameter values
              Problem 13a: discussion

8/31         Problems3b (bifurcation), 7a (discontinuities)
                The local existence/uniqueness theorem: Picard's theorem
                problems 11, 12a        

9/2      Matlab class: based on [2], ch. 3 and 6
                equilibria at critical points:: ch. 3  18, 19
                sensitive dependence: ch.3 29, 31
                periodic solutions (ex: logistic with periodic harvesting term)
                (discontinuous coeffs: examples 4, 5, 6 in ch. 6- if time allows)

9/5 Labor day: no classes

9/7: The Poincare map and existence of periodic solutions (handout with Matlab graphs)
                      (derivative of P at a fixed point vs. stability or instability of the periodic soluttion)
         Main example: logistic equation with periodic harvesting term
                    Try this at home (or the computer lab):
                     FUN WITH THE POINCARE MAP (Matlab)

9/9: Remarks on the Poincare map: always increasing, inherits convexity/concavity properties from f(t,x); problems 15,16 (discussion)
       intro to 2X2 linear systems- chapter 3 in [1], basic use of pplane7- ch7 and pp. 217/219 in [2]
                    (ch. 2 of [1] will be skipped, except for 2.6- read at home, especially 2.5)
      Examples of phase plane diagrams and  (t,x), (t,y) graphs: the following vectors are (A,B,C,D) in the Matlab input:
                        (2,-3,1,-2)=saddle         (1,-1,2,4)=unstable node      (-1,0,1,-2)= stable node    (-1, -2, 8, -1)=stable spiral        (3 ,-2,5,-2)=unstable spiral
                         (2,-4,2,-2)=center         (1,-1,4,-3)=degenerate focus   (-4,2,2,-1)=very degenerate
        Homework:  obtain Matlab plots of the phase plane and both (t,x) and (t,y) graphs for each example (bring printouts to class!)
                         The systems on the first line have something in common. What is it? (hint: change each coefficient by 0.01 and plot again;
                          then do the same for those on the second line.)

Homework set 1 (due 9/9 at the start of class)- all problems from text [1], ch.1
                  2b, 2d clasification of equilibria (include Matlab plots with representative solution curves)
                   3c- bifurcation diagram (include graphs of f(x) and of soln curves for each range of the parameter a.)
                   13b,c: critical equilibria (justify your answers using Taylor series)
                   11c:- solution defined only for -1<t<1
                   10- Poincare map for a linear equation (this can be found "by hand", after you compute the general solution)
                   15- Hint: Consider the direction field;. If P is the Poincare map, show that P(p)>p and P(q)<q.
                   16- Use Matlab to find the answer, then prove it. (Hint: find three values of p for which f(t,p) has constant sign and use problem 15.)

9/12: autonomous linear 2X2 systems: vector fields, phase portraits, connection with second order equations (ch.3 of [1])
9/14  (continued)

Friday 9/16: I'll be at a conference in California. Makeup: to be scheduled (it will be on a Monday afternoon)

9/19  linear 2x2 systems: reduction to standard forms
9/21 continued: general solutions

Homework set 2: due Friday 9/23 at the start of class
                   Chapter 3 of [1]:  1 (justify), 2 (use Matlab for (d), only original system needed), 9, 16 (use Matlab to help)
                     Chapter 4: 2, 3

9/23 stability and asymptotic stability of equilibria
         conjugacy and structural stability: informal definitions
         hyperbolic linear systems (2X2 case); hyperbolicity, conjugacy and str stablity in this case
         A "tour" of the trace-determinant space (handout and Matlab) - identification of non-hyperbolic and non-str stable systeems, and bifurcations
         Example: general solution when an eigenvalue is zero.

9/26: comments on HW2 problems
          an example showing the map that assigns to a 2X2 matrix its standard form is not continuous
          autonomous nonlinear 2X2 systems- intro example (from ch.8 of [1]).
          main idea: consider the linearized system at the equilibria

9/28 Examples, cont'd: invariant sets and conserved quantities

9/30: examples of NL systems (Ch8 of [1]), using Matlab

Homework set 3: due Monday 10/10 at the start of class
         p.185 of [1]: 1(ii),(iii), (iv);
                              5, 8, 9
           p.232 of [2]: 19, 32

Target date for first take-home test: Wed 10/12, due Monday 10/17
Projects: start thinking about your choice (each student a different one), let me know soon (first come, first choice!)
all involve some use of Matlab- in addition to the outline given in the text, the original papers should be consulted

p. 230: chemical reactions that oscillate (also 9 on p.137 of [2])- MARZOUK
p.252: competition and harvesting (math ecology)- O'CONNOR
p.272: neurodynamics(Fitzhugh-Nagumo system)-CARR
p.324: the Roessler attractor (also p.138 of [2])-BEACHBOARD
p.298: classical limits of quantum mechanical systems-KOOP
p. 297: non-Newtonian central force problems-DAWSON
p.129 of [2]: motion of spacecraft near Lagrange points-ASHWORTH
p.114 ff and p.129 of 2 and ch. 14 of [1]: the Lorenz system (climate modelling)-THERRIEN

(If none of these seems appealing, you'll need to come up with a nonlinear system of
ODE in your field exhibiting interesting behavior, occurring in the recent research literature!)

10/3: examples with non-hyperbolic equilibria: saddle-node bifurcation

10/5: Stability via Liapunov's method

10/7 (Matlab)  Examples of  global analysis of 2D autonomous systems and bifurcations:
         saddle-node bifurcation with invariant unit circle
          Remark 1:  this example has 2 bifurcation values, a=-1 (problem 7 in ch.8; done in class) and a=0.
            Continue the Matlab study for a=0, using the discussion in the text as a guide. Think about the following question:
             both bifurcations are of saddle-node type. Are the same pairs saddle/node collapsing in both cases, or is
             there an `exchange' at a=0?
         Remark 2: now that all the project topics have been assigned (see above), you should be tracking down the
           scientific article(s) describing the origin of the model (a reference is given in each case) and starting to read it(them). Please
            make me a copy of the article if you'd like me to help!

10/10 (morning): Liapunov functions (cont'd) -HW 3 due
              
comments on HW3, problem 9

10/10 (5:00-6:00 pm- makeup class) Matlab (in computer lab)- further examples: saddle connection, pendulum
          handout given: systems in polar coordinates
          Remark on the handout:  the linearization computed on page 2 is true everywhere, except at the origin.
          At the origin, if f(x,y) and g(x,y) are both differentiable, with differentials (a,b) (resp. (c,d)), tht linearization is
          given by the 2X2 matrix with 1st row (a,b), 2nd row (c,d).

10/12: Take-home Exam 1 given. (Individual, due 10/17)
            Exam 1
            Pendulum, with and without damping: conderved quantity, Liapunov function.
            LaSalle's invariance principle.
             Definition of alpha- and omega- limit sets

10/14    FALL BREAK (no class)

10/17    gradient flows

10/19   Hamiltonian systems

HW set 4- due Monday, 10/31
Chapter 9-  6, 8b,c
                    12, 13, 16

10/21      class canceled- makeup TBA (on a Monday afternoon)

10/24      Limit sets and periodic orbits (autonomous systems in 2D)
               Definition, examples of alpha and omega-limit sets;  local sections and flow boxes;
                existence of a continuous `hitting time'- proof using IFT.

10/26      The Poincare map for two-dimensional autonomous systems

10/28      Examples: Lagrangian and Hamiltonian systems,  graphs of separatices as limit sets (Matlab)

10/31       The Poincare-Bendixson theorem;  main steps in the proof

11/2         Poincare-Bendixson theorem- examples, applications
HW set 5-due Monday, 11/14
Chapter 10- 1, 2, 8, 9, 12, 16
You may use the following fact (easy to show): an area-preserving system cannot have limit cycles

11/4           Bendixson's criterion
                  Competing species, predator-prey systems- examples (Matlab)
                    EXAMPLES IN POPULATION BIOLOGY

11/7            The van der Pol system: definition of the Poincare map

11/9 V. der Pol: stability of the periodic orbit; Lienard's theorem.
            DUE DATE FOR THE PROJECT: 11/30 PROJECT DETAILS
              2nd take-home exam:  given out 11/18, due 11/23
               Makeup class: Monday 11/14, topic: index of singular points of planar vector fields.

11/11        Discussion of HW problems.
                 Further hint for no. 2: the Poincare map is defined  on a section
                  {(x,z); x>0} by P(x,z)=(x(2pi), z(2pi)), where ( x(t) , y(t), z(t)) is the solution with
                   initial data (x,0,z) (or in cylindrical coordinates: r=x, theta=0, z), which is easily computed explicitly.

                 PLANAR AUTONOMOUS SYSTEMS WITH PERIODIC SOLUTIONS


  11/14        Morning: Autonomous systems in mechanics
                  Afternoon (makeup class): Poincare index of vector fields (via line integrals)

11/16           Central force fields: angular momentum, reduction of the phase space,
                   eqns of motion in polar coordinates

11/18            Poincare index of vector fields (handout)
                     Handout- slns of HW set 5
                     Take-home Exam2 given out

11/21            The Newtonian central-force system

11/23            Kepler's first law (solution of the Newtonian system)
                     Take-home exam 2 due

11/25           Thanksgiving holiday (no classes)

11/28            Solution of exam 2

11/30          Project presentations:  Belousov-Zhabotinsky (Marzouk), Lorenz system (Therrien),
                    competing species with harvesting (O'Connor)

12/2             Project presentations: Fitzhugh-Nagumo (Carr), Roessler attractor (Beachboard)

12/5              Project presentations: collision surfaces for non-Newtonian central force (Dawson),
                       pendulum with constante torque (Koop)

12/9             FINAL EXAM- Friday, 12/9, 10:15-12:15 (in the usual classroom)
                    open book- you may use the text, class notes and handouts
                     TOPICS INCLUDED: ch. 9, 10, 12, 13 (only sections introduced in class)
                                                          handout on the index of vector fields;
                                                         
                       REVIEW:  1) HW problems for ch. 9 and 10; 2) Exam 2
                                         3) HW problems for ch. 13: 1, 8, 9, 10
                                          
(If there is time, you may also wish to look at the Matlab examples from 11/4 and 11/11-
                                                            see links above)

                         Final exam (PDF)