to be done in this area. Face recognition is a problem that scarcely clamoured for attention before the computer age but, having surfaced, has involved a wide range of techniques and has attracted the attention of some fine minds (David Mumford was a Fields Medallist in 1974). This singular application of mathematical modelling to a messy applied problem of obvious utility and importance but with no unique solution is a pretty one to share with students: perhaps, returning to the source of our opening quotation, we may invert Duncan's earlier observation, 'There is an art to find the mind's construction in the face!'.

Linear and nonlinear waves, by G. B. Whitham. Pp.636. £50. 1999. ISBN 0 471 35942 4 (Wiley).

Macroscopic thin liquid films are entities that are important in biophysics, physics, and engineering, as well as in natural settings. They can be composed of common liquids such as water or oil, rheologically complex materials such as polymers solutions or melts, or complex mixtures of phases or components. When the films are subjected to the action of various mechanical, thermal, or structural factors, they display interesting dynamic phenomena such as wave propagation, wave steepening, and development of chaotic responses. Such films can display rupture phenomena creating holes, spreading of fronts, and the development of fingers. In this review a unified mathematical theory is presented that takes advantage of the disparity of the length scales and is based on the asymptotic procedure of reduction of the full set of governing equations and boundary conditions to a simplified, highly nonlinear, evolution equation or to a set of equations. As a result of this long-wave theory, a mathematical system is obtained that does not have the mathematical complexity of the original free-boundary problem but does preserve many of the important features of its physics. The basics of the long-wave theory are explained. If, in addition, the Reynolds number of the flow is not too large, the analogy with Reynolds's theory of lubrication can be drawn. A general nonlinear evolution equation or equations are then derived and various particular cases are considered. Each case contains a discussion of the linear stability properties of the base-state solutions and of the nonlinear spatiotemporal evolution of the interface (and other scalar variables, such as temperature or solute concentration). The cases reducing to a single highly nonlinear evolution equation are first examined. These include: (a) films with constant interfacial shear stress and constant surface tension, (b) films with constant surface tension and gravity only, (c) films with van der Waals (long-range molecular) forces and constant surface tension only, (d) films with thermocapillarity, surface tension, and body force only, (e) films with temperature-dependent physical properties, (f) evaporating/condensing films, (g) films on a thick substrate, (h) films on a horizontal cylinder, and (i) films on a rotating disc. The dynamics of the films with a spatial dependence of the base-state solution are then studied. These include the examples of nonuniform temperature or heat flux at liquid-solid boundaries. Problems which reduce to a set of nonlinear evolution equations are considered next. Those include (a) the dynamics of free liquid films, (b) bounded films with interfacial viscosity, and (c) dynamics of soluble and insoluble surfactants in bounded and free films. The spreading of drops on a solid surface and moving contact lines, including effects of heat and mass transport and van der Waals attractions, are then addressed. Several related topics such as falling films and sheets and Hele-Shaw flows are also briefly discussed. The results discussed give motivation for the development of careful experiments which can be used to test the theories and exhibit new phenomena.

Long-scale evolution of thin liquid films

Cell motility in viscous fluids is ubiquitous and affects many biological processes, including reproduction, infection and the marine life ecosystem. Here we review the biophysical and mechanical principles of locomotion at the small scales relevant to cell swimming, tens of micrometers and below. At this scale, inertia is unimportant and the Reynolds number is small. Our emphasis is on the simple physical picture and fundamental flow physics phenomena in this regime. We first give a brief overview of the mechanisms for swimming motility, and of the basic properties of flows at low Reynolds number, paying special attention to aspects most relevant for swimming such as resistance matrices for solid bodies, flow singularities and kinematic requirements for net translation. Then we review classical theoretical work on cell motility, in particular early calculations of swimming kinematics with prescribed stroke and the application of resistive force theory and slender-body theory to flagellar locomotion. After examining the physical means by which flagella are actuated, we outline areas of active research, including hydrodynamic interactions, biological locomotion in complex fluids, the design of small-scale artificial swimmers and the optimization of locomotion strategies. (Some figures in this article are in colour only in the electronic version) This article was invited by Christoph Schmidt.

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The hydrodynamics of swimming microorganisms

Singular Integral Equations. By N.I. Muskhelishvili. Translated fromthe 2nd Russian edition by J.R.M. Radok. Pp. 447. F1. 28.50. 1953. (Noordhoff, Groningen)

Jets, ie collimated streams of matter, occur from the microscale up to the large-scale structure of the universe Our focus will be mostly on surface tension effects, which result from the cohesive properties of liquids Paradoxically, cohesive forces promote the breakup of jets, widely encountered in nature, technology and basic science, for example in nuclear fission, DNA sampling, medical diagnostics, sprays, agricultural irrigation and jet engine technology Liquid jets thus serve as a paradigm for free-surface motion, hydrodynamic instability and singularity formation leading to drop breakup In addition to their practical usefulness, jets are an ideal probe for liquid properties, such as surface tension, viscosity or non-Newtonian rheology They also arise from the last but one topology change of liquid masses bursting into sprays Jet dynamics are sensitive to the turbulent or thermal excitation of the fluid, as well as to the surrounding gas or fluid medium The aim of this review is to provide a unified description of the fundamental and the technological aspects of these subjects

Physics of liquid jets

A new strip theory is presented for predicting heave, pitch, sway, roll, and yaw motions as well as wave-induced vertical and horizontal shear forces, bending moments, and torsional moments for a ship advancing at constant speed with arbitrary heading in regular waves. A computer program based on this theory and with accurate close-fit section representation has been developed. Comparisons between computed values and experimental data show satisfactory agreement in general. In particular, very good agreement is shown for the heave and pitch motions and the vertical loads. Accurate results are also obtained for the coupled sway-roll motions in beam waves. Although comparisons are not yet available for the sway-roll-yaw motions in oblique waves, the satisfactory agreement shown for the horizontal loads in oblique waves suggests that the theory may also predict the horizontal motions quite well.

Ship motions and sea loads

Some draining or coating fluid-flow problems, in which surface tension forces are important, can be described by third-order ordinary differential equations. Accurate computations are provided here...

A numerical and asymptotic study of some third-order ordinary differential equations relevant to draining and coating flows

The problem solved concerns the disturbance to a stream of shallow water due to an immersed slender body, with special application to the steady motion of ships in shallow water. Formulae valid to first order in slenderness are given for the wave resistance and vertical forces at both sub- and supercritical speeds. The vertical forces are used to predict sinkage and trim of ships and satisfactory comparisons with model experiments are made.

Shallow water flows past slender bodies

The problem of small oscillations of a cylinder of general cross-section in a viscous fluid is formulated in terms of integral equations. Numerical solutions of the integral equation are presented for the special case of a ribbon of zero thickness.

Calculation of unsteady flows due to small motions of cylinders in a viscous fluid

The method of matched asymptotic expansions is used to solve for the free surface of a thin liquid drop draining down a vertical wall under gravity. The analysis is based on the smallness of the surface tension term in the lubrication equation. In a region local to the front of the drop, where the surface curvature is large, surface tension forces are significant. Everywhere else, the surface curvature is small, and surface tension plays a negligible role. A numerical time‐marching scheme, which makes no small surface tension assumptions, is developed to provide a datum from which to gauge the accuracy of the small surface tension theory. Agreement between the numerical scheme and the small surface tension theory is good for small values of surface tension. Extension to the propagation of drops by spinning and by blowing with a jet of air is also discussed. It is shown that there are inherent similarities between all three spreading mechanisms.

E. O. Tuck

Papers

Ship motions and sea loads

A numerical and asymptotic study of some third-order ordinary differential equations relevant to draining and coating flows

Shallow water flows past slender bodies

Calculation of unsteady flows due to small motions of cylinders in a viscous fluid

Unsteady spreading of thin liquid films with small surface tension