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Journal ArticleDOI

Linear and nonlinear waves

09 Jul 2009-Scholarpedia-Vol. 4, Iss: 7, pp 4308
TL;DR: The study of waves can be traced back to antiquity where philosophers, such as Pythagoras, studied the relation of pitch and length of string in musical instruments and the subject of classical acoustics was laid down and presented as a coherent whole by John William Strutt in his treatise Theory of Sound.
Abstract: The study of waves can be traced back to antiquity where philosophers, such as Pythagoras (c.560-480 BC), studied the relation of pitch and length of string in musical instruments. However, it was not until the work of Giovani Benedetti (1530-90), Isaac Beeckman (1588-1637) and Galileo (1564-1642) that the relationship between pitch and frequency was discovered. This started the science of acoustics, a term coined by Joseph Sauveur (1653-1716) who showed that strings can vibrate simultaneously at a fundamental frequency and at integral multiples that he called harmonics. Isaac Newton (1642-1727) was the first to calculate the speed of sound in his Principia. However, he assumed isothermal conditions so his value was too low compared with measured values. This discrepancy was resolved by Laplace (1749-1827) when he included adiabatic heating and cooling effects. The first analytical solution for a vibrating string was given by Brook Taylor (1685-1731). After this, advances were made by Daniel Bernoulli (1700-82), Leonard Euler (1707-83) and Jean d’Alembert (1717-83) who found the first solution to the linear wave equation, see section (3.2). Whilst others had shown that a wave can be represented as a sum of simple harmonic oscillations, it was Joseph Fourier (1768-1830) who conjectured that arbitrary functions can be represented by the superposition of an infinite sum of sines and cosines now known as the Fourier series. However, whilst his conjecture was controversial and not widely accepted at the time, Dirichlet subsequently provided a proof, in 1828, that all functions satisfying Dirichlet’s conditions (i.e. non-pathological piecewise continuous) could be represented by a convergent Fourier series. Finally, the subject of classical acoustics was laid down and presented as a coherent whole by John William Strutt (Lord Rayleigh, 1832-1901) in his treatise Theory of Sound. The science of modern acoustics has now moved into such diverse areas as sonar, auditoria, electronic amplifiers, etc.

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Citations
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors deal with the fractional Sobolev spaces W s;p and analyze the relations among some of their possible denitions and their role in the trace theory.
Abstract: This paper deals with the fractional Sobolev spaces W s;p . We analyze the relations among some of their possible denitions and their role in the trace theory. We prove continuous and compact embeddings, investigating the problem of the extension domains and other regularity results. Most of the results we present here are probably well known to the experts, but we believe that our proofs are original and we do not make use of any interpolation techniques nor pass through the theory of Besov spaces. We also present some counterexamples in non-Lipschitz domains.

3,555 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: To the best of our knowledge, there is only one application of mathematical modelling to face recognition as mentioned in this paper, and it is a face recognition problem that scarcely clamoured for attention before the computer age but, having surfaced, has attracted the attention of some fine minds.
Abstract: 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!'.

3,015 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors prove that the nonlinear dispersive partial differential equations (NPDPDE) and Korteweg-de Vries (KDE) arise in the modeling of the propagation of shallow water waves over a flat bed.
Abstract: In recent years two nonlinear dispersive partial differential equations have attracted a lot of attention due to their integrable structure. We prove that both equations arise in the modeling of the propagation of shallow water waves over a flat bed. The equations capture stronger nonlinear effects than the classical nonlinear dispersive Benjamin-Bona-Mahoney and Korteweg-de Vries equations. In particular, they accomodate wave breaking phenomena.

989 citations


Cites background or methods from "Linear and nonlinear waves"

  • ...If this were the case, the boundedness of the wave height in combination with an unbounded slope captures the main features of a breaking wave [33]....

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  • ...Another development of models for water waves was initiated in order to gain insight into wave breaking, one of the most fundamental aspects of water waves for which there appears to be no satisfactory mathematical theory [33]....

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  • ...To remedy this shortcoming of the KdV equation Whitham proposed to formally replace the dispersive term uxxx by a convolution with a singular function chosen so that the newly obtained equation presents wave breaking (see [18, 33])....

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  • ...[33]: the solution remains bounded but its slope becomes unbounded....

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  • ...Starting from the observation that the strong dispersive effect incorporated into the KdV model prevents wave breaking, Whitham (see the discussion in [33]) initiated the quest for equations that are simpler than the governing equations for water waves and which could model breaking waves....

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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors introduce the concept of localized excitations and review their basic properties including dynamical and structural stability, and focus on advances in the theory of discrete breathers in three directions.

829 citations


Cites background from "Linear and nonlinear waves"

  • ...Originally this approach was designed for the study of waves in continuous media — some older papers also use the term Benjamin-Feir instability instead [402]....

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01 Jan 2008
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present an overview of what is known about the ocean, including the equations of motion, the influence of earth's rotation, and viscosity of the ocean.
Abstract: This book is written for college juniors and seniors and new graduate students in meteorology, ocean engineering, and oceanography. It begins with a brief overview of what is known about the ocean. This is followed by a description of the ocean basins, for the shape of the seas influences the physical processes in the water. Next, students will study the external forces, wind and heat, acting on the ocean, and the ocean's response. It also includes the equations describing dynamic response of the ocean. For example, the equations of motion, the influence of earth's rotation, and viscosity. Finally, students consider some particular examples: the deep circulation, the equatorial ocean and El NiEœno, and the circulation of particular areas of the ocean. Contents: 1) A Voyage of Discovery. 2) The Historical Setting. 3) The Physical Setting. 4) Atmospheric Influences. 5) The Oceanic Heat Budget. 6) Temperature, Salinity and Density. 7) The Equations of Motion. 8) Equations of Motion with Viscosity. 9) Response of the Upper Ocean to Winds. 10) Geostrophic Currents. 11) Wind Driven Ocean Circulation. 12) Vorticity in the Ocean. 13) Deep Circulation in the Ocean. 14) Equatorial Processes. 15) Numerical Models. 16) Ocean Waves. 17) Coastal Processes and Tides.

596 citations

References
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Book
01 Jan 1989
TL;DR: In this article, the methodes are numeriques and the fonction de forme reference record created on 2005-11-18, modified on 2016-08-08.
Abstract: Keywords: methodes : numeriques ; fonction de forme Reference Record created on 2005-11-18, modified on 2016-08-08

17,327 citations

Book
01 Jan 1974
TL;DR: In this paper, Newtonian mechanics: experimental facts investigation of the equations of motion, variational principles Lagrangian mechanics on manifolds oscillations rigid bodies, differential forms symplectic manifolds canonical formalism introduction to pertubation theory.
Abstract: Part 1 Newtonian mechanics: experimental facts investigation of the equations of motion. Part 2 Lagrangian mechanics: variational principles Lagrangian mechanics on manifolds oscillations rigid bodies. Part 3 Hamiltonian mechanics: differential forms symplectic manifolds canonical formalism introduction to pertubation theory.

11,008 citations

Book
01 Jan 1974
TL;DR: In this paper, a general overview of the nonlinear theory of water wave dynamics is presented, including the Wave Equation, the Wave Hierarchies, and the Variational Method of Wave Dispersion.
Abstract: Introduction and General Outline. HYPERBOLIC WAVES. Waves and First Order Equations. Specific Problems. Burger's Equation. Hyperbolic Systems. Gas Dynamics. The Wave Equation. Shock Dynamics. The Propagation of Weak Shocks. Wave Hierarchies. DISPERSIVE WAVES. Linear Dispersive Waves. Wave Patterns. Water Waves. Nonlinear Dispersion and the Variational Method. Group Velocities, Instability, and Higher Order Dispersion. Applications of the Nonlinear Theory. Exact Solutions: Interacting Solitary Waves. References. Index.

8,808 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, a second-order extension of the Lagrangean method is proposed to integrate the equations of ideal compressible flow, which is based on the integral conservation laws and is dissipative, so that it can be used across shocks.

6,630 citations

Book
01 Jan 2002
TL;DR: The CLAWPACK software as discussed by the authors is a popular tool for solving high-resolution hyperbolic problems with conservation laws and conservation laws of nonlinear scalar scalar conservation laws.
Abstract: Preface 1. Introduction 2. Conservation laws and differential equations 3. Characteristics and Riemann problems for linear hyperbolic equations 4. Finite-volume methods 5. Introduction to the CLAWPACK software 6. High resolution methods 7. Boundary conditions and ghost cells 8. Convergence, accuracy, and stability 9. Variable-coefficient linear equations 10. Other approaches to high resolution 11. Nonlinear scalar conservation laws 12. Finite-volume methods for nonlinear scalar conservation laws 13. Nonlinear systems of conservation laws 14. Gas dynamics and the Euler equations 15. Finite-volume methods for nonlinear systems 16. Some nonclassical hyperbolic problems 17. Source terms and balance laws 18. Multidimensional hyperbolic problems 19. Multidimensional numerical methods 20. Multidimensional scalar equations 21. Multidimensional systems 22. Elastic waves 23. Finite-volume methods on quadrilateral grids Bibliography Index.

5,791 citations