Welcome to ME 960--A special topics course dedicated to the
Characterization of Nonlinear Systems
Introduction:
The world is full of nonlinear phenomena. Rattling in machines, squealing of brakes, turbulence, flow-induced vibration, motion of ships, chattering of machine tools, phase transformation in materials, synchronization of fireflies, fibrulation of the heart, the firing of neurons, congestion of traffic, the snoring of noses...the list goes on and on. Nonlinearity can give rise to behavior not found in linear systems. When nonlinear behavior is encountered, linear characterization tools are not always appropriate.
In this course we will look at methods for studying data that result from a nonlinear dynamic process. The goal may range from characterization of the phenomenon to finding a model. Characterization is useful for identifying phenomena and evaluating models.
Some of the things we will do: finding the dynamical state space, uncovering spatial coherence and modes, distinguishing determinism from randomness, and measuring fractal dimensions. Many, but not all of the methods focus on chaotic systems.
Instructor:
Brian Feeny 2328C Engineering Building feeny@me.msu.edu 3-9451, 3-1750 (fax)
Time: Tu, Th, 2:40-4:00, 2320 EB Credits: 3 Topics: tentative outline Text: no required book. There are references, and some more may be added. Grading: based on homework and either an exam or project. Prerequisite: vibrations, controls, linear systems, or ODEs. Web Links
Newsworthy Nonlinear Dynamics