Course Identification

Basic concepts in complex systems
20201142

Lecturers and Teaching Assistants

Prof. Efi Efrati, Dr. Hillel Aharoni
Luiz Carlos Barbosa Da Silva

Course Schedule and Location

2020
Second Semester
Monday, 14:15 - 16:00, Weissman, Seminar Rm B
Tuesday, 14:15 - 16:00, Weissman, Seminar Rm A
21/04/2020

Field of Study, Course Type and Credit Points

Physical Sciences: Lecture; Elective; Regular; 4.00 points
Chemical Sciences: Lecture; Elective; Regular; 4.00 points
Chemical Sciences (Materials Science Track): Lecture; Elective; Regular; 4.00 points

Comments

Will be taught on line via Zoom starting April 19th.
* Please note special schedule *



Prerequisites

Statistical Physics I

Restrictions

50

Language of Instruction

English

Attendance and participation

Expected and Recommended

Grade Type

Numerical (out of 100)

Grade Breakdown (in %)

50%
50%

Evaluation Type

Take-home exam

Scheduled date 1

09/08/2020
N/A
-
N/A

Estimated Weekly Independent Workload (in hours)

N/A

Syllabus

  1. Introduction to Complex Systems
  2. Units and Scaling
    1. Dimensional analysis
    2. Nondimensionalization and scaling
  3. Continuum mechanics
    1. Kinematics of Continua
    2. Equations of motion and equations of state
    3. Fluid dynamics
    4. Solid elasticity
    5. Membranes and surfaces
  4. Dynamical systems
    1. Invariant points and manifolds
    2. Perturbations and stability
    3. Bifurcations
    4. Lyapunov exponents, irreversibility and chaos
  5. Stochastic dynamics
    1. Random events and Markov processes
    2. Stochastic differential equations
    3. Characterizing noise, fluctuations and correlations

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course students will be able to:

Demonstrate understanding of the concepts and mechanisms underlying the behavior of complex systems, and identify their role in various natural phenomena.

Digest contemporary research papers, lectures and seminars in complex systems, statistical physics, soft condensed matter, biological physics and related fields.

Take more advanced courses in soft, biological, chemical and statistical physics.

Reading List

  • Barenblatt, GI, Flow, deformation and fracture (Cambridge, 2014)
  • Strogatz, SH, Nonlinear Dynamics and Chaos (CRC, 1994)
  • Van Kampen, NG, Stochastic Processes in Physics and Chemistry (Elsevier, 1992 

Website

N/A