Applied Math Mini-course

Applied Math Mini-course

Date/Time: Thursday, February 27^th @ 9:30-11:30 AM

Location: THORV 205A

Title: The unified transform method for solving constant coefficient linear PDEs

Abstract: In 1997, A. Fokas introduced a new method for solving boundary value problems for integrable nonlinear partial differential equations (PDEs). When applied to linear, constant coefficient PDEs, the method presents an alternative to the classical methods taught in any first course on PDEs. However, it can be applied to larger classes of problems than the classical methods, and it provides answers to many previously undoable problems. Nonetheless, the method does not require more than knowledge of the Fourier transform and of some elementary complex analysis. I will show in detail how the method is applied to a problem we know how to solve classically, and point out how to extend the method to address many more complicated problems.