PHYS 508

Credit: 4 hours.

Core techniques of mathematical physics widely used in the physical sciences. Calculus of variations and its applications; partial differential equations of mathematical physics (including classification and boundary conditions); separation of variables, series solutions of ordinary differential equations and Sturm-Liouville eigenproblems; Legendre polynomials, spherical harmonics, Bessel functions and their applications; normal mode eigenproblems (including the wave and diffusion equations); inhomogeneous ordinary differential equations (including variation of parameters); inhomogeneous partial differential equations and Green functions; potential theory; integral equations (including Fredholm theory). Topics are illustrated with realistic physics problems; a broad range of illustrative examples are explored; applications are emphasized.

Prerequisite: MATH 241 or MATH 380; MATH 285