Construction on the new Computational Mathematics Nonlinear Wave Laboratory will be completed by fall of 2011. The laboratory, designed by Professor Andy Ludu of the Mathematics Department will include the only hydrodynamic wave tank in Florida. Professor Ludu has a wealth of experience with wave tanks as an important tool in understanding wave phenomena, and the laboratory will serve as a key element of undergraduate research in the Computational Mathematics program.
With the help of the laboratory, students will be able to use experiments to compare analytical and numerical solutions of partial differential equations governing the motion and interaction of many types of waves, including fronts, pulses, and solitons. Optical access is available on all sides using sensors, and waves can be modeled with sloped beds, fixed barriers, or islands. In all cases, pressure and velocity fields will be measured, and visualized using customized software.
For both course work and undergraduate research, the Nonlinear Wave Laboratory will provide an important learning component for students in the Computational Mathematics program. |
