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Details of Mathematics Department General Lectures
Pattern formation
Dr. Robert Deegan
The world is full of structure from the intricate markings on a seashell to
the organized vortex of a hurricane. What can mathematics tell us about
these structures? We now know that as energy is pumped into system, say like
the Sun does to the Earth, matter organizes into new and unexpected forms.
In this lecture I will discuss patterns that emerge in driven systems and
the mathematics behind this phenomenon. Along the way I will touch on the
growth of snowflakes, spiral waves in chemical reactions, and the Great Red
Spot on Jupiter.
This page last updated 26th September 2005