PHY 250-002
Computational Dynamics of Complex Systems: Phase Transitions
Course Description
Complex nonlinear systems typically undergo phase transitions, in which fluctuations become important in the dynamics of the system leading to a dramatic changes in the properties, parameters and dynamics of the system. Such phase transitions, which can be of either first or second order, have been studied in many other contexts, especially in liquid-gas-solid thermal systems, and in magnetic systems. This course is targeted towards students who are interested in exploring phase transitions, nucleation, and critical phenomena in complex systems. We will discuss scaling and show how scaling exponents can be calculated. We will place these ideas into a physical context and discuss the tools, both computational and theoretical, that have been developed to understand complexity. We will discuss the emergent space-time patterns that are associated with the dynamics, and learn how to characterize these patterns and use the results for applications.