Physics 9005 - Mathematical Methods of Physics

(Last updated: December 31, 2012)

  • General Course Information

    • Course title: Physics 9005B "Mathematical Methods of Physics"
    • Lectures: Monday and Wednesday (Monday 9:30 - 11:00 AM in Room SSC 3010, Wednesday 9:00 - 10:30 AM in Room SSC 3018
    • Required Textbook: Mathematical Methods of Physics by Mathews and Walker 2nd Edition, Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, Inc. 1970.
      ISBN 0-8053-7002-1
    • Evaluations:
      1. Mandatory Midterm 35-40% exam based on suggested problems – in class exam (about 4 hours). A project may also be chosen in addition to the Midterm exam. Final Exam 50-55% exam – 3-day take-home. If a project is also done, it will be weighted with the Final exam. Class Participation 10 % based on regular attendance and doing assigned homework.
    • Note: 4th year Applied Mathematics, Physics and Astronomy, Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, Earth Sciences, Engineering students and others with a good background in Mathematics are encouraged to take this course.

  • Instructor Information

    • Full name & title: Professor Sreeram Valluri, Departments of Applied Mathematics, Physics & Astrononmy, UWO.
    • Office Location: Physics & Astronomy Building, Room 112
    • Office telephone number: (519) 661-2111 ext. 86499
    • Office hours: (To be discussed in class)
    • Email address: valluri@uwo.ca
    • Homepage: http://publish.uwo.ca/~valluri
    • Teaching Assitants(s): None at this time. See me for help during office hours.

  • Course Description & Objectives

    • A course designed to give the student a working knowledge of the methods most commonly used in solving problems in the natural sciences and engineering. 3 lecture hours. Half course; one term.
    • Outline of topics to be covered:

      • The purpose of this course is to develop mathematical methods that are relevant to scientific and engineering applications. Mathematics is the unifying thread of all knowledge. The following major topics relevant for physics will be covered.

      • Complex Variables: Analytic Properties of Functions, Contour Integrals, Method of Steepest Descent and Stationary Phase, the Riemann ζ (zeta), Elliptic, Polylogarithm and Lambert W Functions.
      • Ordinary Differential Equations: Series Solutions, Special Functions, Nonlinear Differential Equations, Sturm-Liouville Problems, and JWKB Approximation
      • Partial Differential Equations: Characteristics, Eigenfunction Expansions, and Green Functions.
      • Transforms: Discrete, Fast Fourier (FFT), Fast Chirp, Zak-Gelfand,Radon,Hilbert and Gabor Transforms.
      • Time permitting, other topics may be discussed depending on individual interests and Requests. Possibilities include Differential Geometry, Variational Problems and Group Theory.

  • Required Textbook

    • Mathematical Methods of Physics by Mathews and Walker 2nd Edition, Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, Inc. 1970. ISBN 0-8053-7002-1

  • References (Supplementary texts)

    1. “Mathematical Methods of Physics”, G. Arfken.
    2. “Methods of Theoretical Physics” (two volumes), P. M. Morse and H. Feshbach.
    3. “Methods of Mathematical Physics”, R. Courant and D. Hilbert.
    4. “Handbook of Mathematical Functions”, M. Abramowitz and I. Stegun.
    5. “Table of Integrals, Series and Products”, Prudnikov, Marichev and Brychkov.
    6. “Higher Transcendental Functions” and “Tables of Integral Transforms”, A. Erdelyi et al.
    7. “Mathematical Physics”, Butkov.
    8. “A Course of Modern Analysis”, E. T. Whittaker and G. N. Watson, Cambridge University Press, 1952.
    9. “Mathematical Methods for Physics and Engineering”, J. W. Dettmann.
    10. “Mathematical Physics ”, R. Geroch, University of Chicago Press, Lecture Notes on Physics 1993.
    11. “Introduction to Asymptotics and Special Functions”, F.W.J. Olver Academic Press, 1974.
    12. “Mathematical Physics” Hassani Sadri.
    13. “Mathematics for Physics: A Guided Tour for Graduate Students”, Michael Stone and Paul Goldbart, Cambridge University Press 2009 ISBN 978-0-521-85403-0.
    14. “Introduction to Mathematical Physics”, Michael T. Vaughn Wiley 2007.

  • Course Policies

    • Religious holidays: A student who, due to unavoidable conflicts with religious holidays which (a) require an absence from the University or (b) prohibit or require certain activities (i.e., activities that would make it impossible for the student to satisfy the academic requirements scheduled on the day(s) involved), is unable to write examinations and term tests on a Sabbath or Holy Day in a particular term shall give notice of this fact in writing to his or her Dean as early as possible but not later than November 15th for mid-year examinations and March 1st for final examinations, i.e., approximately two weeks after the posting of the mid-year and final examination schedule respectively. In the case of mid-term tests, such notification is to be given in writing to the instructor within 48 hours of the announcement of the date of the mid-term test. The instructor(s) in the case of mid-term tests and the dean in the case of mid-year and spring final examinations will arrange for special examination(s) to be written at another time. In the case of mid-year and spring final examinations, the accommodation must occur no later than one month after the end of the examination period involved. It is mandatory that students seeking accommodations under this policy give notification before the deadlines, and that the Faculty accommodate these requests. The list of approved dates is given in http://www.uwo.ca/equity/docs/mfcalendar.htm.
    • Academic misconduct:
      • Cheating: University policy states that cheating is a scholastic offence which can result in an academic penalty (which may include expulsion from the program). If you are caught cheating, there will be no second warning. Cheating includes having available any electronic devices other than a watch and the approved model Sharp calculator. You may not have a cell phone accessible during tests or exams, even to use it as a calculator or watch. Possession or use of more than one clicker during a lecture will be considered cheating. Complete information on the University policies on academic offenses can be found in the Undergraduate section of this document.
      • Plagiarism: Students must write their essays and assignments in their own words. Whenever students take an idea or a passage from another author, they must acknowledge their debt both by using quotation marks where appropriate and by proper referencing (such as footnotes or citations). Plagiarism is a major academic offence. For more details, see this document.

  • Other mentionables

    • Best wishes to everyone!!

Also from this web page:

Contact

.: Sree Ram Valluri,
Assistant Professor :.


(519) 661-2111 ext. 86499 or valluri@uwo.ca

FAX: (519) 661-3523 (AM)
FAX: (519) 661-2033 (P&A)

Physics and Astronomy Bldg., Room 112


Professional Physicist, Canadian Association of Physicists