This unit introduces the theory of waves by a systematic study of the underlying partial differential equations. Waves involve the transfer, without bulk motion, of both energy and information. Fundamental properties of waves are first examined in the simplest one-dimensional setting. The treatment is then broadened to two-dimensional and three-dimensional waves, particularly for acoustic and electromagnetic waves. Resonators and waveguides provide some examples of how waves behave in confined regions. In contrast, the scattering and diffraction of waves by obstacles in free space carries information about the scatterer itself; this is the basis of many imaging technologies. -- Course Website
Instructor: Mathematics staff
Prerequisites: MATH235 and (MATH232 or MATH236)
