Ma142 Winter 2024: Ordinary and Partial Differential Equations

Winter 2024: TR 1:00-2:30 pm in 187 Linde Hall

Instructor: Matilde Marcolli


Brief Course Description

This course will cover aspects of ordinary and partial differential equations, including:

linear and nonlinear ordinary differential equations: existence and uniqueness, equilibria, bifurcation, orbits, limit sets, etc (additional topics may include Sturm-Liouville theory, Riemann-Hilbert problem, Painleve transcendents)

partial differential equations: heat equation, wave equation, Laplace equation, Schrodinger equation; Fourier transform, variational methods; distributions, weak solutions, Gelfand triples; geometric aspects (additional topics may include D-modules, geometric methods for soliton equations)

The class is graded P/F, the grade is assigned on the basis of attendance/participation and completion of an assigned reading/presentation or project individually assigned by the instructor.


Notes of Classes

scanned notes of classes will be posted here.

Summary of Lectures


Some book references

There is no official textbook for this class, but the following books will be useful references (available in the Caltech library) [Note: more references will be added]

Other Reading Material

Suggested reading material including both material covered in the lectures and possible suggestions for student presentations (more will be added as the class progresses)

Schedule of Presentations: