Introduction and Overview

Biography of the Instructor (Clint Sprott)

• Born and raised in Memphis, Tennessee
• BS (1964) in physics from MIT
• Graduate thesis in experimental plasma physics under Donald Kerst
• Ph.D. (1969) from UW
• 1 year postdoc at UW
• 2 years at Oak Ridge National Lab
• UW faculty since 1973
• Interest in chaos began in 1988 (mentored by George Rowlands)
• Current research: plasma physics, chaos (numerical), complex systems

Discussion of Course Description and Syllabus

Bibliography of Books on Chaos and Related Topics

Comments on Computers and Programming

Student Questionnaire

Chaos and Complex Systems Seminar (Tuesday noon, 4274 Chamberlin)

Chaos Software of use in the Course

• Chaos Demonstrations (Sprott and Rowlands - commercial product)
• Chaos Data Analyzer (Sprott and Rowlands -  commercial product)
• Fractint (Stone Soup Group - freeware)
• Fractal eXtreme (Cygnus Software - 30-day trialware)

Physics Journals with Chaos and Related Papers

Relevant USENET discussion groups

• sci.nonlinear (FAQ) - very active, good discussion
• sci.fractals (FAQ) - also very good
• alt.binaries.pictures.fractals - lots of nice pictures
• comp.theory.dynamic-sys - not many posts

Examples of Dynamical Systems

• The Solar System
• The atmosphere (the weather)
• The economy (stock market)
• The human body (heart, brain, lungs, ...)
• Ecology (plant and animal populations)
• Cancer growth
• Spread of epidemics
• Chemical reactions
• The electrical power grid
• Astrophysical dynamo
• The Internet

Lecture Demos

• Computer noise demo
• Three-body problem
• Metronome
• Magnetic pendulum
• Driven pendulum demo and simulation
• Balls in troughs
• Aquarium with water and dye
• Chaotic double pendulum
• Chaotic toy
• Ball on oscillating floor
• Firehose instability
• Chaotic water bucket
• Dripping faucet
• Logistic equation
• Inductor-diode circuit

Most of these demonstrations are included on the videotape, The Wonders of Physics - 1990: Chaos and Randomness, available from the UW Physics Library (QC21.2 W66 1990) or for purchase ($25).

Computer simulations are from the program Chaos Demonstrations, available from the UW Physics Library or Engineering Library (QC172.5 C45 S67 1992) or on display in the UW Physics Museum (1323 Sterling).