asymptotic methods for differential equations

instructors: adrian muntean & antonios zagaris


syllabus & additional info (spring 2011, 1st half)

(tentative: do check back every week for changes)

  • the problem sets to be solved each week in the corresponding practice sessions (werkcolleges; last hour of the class) can be found in the lecture notes. these problem sets are to be handed in as homework every two weeks.
  • homework is mandatory, in the sense that it helps determine your final grade. homework will be disseminated every week in class & through this page. nevertheless, homework is to be turned in only once every two weeks.
  • collaborations are encouraged; it goes without saying that it is strongly recommended that you put as much effort in each homework set as is needed to master the material. every team is only required to turn in only one howework set.

  • lecture notes

    available in pdf format (updated weekly; last update 2011.05.23)



    — part i : a. zagaris —



    lecture #01 (2011.02.08)

  • (some introductory remarks on the subject)
  • a regularly perturbed asymptotic problem
  • a singularly perturbed asymptotic problem

  • suggested reading: Holmes, §1.1-2 & 1.5


    lecture #02 (2011.02.15)

  • order symbols
  • asymptotic expansions
  • a singularly perturbed transcendental problem (self-study: use the lecture notes and problem 02 of this week's HW)

  • suggested reading: Holmes, §1.3-4 & 1.7


    lecture #03 (2011.02.22)

  • regularly perturbed ODEs
  • singularly perturbed ODEs
  • boundary layers and matching

  • suggested reading: Holmes, §1.3-4 & 1.7


    lecture #04 (2011.03.01)

  • Fenichel theory

  • suggested reading: these notes (based on C.K.R.T. Jones's article) & T. Kaper's introductory AMS article


    lecture #05 (2011.03.08)

  • (applications of Fenichel theory)
  • relaxation oscillations in a predator-prey model
  • relaxation oscillations for Rayleigh's equation

  • suggested reading: this week's notes, as well as Holmes, §6.5 and O'Malley, §2.G


    lecture #06 (2011.03.15)

  • the Poincaré-Lindstedt method
  • the method of multiple scales

  • suggested reading: Holmes, §3.1-3 and Kevorkian-Cole, §4.1-2


    lecture #07 (2011.03.22)

  • metastable patterns in a reaction-diffusion system

  • suggested reading: the Fusco-Hale j. dyn. diff. eqs. article and as much of the Carr-Pego comm. pure appl. math article as you can take



    — part ii : a. muntean —



    lecture #08 (2011.03.29)

  • formal asymptotic homogenization pt.I

  • suggested reading: see notes

    lecture #09 (2011.04.05)

  • formal asymptotic homogenization pt.II

  • suggested reading: see notes

    lecture #10 (2011.04.12)

  • applied functional analysis

  • suggested reading: see notes

    lecture #11 (2011.04.19)

  • rigorous homogenization for linear elliptic PDEs

  • suggested reading: see notes