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The world around us can seem very unpredictable at times. Often we can describe the underlying physics of a system very easily but can be surprised by how complex the structures that form are. On this last night we look at emergent behaviour and turbulence.
Complexity, from the heart of our star to ducks on a pond
Andrew Baggaley
(Lecturer of Applied Mathematics)
Complex systems can be loosely defined as those where interesting (or indeed important) phenomena arise from simple(ish) interactions between many interacting parts. Perhaps the ultimate example we know of is consciousness apparently emerges from the interaction of hundreds of billions of neurons in the human brain. We shall discuss how we can build simple mathematical models to gain some insight into emergent phenomena in the physical and natural world.
A storm in a tiny teacup: a tale of quantum turbulence
Dr Thomas Billam
(Lecturer in applied mathematics / quantum physics, Newcastle University)
Turbulence in everyday fluids such as air and water is a familiar and fascinating phenomenon. But is there such a phenomenon as turbulence when we look at the most miniscule scales of matter, where quantum physics is king? In this talk we will explore research into turbulence in Bose-Einstein condensates: an inherently quantum-mechanical phase of matter where fluids flow without friction and tiny whirlpools can spiral endlessly.
I will give an accessible overview of this research, and discuss what it could teach us about physics at other scales, from coffee cups to neutron stars.
I will give an accessible overview of this research, and discuss what it could teach us about physics at other scales, from coffee cups to neutron stars.
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