Kathryn Pedings, College of Charleston


Spectral Stability of Solutions of Equations Describing the Dynamics of Rods

Abstract: This project explores a system of differential equations that describes the dynamics of an extensible rod close to its first writhing instability. We are interested in traveling wave solutions. We wish to study the stability of these solutions under small perturbations. More specifically, we will be studying spectral stability using the Evans function. Our Evans function computation is based on symmetry analysis.

Advisor: Stephane Lafortune (CofC)