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SUMMARY:Asymptotics beyond all orders: the devil's invention? - Professor 
 Jon Chapman (Oxford)
DTSTART:20220524T110000Z
DTEND:20220524T120000Z
UID:TALK174551@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Sarah Jefferys
DESCRIPTION:"Divergent series are the invention of the devil\, and it is s
 hameful to base on them any demonstration whatsoever." - N. H. Abel. \n\nT
 he lecture will introduce the concept of an asymptotic series\, showing ho
 w useful divergent series can be\, despite Abel's reservations. We will th
 en discuss Stokes' phenomenon\, whereby the coefficients in the series app
 ear to change discontinuously. We will show how understanding Stokes' phen
 omenon is the key which allows us to determine the qualitative and quantit
 ative behaviour of the solution in many practical problems. Examples will 
 be drawn from the\nareas of surface waves on fluids\, crystal growth\, dis
 location dynamics\, and Hele-Shaw flow.
LOCATION:Babbage Lecture Theatre
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