Divakar Viswanath is a Professor in the Department of Mathematics. His research is at the interface of scientific computation and nonlinear dynamics. The incompressible Navier-Stokes equations are a major point of current interest. Turbulent dynamics is locally unstable and bounded in phase space. In such scenarios, dynamical systems theory predicts the existence of periodic solutions (modulo symmetries). Professor Viswanath has developed algorithms to extract periodic solutions and traveling waves from turbulent dynamics. One goal of current research is to derive, implement, and demonstrate algorithms that simulate turbulent flows at higher Reynolds numbers than is currently possible. It appears that this goal will be met shortly. Professor Viswanath has a general interest in foundational numerical analysis ranging from interpolation theory to the solution of differential equations.
