Nonlinear Conservation Laws and Related Models (13w5061)

The Banff International Research Station will host the "Nonlinear Conservation Laws and Related Models" workshop from June 9th to June 14th, 2013.

Nonlinear Conservation Laws arise from the balance laws of continuum physics; they are equations which describe a broad spectrum of physical phenomena in compressible fluid dynamics, nonlinear materials science, particle physics, semiconductors, combustion, multi-phase flows, astrophysics, and other applied areas. Hyperbolic problems arising in nonlinear material science (propagating phase boundaries in solids undergoing phase transitions of the austenite-martensite type, for instance) face serious mathematical difficulties (failure of strict hyperbolicity, elliptic regions in phase space); these models are an essential component for understanding the dynamics of shape memory alloys (also called smart materials). Hyperbolic problems in astrophysics and cosmology (relativistic compressible fluid models, the Einstein Field equations of general relativity) are particularly challenging for the applied mathematician; they are essential in order to uncover the structure and formation of the Universe.

The goal of the workshop is to bring together experts in the theoretical and numerical aspects of nonlinear conservation laws and related partial differential equations, to take part in the examination of emerging problems, exchanging ideas in a structured and focused environment. Furthermore, the workshop offers an opportunity to bring into focus other mathematical questions that are able to be addressed by the methods developed by the conservation laws community.

The Banff International Research Station for Mathematical Innovation and Discovery (BIRS) is a collaborative Canada-US-Mexico venture that provides an environment for creative interaction as well as the exchange of ideas, knowledge, and methods within the Mathematical Sciences, with related disciplines and with industry. The research station is located at The Banff Centre in Alberta and is supported by Canada's Natural Science and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), Alberta's Advanced Education and Technology, and Mexico's Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (CONACYT).