CSU HAYWARD
DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS AND
COMPUTER SCIENCE
COLLOQUIUM
Monday, February 16, 2002; Noon-1pm Sc N206
Speaker:
Sarah Frey, University of Arizona
Candidate for Math Faculty Position
Instabilities in the Problem of Elastic Planetary Tides
In 1911, A.E.H. Love published a linear elastic model of the tidal deformation of planetary bodies. Using numerical techniques that were unavailable to Love, surprising behaviors of the tidal solution have been found. Namely, it seems that tides of arbitrary height are possible in the presence of an infinitesimal tide raiser, thus indicating some sort of instability.
A basic introduction to planetary tides will be given, followed by a presentation of both analytic and numeric PDE solution methods and results for this problem. The dramatic stabilizing effect of adding a radially dependent density profile will be discussed. Finally, discussion will be given as to how the tidal deformation solutions may be used to help answer the questions of whether or not life could have evolved on Europa, a moon of Jupiter.
Please join us beforehand for pizza.