Chaotic Patterns in Dynamic Systems with Dr. Richard Wiener
In Professor Richard Wiener's lab, students study chaos, pattern dynamics in fluid flows, and control theory. Professor Wiener has been awarded research grants from the NSF and other foundations totaling $300,000.
These funds support three Pacific students per summer (stipend and housing) to conduct research. Professor Wiener has published four articles in prestigious scientific journals (including Physical Review Letters) with a total of nine undergraduate co-authors.
Involvement in cutting edge research and publishing in top research journals is a tremendous opportunity for undergraduate physics students at Pacific University.
Rotating Fluid Apparatus
Pacific's table-top rotating fluid experiment allows undergraduate physics students to study patterns of vortices, including chaotic dynamics in fluid flows.
Fluid Dynamics and Pattern Formation
At Pacific, students have the opportunity to study the complex dynamics of rotating fluids. The images show (a) a fluid confined between an outer cylinder and inner hourglass without rotation and (b) with rotation, which generates a dynamic pattern of stacked vortices.
Patterns in Fluid Flows
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The images, acquired by undergraduate researchers, show patterns of moving vortices, generated by a rotating fluid system.