Coherent Structures in Dissipative Systems
Björn Sandstede
This talk will give an overview of coherent structures which can be thought of as sources of spatially periodic waves or as interfaces between them: A prominent example are two-dimensional spiral waves. Coherent structures serve as organizing centers in many dissipative systems and have been observed experimentally, for instance, in chemical reactions, during the aggregation of amobae, and in thermally excited surface waves. Beginning with an intuitive classification of coherent structures, I will discuss their shape, robustness, and temporal stability, as well as their interaction with each other and with boundaries. I will also outline the underlying techniques such as spatial dynamics and spectral theory used to carry out these analyses.
