@Kyle haha - fortunately for visiting speakers here, Jerry is heading toward retirement and spends much of his time at Columbia these days. Not that we don't have others who can take his place.
@KyleKanos ...is there any other kind of coffee? I always only use it to stay awake when I shouldn't. Normal levels of coffein intake just make me unable to focus on anything
Now, as a bachelor, I received a 'regular' physics education, without much mathematics (at all), just some mathematics for physicists courses (i.e. I know the Fourier transform, how to solve simple diff. eqn's and I know some basic complex analysis)
basically to get me to the spectral theorem for bounded operators (I think that's what it's called?) - so I won't be looking like a fool in my mathematical QM course
A part of it: Ch. 1,2,3,6,7 were recommended I believe
but given what I find in Reed & Simon, I think there might be some other things I should learn about too! It's not that it's too hard (although I hate the amount of 'exercises left to the reader' in math texts), but I am not aware of any mathematics on that level, simply because I have not been exposed to it.
So I have been wondering what more there is that I really should have seen
something like... an introduction to group theory perhaps? Or a strong understanding of basic complex analysis (like I said, I know most things 'most people' need in physics, but I'm sure there's a lot that I haven't covered)?
So I was wondering whether you might have any suggestions
In my opinion RS is a very good reference for physicists in your situation. I think you should use it and perhaps you could also have a look of other books. Regarding the analytical side RS is the best starting point. I see that you are also interested is something more geometrical.
Are you also interested in differential geometry applied to relativity for instance?
@ValterMoretti Do you think the O'Neill book will be doable without any real background knowledge? (I've read most of Carroll's GR book, but didn't dig into the math all that much)
As long as it's not significantly more difficult than R&S it should be OK - that book is right on the level that is very challenging but still workable for me
If you give me you email address I will send you the copy of my (possibly) third edition of my book on mathematics of QM. It includes a quick introduction to Lie group representation theory, useful for physicists
at LMU there is a former student of mine, Nelvis Fornasini, (and some other former students of mine I do not remember their names), please bring my greetings to him (them) if you have the occasion to meet him (them). I was in Munich last week at the institute for mathematical philosophy (!) I never visited your department.
Regarding suggestions: always have a look at physics that is the guide. Mathematics alone is dangerous
You are not so far from my dept, just 3 hours by car. My brother is visiting professor at the institute of mathematical philosophy, next time I visit him we could meet.
@KyleKanos They allow games as slow as 1 move per two weeks - although we could just play a short game too (I play games as short as 1min per player sometimes)
Okay, that's good. So you know about tensors
Have you properly understood special relativity theory too?
Not really -- remember when it's laminar, it will grow with increasing Re until the transition to turbulence occurs, then it will suddenly shrink quite a bit
And then it will continue to grow again
There's the adverse pressure gradient that gets relieved when it transitions to turbulence. The golf-ball effect
I was supposed to race but haven't been training enough. So I was helping a friend for her events
3 hours later…
user54412
6:34 PM
@Saffron Oh dear. Really, there's no good reason to read MTW straight through. Anyone who does GR should have it around as an authoritative reference, but it is not designed to teach the topic.
user54412
As others have said, Sean Carroll's Spacetime and Geometry is an excellent book. And if you read it cover to cover, you'll understand everything in MTW. (MTW just has lots more esoteric examples; it is broad but not particularly deep.)
user54412
If you want a simpler place to start, try Bernard Schutz's A First Course in General Relativity - not particularly rigorous, but gives a nice taste of things. It was the first GR book I read, and I think I turned out alright (my research is in GR).
Based on the case of a question Explanation for this type of (magic-trick) suspension? (on hold) (of course not the only one).
Five people (a moderator among them) voted to close the question, which had an (accepted) answer and plus was highly up-voted (let me note in bold by members of this sit...
Hey all! I am an undergrad taking Solid State Physics at the level of Kittel this semester. I am hoping to review necessary materials before the course starts. What topics from stat mech, QM, etc. would you say are most important to be fluent in for solid state?
For a flow over a smooth sphere, does the wake region increases with increase in Reynolds number? And if so, then why?
