This textbook provides an accessible and self-contained introduction to the physics behind fluid dynamics; exploring the laws of nature describing three out of four fundamental states of matter (liquids, gases, and plasmas that consist of charged particles). It provides readers with the tools to understand and model fluid dynamical systems across a wide range of applications, from dense liquids to dilute space plasmas. This book covers the principles of fluid dynamics for an audience without prior exposure to fluid dynamics specifically but with a basic understanding of vector algebra, thermodynamics and electromagnetism. Example applications are drawn both from astrophysics and physics, touching upon exciting cutting edge research such as relativistic blast waves from stellar explosions and the implications of plasma nature of the atmosphere for present and future radio observatories. These will be contrasted and complemented with examples from general physics (e.g. contrasting the incompressible nature of water with the dilute interstellar medium). It is an ideal textbook for advanced undergraduates studying the topic and will provide a solid foundation for further (postgraduate) studies into fluid dynamics in physics or astrophysics.
Key Features:
- Introduction to fluid dynamics pitched at advanced undergraduate level, accessible to students who are still learning relevant mathematical techniques.
- Includes many exercises and worked solutions, in addition to timely examples and easily accessible numerical demonstrations written in C and python for readers to experiment with.
- Up-to-date selection of topics including fluid dynamics in relativity and computational fluid dynamics, written by an expert in the field.
Dr Hendrik van Eerten is a lecturer in computational astrophysics at the University of Bath, United Kingdom, a position he took up in 2016. His area of research is transients in high-energy astrophysics, with a focus on theoretical and computational fluid dynamics of relativistic jets and cosmic explosions. He has worked extensively on hydrodynamical simulations of gamma-ray bursts and has developed a range of models and numerical tools that are used extensively by this research community. Since 2016, Dr van Eerten teaches a range of units including C programming, high-energy astrophysics, computational astrophysics and fluid dynamics in physics and astrophysics. Prior to his current position, Dr van Eerten obtained a Masters degree in theoretical physics, followed by a PhD (2010) in theoretical astrophysics at the University of Amsterdam. He has been a post-doctoral researcher at New York University and an Alexander von Humboldt Fellow at the Max-Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics.
About the Author: Dr Hendrik van Eerten is a lecturer in computational astrophysics at the University of Bath, United Kingdom, a position he took up in 2016. His area of research is transients in high-energy astrophysics, with a focus on theoretical and computational fluid dynamics of relativistic jets and cosmic explosions. He has worked extensively on hydrodynamical simulations of gamma-ray bursts and has developed a range of models and numerical tools that are used extensively by this research community.
Since 2016, Dr van Eerten teaches a range of units including C programming, high-energy astrophysics, computational astrophysics and fluid dynamics in physics and astrophysics.
Prior to his current position, Dr van Eerten obtained a Masters degree in theoretical physics, followed by a PhD (2010) in theoretical astrophysics at the University of Amsterdam. He has been a post-doctoral researcher at New York University and an Alexander von Humboldt Fellow at the Max-Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics.
