James Cook University Subject Handbook - 2003

SCHOOL OF MATHEMATICAL AND PHYSICAL SCIENCES

Mathematics and Statistics

Present research interests include:

Numerical algorithms for scientific computation, including discrete ordinate and other matrix methods;
Geophysical and computational fluid dynamics including physical oceanography and numerical modelling of circulation in the Great Barrier Reef, modelling of tropical cyclone dynamics, airflow over mountains and solitary waves in the atmosphere (the "Morning Glory"). Also groundwater seepage and contaminant transport in saturated aquifers;
Invariants of the four-dimensional Riemann tensor and their inter-relationships;
The application of mathematical modelling to medical problems, particularly long term prediction of the AIDS epidemic;
Statistical pattern recognition and analysis and its application to high-dimensional data. Statistical multivariate exploratory analysis and modelling of longitudinal data;
Mathematical education: cognitive difficulties faced by tertiary students of mathematics and statistics.

Physics

In the research field the following projects are at present being investigated.

Radar oceanography. Physical aspects of oceanography. Antenna design;
Environmental instrumentation;
Gaseous electronics; kinetic theory and transport coefficients in gases; turbulent transport;
Elementary particle theory; supersymmetry, CP violation, B decays;
Atomic physics; theoretical investigations of spectral line broadening and ultracold collisions of trapped atoms;
Acoustics and environmental noise;
Coastal and estuarine oceanography;
Sediment transport processes;
Financial support of research projects is provided by the Australian Research Council, Government and statutory authorities and by industry.