Abstract The dissertation considers the time fractional diffusion equation (TFDE) with the Dirichlet boundary condition in the sub-diffusion case, i.e. the order of the time derivative is α ∈ (0,1). In the thesis we have studied the solvability of TFDE by the method of layer potentials. We have shown that both the single layer potential and the double layer potential approaches lead to integral equations which are uniquely solvable. The dissertation consists of four articles and a summary section. The first article presents the solution for the time fractional diffusion equation in terms of the single layer potential. In the second and third article we have studied the boundary behaviour of the layer potentials for TFDE. The fourth paper considers the spline collocation method to solve the boundary integral equation related to TFDE. In the summary part we have proved that TFDE has a unique solution and the solution is given by the double layer potential when the lateral boundary of a bounded domain admits C1 regularity. Also, we have proved that the solution depends continuously on the datum in the sense that a nontangential maximal function of the solution is norm bounded from above by the datum in L2(ΣT). If the datum belongs to the space H1,α/2(ΣT), we have proved that the nontangential function of the gradient of the solution is norm bounded from above by the datum in H1,α/2(ΣT).

The three-body bound state problem is considered using configuration-space Faddeev equations within the framework of the total-angular-momentum representation. Different three-body systems are considered, the main concern of the investigation being the i) calculation of binding energies for weakly bounded trimers, ii) handling of systems with a plethora of states, iii) importance of three-body forces in trimers, and iv) the development of a numerical technique for reliably handling three-dimensional integrodifferential equations. In this respect we considered the three-body nuclear problem, the 4He trimer, and the Ozone (16 0 3 3) system. In practice, we solve the three-dimensional equations using the orthogonal collocation method with triquintic Hermite splines. The resulting eigenvalue equation is handled using the explicitly Restarted Arnoldi Method in conjunction with the Chebyshev polynomials to improve convergence. To further facilitate convergence, the grid knots are distributed quadratically, such that there are more grid points in regions where the potential is stronger. The so-called tensor-trick technique is also employed to handle the large matrices involved. The computation of the many and dense states for the Ozone case is best implemented using the global minimization program PANMIN based on the well known MERLIN optimization program. Stable results comparable to those of other methods were obtained for both nucleonic and molecular systems considered. / Physics / D.Phil. (Physics)

The three-body bound state problem is considered using configuration-space Faddeev equations within the framework of the total-angular-momentum representation. Different three-body systems are considered, the main concern of the investigation being the i) calculation of binding energies for weakly bounded trimers, ii) handling of systems with a plethora of states, iii) importance of three-body forces in trimers, and iv) the development of a numerical technique for reliably handling three-dimensional integrodifferential equations. In this respect we considered the three-body nuclear problem, the 4He trimer, and the Ozone (16 0 3 3) system. In practice, we solve the three-dimensional equations using the orthogonal collocation method with triquintic Hermite splines. The resulting eigenvalue equation is handled using the explicitly Restarted Arnoldi Method in conjunction with the Chebyshev polynomials to improve convergence. To further facilitate convergence, the grid knots are distributed quadratically, such that there are more grid points in regions where the potential is stronger. The so-called tensor-trick technique is also employed to handle the large matrices involved. The computation of the many and dense states for the Ozone case is best implemented using the global minimization program PANMIN based on the well known MERLIN optimization program. Stable results comparable to those of other methods were obtained for both nucleonic and molecular systems considered. / Physics / D.Phil. (Physics)

Turbulent boundary layers approximating those found on the NASA Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV) thermal protection system during atmospheric reentry from the International Space Station have been studied by direct numerical simulation, with the ultimate goal of reducing aerothermodynamic heating prediction uncertainty. Simulations were performed using a new, well-verified, openly available Fourier/B-spline pseudospectral code called Suzerain equipped with a ``slow growth'' spatiotemporal homogenization approximation recently developed by Topalian et al. A first study aimed to reduce turbulence-driven heating prediction uncertainty by providing high-quality data suitable for calibrating Reynolds-averaged Navier--Stokes turbulence models to address the atypical boundary layer characteristics found in such reentry problems. The two data sets generated were Ma[approximate symbol] 0.9 and 1.15 homogenized boundary layers possessing Re[subscript theta, approximate symbol] 382 and 531, respectively. Edge-to-wall temperature ratios, T[subscript e]/T[subscript w], were close to 4.15 and wall blowing velocities, v[subscript w, superscript plus symbol]= v[subscript w]/u[subscript tau], were about 8 x 10-3 . The favorable pressure gradients had Pohlhausen parameters between 25 and 42. Skin frictions coefficients around 6 x10-3 and Nusselt numbers under 22 were observed. Near-wall vorticity fluctuations show qualitatively different profiles than observed by Spalart (J. Fluid Mech. 187 (1988)) or Guarini et al. (J. Fluid Mech. 414 (2000)). Small or negative displacement effects are evident. Uncertainty estimates and Favre-averaged equation budgets are provided. A second study aimed to reduce transition-driven uncertainty by determining where on the thermal protection system surface the boundary layer could sustain turbulence. Local boundary layer conditions were extracted from a laminar flow solution over the MPCV which included the bow shock, aerothermochemistry, heat shield surface curvature, and ablation. That information, as a function of leeward distance from the stagnation point, was approximated by Re[subscript theta], Ma[subscript e], [mathematical equation], v[subscript w, superscript plus sign], and T[subscript e]/T[subscript w] along with perfect gas assumptions. Homogenized turbulent boundary layers were initialized at those local conditions and evolved until either stationarity, implying the conditions could sustain turbulence, or relaminarization, implying the conditions could not. Fully turbulent fields relaminarized subject to conditions 4.134 m and 3.199 m leeward of the stagnation point. However, different initial conditions produced long-lived fluctuations at leeward position 2.299 m. Locations more than 1.389 m leeward of the stagnation point are predicted to sustain turbulence in this scenario. / text