A Mathematical Introduction to Fluid Mechanics — Chorin & Marsden, First Edition, 1979

Alexandre J. Chorin & Jerrold E. Marsden — Springer-Verlag, 1979. First Edition.

By 1979, fluid mechanics had become one of the most computationally demanding frontiers in applied mathematics. Chorin — already celebrated for his pioneering work on numerical methods for the Navier-Stokes equations — and Marsden, a leading figure in geometric mechanics and dynamical systems, joined forces to produce something rare: a mathematically rigorous introduction to fluid mechanics that was also genuinely teachable. The result was a compact, elegant text that brought the language of modern analysis — manifolds, differential forms, functional analysis — to bear on the classical problems of viscous and inviscid flow. It became a standard graduate reference and helped define the mathematical approach to fluid dynamics that underpins computational fluid dynamics (CFD) research to this day. A first edition is a notable find.

Topics Covered

• Euler and Navier-Stokes equations from first principles
• Potential flow and vorticity dynamics
• Viscous flow and boundary layer theory
• Stability and the onset of turbulence
• Geometric and variational formulations of fluid mechanics

An essential volume for mathematicians, engineers, and collectors of landmark applied mathematics texts.