Computational conformal mapping

Publication date 28 December 1998

Research exposition (monographs, survey articles) pertaining to functions of a complex variable (30-02) Schwarz-Christoffel-type mappings (30C30) General theory of numerical methods in complex analysis (potential theory, etc.) (65E05)

Review text

The subject of this book has been, for some time, a playground for many numerical methods in analysis: Solution of integral equations, solution of systems of linear or nonlinear equations, spline approximation, orthonormalization techniques, Schwarz-Christoffel and its variations, etc. On the other hand, although restricted to two-dimensional problems, conformal mapping (cm) is still a useful tool in many practical problems: Design of resistors, flow problems, grid generation for the solution of PDEs. Both aspects are treated in this monograph which is somewhat inbetween a textbook and a source for research. Compared to its best known predecessors, the reviewer's, Constructive methods of coformal mappings (1964; Zbl 0132.36702) and \textit{P. Henrici}'s ``Applied and computational complex analysis, Vol. III (1986; Zbl 0578.30001), the present book tries to cover the same areas, with additional emphasis on some practical problems. Here we mention the motion of fluids and grid generation, also for cascade configurations. These connections to applied fields might be attractive for practitioners. -- In 14 chapters (plus 5 appendices) is developed: Basic material, Schwarz-Christoffel including flow past a polygonal obstacle (Elcrat-Trefethen), the integral equation methods of Theodorsen and Symm, flow around airfoils (von Karman-Trefftz), consideration of singularities, doubly and multiply connected domains including Mikhlin's integral equation for the cm onto a circular slit domain, grid generation. We missed some finer aspects like the modern treatment of Schwarz-Christoffel by Trefethen and Driscoll, or the modulus of a quadrilateral and its numerical determination which is important in applications. Appendix C gives an introduction to the Riemann-Hilbert problem; in Appendix E there is a catalog of elementary mappings. -- Results of numerical experiments are also presented. Sometimes they come from other authors (like Papamichael and his collaborators), sometimes they were computed by Mathematica. In most experiments, however, the boundary is smooth if not analytic or even a near circle. -- As is seen from the above, the monograph covers a wide area. Unfortunately, the text, is marred by a large number of mathematical errors and printing mistakes. The orthonormal polynomial method of Section 9.2 (sometimes called ONP, sometimes OPN) has nothing to do with orthonormal polynomials; for Minkowsky read Minkowski, and for Jawson always Jaswon; a cusp should be a corner; etc. Often there is lack of precision and/or explanation, and variables should be interchanged. The mathematically unexperienced reader will therefore have difficulties that come not from the mathematics but from its presentation. - There is a large and useful list of references, both from pure and applied fields. However, we missed \textit{R. Schinzinger} and \textit{P. A. N. Laura}, ``Conformal mapping: Methods and applications (1991) important for applications of cm. For some books, like Ahlfors' classic ``Complex Analysis or the book by Saff and Snider, a newer edition should have been quoted.

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