Fluid dynamics. Theory, computation, and numerical simulation. Accompanied by the software library FDLIB (Q2743945)

The writer of this book is known as author of original research papers and three other published books in the field of fluid mechanics and scientific computation [Boundary integral and singularity methods for linearized viscous flow. Cambridge Texts in Applied Mathematics. Cambridge etc.: Cambridge University Press, xi (1992; Zbl 0772.76005); Introduction to theoretical and computational fluid dynamics. New York, NY: Oxford Univ. Press. x (1997; Zbl 0886.76002); Numerical computation in science and engineering. Oxford: Oxford Univ. Press. xi (1998; Zbl 0971.65001)]. As for the contents and the targeted audience, the book under review has much in common especially with the two last cited books. In 13 chapters the author presents the basic knowledge of fluid mechanics and computational fluid dynamics. However, this is done here not in a tandem arrangement of these two interrelated subjects, like in ``Introduction to theoretical and computational fluid dynamics'', but in a simultaneous manner aiming to amalgamate introductory fundamentals of fluid mechanics and selected computational methods and techniques for incompressible fluid flows. Almost every chapter section is followed by several ask-form-problems referring to the theoretical part of the corresponding chapters. In addition, the so-called `computer problems` ask and instruct the reader to use the computer for solving the formulated computational flow problems. Thereto, the reader is invited to make use of the author's FORTRAN software library FDLIB, which is freely available via Internet as a supplement to this book. NEWLINENEWLINENEWLINEThe following subjects are under cover of the thirteen FDLIB main directories: Numerical methods, grids, hydrostatics, lubrication, Stokes flow, potential flow, hydrodynamic stability, vortex motion, boundary layers, finite difference methods, boundary element methods, turbulence. A more complete description of all main directories and their subdirectories and hints for using the library FDLIB are given in the FDLIB-appendix to the book. NEWLINENEWLINENEWLINEIn its entirety, this is a well-organized and recommendable introductory course in fluid mechanics and computational fluid dynamics. With the words of the author, ``the approach is truly introductory, in the sense that a minimum prerequisites are required. The intended audience includes not only advanced undergraduate and entry-level graduate students, but also a broad class of scientists and engineers with a general interest in scientific computing''. The statement on the back cover of the book, saying that this were ``the only available book that extends the classical field of fluid dynamics into the realm of scientific computing in a way that is both comprehensive and accessible to the beginner'', is, however, an exaggeration.