Variational principle constructed from a Hamiltonian structure

Krister Wiklund
Department of Plasma Physics, Umeå University, Sweden
krister.wiklund@physics.umu.se

ABSTRACT:
Variational principles are useful mathematical tools in, for example, fluid/plasma physics and the construction of these are thus important. If our dynamical equations can be written on a special form, a Hamlitonian form, then certain useful identities can be proved. Using these relations it is possible to construct variational principles that have applications in for example linear mode conversion and nonlinear mode-coupling.