ABSTRACT
This chapter describes how the singularity theory of mappings can be used to help solve problems in steady-state bifurcation theory. It discusses the bifurcation problem for the continuous flow stirred tank reactor (CSTR) and presents the comparison of the CSTR with the Euler strut. The language of singularity theory can be very helpful in organizing experimental data by relating them to known theoretical results. As an illustration of this power, the chapter considers the Bénard problem in a spherical geometry, a problem which arises in plate tectonics. It formulates the governing equations for the Bénard problem on a three-dimensional annular region.
