1,889 research outputs found
A theory of spectral partitions of metric graphs
We introduce an abstract framework for the study of clustering in metric
graphs: after suitably metrising the space of graph partitions, we restrict
Laplacians to the clusters thus arising and use their spectral gaps to define
several notions of partition energies; this is the graph counterpart of the
well-known theory of spectral minimal partitions on planar domains and includes
the setting in [Band \textit{et al}, Comm.\ Math.\ Phys.\ \textbf{311} (2012),
815--838] as a special case. We focus on the existence of optimisers for a
large class of functionals defined on such partitions, but also study their
qualitative properties, including stability, regularity, and parameter
dependence. We also discuss in detail their interplay with the theory of nodal
partitions. Unlike in the case of domains, the one-dimensional setting of
metric graphs allows for explicit computation and analytic -- rather than
numerical -- results. Not only do we recover the main assertions in the theory
of spectral minimal partitions on domains, as studied in [Conti \textit{et al},
Calc.\ Var.\ \textbf{22} (2005), 45--72; Helffer \textit{et al}, Ann.\ Inst.\
Henri Poincar\'e Anal.\ Non Lin\'eaire \textbf{26} (2009), 101--138], but we
can also generalise some of them and answer (the graph counterparts of) a few
open questions
On the connection between the number of nodal domains on quantum graphs and the stability of graph partitions
Courant theorem provides an upper bound for the number of nodal domains of
eigenfunctions of a wide class of Laplacian-type operators. In particular, it
holds for generic eigenfunctions of quantum graph. The theorem stipulates that,
after ordering the eigenvalues as a non decreasing sequence, the number of
nodal domains of the -th eigenfunction satisfies . Here,
we provide a new interpretation for the Courant nodal deficiency in the case of quantum graphs. It equals the Morse index --- at a
critical point --- of an energy functional on a suitably defined space of graph
partitions. Thus, the nodal deficiency assumes a previously unknown and
profound meaning --- it is the number of unstable directions in the vicinity of
the critical point corresponding to the -th eigenfunction. To demonstrate
this connection, the space of graph partitions and the energy functional are
defined and the corresponding critical partitions are studied in detail.Comment: 22 pages, 6 figure
Nodal domains, spectral minimal partitions, and their relation to Aharonov-Bohm operators
This survey is a short version of a chapter written by the first two authors
in the book [A. Henrot, editor. Shape optimization and spectral theory. Berlin:
De Gruyter, 2017] (where more details and references are given) but we have
decided here to put more emphasis on the role of the Aharonov-Bohm operators
which appear to be a useful tool coming from physics for understanding a
problem motivated either by spectral geometry or dynamics of population.
Similar questions appear also in Bose-Einstein theory. Finally some open
problems which might be of interest are mentioned.Comment: arXiv admin note: substantial text overlap with arXiv:1506.0724
A theory of spectral partitions of metric graphs
We introduce an abstract framework for the study of clustering in metric graphs: after suitably metrising the space of graph partitions, we restrict Laplacians to the clusters thus arising and use their spectral gaps to define several notions of partition energies; this is the graph counterpart of the well-known theory of spectral minimal partitions on planar domains and includes the setting in Band et al. (Commun Math Phys 311:815-838, 2012) as a special case. We focus on the existence of optimisers for a large class of functionals defined on such partitions, but also study their qualitative properties, including stability, regularity, and parameter dependence. We also discuss in detail their interplay with the theory of nodal partitions. Unlike in the case of domains, the one-dimensional setting of metric graphs allows for explicit computation and analytic-rather than numerical-results. Not only do we recover the main assertions in the theory of spectral minimal partitions on domains, as studied in Conti et al. (Calc Var 22:45-72, 2005), Helffer et al. (Ann Inst Henri Poincare Anal Non Lineaire 26:101-138, 2009), but we can also generalise some of them and answer (the graph counterparts of) a few open questions
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