Two-dimensional shapes and lemniscates

A shape in the plane is an equivalence class of sufficiently smooth Jordan curves, where two curves are equivalent if one can be obtained from the other by a translation and a scaling. The fingerprint of a shape is an equivalence of orientation preserving diffeomorphisms of the unit circle, where two diffeomorphisms are equivalent if they differ by right composition with an automorphism of the unit disk. The fingerprint is obtained by composing Riemann maps onto the interior and exterior of a representative of a shape in a suitable way. In this paper, we show that there is a one-to-one correspondence between shapes defined by polynomial lemniscates of degree n and nth roots of Blaschke products of degree n. The facts that lemniscates approximate all Jordan curves in the Hausdorff metric and roots of Blaschke products approximate all orientation preserving diffeomorphisms of the circle in the C^1-norm suggest that lemniscates and roots of Blaschke products are natural objects to study in the theory of shapes and their fingerprints

Matrix equation solving of PDEs in polygonal domains using conformal mappings

We explore algebraic strategies for numerically solving linear elliptic partial differential equations in polygonal domains. To discretize the polygon by means of structured meshes, we employ Schwarz-Christoffel conformal mappings, leading to a multiterm linear equation possibly including Hadamard products of some of the terms. This new algebraic formulation allows us to clearly distinguish between the role of the discretized operators and that of the domain meshing. Various algebraic strategies are discussed for the solution of the resulting matrix equation

Novel applications of complex analysis to effective parameter quantification in transport theory

This thesis proposes the application of complex analysis to the calculation of effective parameters of transport problems in multiply connected domains. This can be done by using special functions called Schottky-Klein prime functions. The effective parameters focused on in this thesis are electrical resistivity, electrical capacity, and slip lengths of channels. The prime function is a powerful mathematical function invented by Crowdy for solving problems in multiply connected domains including transport problems governed by Laplace’s equation and Poisson’s equation in domains with multiple boundaries. The functional properties of the prime function make it possible to analyse effective parameters in multiply connected domains. First, a new method for solving a new class of boundary value problems in multiply connected domains is explained. An explicit solution can be derived by multiplying of the boundary data with a radial slit map written in terms of the prime functions. We then focus on two electrical transport problems called “the van der Pauw method” and “electrical capacity”. For the van der Pauw method, the prime function allows us to derive new formulas for calculating the resistivity of holey samples. A new method for the electrical capacity of multiply connected domains is formulated by coupling the prime function with asymptotic matching. We next construct explicit solutions for flows through superhydrophobic surfaces in periodic channels and calculate the slip length of these channels. We end the thesis by mentioning that the new methodology gives accurate estimates for so-called “accessory parameter problems” associated with conformal maps of multiply connected domains.Open Acces

Simulating the Hele-Shaw flow in the presence of various obstacles and moving particles

Asymptotic analysis of the Hele-Shaw flow with a small moving obstacle is performed. The method of solution utilises the uniform asymptotic formulas for Green's and Neumann functions recently obtained by V. Maz'ya and A. Movchan. Theoretical results of the paper are illustrated by the numerical simulations.Comment: 29 pages, 14 figure

Grid generation for the solution of partial differential equations

A general survey of grid generators is presented with a concern for understanding why grids are necessary, how they are applied, and how they are generated. After an examination of the need for meshes, the overall applications setting is established with a categorization of the various connectivity patterns. This is split between structured grids and unstructured meshes. Altogether, the categorization establishes the foundation upon which grid generation techniques are developed. The two primary categories are algebraic techniques and partial differential equation techniques. These are each split into basic parts, and accordingly are individually examined in some detail. In the process, the interrelations between the various parts are accented. From the established background in the primary techniques, consideration is shifted to the topic of interactive grid generation and then to adaptive meshes. The setting for adaptivity is established with a suitable means to monitor severe solution behavior. Adaptive grids are considered first and are followed by adaptive triangular meshes. Then the consideration shifts to the temporal coupling between grid generators and PDE-solvers. To conclude, a reflection upon the discussion, herein, is given

Funktionentheorie

[no abstract available

An overview of the Riemannian metrics on spaces of curves using the Hamiltonian approach

Here shape space is either the manifold of simple closed smooth unparameterized curves in $\mathbb R^2$ or is the orbifold of immersions from $S^1$ to $\mathbb R^2$ modulo the group of diffeomorphisms of $S^1$. We investige several Riemannian metrics on shape space: $L^2$-metrics weighted by expressions in length and curvature. These include a scale invariant metric and a Wasserstein type metric which is sandwiched between two length-weighted metrics. Sobolev metrics of order $n$ on curves are described. Here the horizontal projection of a tangent field is given by a pseudo-differential operator. Finally the metric induced from the Sobolev metric on the group of diffeomorphisms on $\mathbb R^2$is treated. Although the quotient metrics are all given by pseudo-differential operators, their inverses are given by convolution with smooth kernels. We are able to prove local existence and uniqueness of solution to the geodesic equation for both kinds of Sobolev metrics. We are interested in all conserved quantities, so the paper starts with the Hamiltonian setting and computes conserved momenta and geodesics in general on the space of immersions. For each metric we compute the geodesic equation on shape space. In the end we sketch in some examples the differences between these metrics.Comment: 46 pages, some misprints correcte