Solvability via viscosity solutions for a model of phase transitions driven by configurational forces

In the present article, we are interested in an initial boundary value problem for a coupled system of partial differential equations arising in martensitic phase transition theory of elastically deformable solid materials, e.g., steel. This model was proposed and investigated in previous work by Alber and Zhu in which the weak solutions are defined in a standard way, however the key technique is not applicable to multi-dimensional problem. Intending to solve this multi-dimensional problem and to investigate the sharp interface limits of our models, we thus define weak solutions in a different way by using the notion of viscosity solution, then prove the existence of weak solutions to this problem in one space dimension, yet the multi-dimensional problem is still open.Comment: 21 page

A Nonlinear Plancherel Theorem with Applications to Global Well-Posedness for the Defocusing Davey-Stewartson Equation and to the Inverse Boundary Value Problem of Calderón

We prove a Plancherel theorem for a nonlinear Fourier transform in two dimensions arising in the Inverse Scattering method for the defocusing Davey-Stewartson II equation. We then use it to prove global well-posedness and scattering in $L^2$ for defocusing DSII. This Plancherel theorem also implies global uniqueness in the inverse boundary value problem of Calder\'on in dimension $2$, for conductivities \sigma>0 with $\log \sigma \in \dot H^1$. The proof of the nonlinear Plancherel theorem includes new estimates on classical fractional integrals, as well as a new result on $L^2$-boundedness of pseudo-differential operators with non-smooth symbols, valid in all dimensions

Finite element methods for surface PDEs

In this article we consider finite element methods for approximating the solution of partial differential equations on surfaces. We focus on surface finite elements on triangulated surfaces, implicit surface methods using level set descriptions of the surface, unfitted finite element methods and diffuse interface methods. In order to formulate the methods we present the necessary geometric analysis and, in the context of evolving surfaces, the necessary transport formulae. A wide variety of equations and applications are covered. Some ideas of the numerical analysis are presented along with illustrative numerical examples

Flow-plate interactions: Well-posedness and long-time behavior

We consider flow-structure interactions modeled by a modified wave equation coupled at an interface with equations of nonlinear elasticity. Both subsonic and supersonic flow velocities are treated with Neumann type flow conditions, and a novel treatment of the so called Kutta-Joukowsky flow conditions are given in the subsonic case. The goal of the paper is threefold: (i) to provide an accurate review of recent results on existence, uniqueness, and stability of weak solutions, (ii) to present a construction of finite dimensional, attracting sets corresponding to the structural dynamics and discuss convergence of trajectories, and (iii) to state several open questions associated with the topic. This second task is based on a decoupling technique which reduces the analysis of the full flow-structure system to a PDE system with delay.Comment: 1 figure. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1208.5245, arXiv:1311.124

Periodic Homogenization for Inertial Particles

We study the problem of homogenization for inertial particles moving in a periodic velocity field, and subject to molecular diffusion. We show that, under appropriate assumptions on the velocity field, the large scale, long time behavior of the inertial particles is governed by an effective diffusion equation for the position variable alone. To achieve this we use a formal multiple scale expansion in the scale parameter. This expansion relies on the hypo-ellipticity of the underlying diffusion. An expression for the diffusivity tensor is found and various of its properties studied. In particular, an expansion in terms of the non-dimensional particle relaxation time $\tau$ (the Stokes number) is shown to co-incide with the known result for passive (non-inertial) tracers in the singular limit $\tau \to 0$. This requires the solution of a singular perturbation problem, achieved by means of a formal multiple scales expansion in $\tau.$ Incompressible and potential fields are studied, as well as fields which are neither, and theoretical findings are supported by numerical simulations.Comment: 31 pages, 7 figures, accepted for publication in Physica D. Typos corrected. One reference adde

On the splash singularity for the free-surface of a Navier-Stokes fluid

In fluid dynamics, an interface splash singularity occurs when a locally smooth interface self-intersects in finite time. We prove that for $d$-dimensional flows, $d=2$ or $3$, the free-surface of a viscous water wave, modeled by the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations with moving free-boundary, has a finite-time splash singularity. In particular, we prove that given a sufficiently smooth initial boundary and divergence-free velocity field, the interface will self-intersect in finite time.Comment: 21 pages, 5 figure