Global minimizers for the doubly-constrained Helfrich energy: the axisymmetric case

Since the pioneering work of Canham and Helfrich, variational formulations involving curvature-dependent functionals, like the classical Willmore functional, have proven useful for shape analysis of biomembranes. We address minimizers of the Canham–Helfrich functional defined over closed surfaces enclosing a fixed volume and having fixed surface area. By restricting attention to axisymmetric surfaces, we prove the existence of global minimizers.     

A Tridimensional Inverse Shaping Problem

We study the following tridimensional magnetostatic inverse shaping problem: can one find a distribution of currents around a levitating liquid metal bubble so that it takes a given shape? It leads to the resolution of an Eilonal equation on the surface of the bubble which has self-contained interest. We answer the question for closed smooth surface which are homeomorphic to a sphere. We give a necessary and sufficient condition on the data for existence and uniqueness of a C¹ solution. When the desired shape is axisymmetric and analytic, the solution is also analytic and the problem can be completely solved. A counterexample proves that not all analytic perturbations of such surface are shapable.     

On the stability of functionally fitted Runge–Kutta methods

Classical collocation RK methods are polynomially fitted in the sense that they integrate an ODE problem exactly if its solution is an algebraic polynomial up to some degree. Functionally fitted RK (FRK) methods are collocation techniques that generalize this principle to solve an ODE problem exactly if its solution is a linear combination of a chosen set of arbitrary basis functions. Given for example a periodic or oscillatory ODE problem with a known frequency, it might be advantageous to tune a trigonometric FRK method targeted at such a problem. However, FRK methods lead to variable coefficients that depend on the parameters of the problem, the time, the stepsize, and the basis functions in a non-trivial manner that inhibits any in-depth analysis of the behavior of the methods in general. We present the class of so-called separable basis functions and show how to characterize the stability function of the methods in this particular class. We illustrate this explicitly with an example and we provide further insight for separable methods with symmetric collocation points. AMS subject classification (2000) 65L05, 65L06, 65L20, 65L60     

Radially symmetric growth of nonnecrotic tumors

The growth of tumors is an important subject in recent research. We present here a mathematical model for the growth of nonnecrotic tumors in all the three regimes of vascularisation. This leads to a free-boundary problem which we treat by means ODE techniques. We prove the existence of a unique radially symmetric stationary solution. It is also shown that, if the initial tumor is radially symmetric, there exists a unique radially symmetric solution of the evolution equation, which exists for all times. The asymptotic behaviour of this solution will be discussed in relation to the parameters characterizing cell proliferation and cell death.     

Controlling the shape of a crack in an elastic body under the condition of a possible contact of edges

Under consideration is a homogeneous three-dimensional body with a crack in the form of a smooth surface. We impose some inequality constraints on the crack edges that describe their mutual nonpenetration. According to the Griffith criterion, the crack begins to propagate when the derivative of the energy functional with respect to the virtual increment of the crack surface area reaches a certain critical value. The value of this derivative depends, in particular, on the crack shape. The crack shape is determined that minimizes the value of the derivative of the energy functional; more precisely, the existence of a solution to the corresponding optimal control problem is proved.     

Asymptotic gauges: Generalization of Colombeau type algebras

We use the general notion of set of indices to construct algebras of nonlinear generalized functions of Colombeau type. They are formally defined in the same way as the special Colombeau algebra, but based on more general “growth condition” formalized by the notion of asymptotic gauge. This generalization includes the special, full and nonstandard analysis based Colombeau type algebras in a unique framework. We compare Colombeau algebras generated by asymptotic gauges with other analogous construction, and we study systematically their properties, with particular attention to the existence and definition of embeddings of distributions. We finally prove that, in our framework, for every linear homogeneous ODE with generalized coefficients there exists a minimal Colombeau algebra generated by asymptotic gauges in which the ODE can be uniquely solved. This marks a main difference with the Colombeau special algebra, where only linear homogeneous ODEs satisfying some restrictions on the coefficients can be solved.     

Infinitesimal Isometries Along Curves and Generalized Jacobi Equations

On a Riemannian manifold, a solution of the Killing equation is an infinitesimal isometry. Since the Killing equation is overdetermined, infinitesimal isometries do not exist in general. A completely determined prolongation of the Killing equation is a PDE on the bundle of 1-jets of vector fields. Restricted to a curve, this becomes an ODE that generalizes the Jacobi equation. A solution of this ODE is called an infinitesimal isometry along the curve, which we show to be an infinitesimal rigid variation of the curve. We define Killing transport to be the associated linear isometry between fibers of the bundle along the curve, and show that it is parallel translation for a connection on the bundle related to the Riemannian connection. Restricting to dimension two, we study the holonomy of this connection, prove the Gauss–Bonnet theorem by means of Killing transport, and determine the criteria for local existence of infinitesimal isometries.     

Numerical computation of connecting orbits on a manifold

In this paper we propose a numerical method for approximating connecting orbits on a manifold and its bifurcation parameters. First we extend the standard nondegeneracy condition to the connecting orbits on a manifold. Then we construct a well-posed system such that the nondegenerate connecting orbit pair on a manifold is its regular solution. We use a difference method to discretize the ODE part in this well-posed system and we find that the numerical solutions still remain on the same manifold. We also set up a modified projection boundary condition to truncate connecting orbits on a manifold onto a finite interval. Then we prove the existence of truncated approximate connecting orbit pairs and derive error estimates. Finally, we carry out some numerical experiments to illustrate the theoretical estimates.     

On the existence of bounded positive solutions for a class of singular BVPs

We investigate the existence and properties of solutions to a second-order singular ODE. We base ourselves on the variational approach, which enables the approximation of solutions and gives a measure of a duality gap between primal and dual functional for minimizing sequences.     

A shooting method for a nonlinear beam equation

We study the existence of solutions for a nonlinear fourth-order ODE with nonlinear boundary condition that arises in beam theory. Using a shooting type argument, we prove the existence of at least one solution of the problem.     

带梯度吸收项的快扩散方程的自相似奇性解

研究一类带有非线性梯度吸收项的快速扩散方程的自相似奇性解．通过自相似变换,该自相似奇性解满足一个非线性常微分方程的边值问题,再利用打靶法技巧研究该常微分方程初值问题解的存在唯一性并根据初值的取值范围对其解进行了分类．通过对这些解类的性质的分析研究,得出了自相似强奇性解存在唯一性的充分必要条件,此时自相似奇性解就是强奇性解．     

Shape-Preserving Local Interpolation for Plotting Solutions of ODEs

We investigate the use of piecewise rational interpolants ofDelbourgo and Gregory in an important and widely occurring application.We propose the following algorithm for visually pleasing plotsof the solution of an ordinary differential equation (ODE):use piecewise cubic Hermite interpolation where it can be shownto preserve shape (monotonicity and/or convexity) and also wherethere is no shape to preserve, otherwise use the appropriateconvex or monotone piecewise rational interpolant. Bounds arederived which enable efficient plotting of the rational interpolants.This scheme should be useful in any context where both solutionand derivative of a function are available as data.     

Conformal vector fields on complete Finsler spaces of constant Ricci curvature

In this work, it is proved that if a complete Finsler manifold of positive constant Ricci curvature admits a solution to a certain ODE, then it is homeomorphic to the n-sphere. Next, a geometric meaning is obtained for solutions of this ODE, which is applicable to Einstein–Randers spaces. Moreover, some results on Finsler spaces admitting a special conformal vector field are obtained.     

Traveling Wave Solutions in an Integrodifference Equation with Weak Compactness

This article studies the existence of traveling wave solutions in an integrodifference equation with weak compactness. Because of the special kernel function that may depend on the Dirac function, traveling wave maps have lower regularity such that it is difficult to directly look for a traveling wave solution in the uniformly continuous and bounded functional space. In this paper, by introducing a proper set of potential wave profiles, we can obtain the existence and precise asymptotic behavior of nontrivial traveling wave solutions, during which we do not require the monotonicity of this model.     

A Transformation Approach in Shape Optimization: Existence and Regularity Results

In this article, we consider a model shape optimization problem. The state variable solves an elliptic equation on a star-shaped domain, where the radius is given via a control function. First, we reformulate the problem on a fixed reference domain, where we focus on the regularity needed to ensure the existence of an optimal solution. Second, we introduce the Lagrangian and use it to show that the optimal solution possesses a higher regularity, which allows for the explicit computation of the derivative of the reduced cost functional as a boundary integral. We finish the article with some second-order optimality conditions.     

On phenomenon of scattering on resonances associated with discretisation of systems with fast rotating phase

Numerical integration of ODEs by standard numerical methods reduces continuous time problems to discrete time problems. Discrete time problems have intrinsic properties that are absent in continuous time problems. As a result, numerical solution of an ODE may demonstrate dynamical phenomena that are absent in the original ODE. We show that numerical integration of systems with one fast rotating phase leads to a situation of such kind: numerical solution demonstrates phenomenon of scattering on resonances that is absent in the original system.     

Diffeomorphisms as time one maps

Summary. We investigate the inverse ODE problem of finding a vector field such that the time one map associated to its flow coincides with a given diffeomorphism. Using a constructive approach we solve this problem for a class of diffeomorphisms having a globally attracting fixed point. Furthermore we consider how the solution fields depend on the diffeomorphism. As an example we show that for certain parameters, the Hénon map is the time one map of a two dimensional flow.     

The Design and Implementation of Usable ODE Software

In the last decade it has become standard for students and researchers to be introduced to state-of-the-art numerical software through a problem solving environment (PSE) rather than through the use of scientific libraries callable from a high level language such as Fortran or C. In this paper we will identify the constraints and implications that this imposes on the ODE software we investigate and develop. In particular, the way a numerical solution is displayed and viewed by a user dictates that new measures of performance and quality must be adopted. We will use the MATLAB environment and ODE software for initial value problems, boundary value problems and delay problems to illustrate the issues that arise and the progress that has been made. One of the major implications is the expectation that accurate approximations at off-mesh points must be provided. Traditional numerical methods for ODEs have produced approximations to the underlying solution on an associated discrete, adaptively chosen mesh. In recent years it has become common for the ODE software to also deliver approximations at off-mesh values of the independent variable. Such a feature can be extremely valuable in applications and leads to new measures of quality and performance which are more meaningful to users and more consistently interpreted and implemented in contemporary ODE software. Numerical examples of the robust and reliable behaviour of such software will be presented and the cost/reliability trade-offs that arise will be quantified.     

Global existence and blow-up of solutions of nonlocal diffusion problems with free boundaries

In this paper, we investigate some nonlocal diffusion problems with free boundaries. We first give the existence and uniqueness of local solution by the ODE basic theory and the contraction mapping principle. Then we provide a complete classification for the global existence and finite time blow-up of solutions. Moreover, estimates of blow-up rate and blow-up time are also obtained for the blow-up solution.