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Singularities, Shocks, and Instabilities in Interface Growth
Author(s) -
Tsemekhman V.,
Wettlaufer J. S.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
studies in applied mathematics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.164
H-Index - 46
eISSN - 1467-9590
pISSN - 0022-2526
DOI - 10.1111/1467-9590.00238
Subject(s) - classification of discontinuities , curvature , gravitational singularity , convexity , mathematics , conjecture , divergence (linguistics) , surface (topology) , singularity , mathematical analysis , geometry , pure mathematics , linguistics , philosophy , financial economics , economics
Two‐dimensional interface motion is examined in the setting of geometric crystal growth. We focus on the relationships between local curvature and global shape evolution displaying the dual role of singularities and shocks depending on the parameterization of the curve—the crystal surface. Discontinuities in surface slope accompany regions of asymptotically decreasing curvature during transient growth, whereas an absence of discontinuities preempts such asymptotic curvature evolution. In one parameterization, these discontinuities manifest themselves as a finite‐time continuous blowup of curvature, and in another, as a shock and hence a localized divergence of curvature. Previously, it has been conjectured, based on numerical evidence, that the minimum blowup time is preempted by shock formation. We prove this conjecture in the present paper. Additionally we prove that a class of local geometric models preserves the convexity of the surface. These results are connected to experiments on crystal growth.