Consider an elastic curve moving in three-dimensional space,
driven by geometric forces and subject to a geometric constraint.
Its potential energy is given by the square integral of the curvature,
and the constraint is that the curve is inextensible. The equations
of motion form a system of three nonlinear Schrödinger equations
for the configuration and momentum of the curve, coupled to an elliptic
boundary value problem for its tension.
The system has interesting special solutions, including large families
of knotted equlibria and solitary waves.
While slow-moving solitary waves are unstable, they stabilize at
higher wave speed; I will try to explain
the mechanism. Less is known about general solutions,
but I will describe a result on existence and uniqueness
of solutions for sufficiently smooth initial data. Time
permitting, I will discuss some open questions, including
a conjecture for the geometric Schrödinger operator that appears
in the tension equation.
Webmaster University of Houston
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Last modified: April 11 2016 - 18:14:43