Minimality conditions for travelling waves in a smectic C* liquid crystal

Dr Micheal Grinfeld (University of Strathclyde)

Thursday 2nd March, 2017 14:00-15:00 Maths 515

Abstract

We consider minimality conditions for travelling waves in a sample of an anisotropic smectic C* liquid crystal governed by a quasilinear parabolic equation. We show that classical variational principles can be applied to give at least a partial picture of pulled/pushed front transitions.  The problem also leads to a puzzling general conjecture about travelling waves in parabolic equations.

This is joint work with Elaine Crooks (Swansea) and Geoff McKay (Strathclyde).

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