Variational methods and applications

Optimality of the ellipse for a class of nonlocal energies - (online)

speaker: Lucia Scardia (Heriot-Watt University)

abstract: Nonlocal energies are continuum models for large systems of interacting particles. They have countless applications, from biological systems to granular media, from vortices in superconductors to defects in metals.

A fundamental question in applications is the characterisation of minimisers of these energies; such minimisers correspond to ‘aggregation patterns’ and they are observed experimentally in biological systems and materials science.

In this talk I will discuss the `persistence' of the ellipse as energy minimiser, focusing on a class of perturbations of Coulomb energies.

This is based on ongoing work in collaboration with Joan Mateu, Maria Giovanna Mora, Luca Rondi and Joan Verdera.

timetable:
Wed 8 Sep, 11:30 - 12:20,
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