arXiv subjects

Julian Fischer

Publications and source records attributed to Julian Fischer.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Regularity theorems for random elliptic operators on domains

Regularity theorems \`a la Avellaneda-Lin are an indispensable part of the modern quantitative theory of stochastic homogenization. While interior regularity results for random elliptic operators have been available for a while, on general smooth domains the existing theory has until recently remained limited to Lipschitz estimates. We establish $C^{1,\alpha}$ regularity results for random elliptic operators on bounded sufficiently smooth domains, as well as for scalar problems on convex polytopes. We, furthermore, prove a number of auxiliary results typically employed in the derivation of fluctuation bounds, such as a weighted Meyers estimate.

math.AP↗

arXiv2026

Quantitative homogenization of forced geometric motions through random fields of obstacles

We establish a quantitative homogenization result for an interface moving through a field of sufficiently sparse but possibly impenetrable random obstacles. From a physical viewpoint, such problems arise e.g. in the context of the motion of dislocations or magnetic domain walls in a material with impurities. More precisely, given an interface moving by forced mean curvature flow -- with a positive global driving force plus a spatially fluctuating (negative) driving force modeling the obstacles -- , we prove that the effective large-scale behavior of the forward front is governed by a constant-speed effective motion. For typical values of the global forcing, on large scales of the order $\varepsilon^{-1}$ we obtain a (relative) error estimate for arrival times of the front of the order $\varepsilon^{1/9-}$. Previous stochastic homogenization results for forced mean curvature motion in the literature have required a positive pointwise lower bound on the combined forcing, which implies the absence of any actual obstacles capable of locally blocking the interface motion. In contrast, our results are valid even in the presence of islands with locally negative forcing, potentially allowing for locally pinned interfaces and eventually enclosures left behind the main front. Thus, our homogenization result applies to settings closer to (but still strictly away from) the pinning-depinning transition.

math.AP↗

arXiv2025

H\"older continuity of weak solutions to the thin-film equation in $d=2$

The thin-film equation $\partial_t u = -\nabla \cdot (u^n \nabla \Delta u)$ describes the evolution of the height $u=u(x,t)\geq 0$ of a viscous thin liquid film spreading on a flat solid surface. We prove H\"older continuity of energy-dissipating weak solutions to the thin-film equation in the physically most relevant case of two spatial dimensions $d=2$. While an extensive existence theory of weak solutions to the thin-film equation was established more than two decades ago, even boundedness of weak solutions in $d=2$ has remained a major unsolved problem in the theory of the thin-film equation. Due the fourth-order structure of the thin-film equation, De Giorgi-Nash-Moser theory is not applicable. Our proof is based on the hole-filling technique, the challenge being posed by the degenerate parabolicity of the fourth-order PDE.

math.AP↗

arXiv2025

Tight and self-testing multipartite quantum Bell inequalities from the renormalization group

In past work, the concept of connectors was introduced: directed tensors with the property that any contraction thereof defines a multipartite quantum Bell inequality, i.e., a linear restriction on measurement probabilities that holds in any multipartite quantum experiment. In this paper we propose the notion of ''tight connectors'', which, if contracted according to some simple rules, result in tight quantum Bell inequalities. By construction, the new inequalities are saturated by tensor network states, whose structure mimics the corresponding network of connectors. Some tight connectors are furthermore ''fully self-testing'', which implies that the quantum Bell inequalities they generate can only be maximized with such a tensor network state and specific measurement operators (modulo local isometries). We provide large analytic families of tight, fully self-testing connectors that generate $N$-partite quantum Bell inequalities of correlator form for which the ratio between the maximum quantum and classical values increases exponentially with $N$.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2024

A weak-strong uniqueness principle for the Mullins-Sekerka equation

We establish a weak-strong uniqueness principle for the two-phase Mullins-Sekerka equation in ambient dimension $d = 2$ and $3$: As long as a classical solution to the evolution problem exists, any weak De Giorgi type varifold solution (see for this notion the recent work of Stinson and the second author, Arch. Ration. Mech. Anal. 248, 8, 2024) must coincide with it. In particular, in the absence of geometric singularities such weak solutions do not introduce a mechanism for (unphysical) non-uniqueness. We also derive a stability estimate with respect to changes in the data. Our method is based on the notion of relative entropies for interface evolution problems, a reduction argument to a perturbative graph setting, and a stability analysis in this perturbative regime relying crucially on the gradient flow structure of the Mullins-Sekerka equation.

math.AP↗

arXiv2024

Stability of multiphase mean curvature flow beyond circular topology changes

We prove a weak-strong uniqueness principle for varifold-BV solutions to planar multiphase mean curvature flow beyond a circular topology change: Assuming that there exists a classical solution with an interface that becomes increasingly circular and shrinks to a point, any varifold-BV solution with the same initial interface must coincide with it, and any varifold-BV solution with similar initial data must undergo the same type of topology change. Our result illustrates the robustness of the relative energy method for establishing weak-strong uniqueness principles for interface evolution equations, showing that it may also be applied beyond certain topological changes.

math.AP↗

arXiv2024

Boundary Layer Estimates in Stochastic Homogenization

We prove quantitative decay estimates for the boundary layer corrector in stochastic homogenization in the case of a half-space boundary. Our estimates are of optimal order and show that the gradient of the boundary layer corrector features nearly fluctuation-order decay; its expected value decays even one order faster. As a corollary, we deduce estimates on the accuracy of the representative volume element (RVE) method for the computation of effective coefficients: in $d\geq 3$ dimensions our understanding of the decay of boundary layers enables us to justify an improved formula for the RVE method, based on a combination of oversampling with the Hill-Mandel condition.

math.AP↗

arXiv2023

Multilevel Monte Carlo methods for the Dean-Kawasaki equation from Fluctuating Hydrodynamics

Stochastic PDEs of Fluctuating Hydrodynamics are a powerful tool for the description of fluctuations in many-particle systems. In this paper, we develop and analyze a Multilevel Monte Carlo (MLMC) scheme for the Dean--Kawasaki equation, a pivotal representative of this class of SPDEs. We prove analytically and demonstrate numerically that our MLMC scheme provides a significant reduction in computational cost (with respect to a standard Monte Carlo method) in the simulation of the Dean--Kawasaki equation. Specifically, we link this reduction in cost to having a sufficiently large average particle density, and show that sizeable cost reductions can be obtained even when we have solutions with regions of low density. Numerical simulations are provided in the two-dimensional case, confirming our theoretical predictions. Our results are formulated entirely in terms of the law of distributions rather than in terms of strong spatial norms: this crucially allows for MLMC speed-ups altogether despite the Dean--Kawasaki equation being highly singular.

math.NA↗

arXiv2023

Approximation of Classical Two-Phase Flows of Viscous Incompressible Fluids by a Navier-Stokes/Allen-Cahn System

We show convergence of the Navier-Stokes/Allen-Cahn system to a classical sharp interface model for the two-phase flow of two viscous incompressible fluids with same viscosities in a smooth bounded domain in two and three space dimensions as long as a smooth solution of the limit system exists. Moreover, we obtain error estimates with the aid of a relative entropy method. Our results hold provided that the mobility $m_\varepsilon>0$ in the Allen-Cahn equation tends to zero in a subcritical way, i.e., $m_\varepsilon= m_0 \varepsilon^\beta$ for some $\beta\in (0,2)$ and $m_0>0$. The proof proceeds by showing via a relative entropy argument that the solution to the Navier-Stokes/Allen-Cahn system remains close to the solution of a perturbed version of the two-phase flow problem, augmented by an extra mean curvature flow term $m_\varepsilon H_{\Gamma_t}$ in the interface motion. In a second step, it is easy to see that the solution to the perturbed problem is close to the original two-phase flow.

math.AP↗

arXiv2023

Density fluctuations in weakly interacting particle systems via the Dean-Kawasaki equation

The Dean-Kawasaki equation - one of the most fundamental SPDEs of fluctuating hydrodynamics - has been proposed as a model for density fluctuations in weakly interacting particle systems. In its original form it is highly singular and fails to be renormalizable even by approaches such as regularity structures and paracontrolled distributions, hindering mathematical approaches to its rigorous justification. It has been understood recently that it is natural to introduce a suitable regularization, e.g., by applying a formal spatial discretization or by truncating high-frequency noise. In the present work, we prove that a regularization in form of a formal discretization of the Dean-Kawasaki equation indeed accurately describes density fluctuations in systems of weakly interacting diffusing particles: We show that in suitable weak metrics, the law of fluctuations as predicted by the discretized Dean-Kawasaki SPDE approximates the law of fluctuations of the original particle system, up to an error that is of arbitrarily high order in the inverse particle number and a discretization error. In particular, the Dean-Kawasaki equation provides a means for efficient and accurate simulations of density fluctuations in weakly interacting particle systems.

math.AP↗

arXiv2022

Local minimizers of the interface length functional based on a concept of local paired calibrations

We establish that regular flat partitions are locally minimizing for the interface energy with respect to $L^1$ perturbations of the phases. Regular flat partitions are partitions of open sets in $\mathbb{R}^2$ whose network of interfaces consists of finitely many straight segments with a singular set made up of finitely many triple junctions at which the Herring angle condition is satisfied. This result not only holds for the case of the perimeter functional but for a general class of surface tension matrices. Our proof relies on a localized version of the paired calibration method which was introduced by Lawlor and Morgan (Pac. J. Appl. Math., 166(1), 1994) in conjunction with a relative energy functional that precisely captures the suboptimality of classical calibration estimates. Vice versa, we show that any stationary point of the length functional (in a sense of metric spaces) has to be a regular flat partition.

math.AP↗

arXiv2022

Quantitative convergence of the vectorial Allen-Cahn equation towards multiphase mean curvature flow

Phase-field models such as the Allen-Cahn equation may give rise to the formation and evolution of geometric shapes, a phenomenon that may be analyzed rigorously in suitable scaling regimes. In its sharp-interface limit, the vectorial Allen-Cahn equation with a potential with $N\geq 3$ distinct minima has been conjectured to describe the evolution of branched interfaces by multiphase mean curvature flow. In the present work, we give a rigorous proof for this statement in two and three ambient dimensions and for a suitable class of potentials: As long as a strong solution to multiphase mean curvature flow exists, solutions to the vectorial Allen-Cahn equation with well-prepared initial data converge towards multiphase mean curvature flow in the limit of vanishing interface width parameter $\varepsilon\searrow 0$. We even establish the rate of convergence $O(\varepsilon^{1/2})$. Our approach is based on the gradient flow structure of the Allen-Cahn equation and its limiting motion: Building on the recent concept of "gradient flow calibrations" for multiphase mean curvature flow, we introduce a notion of relative entropy for the vectorial Allen-Cahn equation with multi-well potential. This enables us to overcome the limitations of other approaches, e.g. avoiding the need for a stability analysis of the Allen-Cahn operator or additional convergence hypotheses for the energy at positive times.

math.AP↗

arXiv2022

A monotonicity formula for minimizers of the Mumford-Shah functional in 2d and a sharp lower bound on the energy density

We establish a new monotonicity formula for minimizers of the Mumford-Shah functional in planar domains. Our formula follows the spirit of Bucur-Luckhaus, but works with the David-L\'eger entropy instead of the energy. Interestingly, this allows for a sharp truncation threshold. In particular, our monotonicity formula is able to discriminate between points at a $C^1$ interface and any other type of singularity in terms of a finite gap in the entropy. As a corollary, we prove an optimal lower bound on the energy density around any nonsmooth point for minimizers of the Mumford-Shah functional.

math.AP↗

arXiv2021

Global renormalised solutions and equilibration of reaction-diffusion systems with non-linear diffusion

The global existence of renormalised solutions and convergence to equilibrium for reaction-diffusion systems with non-linear diffusion are investigated. The system is assumed to have quasi-positive non-linearities and to satisfy an entropy inequality. The difficulties in establishing global renormalised solutions caused by possibly degenerate diffusion are overcome by introducing a new class of weighted truncation functions. By means of the obtained global renormalised solutions, we study the large-time behaviour of complex balanced systems arising from chemical reaction network theory with non-linear diffusion. When the reaction network does not admit boundary equilibria, the complex balanced equilibrium is shown, by using the entropy method, to exponentially attract all renormalised solutions in the same compatibility class. This convergence extends even to a range of non-linear diffusion, where global existence is an open problem, yet we are able to show that solutions to approximate systems converge exponentially to equilibrium uniformly in the regularisation parameter.

math.AP↗

arXiv2021

The Dean-Kawasaki equation and the structure of density fluctuations in systems of diffusing particles

The Dean-Kawasaki equation - a strongly singular SPDE - is a basic equation of fluctuating hydrodynamics; it has been proposed in the physics literature to describe the fluctuations of the density of $N$ independent diffusing particles in the regime of large particle numbers $N\gg 1$. The singular nature of the Dean-Kawasaki equation presents a substantial challenge for both its analysis and its rigorous mathematical justification. Besides being non-renormalisable by the theory of regularity structures by Hairer et al., it has recently been shown to not even admit nontrivial martingale solutions. In the present work, we give a rigorous and fully quantitative justification of the Dean-Kawasaki equation by considering the natural regularisation provided by standard numerical discretisations: We show that structure-preserving discretisations of the Dean-Kawasaki equation may approximate the density fluctuations of $N$ non-interacting diffusing particles to arbitrary order in $N^{-1}$ (in suitable weak metrics). In other words, the Dean-Kawasaki equation may be interpreted as a "recipe" for accurate and efficient numerical simulations of the density fluctuations of independent diffusing particles.

math.AP↗

arXiv2020

Global existence analysis of energy-reaction-diffusion systems

We establish global-in-time existence results for thermodynamically consistent reaction-(cross-)diffusion systems coupled to an equation describing heat transfer. Our main interest is to model species-dependent diffusivities, while at the same time ensuring thermodynamic consistency. A key difficulty of the non-isothermal case lies in the intrinsic presence of cross-diffusion type phenomena like the Soret and the Dufour effect: due to the temperature/energy dependence of the thermodynamic equilibria, a nonvanishing temperature gradient may drive a concentration flux even in a situation with constant concentrations; likewise, a nonvanishing concentration gradient may drive a heat flux even in a case of spatially constant temperature. We use time discretisation and regularisation techniques and derive a priori estimates based on a suitable entropy and the associated entropy production. Renormalised solutions are used in cases where non-integrable diffusion fluxes or reaction terms appear.

math.AP↗

arXiv2020

Network-forming units, energy landscapes and conductivity activation energies in alkali borophosphate glasses: analytical approaches

A major challenge in the modeling of ionically conducting glasses is to understand how the large variety of possible chemical compositions and specific structural properties influence ionic transport quantities. Here we revisit and extend a theoretical approach for alkali borophosphate glasses, where changes of conductivity activation energies with the borate to phosphate mixing ratio are related to modifications of the ionic site energy landscape. The landscape modifications are caused by varying amounts of different units forming the glassy network, which lead to spatial redistributions of the counter-charges of the mobile alkali ions. Theoretical approaches are presented to calculate variations of both network former unit concentrations and activation energies with the glass composition. Applications to several alkali borophosphate glasses show good agreement with experimental data.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2020

The local structure of the energy landscape in multiphase mean curvature flow: Weak-strong uniqueness and stability of evolutions

We prove that in the absence of topological changes, the notion of BV solutions to planar multiphase mean curvature flow does not allow for a mechanism for (unphysical) non-uniqueness. Our approach is based on the local structure of the energy landscape near a classical evolution by mean curvature. Mean curvature flow being the gradient flow of the surface energy functional, we develop a gradient-flow analogue of the notion of calibrations. Just like the existence of a calibration guarantees that one has reached a global minimum in the energy landscape, the existence of a "gradient flow calibration" ensures that the route of steepest descent in the energy landscape is unique and stable.

math.AP↗