arXiv subjects

Lucia De Luca

Publications and source records attributed to Lucia De Luca.

27 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2019

The $0$-fractional perimeter between fractional perimeters and Riesz potentials

This paper provides a unified point of view on fractional perimeters and Riesz potentials. Denoting by $H^σ$ - for $σ\in (0,1)$ - the $σ$-fractional perimeter and by $J^σ$ - for $σ\in (-d,0)$ - the $σ$-Riesz energies acting on characteristic functions, we prove that both functionals can be seen as limits of renormalized self-attractive energies as well as limits of repulsive interactions between a set and its complement. We also show that the functionals $H^σ$ and $J^σ$\,, up to a suitable additive renormalization diverging when $σ\to 0$, belong to a continuous one-parameter family of functionals, which for $σ=0$ gives back a new object we refer to as {\it $0$-fractional perimeter}. All the convergence results with respect to the parameter $σ$ and to the renormalization procedures are obtained in the framework of $Γ$-convergence. As a byproduct of our analysis, we obtain the isoperimetric inequality for the $0$-fractional perimeter.

math.FA↗

arXiv2018

$Γ$-convergence of the Heitmann-Radin sticky disc energy to the crystalline perimeter

We consider low energy configurations for the Heitmann-Radin sticky discs functional, in the limit of diverging number of discs. More precisely, we renormalize the Heitmann-Radin potential by subtracting the minimal energy per particle, i.e., the so called kissing number. For configurations whose energy scales like the perimeter, we prove a compactness result which shows the emergence of polycrystalline structures: The empirical measure converges to a set of finite perimeter, while a microscopic variable, representing the orientation of the underlying lattice, converges to a locally constant function. Whenever the limit configuration is a single crystal, i.e., it has constant orientation, we show that the $Γ$-limit is the anisotropic perimeter, corresponding to the Finsler metric determined by the orientation of the single crystal.

math.AP↗

arXiv2018

A gradient flow approach to relaxation rates for the multi-dimensional Cahn-Hilliard equation

The aim of this paper is to study relaxation rates for the Cahn-Hilliard equation in dimension larger than one. We follow the approach of Otto and Westdickenberg based on the gradient flow structure of the equation and establish differential and algebraic relationships between the energy, the dissipation, and the squared $H^{--1}$ distance to a kink. This leads to a scale separation of the dynamics into two different stages: a first fast phase of the order $t^{ -- 1/2}$ where one sees convergence to some kink, followed by a slow relaxation phase with rate $t^{-- 1/ 4}$ where convergence to the centered kink is observed.

math.AP↗

arXiv2017

Low energy configurations of topological singularities in two dimensions: A $Γ$-convergence analysis of dipoles

This paper deals with the variational analysis of topological singularities in two dimensions. We consider two canonical zero-temperature models: the core radius approach and the Ginzburg-Landau energy. Denoting by $\varepsilon$ the length scale parameter in such models, we focus on the $|\log\varepsilon|$ energy regime. It is well known that, for configurations whose energy is bounded by $c|\log\varepsilon|$, the vorticity measures can be decoupled into the sum of a finite number of Dirac masses, each one of them carrying $π|\log\varepsilon|$ energy, plus a measure supported on small zero-average sets. Loosely speaking, on such sets the vorticity measure is close, with respect to the flat norm, to zero-average clusters of positive and negative masses. Here we perform a compactness and $Γ$-convergence analysis accounting also for the presence of such clusters of dipoles (on the range scale $\varepsilon^s$, for $0<s<1$), which vanish in the flat convergence and whose energy contribution has, so far, been neglected. Our results refine and contain as a particular case the classical $Γ$-convergence analysis for vortices, extending it also to low energy configurations consisting of just clusters of dipoles, and whose energy is of order $c|\log\varepsilon|$ with $c<π$\,.

math.AP↗

arXiv2017

Minimising movements for the motion of discrete screw dislocations along glide directions

In [3] a simple discrete scheme for the motion of screw dislocations toward low energy configurations has been proposed. There, a formal limit of such a scheme, as the lattice spacing and the time step tend to zero, has been described. The limiting dynamics agrees with the maximal dissipation criterion introduced in [8] and predicts motion along the glide directions of the crystal. In this paper, we provide rigorous proofs of the results in [3], and in particular of the passage from the discrete to the continuous dynamics. The proofs are based on $Γ$-convergence techniques.

math.AP↗

arXiv2017

Classification of particle numbers with unique Heitmann-Radin minimizer

We show that minimizers of the Heitmann-Radin energy (R. C. Heitmann, C. Radin, J. Stat. Phys. 22, 281-287, 1980) are unique if and only if the particle number N belongs to an infinite sequence whose first thirty-five elements are 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 19, 21, 24, 27, 30, 33, 37, 40, 44, 48, 52, 56, 61, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 91, 96, 102, 108, 114, 120 (see the paper for a closed-form description of this sequence). The proof relies on the discrete differential geometry techniques introduced in (L. De Luca, G. Friesecke, preprint).

math-ph↗

arXiv2016

$Γ$-convergence analysis of a generalized $XY$ model: fractional vortices and string defects

We propose and analyze a generalized two dimensional $XY$ model, whose interaction potential has $n$ weighted wells, describing corresponding symmetries of the system. As the lattice spacing vanishes, we derive by $Γ$-convergence the discrete-to-continuum limit of this model. In the energy regime we deal with, the asymptotic ground states exhibit fractional vortices, connected by string defects. The $Γ$-limit takes into account both contributions, through a renormalized energy, depending on the configuration of fractional vortices, and a surface energy, proportional to the length of the strings. Our model describes in a simple way several topological singularities arising in Physics and Materials Science. Among them, disclinations and string defects in liquid crystals, fractional vortices and domain walls in micromagnetics, partial dislocations and stacking faults in crystal plasticity.

math.AP↗

arXiv2016

Crystallization in two dimensions and a discrete Gauss-Bonnet theorem

We show that the emerging field of discrete differential geometry can be usefully brought to bear on crystallization problems. In particular, we give a simplified proof of the Heitmann-Radin crystallization theorem (R. C. Heitmann, C. Radin, J. Stat. Phys. 22, 281-287, 1980), which concerns a system of $N$ identical atoms in two dimensions interacting via the idealized pair potential $V(r)=+\infty$ if $r<1$, $-1$ if $r=1$, $0$ if $r>1$. This is done by endowing the bond graph of a general particle configuration with a suitable notion of {\it discrete curvature}, and appealing to a {\it discrete Gauss-Bonnet theorem} (O. Knill, Elem. Math. 67, 1-17, 2012) which, as its continuous cousins, relates the sum/integral of the curvature to topological invariants. This leads to an exact geometric decomposition of the Heitmann-Radin energy into (i) a combinatorial bulk term, (ii) a combinatorial perimeter, (iii) a multiple of the Euler characteristic, and (iv) a natural topological energy contribution due to defects. An analogous exact geometric decomposition is also established for soft potentials such as the Lennard-Jones potential $V(r)=r^{-6}-2r^{-12}$, where two additional contributions arise, (v) elastic energy and (vi) energy due to non-bonded interactions.

math.DG↗

arXiv2015

Ground states of a two phase model with cross and self attractive interactions

We consider a variational model for two interacting species (or phases), subject to cross and self attractive forces. We show existence and several qualitative properties of minimizers. Depending on the strengths of the forces, different behaviors are possible: phase mixing or phase separation with nested or disjoint phases. In the case of Coulomb interaction forces, we characterize the ground state configurations.

math.AP↗