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Matteo Novaga

Publications and source records attributed to Matteo Novaga.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
arXiv2020

Stability results for nonlocal geometric evolutions and limit cases for fractional mean curvature flows

We introduce a notion of uniform convergence for local and nonlocal curvatures. Then, we propose an abstract method to prove the convergence of the corresponding geometric flows, within the level set formulation. We apply such a general theory to characterize the limits of $s$-fractional mean curvature flows as $s\to 0^+$ and $s\to 1^-$. In analogy with the $s$-fractional mean curvature flows, we introduce the notion of $s$-Riesz curvature flows and characterize its limit as $s\to 0^-$. Eventually, we discuss the limit behavior as $r\to 0^+$ of the flow generated by a regularization of the $r$-Minkowski content.

math.AP↗
arXiv2019

Connected surfaces with boundary minimizing the Willmore energy

For a given family of smooth closed curves $γ^1,...,γ^α\subset\mathbb{R}^3$ we consider the problem of finding an elastic \emph{connected} compact surface $M$ with boundary $γ=γ^1\cup...\cupγ^α$. This is realized by minimizing the Willmore energy $\mathcal{W}$ on a suitable class of competitors. While the direct minimization of the Area functional may lead to limits that are disconnected, we prove that, if the infimum of the problem is $<4π$, there exists a connected compact minimizer of $\mathcal{W}$ in the class of integer rectifiable curvature varifolds with the assigned boundary conditions. This is done by proving that varifold convergence of bounded varifolds with boundary with uniformly bounded Willmore energy implies the convergence of their supports in Hausdorff distance. Hence, in the cases in which a small perturbation of the boundary conditions causes the non-existence of Area-minimizing connected surfaces, our minimization process models the existence of optimal elastic connected compact generalized surfaces with such boundary data. We also study the asymptotic regime in which the diameter of the optimal connected surfaces is arbitrarily large. Under suitable boundedness assumptions, we show that rescalings of such surfaces converge to round spheres. The study of both the perturbative and the asymptotic regime is motivated by the remarkable case of elastic surfaces connecting two parallel circles located at any possible distance one from the other. The main tool we use is the monotonicity formula for curvature varifolds, that we extend to varifolds with boundary, together with its consequences on the structure of varifolds with bounded Willmore energy.

math.OC↗
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↗
arXiv2019

A second order gradient flow of p-elastic planar networks

We consider a second order gradient flow of the p-elastic energy for a planar theta-network of three curves with fixed lengths. We construct a weak solution of the flow by means of an implicit variational scheme. We show long-time existence of the evolution and convergence to a critical point of the energy.

math.AP↗
arXiv2019

Lectures on curvature flow of networks

We present a collection of results on the evolution by curvature of networks of planar curves. We discuss in particular the existence of a solution and the analysis of singularities.

math.DG↗
arXiv2019

Symmetric self-shrinkers for the fractional mean curvature flow

We show existence of homothetically shrinking solutions of the fractional mean curvature flow, whose boundary consists in a prescribed numbers of concentric spheres. We prove that all these solutions, except from the ball, are dynamically unstable.

math.AP↗
arXiv2019

A variational scheme for hyperbolic obstacle problems

We consider an obstacle problem for (possibly non-local) wave equations, and we prove existence of weak solutions through a convex minimization approach based on a time discrete approximation scheme. We provide the corresponding numerical implementation and raise some open questions.

math.AP↗
arXiv2018

Heteroclinic connections and Dirichlet problems for a nonlocal functional of oscillation type

We consider an energy functional combining the square of the local oscillation of a one--dimensional function with a double well potential. We establish the existence of minimal heteroclinic solutions connecting the two wells of the potential. This existence result cannot be accomplished by standard methods, due to the lack of compactness properties. In addition, we investigate the main properties of these heteroclinic connections. We show that these minimizers are monotone, and therefore they satisfy a suitable Euler-Lagrange equation. We also prove that, differently from the classical cases arising in ordinary differential equations, in this context the heteroclinic connections are not necessarily smooth, and not even continuous (in fact, they can be piecewise constant). Also, we show that heteroclinics are not necessarily unique up to a translation, which is also in contrast with the classical setting. Furthermore, we investigate the associated Dirichlet problem, studying existence, uniqueness and partial regularity properties, providing explicit solutions in terms of the external data and of the forcing source, and exhibiting an example of discontinuous solution.

math.AP↗
arXiv2018

Emergence of non-trivial minimizers for the three-dimensional Ohta-Kawasaki energy

This paper is concerned with the diffuse interface Ohta-Kawasaki energy in three space dimensions, in a periodic setting, in the parameter regime corresponding to the onset of non-trivial minimizers. We identify the scaling in which a sharp transition from asymptotically trivial to non-trivial minimizers takes place as the small parameter characterizing the width of the interfaces between the two phases goes to zero, while the volume fraction of the minority phases vanishes at an appropriate rate. The value of the threshold is shown to be related to the optimal binding energy solution of Gamow's liquid drop model of the atomic nucleus. Beyond the threshold the average volume fraction of the minority phase is demonstrated to grow linearly with the distance to the threshold. In addition to these results, we establish a number of properties of the minimizers of the sharp interface screened Ohta-Kawasaki energy in the considered parameter regime. We also establish rather tight upper and lower bounds on the value of the transition threshold.

math.AP↗
arXiv2018

Fattening and nonfattening phenomena for planar nonlocal curvature flows

We discuss fattening phenomenon for the evolution of planar curves according to their nonlocal curvature. More precisely, we consider a class of generalized curvatures which correspond to the first variation of suitable nonlocal perimeter functionals, defined in terms of an interaction kernel $K$, which is symmetric, nonnegative, possibly singular at the origin, and satisfies appropriate integrability conditions. We prove a general result about uniqueness of the geometric evolutions starting from regular sets with positive $K$-curvature and we discuss the fattening phenomenon for the evolution starting from the cross, showing that this phenomenon is very sensitive to the strength of the interactions. As a matter of fact, we show that the fattening of the cross occurs for kernels with sufficiently large mass near the origin, while for kernels that are sufficiently weak near the origin such a fattening phenomenon does not occur. We also provide some further results in the case of the fractional mean curvature flow, showing that strictly starshaped sets have a unique geometric evolution. Moreover, we exhibit two illustrative examples of closed nonregular curves, the first with a Lipschitz-type singularity and the second with a cusp-type singularity, given by two tangent circles of equal radius, whose evolution develops fattening in the first case, and is uniquely defined in the second, thus remarking the high sensitivity of the fattening phenomenon in terms of the regularity of the initial datum. The latter example is in striking contrast to the classical case of the (local) curvature flow, where two tangent circles always develop fattening. As a byproduct of our analysis, we provide also a simple proof of the fact that the cross is not a $K$-minimal set for the nonlocal perimeter functional associated to $K$.

math.AP↗
arXiv2018

On a Minkowski geometric flow in the plane: evolution of curves with lack of scale invariance

We consider a planar geometric flow in which the normal velocity is a nonlocal variant of the curvature. The flow is not scaling invariant and in fact has different behaviors at different spatial scales, thus producing phenomena that are different with respect to both the classical mean curvature flow and the fractional mean curvature flow. In particular, we give examples of neckpinch singularity formation, and we discuss convexity properties of the evolution. We also take into account traveling waves for this geometric flow, showing that a new family of $C^{1,1}$ and convex traveling sets arises in this setting.

math.AP↗
arXiv2018

Existence of periodic orbits near heteroclinic connections

We consider a potential $W:R^m\rightarrow R$ with two different global minima $a_-, a_+$ and, under a symmetry assumption, we use a variational approach to show that the Hamiltonian system \begin{equation} \ddot{u}=W_u(u), \hskip 2cm (1) \end{equation} has a family of $T$-periodic solutions $u^T$ which, along a sequence $T_j\rightarrow+\infty$, converges locally to a heteroclinic solution that connects $a_-$ to $a_+$. We then focus on the elliptic system \begin{equation} Δu=W_u(u),\;\; u:R^2\rightarrow R^m, \hskip 2cm (2) \end{equation} that we interpret as an infinite dimensional analogous of (1), where $x$ plays the role of time and $W$ is replaced by the action functional \[J_R(u)=\int_R\Bigl(\frac{1}{2}\vert u_y\vert^2+W(u)\Bigr)dy.\] We assume that $J_R$ has two different global minimizers $\bar{u}_-, \bar{u}_+:R\rightarrow R^m$ in the set of maps that connect $a_-$ to $a_+$. We work in a symmetric context and prove, via a minimization procedure, that (2) has a family of solutions $u^L:R^2\rightarrow R^m$, which is $L$-periodic in $x$, converges to $a_\pm$ as $y\rightarrow\pm\infty$ and, along a sequence $L_j\rightarrow+\infty$, converges locally to a heteroclinic solution that connects $\bar{u}_-$ to $\bar{u}_+$.

math.DS↗
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

Minimizers of the p-oscillation functional

We define a family of functionals, called p-oscillation functionals, that can be interpreted as discrete versions of the classical total variation functional for p=1 and of the p-Dirichlet functionals for p>1. We introduce the notion of minimizers and prove existence of solutions to the Dirichlet problem. Finally we provide a description of Class A minimizers (i.e. minimizers under compact perturbations) in dimension 1.

math.AP↗
arXiv2018

Minimizers for nonlocal perimeters of Minkowski type

We study a nonlocal perimeter functional inspired by the Minkowski content, whose main feature is that it interpolates between the classical perimeter and the volume functional. This problem is related by a generalized coarea formula to a Dirichlet energy functional in which the energy density is the local oscillation of a function. These two nonlocal functionals arise in concrete applications, since the nonlocal character of the problems and the different behaviors of the energy at different scales allow the preservation of details and irregularities of the image in the process of removing white noises, thus improving the quality of the image without losing relevant features. In this paper, we provide a series of results concerning existence, rigidity and classification of minimizers, compactness results, isoperimetric inequalities, Poincaré-Wirtinger inequalities and density estimates. Furthermore, we provide the construction of planelike minimizers for this generalized perimeter under a small and periodic volume perturbation.

math.AP↗
arXiv2018

On critical points of the relative fractional perimeter

We study the localization of sets with constant nonlocal mean curvature and prescribed small volume in a bounded open set with smooth boundary, proving that they are {\em sufficiently close} to critical points of a suitable non-local potential. We then consider the fractional perimeter in half-spaces. We prove the existence of a minimizer under fixed volume constraint, showing some of its properties such as smoothness and symmetry, being a graph in the $x_N$-direction, and characterizing its intersection with the hyperplane $\{x_N=0\}$.

math.AP↗