arXiv subjects

Yifeng Yu

Publications and source records attributed to Yifeng Yu.

53 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2017

A rigidity result for effective Hamiltonians with $3$-mode periodic potentials

We continue studying an inverse problem in the theory of periodic homogenization of Hamilton-Jacobi equations proposed in [14]. Let $V_1, V_2 \in C(\mathbb{R}^n)$ be two given potentials which are $\mathbb{Z}^n$-periodic, and $\overline{H}_1, \overline{H}_2$ be the effective Hamiltonians associated with the Hamiltonians $\frac{1}{2}|p|^2 + V_1$, $\frac{1}{2}|p|^2+V_2$, respectively. A main result in this paper is that, if the dimension $n=2$ and each of $V_1, V_2$ contains exactly $3$ mutually non-parallel Fourier modes, then $$ \overline H_1\equiv \overline H_2 \quad \iff \quad V_1(x)=V_2\left({x\over c}+x_0\right) \quad \text{ for all } x \in \mathbb{T}^2 = \mathbb{R}^2/\mathbb{Z}^2, $$ for some $c\in \mathbb{Q} \setminus\{0\}$ and $x_0 \in \mathbb{T}^2$. When $n\geq 3$, the scenario is slightly more subtle, and a complete description is provided for any dimension. These resolve partially the conjecture stated in [14]. Some other related results and open problems are also discussed.

math.AP↗

arXiv2017

Residual Diffusivity in Elephant Random Walk Models with Stops

We study the enhanced diffusivity in the so called elephant random walk model with stops (ERWS) by including symmetric random walk steps at small probability $ε$. At any $ε> 0$, the large time behavior transitions from sub-diffusive at $ε= 0$ to diffusive in a wedge shaped parameter regime where the diffusivity is strictly above that in the un-perturbed ERWS model in the $ε\downarrow 0$ limit. The perturbed ERWS model is shown to be solvable with the first two moments and their asymptotics calculated exactly in both one and two space dimensions. The model provides a discrete analytical setting of the residual diffusion phenomenon known for the passive scalar transport in chaotic flows (e.g. generated by time periodic cellular flows and statistically sub-diffusive) as molecular diffusivity tends to zero.

math.PR↗

arXiv2017

Curvature effect in shear flow: slowdown of turbulent flame speeds with Markstein number

It is well known in the combustion community that curvature effect in general slows down flame propagation speeds because it smooths out wrinkled flames. However, such a folklore has never been justified rigorously. In this paper, as the first theoretical result in this direction, we prove that the turbulent flame speed (an effective burning velocity) is decreasing with respect to the curvature diffusivity (Markstein number) for shear flows in the well known G-equation model. Our proof involves several novel and rather sophisticated inequalities arising from the nonlinear structure of the equation. On a related fundamental issue, we solve the selection problem of weak solutions or find the "physical fluctuations" when the Markstein number goes to zero and solutions approach those of the inviscid G-equation model. The limiting solution is given by a closed form analytical formula.

math.AP↗

arXiv2017

Min-max formulas and other properties of certain classes of nonconvex effective Hamiltonians

This paper is the first attempt to systematically study properties of the effective Hamiltonian $\overline{H}$ arising in the periodic homogenization of some coercive but nonconvex Hamilton-Jacobi equations. Firstly, we introduce a new and robust decomposition method to obtain min-max formulas for a class of nonconvex $\overline{H}$. Secondly, we analytically and numerically investigate other related interesting phenomena, such as "quasi-convexification" and breakdown of symmetry, of $\overline{H}$ from other typical nonconvex Hamiltonians. Finally, in the appendix, we show that our new method and those a priori formulas from the periodic setting can be used to obtain stochastic homogenization for same class of nonconvex Hamilton-Jacobi equations. Some conjectures and problems are also proposed.

math.AP↗

arXiv2016

Inverse problems, non-roundness and flat pieces of the effective burning velocity from an inviscid quadratic Hamilton-Jacobi model

The main goal of this paper is to understand finer properties of the effective burning velocity from a combustion model introduced by Majda and Souganidis [19]. Motivated by results in [4] and applications in turbulent combustion, we show that when the dimension is two and the flow of the ambient fluid is either weak or very strong, the level set of the effective burning velocity has flat pieces. Due to the lack of an applicable Hopf-type rigidity result, we need to identify the exact location of at least one flat piece. Implications on the effective flame front and other related inverse type problems are also discussed.

math.AP↗

arXiv2016

Ballistic Orbits and Front Speed Enhancement for ABC Flows

We study the two main types of trajectories of the ABC flow in the near-integrable regime: spiral orbits and edge orbits. The former are helical orbits which are perturbations of similar orbits that exist in the integrable regime, while the latter exist only in the non-integrable regime. We prove existence of ballistic (i.e., linearly growing) spiral orbits by using the contraction mapping principle in the Hamiltonian formulation, and we also find and analyze ballistic edge orbits. We discuss the relationship of existence of these orbits with questions concerning front propagation in the presence of flows, in particular, the question of linear (i.e., maximal possible) front speed enhancement rate for ABC flows.

math.DS↗

arXiv2016

Periodic orbits of the ABC flow with $A=B=C=1$

In this paper, we prove that the ODE system $$ \begin{align*} \dot x &=\sin z+\cos y\\ \dot y &= \sin x+\cos z\\ \dot z &=\sin y + \cos x, \end{align*} $$ whose right-hand side is the Arnold-Beltrami-Childress (ABC) flow with parameters $A=B=C=1$, has periodic orbits on $(2π\mathbb T)^3$ with rotation vectors parallel to $(1,0,0)$, $(0,1,0)$, and $(0,0,1)$. An application of this result is that the well-known G-equation model for turbulent combustion with this ABC flow on $\mathbb R^3$ has a linear (i.e., maximal possible) flame speed enhancement rate as the amplitude of the flow grows.

math.AP↗

arXiv2015

Performance analysis and signal design for a stationary signalized ring road

Existing methods for traffic signal design are either too simplistic to capture realistic traffic characteristics or too complicated to be mathematically tractable. In this study, we attempts to fill the gap by presenting a new method based on the LWR model for performance analysis and signal design in a stationary signalized ring road. We first solve the link transmission model to obtain an equation for the boundary flow in stationary states, which are defined to be time-periodic solutions in both flow-rate and density with a period of the cycle length. We then derive an explicit macroscopic fundamental diagram (MFD), in which the average flow-rate in stationary states is a function of both traffic density and signal settings. Finally we present simple formulas for optimal cycle lengths under five levels of congestion with a start-up lost time. With numerical examples we verify our analytical results and discuss the existence of near-optimal cycle lengths. This study lays the foundation for future studies on performance analysis and signal design for more general urban networks based on the kinematic wave theory.

math.DS↗

arXiv2015

Some inverse problems in periodic homogenization of Hamilton-Jacobi equations

We look at the effective Hamiltonian $\bar H$ associated with the Hamiltonian $H(p,x)=H(p)+V(x)$ in the periodic homogenization theory. Our central goal is to understand the relation between $V$ and $\bar H$. We formulate some inverse problems concerning this relation. Such type of inverse problems are in general very challenging. In the paper, we discuss several special cases in both convex and nonconvex settings.

math.AP↗

arXiv2013

Stochastic homogenization of a nonconvex Hamilton-Jacobi equation

We present a proof of qualitative stochastic homogenization for a nonconvex Hamilton-Jacobi equation. The new idea is to introduce a family of "sub-equations" and to control solutions of the original equation by the maximal subsolutions of the latter, which have deterministic limits by the subadditive ergodic theorem and maximality.

math.AP↗

arXiv2012

Turbulent Flame Speeds of G-equation Models in Unsteady Cellular Flows

We perform a computationl study of front speeds of G-equation models in time dependent cellular flows. The G-equations arise in premixed turbulent combustion, and are Hamilton-Jacobi type level set partial differential equations (PDEs). The curvature-strain G equations are also non-convex with degenerate diffusion. The computation is based on monotone finite difference discretization and weighted essentially nonoscillatory (WENO) methods. We found that the large time front speeds lock into the frequency of time periodic cellular flows in curvature-strain G-equations similar to what occurs in the basic inviscid G-equation. However, such frequency locking phenomenon disappears in viscous G-equation, and in the inviscid G-equation if time periodic oscillation of the cellular flow is replaced by time stochastic oscillation.

nlin.PS↗

arXiv2012

Nonuniqueness of infinity ground states

In this paper, we construct a dumbbell domain for which the associated principle $\infty$-eigenvalue is not simple. This gives a negative answer to the outstanding problem posed by Juutinen-Lindquivst-Manfredi ("The $\infty$-eigenvalue problem", Arch. Ration. Mech. Anal. 148, 1999, no.2, 89-105). It remains a challenge to determine whether simplicity holds for convex domains.

math.AP↗

arXiv2012

A Numerical Study of Turbulent Flame Speeds of Curvature and Strain G-equations in Cellular Flows

We study front speeds of curvature and strain G-equations arising in turbulent combustion. These G-equations are Hamilton-Jacobi type level set partial differential equations (PDEs) with non-coercive Hamiltonians and degenerate nonlinear second order diffusion. The Hamiltonian of strain G-equation is also non-convex. Numerical computation is performed based on monotone discretization and weighted essentially nonoscillatory (WENO) approximation of transformed G-equations on a fixed periodic domain. The advection field in the computation is a two dimensional Hamiltonian flow consisting of a periodic array of counter-rotating vortices, or cellular flows. Depending on whether the evolution is predominantly in the hyperbolic or parabolic regimes, suitable explicit and semi-implicit time stepping methods are chosen. The turbulent flame speeds are computed as the linear growth rates of large time solutions. A new nonlinear parabolic PDE is proposed for the reinitialization of level set functions to prevent piling up of multiple bundles of level sets on the periodic domain. We found that the turbulent flame speed $s_T$ of the curvature G-equation is enhanced as the intensity $A$ of cellular flows increases, at a rate between those of the inviscid and viscous G-equations. The $s_T$ of the strain G-equation increases in small $A$, decreases in larger $A$, then drops down to zero at a large enough but finite value $A_{*}$. The flame front ceases to propagate at this critical intensity $A_*$, and is quenched by the cellular flow.

math.NA↗

arXiv2011

Analysis and Comparison of Large Time Front Speeds in Turbulent Combustion Models

Predicting turbulent flame speed (the large time front speed) is a fundamental problem in turbulent combustion theory. Several models have been proposed to study the turbulent flame speed, such as the G-equations, the F-equations (Majda-Souganidis model) and reaction-diffusion-advection (RDA) equations. In the first part of this paper, we show that flow induced strain reduces front speeds of G-equations in periodic compressible and shear flows. The F-equations arise in asymptotic analysis of reaction-diffusion-advection equations and are quadratically nonlinear analogues of the G-equations. In the second part of the paper, we compare asymptotic growth rates of the turbulent flame speeds from the G-equations, the F-equations and the RDA equations in the large amplitude ($A$) regime of spatially periodic flows. The F and G equations share the same asymptotic front speed growth rate; in particular, the same sublinear growth law $A\over \log(A)$ holds in cellular flows. Moreover, in two space dimensions, if one of these three models (G-equation, F-equation and the RDA equation) predicts the bending effect (sublinear growth in the large flow), so will the other two. The nonoccurrence of speed bending is characterized by the existence of periodic orbits on the torus and the property of their rotation vectors in the advective flow fields. The cat's eye flow is discussed as a typical example of directional dependence of the front speed bending. The large time front speeds of the viscous F-equation have the same growth rate as those of the inviscid F and G-equations in two dimensional periodic incompressible flows.

math.AP↗

arXiv2010

Asymptotics for turbulent flame speeds of the viscous G-equation enhanced by cellular and shear flows

G-equations are well-known front propagation models in turbulent combustion and describe the front motion law in the form of local normal velocity equal to a constant (laminar speed) plus the normal projection of fluid velocity. In level set formulation, G-equations are Hamilton-Jacobi equations with convex ($L^1$ type) but non-coercive Hamiltonians. Viscous G-equations arise from either numerical approximations or regularizations by small diffusion. The nonlinear eigenvalue $\bar H$ from the cell problem of the viscous G-equation can be viewed as an approximation of the inviscid turbulent flame speed $s_T$. An important problem in turbulent combustion theory is to study properties of $s_T$, in particular how $s_T$ depends on the flow amplitude $A$. In this paper, we will study the behavior of $\bar H=\bar H(A,d)$ as $A\to +\infty$ at any fixed diffusion constant $d > 0$. For the cellular flow, we show that $$ \bar H(A,d)\leq O(\sqrt {\mathrm {log}A}) \quad \text{for all $d>0$}. $$ Compared with the inviscid G-equation ($d=0$), the diffusion dramatically slows down the front propagation. For the shear flow, the limit \nit $\lim_{A\to +\infty}{\bar H(A,d)\over A} = λ(d) >0$ where $λ(d)$ is strictly decreasing in $d$, and has zero derivative at $d=0$. The linear growth law is also valid for $s_T$ of the curvature dependent G-equation in shear flows.

math.AP↗

arXiv2009

Maximal and minimal solutions of an Aronsson equation: $L^{\infty}$ variational problems versus the game theory

The Dirichlet problem $$ \begin{cases} Δ_{\infty}u-|Du|^2=0 \quad \text{on $Ω\subset \Rset ^n$} u|_{\partial Ω}=g \end{cases} $$ might have many solutions, where $Δ_{\infty}u=\sum_{1\leq i,j\leq n}u_{x_i}u_{x_j}u_{x_ix_j}$. In this paper, we prove that the maximal solution is the unique absolute minimizer for $H(p,z)={1\over 2}|p|^2-z$ from calculus of variations in $L^{\infty}$ and the minimal solution is the continuum value function from the "tug-of-war" game. We will also characterize graphes of solutions which are neither an absolute minimizer nor a value function. A remaining interesting question is how to interpret those intermediate solutions. Most of our approaches are based on an idea of Barles-Busca [BB].

math.AP↗

arXiv2009

Uniqueness of values of Aronsson operators and running costs in "tug-of-war" games

Let $A_H$ be the Aronsson operator associated with a Hamiltonian $H(x,z,p).$ Aronsson operators arise from $L^\infty$ variational problems, two person game theory, control problems, etc. In this paper, we prove, under suitable conditions, that if $u\in W^{1,\infty}_{\rm loc}(Ω)$ is simultaneously a viscosity solution of both of the equations $A_H(u)=f(x)$ and $A_H(u)=g(x)$ in $Ω$, where $f, g\in C(Ω),$ then $f=g.$ The assumption $u\in W_{loc}^{1,\infty}(Ω)$ can be relaxed to $u\in C(Ω)$ in many interesting situations. Also, we prove that if $f,g,u\in C(Ω)$ and $u$ is simultaneously a viscosity solution of the equations ${Δ_\infty u\over |Du|^2}=-f(x)$ and ${Δ_{\infty}u\over |Du|^2}=-g(x)$ in $Ω$ then $f=g.$ This answers a question posed in Peres, Schramm, Scheffield and Wilson [PSSW] concerning whether or not the value function uniquely determines the running cost in the "tug-of-war" game.

math.AP↗