TR 05-02
Boundary value problems for the one-dimensional Willmore equation - Almost explicit solutions
by K. Deckelnick, H.-C. Grunau
Preprint series: 05-02, Technical Reports
- MSC:
- 34B15 Nonlinear boundary value problems
- 34A05 Explicit solutions and reductions
Abstract: We give closed expressions for classical solutions of boundary value problems for the one-dimensional Willmore equation. Navier as well as Dirichlet boundary conditions are considered. In the first case, one has existence of precisely two solutions for boundary data below a suitable threshold. This effect reflects that we have a bending point in the corresponding bifurcation diagram and is not due to that we restrict ourselves to graphs. Under Dirichlet boundary conditions we always have existence of precisely one symmetric solution. Parts of the material can already be found in Euler's work. It is the goal of the present report to make Euler's observations more accesible and to develop them under the point of view of boundary value problems.
Keywords: Willmore functional, Willmore equation, elastic curves, boundary value problems, explicit solutions
The author(s) agree, that this abstract may be stored as full text and distributed as such by abstracting services.