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A perturbative approach to the backflow dynamics of nematic defects

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 January 2011

PAOLO BISCARI  and
TIMOTHY J. SLUCKIN
PAOLO BISCARI
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Matematica, Politecnico di Milano, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci 32, 20133 Milan, Italy email: [email protected]
TIMOTHY J. SLUCKIN
Affiliation:
School of Mathematics, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK email: [email protected]
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Abstract

We present an asymptotic theory that includes in a perturbative expansion the coupling effects between the director dynamics and the velocity field in a nematic liquid crystal. Backflow effects are most significant in the presence of defect motion, since in this case the presence of a velocity field may strongly reduce the total energy dissipation and thus increase the defect velocity. As an example, we illustrate how backflow influences the speeds of opposite-charged defects.

Keywords

Nematic liquid crystalsPerturbations, asymptoticspropagation of defects
Type
Papers
Information
European Journal of Applied Mathematics , Volume 23 , Issue 1: Liquid Crystals , February 2012 , pp. 181 - 200
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2011

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