University of Georgia
Mathematics Department Colloquium
Prof. John Sullivan
U. of Illinois (Champaign-Urbana)
Thursday, March 15, 2001 at 2:30 PM, in 304 Boyd
THE GEOMETRY OF FOAMS
ABSTRACT: Foams are important materials for many practical
purposes,
because of their elastic properties, acoustic damping, consistency,
and
ability to transport gas. We will consider mathematical models
of soap
bubbles, foams and froths, as collections of surfaces which minimize
area
under volume constraints. The resulting surfaces have constant mean
curvature, and obey certain combinatorial rules making them dual to
triangulations.