A well-posed numerical method to track isolated conformal map singularities in the Hele-Shaw flow (Q1902389)

In order to avoid the inaccuracies caused by the ill-posedness of the motion of an evolving two-dimensional Hele-Shaw interface in a channel, the authors present a new numerical method based on the conformal mapping from the fluid domain into the unit disk. Performing an analytical continuation of the initial data and equations of motion into the region exterior to the disk, the authors obtain a well-posed problem which is then solved numerically in the extended domain. The method explicitly tracks the location of isolated poles and branch point singularities, allowing to draw connections between the development of interfacial patterns and the motion of singularities as they approach the unit disk. In particular, the authors related to the nature and location of the singularities such physical features as finger shape, side-branch formation, and the competition between the fingers.