A level set approach reflecting sheet structure with single auxiliary function for evolving spirals on crystal surfaces (Q2355561)

The authors introduce a new level set method to simulate the motion of spirals in a crystal surface governed by an eikonal-curvature flow equation. Their formulation allows collision of several spirals and different strength of screw dislocation centers. They represent a set of spirals by a level set of a single auxiliary function \(u\) minus a pre-determined multi-valued sheet structure function \(\theta\), which reflects the strength of the spirals. The level set equation used in the paper for \(u-\theta\) is the same as that of the eikonal-curvature flow equation. Their simulation not only confirms all speculations on spirals in the classical paper by \textit{W. K. Burton} et al. [Philos. Trans. R. Soc. Lond., Ser. A 243, 299--358 (1951; Zbl 0043.23402)] but also enable them to find several new phenomena.