Networks self-similarly moving by curvature with two triple junctions (Q2360053)

In the curvature-driven evolution of a network of curves in the plane, an important feature is the nature of shrinkers. These are special sets which evolve self-similarly and they are a key point in understanding the singularities of the flow. In this paper, the authors settle the classification of complete, embedded, regular self-similar shrinkers of networks with at most two triple junction points. Regular means here that, at most, three curves are concurrent producing what is called a triple junction point and, at that point, the curves of the network meet at 120 degrees, a condition that comes from material sciences and is due to energy considerations. The paper concludes that the possible shrinkers in the above admissible networks are only of two types called ``lens'' and ``fish''. The authors show, in fact, that the so-called ``double cell'' shrinker, or ``theta'' shrinker, cannot exist in such networks, a fact that was evidenced before by numerical simulations, but prior to this paper was not known.