Parametric approximation of surface clusters driven by isotropic and anisotropic surface energies (Q5962416)

The authors present a variational formulation for the evolution of surface clusters in \({\mathbb R}^3\) by mean curvature flow, surface diffusion and anisotropic variants. Equilibrium bubble clusters are stationary solutions of the variational problem in which one seeks a least area way to enclose and separate a number of regions with prescribed volumes. The authors study gradient flows of the associated energy, leading to either mean curvature flow or surface diffusion, depending on the considered inner product. Triple junction line conditions induced by the considered gradient flows are introduced and weak formulations for the gradient flows are presented. These formulations lead to unconditionally stable, fully discrete parametric finite element approximations. The resulting schemes have favorable properties with respect to the distribution of mesh points and volume conservation, if applicable. The theoretical results of the paper are illustrated by numerical examples comprising isotropic double, triple, and quadruple bubbles, as well as clusters evolving under anisotropic mean curvature flow and anisotropic surface diffusion.