Compatible director fields in \(\mathbb{R}^3\) (Q6113609)

The authors present an alternative description of the compatibility conditions required for the existence of phases of liquid crystals in \(\mathbb{R}^3\) in terms of vector calculus. Indeed, as mentioned in the introduction, there are conditions to be imposed on the deformation fields in order to obtain configurations of liquid crystals which are compatible with the geometry of \(\mathbb{R}^3\). In [\textit{J. Pollard} and \textit{G. P. Alexander}, New J. Phys. 23, 063006 (2021, \url{10.1088/1367-2630/abfdf4})] an approach based on Cartan moving frames was proposed. In the paper under review, instead, the authors rederive these compatibility conditions using only curl and gradient operators, typical tools from vector calculus. Then, the core of the paper is devoted to the detailed analysis of special configurations, obtained by fixing some deformation fields to zero. All these configurations, however, have interesting geometrical and analytical properties which are largely explained. A series of appendices completes the work, where the proofs of the main theorems are developed and additional comments on the relations with the moving frames approach are mentioned. The paper is a research paper with a clearly specified goal. Consequently, the work is directed to researchers working in the field and preliminary knowledge about the description of liquid crystals and differential geometry of curves and surfaces is required. The exposition of the contents is well structured: the first two sections contain the vector calculus rederivation of compatibility conditions which are, then, employed in Section 4 to find special states of liquid crystals in \(\mathbb{R}^3\). The choice of postponing the proofs of the main theorems to the appendices facilitates the reading, avoiding the addition of longer formulae. The paper is very detailed and develops with great care all the examples. The readers who prefer a more intrinsic approach to differential geometry, however, should refer to the paper of {J. Pollard} and {G. P. Alexander} [loc. cit.]. The list of the examples has been properly chosen and organized: there is an increasing level of complexity in the presentation and many comments on the geometry of the different configurations which make the paper very accessible. The language and the style are appropriate, as well as the list of references which includes many works for a following in-depth analysis.