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SUMMARY:Two amusing problems in geometry and topology - Goldstein\, R E (D
 AMPT\, University of Cambridge)
DTSTART:20121127T113000Z
DTEND:20121127T123000Z
UID:TALK41663@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Mustapha Amrani
DESCRIPTION:This lecture will provide two extended discussions of mathemat
 ical problems with strong physical content. The first concerns the dynamic
 s of topological rearrangements of soap films under slow deformation of th
 eir boundaries. Through a combination of theory and experiment we illustra
 te some fascinating new phenomena involving reconnection of Plateau border
 s and finite-time singularities. Some conjectures are advance on the simpl
 est dynamical models for such behaviour. The second problem of interest is
  the shape of a ponytail\, which we show involves understanding the statis
 tical physics of quenched random curvatures. A density functional theory o
 f hair fibre bundles is constructed that leads to a 'Ponytail Shape Equati
 on' whose solutions describe the envelope of a hair bundle in terms of an 
 equivalent single fibre subject to a radial pressure arising from those ra
 ndom curvatures. Comparison with experimental observations allows for the 
 extraction of the 'equation of state' of hair.\n\n\n
LOCATION:Seminar Room 1\, Newton Institute
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