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SUMMARY:Hyperbolic geometry in liquid crystalline interfaces - Giomi\, L (
 SISSA)
DTSTART:20130626T084500Z
DTEND:20130626T093000Z
UID:TALK45987@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Almarie Williams
DESCRIPTION:Fluid interfaces\, such as soap films\, liquid droplets\, or l
 ipid membranes\, are known to give rise to several special geometries\, wh
 ose complexity and beauty continue to fascinate us\, as observers of the n
 atural world\, and challenge us as scientists. Here I show that a special 
 class of surfaces of constant negative Gaussian curvature can be obtained 
 in fluid interfaces equipped with an orientational ordered phase. These ar
 ise in various soft and biological materials\, such as nematic liquid crys
 tals\, cytoskeletal assemblies\, or hexatic colloidal suspensions. The pur
 ely hyperbolic morphology originates from the competition between surface 
 tension\, that reduces the area of the interface at the expense of increas
 ing its Gaussian curvature\, and the orientational elasticity of the order
 ed phase\, that in turn suffers for the distortion induced by the underlyi
 ng curvature.
LOCATION:Centre for Mathematical Sciences\, Meeting Room 2
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