Special Session 126: Defects, Microstructures, and Failure: Multiscale Variational Models

Analysis of a Nonlocal Variational Model for Pattern Formation in Biomembranes
Anastasija Pesic
WIAS Berlin
Germany
Co-Author(s):    Sara Daneri, Eris Runa
Abstract:
In this talk, we present a variational model motivated by lipid raft formation in cellular membranes. The energy combines a short-range attractive interaction, modeled by a Modica--Mortola term, with a long-range repulsive interaction given by a Yukawa kernel. We study minimizers of this functional in a certain parameter regime, in which the competition between these two effects leads to pattern formation. We will present a new $\Gamma$-convergence result. This talk is based on a joint work with Sara Daneri and Eris Runa.