Applied math. talk: Blowup rate estimates of a singular potential in the Landau-de Gennes theory for liquid crystals by Xiang Xu, Old Dominion University.

Abstract: The Landau-de Gennes theory is a type of continuum theory that
describes nematic liquid crystal configurations in the framework of the
Q-tensor order parameter. In the free energy, there is a singular bulk
potential which is considered as a natural enforcement of a physical
constraint on the eigenvalues of symmetric, traceless Q-tensors. In this
talk we shall discuss some analytic properties related to this singular
potential. More specifically, we provide precise estimates of both this
singular potential
and its gradient as the Q-tensor approaches its physical boundary.