Instantaneous gelation in Smoluchowski's coagulation equation revisited.


Dr. Colm Connaughton,


(Mathematics Institute and Centre for Complexity Science, University of Warwick)


jueves 25 de noviembre de 2010



Abstract: We study the solutions of a regularised Smoluchowski coagulation equation with instantaneously gelling kernels. Regularisation is done by introducing a cut-off, $M_{\rm max}$, which physically corresponds to the removal from the system of clusters having mass greater than $M_{\rm max}$. Careful numerical simulations demonstrate that, for monodisperse initial data, the gelation time for $\nu>1$ {\em decreases} as $M_{\max}$ increases. This decrease is the signature of instantaneous gelation. It is, however, very slow (probably logarithmic) explaining previous difficulties in characterising the instantaneous gelation transition in simulations and justifying the use of instantaneously gelling kernels as physical models. We also consider solutions with a source of monomers which ultimately reach a stationary state. Approach to the stationary state is non-trivial. Oscillations result from the interplay between the monomer injection and the cut-off which decay very slowly when the cut-off is large.