Computational and qualitative aspects of motion of plane curves with a curvature adjusted tangential velocity

Abstract

In this paper, we investigate a time‐dependent family of plane closed Jordan curves evolving in the normal direction with a velocity that is assumed to be a function of the curvature, tangential angle, and position vector of a curve. We follow the direct approach and analyze the system of governing PDEs for relevant geometric quantities. We focus on a class of the so‐called curvature adjusted tangential velocities for computation of the curvature driven flow of plane closed curves. Such a curvature adjusted tangential velocity depends on the modulus of the curvature and its curve average. Using the theory of abstract parabolic equations, we prove local existence, uniqueness, and continuation of classical solutions to the system of governing equations. We furthermore analyze geometric flows for which normal velocity may depend on global curve quantities such as the length, enclosed area, or total elastic energy of a curve. We also propose a stable numerical approximation scheme on the basis of the flowing finite volume method. Several computational examples of various nonlocal geometric flows are also presented in this paper. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.