Look at that thin film go! Wave structures in thin film flow driven by gravity and surfactant (Rachel Levy, NCSU)
Abstract:  Thin liquid films are found in both industrial and biological settings. We consider a system of two partial differential equations (PDEs) that model a thin film flowing down a solid surface. One PDE describes the height of the film, the other describes the concentration of surfactant, a chemical that acts as a driving force on the surface of the film by affecting the surface tension. As the film flows down the surface, interesting wave structures develop. We explain the complicated structures with both analytical and numerical solutions of the PDEs.

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This is an abstract of a talk to be presented at the 2004 SEAMS Workshop in Charleston, SC. For more information, visit the workshop's homepage at math.cofc.edu/SEAMS.