Abstract:
The general shape equation describing the forms of vesicles is a highly nonlinear partial differential equation for which only a few explicit solutions are known. These solvable cases are briefly reviewed and a new analytical solution which represents the class of the constant mean curvature surfaces is described. Pearling states of the tubular fluid membranes can be explained as a continuous deformation preserving membrane mean curvature.
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Received 2 February 2002 / Received in final form 4 February 2002 Published online 2 October 2002
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Mladenov, I. New solutions of the shape equation. Eur. Phys. J. B 29, 327–330 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1140/epjb/e2002-00310-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1140/epjb/e2002-00310-y