49J45 Methods involving semicontinuity and convergence; relaxation
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Year of publication
- 2016 (2)
Language
- English (2)
Keywords
- Evolutionary Γ-convergence, gradient systems, homogeniza- tion, Cahn–Hilliard equation, evolutionary variational inequality, energy- dissipation principle, two-scale convergence. (1)
- Generalized gradient structure (1)
- energy-dissipation principle (1)
- evolutionary Γ-convergence (1)
- gradient system (1)
- large-deviation principle (1)
- relative entropy (1)
- variational evolution (1)
Project
- D-SE2 (2)
Application Area
- D (2)
Classical gradient systems have a linear relation between rates and driving forces. In generalized gradient systems we allow for arbitrary relations derived from general non-quadratic dissipation potentials. This paper describes two natural origins for these structures.
A first microscopic origin of generalized gradient structures is given by the theory of large-deviation principles. While Markovian diffusion processes lead to classical gradient structures, Poissonian jump processes give rise to cosh-type dissipation potentials.
A second origin arises via a new form of convergence, that we call EDP-convergence. Even when starting with classical gradient systems, where the dissipation potential is a quadratic functional of the rate, we may obtain a generalized gradient system in the evolutionary -limit. As examples we treat (i) the limit of a diffusion equation having a thin layer of low diffusivity, which leads to a membrane model, and (ii) the limit of difusion over a high barrier, which gives a reaction-diffusion system.
In these notes we discuss two approaches to evolutionary Γ- convergence of gradient systems in Hilbert spaces. The formulation of the gradient system is based on two functionals, namely the energy functional and the dissipation potential, which allows us to employ Γ- convergence methods. In the first approach we consider families of uni- formly convex energy functionals such that the limit passage of the time-dependent problems can be based on the theory of evolutionary variational inequalities as developed by Daneri and Savar ́e 2010. The second approach uses the equivalent formulation of the gradient system via the energy-dissipation principle and follows the ideas of Sandier and Serfaty 2004.
We apply both approaches to rigorously derive homogenization limits for Cahn–Hilliard-type equations. Using the method of weak and strong two-scale convergence via periodic unfolding, we show that the energy and dissipation functionals Γ-converge. In conclusion, we will give specific examples for the applicability of each of the two approaches.