Variational and Free Boundary Problems (The IMA Volumes in Mathematics and its Applications)

This volume contains articles based on recent research in Variational and Free Boundary Problems collected by the Institute for Mathematics and its Applications. The collection as a whole concentrates on novel applications of variational methods to applied problems. The book provides a wide cross section of current research in far growing areas. The articles are based on models which arise in phase transitions, in elastic/ plastic contact problems, Hele-Shaw cells, crystal growth, variational formulation of computer vision models, magneto-hydrodynamics, bubble growth, hydrodynamics (jets and cavities), and in stochastic control and economics. They present mathematical methods which can be further extended and developed for other models. The book should be of interest both to mathematicians and to engineers who are working with mathematical models.