A fully Lagrangian meshfree framework for PDEs on evolving surfaces

Abstract We propose a novel framework to solve PDEs on moving manifolds, where the evolving surface is represented by a moving point cloud. This has the advantage of avoiding the need to discretize the bulk volume around the surface, while also avoiding the need to have a global mesh. Distortions in the point cloud as a result of the movement are fixed by local adaptation. We first establish a comprehensive Lagrangian framework for arbitrary movement of curves and surfaces given by point clouds. Collision detection algorithms between point cloud surfaces are introduced, which also allow the handling of evolving manifolds with topological changes. We then couple this Lagrangian framework with a meshfree Generalized Finite Difference Method (GFDM) to approximate surface differential operators, which together give a method to solve PDEs on evolving manifolds. The applicability of this method is illustrated with a range of numerical examples, which include advection-diffusion equations with large deformations of the surface, curvature dependent geometric motion, and wave equations on evolving surfaces.