Modelling Virus Contact Mechanics under Atomic Force Imaging Conditions
Abstract
In this paper we present a discrete model governing the deformation of a convex regular polygon subjected not to cross a given flat rigid surface, on which it initially lies in correspondence of one point only. First, we set up the model in the form of a set of variational inequalities posed over a non-empty, closed and convex subset of a suitable Euclidean space. Secondly, we show the existence and uniqueness of the solution. The model provides a simplified illustration of processes involved in virus imaging by atomic force microscopy: adhesion to a surface, distributed strain, relaxation to a shape that balances adhesion and elastic forces. The analysis of numerical simulations results based on this model opens a new way of estimating the contact area and elastic parameters in virus contact mechanics studies.
Cite
@article{arxiv.2112.15340,
title = {Modelling Virus Contact Mechanics under Atomic Force Imaging Conditions},
author = {Paolo Piersanti and Kristen White and Bogdan Dragnea and Roger Temam},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2112.15340},
year = {2022}
}