IRENE: a fluId layeR finitE-elemeNt softwarE
Abstract
We present a finite-element software library, IRENE, which allows to solve numerically the dynamics of a viscous fluid layer embedded in three-dimensional space. Unlike finite-element libraries present in the literature, IRENE can handle two-dimensional open surfaces with a wide range of boundary conditions, and inter-surface obstacles with any shapes, and is built upon the user-friendly and versatile finite element computational software (FEniCS). Also, the library can describe a wide range of physical regimes--both low-Reynolds-number and inertia-dominated ones--capturing the complex coupling between in-plane flows, out-of-plane deformations, surface tension, and elastic response. We validate IRENE against known analytical and numerical results, and demonstrate its capabilities through physical examples. Overall, IRENE provides a versatile and efficient tool for understanding fluid-layer dynamics on multiple physical scales, from flows of lipidic membranes on a microscopic level, to fluid flows on a macroscopic scale, to atmospheric air flows on a planetary level.
Cite
@article{arxiv.2506.17827,
title = {IRENE: a fluId layeR finitE-elemeNt softwarE},
author = {Dennis Wörthmüller and Gaetano Ferraro and Pierre Sens and Michele Castellana},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2506.17827},
year = {2025}
}