Finite-Time Splash in Free Boundary Problem of 3D Neo-Hookean Elastodynamics

Abstract

This paper establishes finite-time splash singularity formation for 3D viscous incompressible neo-Hookean elastodynamics with free boundaries. The system features mixed stress-kinematic conditions where viscous-elastic stresses balance pressure forces at the evolving interface -- a configuration generating complex boundary integrals that distinguish it from Navier-Stokes or MHD systems. To address this challenge, we employ a Lagrangian framework inspired by Coutand and Shkoller (2019), developing specialized coordinate charts and constructing a sequence of shrinking initial domains with cylindrical necks connecting hemispherical regions to bases. Divergence-free initial velocity and deformation tensor fields are designed to satisfy exact mechanical compatibility. Uniform a priori estimates across the domain sequence demonstrate that interface evolution preserves local smoothness while developing finite-time self-intersection. Energy conservation provides foundational stability, while higher-order energy functionals yield scaling-invariant regularity control. The analysis proves inevitable splash singularity formation within explicitly bounded time, maintaining spatial smoothness near the singular point up to the intersection time.