This monograph covers a multitude of concepts, results, and research topics originating from a classical moving-boundary problem in two dimensions (idealized Hele-Shaw flows, or classical Laplacian growth), which has strong connections to many exciting modern developments in mathematics and theoretical physics. Of particular interest are the relations between Laplacian growth and the infinite-size limit of ensembles of random matrices with complex eigenvalues; integrable hierarchies of differential equations and their spectral curves; classical and stochastic Loewner evolution and critical phenomena in two-dimensional statistical models; weak solutions of hyperbolic partial differential equations of singular-perturbation type; and resolution of singularities for compact Riemann surfaces with anti-holomorphic involution. The book also provides an abundance of exact classical solutions, many explicit examples of dynamics by conformal mapping as well as a solid foundation of potential theory. An extensive bibliography covering over twelve decades of results and an introduction rich in historical and biographical details complement the eight main chapters of this monograph.

Given its systematic and consistent notation and background results, this book provides a self-contained resource. It is accessible to a wide readership, from beginner graduate students to researchers from various fields in natural sciences and mathematics.


This monograph presents recent and new ideas arising from the study of problems of planar fluid dynamics, and which are interesting from the point of view of geometric function theory and potential theory. the book is concerned with geometric problems for Hele-Shaw flows. Additionally, Hele-Shaw flows on parameter spaces are discussed, and connections with string theory are revealed. Assumes a graduate level understanding of real and complex analysis, and fluid mechanics.