Regularized and Approximate Equations for Sharp Fronts in the Surface Quasi-Geostrophic Equation and its Generalizations

Abstract: We derive regularized contour dynamics equations for the motion of infinite sharp fronts in the two-dimensional incompressible Euler, surface quasi-geostrophic (SQG), and generalized surface quasi-geostrophic (gSQG) equations. We derive a cubic approximation of the contour dynamics equation and prove the short-time well-posedness of the approximate equations for generalized surface quasi-geostrophic fronts and weak well-posedness for surface quasi-geostrophic fronts.