Topological defects in dispersed words and worlds around liquid crystals, or liquid crystal drops

The structure of dispersed liquid crystal droplets elasticity, surface tension, and surface anchoring. For sufficiently large droplets with radius R K / W a, where K is the bulk elastic constant and W a is the anchoring coefficient, the surface terms prevail. As a result, the equilibrium states of large droplets contain topologically stable defects. Application of topological theorems to and hedgehogs is reviewed. is controlled by a balance of the bulk defect structures, e.g. monopoles, boojums