On initial boundary value problems for variants of the Hunter-Saxton equation

The Hunter-Saxton equation serves as a mathematical model for orientation waves in a nematic liquid crystal. The present paper discusses a modified variant of this equation, coming up in the study of critical points for the speed of orientation waves, as well as a two-component extension. We establish well-posedness and blow-up results for some initial boundary value problems for the modified Hunter-Saxton equation and the two-component Hunter-Saxton system.