Figure 3.

Rupture of the inner tube directly, by way of a WLM intermediate at (top: A and B) $\sigma =0.387\kappa /d^2$ and (bottom: C and D) $\sigma =0.129\kappa /d^2$. This pathway is functionally the same as the sNT pathway presented earlier: (left: A and C) the inner NT locally constricts, forms a WLM that elongates only at high tension, i.e., (A); then (right: B and D) the WLM thins and ruptures, resulting in two capped tubes. For the elongated WLM in (A), WLM rupture occurs at one of the connection sites (B), followed by WLM retraction, whereas the short stalk-like WLM in (C) simply ruptures in the middle (D). See also Video S1. The outer tube has been made transparent.