Fig 2. Dynamic evolution of mechanical degrees of freedom and survival probability for CCMV shell.

Panel (a) exemplifies the dynamics of Hertzian deformation x _H and beam-bending deformation x _b vs. X in the Hertzian regime I and in the transition regime II. Model calculations are performed using parameter values obtained from the fit of theoretical FX-curves to the simulated average FX-spectra for CCMV nanoindentation along the 2-fold symmetry axis (Table 1). The solid curves correspond to the exact method of parameter estimation; the dashed and dashed-dotted curves are for the (piece-wise) approximate method of estimation. Snapshots exemplify the local flattening of CCMV structure under the tip for X = 1 nm and 5 nm deformation. Panel (b) displays the results of overlap function χ-based estimation of the survival probability s(X) from simulations of CCMV nanoindentation (ν _f = 1.0 μm/s, R _tip = 20 nm, and κ = 0.05 N/m; S3a Fig) along the 2-fold (red), quasi-3-fold (blue), and quasi-2-fold symmetry axes (green). The theoretical profiles of s(X) (solid curves; see Eq (16)) are compared with the simulated profiles of χ(X) (data points; see Eq (15)). The model parameters are summarized in Table 1. The values of $x_H^{max}$ are obtained using Lagrange multipliers and the approximate method of parameter estimation (see Discussion).