A general pinching principle for mean curvature flow and applications

We prove a sharp pinching estimate for immersed mean convex solutions of mean curvature flow which unifies and improves all previously known pinching estimates, including the umbilic estimate of Huisken (J Differ Geom 20(1):237–266, 1984), the convexity estimates of Huisken–Sinestrari (Acta Math 183(1):45–70, 1999) and the cylindrical estimate of Huisken–Sinestrari (Invent Math 175(1):137–221, 2009; see also Andrews and Langford in Anal PDE 7(5):1091–1107, 2014; Huisken and Sinestrari in J Differ Geom 101(2):267–287, 2015). Namely, we show that the curvature of the solution pinches onto the convex cone generated by the curvatures of any shrinking cylinder solutions admitted by the initial data. For example, if the initial data is \((m+1)\)-convex, then the curvature of the solution pinches onto the convex hull of the curvatures of the shrinking cylinders \(\mathbb {R}^m\times S^{n-m}_{\sqrt{2(n-m)(1-t)}}\), \(t<1\). In particular, this yields a sharp estimate for the largest principal curvature, which we use to obtain a new proof of a sharp estimate for the inscribed curvature for embedded solutions (Brendle in Invent Math 202(1):217–237, 2015; Haslhofer and Kleiner in Int Math Res Not 15:6558–6561, 2015; Langford in Proc Am Math Soc 143(12):5395–5398, 2015). Making use of a recent idea of Huisken–Sinestrari (2015), we then obtain a series of sharp estimates for ancient solutions. In particular, we obtain a convexity estimate for ancient solutions which allows us to strengthen recent characterizations of the shrinking sphere due to Huisken–Sinestrari (2015) and Haslhofer–Hershkovits (Commun Anal Geom 24(3):593–604, 2016).     

Nonfattening of Mean Curvature Flow at Singularities of Mean Convex Type

We show that a mean curvature flow starting from a compact, smoothly embedded hypersurface M ⊆ ℝ^{n + 1} remains unique past singularities, provided the singularities are of mean convex type, i.e., if around each singular point, the surface moves in one direction. Specifically, the level set flow of M does not fatten if all singularities are of mean convex type. We further show that assumptions of the theorem hold provided all blowup flows are of the kind appearing in a mean convex flow, i.e., smooth, multiplicity 1 , and convex. Our results generalize the well-known fact that the level set flow of a mean convex initial hypersurface M does not fatten. They also provide the first instance where nonfattening is concluded from local information around the singular set or from information about the singularity profiles of a flow. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Rate of convergence of the mean curvature flow

We study the flow M_t of a smooth, strictly convex hypersurface by its mean curvature in ?^{n + 1}. The surface remains smooth and convex, shrinking monotonically until it disappears at a critical time T and point x^* (which is due to Huisken). This is equivalent to saying that the corresponding rescaled mean curvature flow converges to a sphere Sⁿ of radius √n. In this paper we will study the rate of exponential convergence of a rescaled flow. We will present here a method that tells us that the rate of the exponential decay is at least 2/n. We can define the “arrival time” u of a smooth, strictly convex, n‐dimensional hypersurface as it moves with normal velocity equal to its mean curvature via u(x) = t if x ∈ M_t for x ∈ Int(M₀). Huisken proved that, for n ≥ 2, u(x) is C² near x^*. The case n = 1 has been treated by Kohn and Serfaty [11]; they proved C³‐regularity of u. As a consequence of the obtained rate of convergence of the mean curvature flow, we prove that u is not necessarily C³ near x^* for n ≥ 2. We also show that the obtained rate of convergence 2/n, which arises from linearizing a mean curvature flow, is the optimal one, at least for n ≥ 2. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Contraction of convex hypersurfaces in Euclidean space

We consider a class of fully nonlinear parabolic evolution equations for hypersurfaces in Euclidean space. A new geometrical lemma is used to prove that any strictly convex compact initial hypersurface contracts to a point in finite time, becoming spherical in shape as the limit is approached. In the particular case of the mean curvature flow this provides a simple new proof of a theorem of Huisken.This work was carried out while the author was supported by an Australian Postgraduate Research Award and an ANUTECH scholarship.     

Mean Curvature Flow with Convex Gauss Image

In this paper,the mean curvature flow of complete submanifolds in Euclidean space with convex Gauss image and bounded curvature is studied.The confinable property of the Gauss image under the mean curvature flow is proved,which in turn helps one to obtain the curvature estimates.Then the author proves a long time existence result.The asymptotic behavior of these solutions when t→∞is also studied.     

A NOTE ON THE MEAN CURVATURE FLOW IN RIEMANNIAN MANIFOLDS

Under the hypothesis of mean curvature flows of hypersurfaces, we prove that the limit of the smooth rescaling of the singularity is weakly convex. It is a generalization of the result due to G.Huisken and C. Sinestrari in. These apriori bounds are satisfied for mean convex hypersurfaces in locally symmetric Riemannian manifolds with nonnegative sectional curvature.     

Evolution of nonparametric surfaces with speed depending on curvature II. The mean curvature case

We consider an evolution which starts as a flow of smooth surfaces in nonparametric form propagating in space with normal speed equal to the mean curvature of the current surface. The boundaries of the surfaces are assumed to remain fixed. G. Huisken has shown that if the boundary of the domain over which this flow is considered satisfies the “mean curvature” condition of H. Jenkins and J. Serrin (that is, the boundary of the domain is convex “in the mean”) then the corresponding initial boundary value problem with Dirichlet boundary data and smooth initial data admits a smooth solution for all time. In this paper we consider the case of arbitrary domains with smooth boundaries not necessarily satisfying the condition of Jenkins-Serrin. In this case, even if the flow starts with smooth initial data and homogeneous Dirichlet boundary data, singularities may develop in finite time at the boundary of the domain and the solution will not satisfy the boundary condition. We prove, however, existence of solutions that are smooth inside the domain for all time and become smooth up to the boundary after elapsing of a sufficiently long period of time. From that moment on such solutions assume the boundary values in the classical sense. We also give sufficient conditions that guarantee the existence of classical solutions for all time t ≧ 0. In addition, we establish estimates of the rate at which solutions tend to zero as t → ∞.     

Starshaped hypersurfaces and the mean curvature flow

Under the assumption of two a-priori bounds for the mean curvature, we are able to generalize a recent result due to Huisken and Sinestrari [8], valid for mean convex surfaces, to a much larger class. In particular we will demonstrate that these a-priori bounds are satisfied for a class of surfaces including meanconvex as well as starshaped surfaces and a variety of manifolds that are close to them. This gives a classification of the possible singularities for these surfaces in the casen=2. In addition we prove that under certain initial conditions some of them become mean convex before the first singularity occurs.     

Starshaped hypersurfaces¶and the mean curvature flow

Under the assumption of two a-priori bounds for the mean curvature, we are able to generalize a recent result due to Huisken and Sinestrari [8], valid for mean convex surfaces, to a much larger class. In particular we will demonstrate that these a-priori bounds are satisfied for a class of surfaces including meanconvex as well as starshaped surfaces and a variety of manifolds that are close to them. This gives a classification of the possible singularities for these surfaces in the case n= 2. In addition we prove that under certain initial conditions some of them become mean convex before the first singularity occurs. Received: 6 June 1997 / Revised version: 24 October 1997     

On an extension of the H k mean curvature flow

In this note,we generalize an extension theorem in [Le-Sesum] and [Xu-Ye-Zhao] of the mean curvature flow to the Hk mean curvature flow under some extra conditions.The main difficulty in proving the extension theorem is to find a suitable version of Michael-Simon inequality for the Hk mean curvature flow,and to do a suitable Moser iteration process.These two problems are overcome by imposing some extra conditions which may be weakened or removed in our forthcoming paper.On the other hand,we derive some estimates for the generalized mean curvature flow,which have their own interesting.     

Mean Curvature Flow via Convex Functions on Grassmannian Manifolds

Using the convex functions on Grassmannian manifolds, the authors obtain the interior estimates for the mean curvature flow of higher codimension. Confinable properties of Gauss images under the mean curvature flow have been obtained, which reveal that if the Gauss image of the initial submanifold is contained in a certain sublevel set of the v-function, then all the Gauss images of the submanifolds under the mean curvature flow are also contained in the same sublevel set of the v-function. Under such restrictions, curvature estimates in terms of v-function composed with the Gauss map can be carried out.     

Mean curvature flow with a forcing term in minkowski space

We study the forced mean curvature flow of graphs in Minkowski space and prove longtime existence of solutions. When the forcing term is a constant, we prove convergence to either a constant mean curvature hypersurface or a translating soliton – depending on the boundary conditions at infinity. It is a pleasure to thank my PhD advisors Klaus Ecker and Gerhard Huisken for their assistance and encouragement. I also thank Maria Athanassenas, Oliver Schnürrer and Marty Ross for their interest and useful comments, and the Max Planck Gesellschaft for financial support.     

The $epsiv;-Regularized Mean Curvature Flow in One Dimension Space

The evolutionary motion of surfaces or curves by their meancurvature has found much interest during the last years. The problem withmean curvature flow is that singularities can appear during the evolutioneven if the initial surface is convex. To prove the existence of a viscositysolution u of the mean curvature flow, Evans and Spruck [4] builtthe -regularized mean curvature flow. For practicalpurposes, i.e., numerical computations, it would be interesting to knowhow fast the solution of the regularized problem converges to the viscocitysolution of the original problem. The goal in this paper is to presentsome results concerning the -regularized mean curvatureflow in the one-dimension space. It is proved that there exists anasymptotic expansion of the solution of the regularized problem, in powers of theparameter , such that the first term of the asymptoticexpansion is the viscosity solution of the mean curvature flow problem.Moreover, that this asymptotic expansion is true in appropriate topologies,in particular in weighted Sobolev spaces is proved. Finally, an estimateof the rate of convergence in these topologies is given.     

Mean curvature flow singularities for mean convex surfaces

We study the evolution by mean curvature of a smooth n–dimensional surface , compact and with positive mean curvature. We first prove an estimate on the negative part of the scalar curvature of the surface. Then we apply this result to study the formation of singularities by rescaling techniques, showing that there exists a sequence of rescaled flows converging to a smooth limit flow of surfaces with nonnegative scalar curvature. This gives a classification of the possible singular behaviour for mean convex surfaces in the case . Received July 11,1997 / Accepted November 14, 1997     

Convexity estimates for a nonhomogeneous mean curvature flow

We study the evolution of a closed immersed hypersurface whose speed is given by a function f(H){\phi(H)} (H) of the mean curvature asymptotic to H/ ln H for large H. Compared with other nonlinear functions of the curvatures, this speed has some good properties which allow for an easier study of the formation of singularities in the nonconvex case. We prove apriori estimates showing that any surface with positive mean curvature at the initial time becomes asymptotically convex near a singularity. Similar estimates also hold for the mean curvature flow; for the flow considered here they admit a simpler proof based only on the maximum principle.     

On the Conditions of Extending Mean Curvature Flow

The authors consider a family of smooth immersions F(·,t):Mn → Rn+1 of closed hypersurfaces in Rn+1 moving by the mean curvature flow F∈(pt,t)=-H(p,t)·ν(p,t) for t ∈ [0,T).They show that if the norm of the second fundamental form is bounded above by some power of mean curvature and the certain subcritical quantities concerning the mean curvature integral are bounded,then the flow can extend past time T.The result is similar to that in [6-9].     

Error analysis of finite element approximations of the inverse mean curvature flow arising from the general relativity

This paper proposes and analyzes a finite element method for a nonlinear singular elliptic equation arising from the black hole theory in the general relativity. The nonlinear equation, which was derived and analyzed by Huisken and Ilmanen in (J Diff Geom 59:353–437), represents a level set formulation for the inverse mean curvature flow describing the evolution of a hypersurface whose normal velocity equals the reciprocal of its mean curvature. We first propose a finite element method for a regularized flow which involves a small parameter ɛ; a rigorous analysis is presented to study well-posedness and convergence of the scheme under certain mesh-constraints, and optimal rates of convergence are verified. We then prove uniform convergence of the finite element solution to the unique weak solution of the nonlinear singular elliptic equation as the mesh size h and the regularization parameter ɛ both tend to zero. Computational results are provided to show the efficiency of the proposed finite element method and to numerically validate the “jumping out” phenomenon of the weak solution of the inverse mean curvature flow. Numerical studies are presented to evidence the existence of a polynomial scaling law between the mesh size h and the regularization parameter ɛ for optimal convergence of the proposed scheme. Finally, a numerical convergence study for another approach recently proposed by R. Moser (The inverse mean curvature flow and p-harmonic functions. preprint U Bath, 2005) for approximating the inverse mean curvature flow via p-harmonic functions is also included.     

Global C2‐Estimates for Convex Solutions of Curvature Equations

We establish a C² a priori estimate for convex hypersurfaces whose principal curvatures κ=(κ₁,…, κ_n) satisfy σ_k(κ(X))=f(X,ν(X)), the Weingarten curvature equation. We also obtain such an estimate for admissible 2‐convex hypersurfaces in the case k=2. Our estimates resolve a longstanding problem in geometric fully nonlinear elliptic equations.© 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

A Relation between Mean Curvature Flow Solitons and Minimal Submanifolds

We derive a one to one correspondence between conformal solitons of the mean curvature flow in an ambient space N and minimal submanifolds in a different ambient space where equals ℝ × N equipped with a warped product metric and show that a submanifold inN converges to a conformal soliton under the mean curvature flow in N if and only if its associatedsubmanifold in converges to a minimal submanifold under a rescaled mean curvature flow in . We then define a notion of stability for conformal solitons and obtain L^p estimates as well as pointwise estimates for the curvature of stable solitons.