We consider the class $S^m_\perp(Ω)$ of $m$-dimensional surfaces in $\barΩ \subset {\mathbb R}^n$ which intersect $S = \partial Ω$ orthogonally along the boundary. A piece of an affine $m$-plane in $S^m_\perp(Ω)$ is called an orthogonal slice. We prove estimates for the area by the $L^p$-integral of the second fundamental form in three cases: first when $Ω$ admits no orthogonal slices, second for $m = p = 2$ if all orthogonal slices are topological disks, and finally for all $Ω$ if the surfaces are confined to a neighborhood of $S$. The orthogonality constraint has a weak formulation for curvature varifolds. We classify those varifolds of vanishing curvature. As an application, we prove for any $Ω$ the existence of an orthogonal $2$-varifold which minimizes the $L^2$ curvature in the integer rectifiable class.
We consider the sharp interface limit of the Allen-Cahn equation with Dirichlet or dynamic boundary conditions and give a varifold characterization of its limit which is formally a mean curvature flow with Dirichlet or dynamic boundary conditions. In order to show the existence of the limit, we apply the phase field method under the vanishing on the boundary and the boundedness of the discrepancy measure. For this purpose, we extend the usual Brakke flow under these boundary conditions by the first variations for varifolds on the boundary.
We prove that the support of an $ m $ dimensional rectifiable varifold with a uniform lower bound on the density and bounded generalized mean curvature can be covered $ \mathscr{H}^{m} $ almost everywhere by a countable union of $m$ dimensional submanifolds of class $ \mathcal{C}^{2} $. We obtain this result using the notion of curvature of arbitrary closed sets originally developed in stochastic geometry and extending to our geometric setting techniques developed by Trudinger in the theory of viscosity solutions of PDE's.
We propose a new weak solution concept for (two-phase) mean curvature flow which enjoys both (unconditional) existence and (weak-strong) uniqueness properties. These solutions are evolving varifolds, just as in Brakke's formulation, but are coupled to the phase volumes by a simple transport equation. First, we show that, in the exact same setup as in Ilmanen's proof [J. Differential Geom. 38, 417-461, (1993)], any limit point of solutions to the Allen-Cahn equation is a varifold solution in our sense. Second, we prove that any calibrated flow in the sense of Fischer et al. [arXiv:2003.05478] -…
De Giorgi varifold solutions to Mean Curvature Flow: a minimizing movements approach
Institut für Mathematik & Interdisziplinäres Zentrum für Wissenschaftliches Rechnen, Universität Heidelberg(海德堡大学数学与跨学科科学计算中心);Dipartimento di Scienze Matematiche, Fisiche e Informatiche, Università degli Studi di Parma(帕尔马大学数学、物理与信息科学系)
We consider, in a first instance, the class of boundaries of sets with locally finite perimeter whose (weakly defined) mean curvature is $g ν$, for a given continuous positive ambient function $g$, and where $ν$ denotes the inner normal. It is well-known that taking limits in the sense of varifolds within this class is not possible in general, due to the appearence of "hidden boundaries", that is, portions (of positive measure with even multiplicity) on which the (weakly defined) mean curvature vanishes, so that $g$ does not prescribe the mean curvature in the limit. As a special instance of a…
In a previous paper we developed a regularity and compactness theory in Euclidean ambient spaces for codimension 1 weakly stable CMC integral varifolds satisfying two (necessary) structural conditions. Here we generalize this theory to the setting where the mean curvature (of the regular part of the varifold) is prescribed by a given $C^{1, α}$ ambient function $g$ and the ambient space is a general $(n+1)$-dimensional Riemannian manifold; we give general conditions that imply that the support of the varifold, away from a possible singular set of dimension $\leq n-7,$ is the image of a $C^{2}$…
In this work it is shown that every integral varifold in an open subset of Euclidian space of locally bounded first variation can be covered by a countable collection of submanifolds of class C^2. Moreover, the mean curvature of each member of the collection agrees with the mean curvature of the varifold almost everywhere with respect to the varifold.
We prove under suitable hypotheses that convergence of integral varifolds implies convergence of associated mod 2 flat chains and subsequential convergence of associated integer-multiplicity rectifiable currents. The convergence results imply restrictions on the kinds of singularities that can occur in mean curvature flow.
In this paper we deal with singular varieties of bounded mean curvature in the viscosity sense. They contain all varifolds of bounded generalized mean curvature. In the first part we investigate the second-order properties of these varieties, obtaining results that are new also in the varifold's setting. In particular we prove that the generalized normal bundle of these varieties satisfies a natural Lusin (N) condition, which allows to extend the classical Coarea formula for the Gauss map of smooth varieties, and to introduce for all integral varifolds of bounded mean curvature a natural defin…
We survey - by means of 20 examples - the concept of varifold, as generalised submanifold, with emphasis on regularity of integral varifolds with mean curvature, while keeping prerequisites to a minimum. Integral varifolds are the natural language for studying the variational theory of the area integrand if one considers, for instance, existence or regularity of stationary (or, stable) surfaces of dimension at least three, or the limiting behaviour of sequences of smooth submanifolds under area and mean curvature bounds.
This paper introduces first order Sobolev spaces on certain rectifiable varifolds. These complete locally convex spaces are contained in the generally nonlinear class of generalised weakly differentiable functions and share key functional analytic properties with their Euclidean counterparts. Assuming the varifold to satisfy a uniform lower density bound and a dimensionally critical summability condition on its mean curvature, the following statements hold. Firstly, continuous and compact embeddings of Sobolev spaces into Lebesgue spaces and spaces of continuous functions are available. Second…
We address the minimization of the Canham-Helfrich functional in presence of multiple phases. The problem is inspired by the modelization of heterogeneous biological membranes, which may feature variable bending rigidities and spontaneous curvatures. With respect to previous contributions, no symmetry of the minimizers is here assumed. Correspondingly, the problem is reformulated and solved in the weaker frame of oriented curvature varifolds. We present a lower semicontinuity result and prove existence of single- and multiphase minimizers under area and enclosed-volume constrains. Additionally…
The present paper is intended to provide the basis for the study of weakly differentiable functions on rectifiable varifolds with locally bounded first variation. The concept proposed here is defined by means of integration by parts identities for certain compositions with smooth functions. In this class the idea of zero boundary values is realised using the relative perimeter of superlevel sets. Results include a variety of Sobolev Poincaré type embeddings, embeddings into spaces of continuous and sometimes Hölder continuous functions, pointwise differentiability results both of approximate a…
In this work a local inequality is provided which bounds the distance of an integral varifold from a multivalued plane (height) by its tilt and mean curvature. The bounds obtained for the exponents of the Lebesgue spaces involved are shown to be sharp.
We prove a Poincaré, and a general Sobolev type inequalities for functions with compact support defined on a $k$-rectifiable varifold $V$ defined on a complete Riemannian manifold with positive injectivity radius and sectional curvature bounded above. Our techniques allow us to consider Riemannian manifolds $(M^n,g)$ with $g$ of class $C^2$ or more regular, avoiding the use of Nash's isometric embedding theorem. Our analysis permits to do some quite important fragments of geometric measure theory also for those Riemannian manifolds carrying a $C^2$ metric $g$, that is not $C^{k+α}$ with $k+α>2…
This paper proves that classical minimal surfaces of arbitrary topological type with total boundary curvature at most 4πmust be smoothly embedded. Related results are proved for varifolds and for soap film surfaces.
For a given family of smooth closed curves $γ^1,...,γ^α\subset\mathbb{R}^3$ we consider the problem of finding an elastic \emph{connected} compact surface $M$ with boundary $γ=γ^1\cup...\cupγ^α$. This is realized by minimizing the Willmore energy $\mathcal{W}$ on a suitable class of competitors. While the direct minimization of the Area functional may lead to limits that are disconnected, we prove that, if the infimum of the problem is $<4π$, there exists a connected compact minimizer of $\mathcal{W}$ in the class of integer rectifiable curvature varifolds with the assigned boundary conditions…
We prove a Gamma-convergence result for a family of bending energies defined on smooth surfaces in $\mathbb{R}^3$ equipped with a director field. The energies strongly penalize the deviation of the director from the surface unit normal and control the derivatives of the director. Such type of energies for example arise in a model for bilayer membranes introduced by Peletier and Röger [Arch. Ration. Mech. Anal. 193 (2009)]. Here we prove in three space dimensions in the vanishing-tilt limit a Gamma-liminf estimate with respect to a specific curvature energy. In order to obtain appropriate compa…
Let $(M^n,g)$ be simply connected, complete, with non-positive sectional curvatures, and $Σ$ a 2-dimensional closed integral current (or flat chain mod 2) with compact support in $M$. Let $S$ be an area minimising integral 3-current (resp. flat chain mod 2) such that $\partial S = Σ$. We use a weak mean curvature flow, obtained via elliptic regularisation, starting from $Σ$, to show that S satisfies the optimal Euclidean isoperimetric inequality: $ 6 \sqrtπ\, \mathbf{M}[S] \leq (\mathbf{M}[Σ])^{3/2} $. We also obtain an optimal estimate in case the sectional curvatures of M are bounded from ab…
We introduce a notion of vanishing Maslov index for lagrangian varifolds and lagrangian integral cycles in a Calabi-Yau manifold. We construct mass-decreasing flows of lagrangian varifolds and lagrangian cycles which satisfy this condition. The flow of cycles converges, at infinite time, to a sum of special lagrangian cycles (possibly with differing phases). We use the flow of cycles to obtain the fact that special lagrangian cycles generate the part of the lagrangian homology which lies in the image of the Hurewicz homomorphism. We also establish a weak version of a conjecture of Thomas-Yau r…
In this paper we prove the existence and uniqueness of the form-type Calabi-Yau equation on Kähler manifolds of nonnegative orthogonal bisectional curvature.
In this paper we prove classification results for gradient shrinking Ricci solitons under two invariant conditions, namely nonnegative orthogonal bisectional curvature and weakly PIC1, without any curvature bound. New results on ancient solutions for the Ricci and Kähler-Ricci flow are also obtained. The main new feature is that no curvature upper bound is assumed.
In this paper we prove a gap theorem for Kähler manifolds with nonnegative orthogonal bisectional curvature and nonnegative Ricci curvature, which generalizes an earlier result of the first author. We also prove a Liouville theorem for plurisubharmonic functions on such a manifolds, which generalizes a previous result of L.-F. Tam and the first author.
In this short note, using Siu-Yau's method [14], we give a new proof that any n-dimensional compact Kahler manifold with positive orthogonal bisectional curvature must be biholomorphic to $\mathbb{P}^n$.
In this short note we show the following result: Let $(M^{2n+1},g)$ ($n \geq 2$) be a compact Sasaki manifold with positive transverse orthogonal bisectional curvature. Then $π_1(M)$ is finite, and the universal cover of $(M^{2n+1},g)$ is isomorphic to a weighted Sasaki sphere. We also get some results in the case of nonnegative transverse orthogonal bisectional curvature under some additional conditions. This extends recent work of He and Sun. The proof uses Sasaki-Ricci flow.
In this paper, we prove that any complete shrinking gradient Kähler-Ricci solitons with positive orthogonal bisectional curvature must be compact. We also obtain a classification of the complete shrinking gradient Kähler-Ricci solitons with nonnegative orthogonal bisectional curvature.
In this article we study compact K\ahler manifolds satisfying a certain nonnegativity condition on the bisectional curvature. Under this condition, we show that the scalar curvature is nonnegative and that the first Chern class is positive assuming local irreducibility. We also obtain a partial classification of possible de Rham decompositions of the universal cover under this condition
In this paper, we study any Kähler manifold where the positive orthogonal bisectional curvature is preserved on the Kähler Ricci flow. Naturally, we always assume that the first Chern class $C_1$ is positive. In particular, we prove that any irreducible Kähler manifold with such property must be biholomorphic to $\mathbb{C}\mathbb{P}^n. $ This can be viewed as a generalization of Siu-Yau\cite{Siuy80}, Morri's solution \cite{Mori79} of the Frankel conjecture. According to [8], note that any Kähler manifold with 2-positive traceless bisectional curvature operator is preserved under Kahler Ricci …
We introduce the weighted orthogonal Ricci curvature -- a two-parameter version of Ni--Zheng's orthogonal Ricci curvature. This curvature serves as a very natural object in the study of the relationship between the Ricci curvature(s) and the holomorphic sectional curvature. In particular, in determining optimal curvature constraints for a compact Kähler manifold to be projective. In this direction, we prove a number of vanishing theorems using the weighted orthogonal Ricci curvature(s) in both the Kähler and Hermitian category.
We define the orthogonal Bakry-Émery tensor as a generalization of the orthogonal Ricci curvature, and then study diameter theorems on Kähler and quaternionic Kähler manifolds under positivity assumption on the orthogonal Bakry-Émery tensor. Moreover, under such assumptions on the orthogonal Bakry-Émery tensor and the holomorphic or quaternionic sectional curvature on a Kähler manifold or a quaternionic Kähler manifold respectively, the Bonnet-Myers type diameter bounds are sharper than in the Riemannian case.
Second order estimates on transition layers for the Allen-Cahn equation with homogeneous Neumann boundary conditions: Part I - Boundary-orthogonal transition layers
Chennai Mathematical Institute(金奈数学研究所);School of Mathematics, Hunan University(湖南大学数学学院);Department of Mathematics, University of Toronto(多伦多大学数学系)
In this paper we study the class of compact Kähler manifolds with positive orthogonal Ricci curvature: $Ric^\perp>0$. First we illustrate examples of Kähler manifolds with $Ric^\perp>0$ on Kähler C-spaces, and construct ones on certain projectivized vector bundles. These examples show the abundance of Kähler manifolds which admit metrics of $Ric^\perp>0$. Secondly we prove some (algebraic) geometric consequences of the condition $Ric^\perp>0$ to illustrate that the condition is also quite restrictive. Finally this last point is made evident with a classification result in dimension three and a…
We exhibit a curious link between the Quadratic Orthogonal Bisectional Curvature, combinatorics, and distance geometry. The Weitzenböck curvature operator, acting on real (1,1)--forms, is realized as the Dirichlet energy of a finite graph, weighted by a matrix of the curvature. These results also illuminate the difference in the nature of the Quadratic Orthogonal Bisectional Curvature and the Real Bisectional Curvature.
Cyclidic nets are introduced as discrete analogs of curvature line parametrized surfaces and orthogonal coordinate systems. A 2-dimensional cyclidic net is a piecewise smooth $C^1$-surface built from surface patches of Dupin cyclides, each patch being bounded by curvature lines of the supporting cyclide. An explicit description of cyclidic nets is given and their relation to the established discretizations of curvature line parametrized surfaces as circular, conical and principal contact element nets is explained. We introduce 3-dimensional cyclidic nets as discrete analogs of triply-orthogona…