Embedded self-similar shrinkers of genus 0 (Q280111)

The paper under review deals with self-similar shrinking solutions to the mean curvature flow in \(\mathbb R^3\). By definition, a surface \(M\) in \(\mathbb R^3\) is a self-similar shrinker if its position vector \(x\), unit normal \(\nu\) and mean curvature \(H\) satisfy \(H=\frac{1}{2}\langle x, \nu\rangle\) so that the evolution of \(M\) by the mean curvature flow is represented by homotheties in \(\mathbb R^3\). The round sphere of radius \(2\) centered at the origin is the simplest example of a compact self-similar shrinker in \(\mathbb R^3\). There exist other examples [\textit{S. B. Angenent}, Prog. Nonlinear Differ. Equ. Appl. 7, 21--38 (1992, Zbl 0762.53028); \textit{G. Drugan}, Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 367, No. 5, 3139--3159 (2015, Zbl 1364.53062); \textit{S. Kleene} and \textit{N.M. Moller}, ibid. 366, No. 8, 3943--3963 (2014, Zbl 1301.53063)], however it is conjectured that the sphere is the only embedded compact self-similar shrinker of genus 0. The main result of the paper confirms this conjecture. Theorem 1. Let \(M\) be a compact embedded self-similar shrinker of genus 0 in \(\mathbb R^3\). Then \(M\) is a round sphere. The non-compact case is treated too, and the following statement is proved: Theorem 2. Let \(M\) be a properly embedded self-similar shrinker in \(\mathbb R^3\). Suppose that any two loops in \(M\) have vanishing intersection number mod 2. Then \(M\) is a round sphere or a cylinder or a plane. By the way, the proved theorem confirms two conjectures of T. Ilmanen, namely the Wiggly Plane Conjecture and the Planar Domain Conjecture.