A new entropy formula for the linear heat equation (Q543306)

Let \(M\) be an \(n\)-dimensional complete manifold. Given \(K\geq 0\) and \(\tau>0\), we define \[ W_K(f,\tau):=\int_M \left(\frac{e^{2K\tau}-1}{2K}|\nabla f|^2 +f + \frac{n}{2}\left(\log\frac{2K\tau} {e^{2K\tau}-1}- \frac{e^{2K\tau}-1}{2K}\right) -n\right)\times \frac{e^{-f}}{(4\pi\tau)^{n/2}} dV, \] where \[ \int_M \frac{e^{-f}}{(4\pi\tau)^{n/2}} dV=1. \] \linebreak The author proves a monotone formula for \(W_K(f,\tau)\), along with the heat equation on closed manifolds with Ricci curvature is bounded from below by \(-K\). He derives a differential Harnack inequality of the heat kernel. Moreover, he proves that \[ \mu_K(\tau) := \inf\{W_K(f, \tau): \int_M \frac{e^{-f}}{(4\pi\tau)^{n/2}} dV=1\} \] is a monotonic decreasing function of \(\tau\) and deduces an estimate from below of the heat kernel. Finally, he obtains that \(\lim_{\tau \to 0} \mu_K(\tau)=0\). These results generalize [\textit{L. Ni}, J. Geom. Anal. 14, No. 1, 87--100 (2004; Zbl 1044.58030)], where the case \(K=0\) was treated.