Variational evolution problems and nonlocal geometric motion (Q1302138)

The authors consider two variational evolution problems related to Monge-Kantorovich mass transfer. These problems provide models for collapsing sandpiles and for compression molding. The authors prove the following connection between these problems and nonlocal geometric curvature motion: The distance functions to surfaces moving according to certain nonlocal geometric laws are solutions of the variational evolution problems. Thus the authors do the first step of the proof of heuristics developed in earlier works. The main techniques which are used are differential-equation methods in the Monge-Kantorovich theory.