Forced hyperbolic mean curvature flow (Q1932484)

The author studies two generalizations of hyperbolic mean curvature flow (HCMF) motivated from similar generalizations of the usual mean curvature flow (MCF). First, for a family of closed planar curves \(F:S^1\times [0,T)\to\mathbb{R}^2\) the author considers the evolution problem \[ {\partial^2 F\over\partial t^2}(u,t)=k(u,t)\vec N(u,t)-\nabla\rho-c(t)F(u,t),~~~~ (u,t)\in S^1\times [0,T) \] with \(F(u,0)=F_0(u)\) and \({\partial F\over\partial t}(u,0)=f(u)\vec N_0\), where \(k(u,t)\) and \(\vec N(u,t)\) denote the curvature and the unit inner normal vector of \(F(u,t)\). Furthermore, \(c(t)\) is a bounded continuous function and \(\nabla\rho\) depends on \(c(t)\) as well as first and second derivatives of \(F(u,t)\). The author establishes the existence of a short-time solution using the general theory of hyperbolic Monge-Ampère equations. In addition, an explicit example and some general properties of solutions \(F(u,t)\) are studied. It is shown that under several conditions the maximal time of existence is finite. In this case a singularity analysis of the solution \(F(\cdot,t)\) is performed as \(t\to T_{\max}\). Secondly, for an immersed \(n\)-dimensional hypersurface \(M\), the author considers the evolution problem \[ \frac{\partial^2 X}{\partial t^2}(x,t)=H(x,t)\vec N(u,t)+c_1(t)X(x,t), (x,t)\in M\times [0,T) \] with \(X(x,0)=X_0(x)\) and \(\frac{\partial X}{\partial t}(x,0)=X_1(x)\) for \(X:M\times[0,T)\to\mathbb{R}^{n+1}\). Here, \(\vec N(x,t)\) is the unit inner normal vector of the hypersurface and \(c_1(t)\) is a bounded continuous function. Under the additional assumption that \(M\) is compact, the author proves the existence of a unique, smooth short-time solution. This is achieved by a using a suitable DeTurck trick first and then applying the standard existence theory for hyperbolic equations. Moreover, the author studies an explicit example. Finally, the evolution of several energies under the flow are calculated.