Geometric flows and differential Harnack estimates for heat equations with potentials (Q2450919)

Let \(M\) be a closed Riemannian manifold with a Riemannian metric \(g_{ij}(t)\) evolving by a geometric flow \[ \frac{\partial}{\partial t} g_{ij}=-2S_{ij}, \] where \(S_{ij}(t)\) is a symmetric two-tensor on \((M,g(t))\). The typical example is the case where \(S_{ij}= R_{ij}\) is the Ricci tensor and \(g(t)\) is a solution of the Ricci flow. Suppose that \(S_{ij}\) satisfies the tensor inequality \(2\mathcal{H}(S,X)+\mathcal{E}(S,X) \geq 0\) for all vector fields \(X\) on \(M\). Here \(\mathcal{H}(S,X)\) and \(\mathcal{E}(S,X)\) are as follows: \[ \mathcal{I}(S,X) = (R^{ij} - S^{ij})X_i X_j, \] \[ \mathcal{H} (S, X) = \frac{\partial S}{\partial t} + \frac{S}{t} + 2\nabla_i S X^i + 2 S^{ij} X_i X_j, \] \[ \mathcal{E}(S, X) = \left(\frac{\partial S}{\partial t} -\Delta S - 2 | S_{ij} | ^2 \right) - 2 (2 \nabla^i S_{i \ell} - \nabla_\ell S ) X^\ell + 2 \mathcal{I}(S, X), \] for a vector field \(X= X^i \frac{\partial}{ \partial x^i}\) on \(M\) and the usual index conventions. The author proves differential Harnack estimates for positive solutions to time-dependent forward heat equations with potentials. In the case where \(S_{ij}=R_{ij}\), the results correspond to those proved by \textit{X. Cao} and \textit{R. S. Hamilton} [Geom. Funct. Anal. 19, No. 4, 989--1000 (2009; Zbl 1183.53059)]. Moreover, in the case where the Ricci flow coupled with harmonic map heat flow introduced by \textit{R. Müller} [Ann. Sci. Éc. Norm. Supér. (4) 45, No. 1, 101--142 (2012; Zbl 1247.53082)], these results derive new differential Harnack estimates. The author describes new entropies which are monotone under the above geometric flow.