Curve shortening flow in arbitrary dimensional Euclidean space (Q2581199)

Let \(\gamma: S^1\to R^\ell\) be an immersion and denote \(T=\partial\gamma/\partial s\), where \(s\) is the arc-length parameter. To seek solutions of the equation \(\frac{\partial\gamma}{\partial t}=\overline k\), \(\gamma(\cdot,0) =\gamma_0(\cdot)\), is referred to as the curve shortening problem, where \(\overline k\) is the first vector of the Frenet frame along \(\gamma\). Writing \(\overline k\) \(( =\partial T/\partial S) = k\times N\), \(k\geq 0\), \(N\) is not always defined, but \textit{M. Gage} and \textit{R. Hamilton} [J. Differ. Geom. 23, 69--96 (1986; Zbl 0621.53001)] proved its existence in a short time interval. In this paper the long time existence theorem is presented which states that if \(k\) is bounded on a time interval \([0,\alpha)\), then there exists \(\varepsilon> 0\) such that \(\gamma(\cdot,t)\) exists and is smooth on the extended interval \([0,\alpha+\varepsilon)\). With regard to the time when the curve shortening blows out, it is shown here that this must occur at finite time, which can be estimated under certain conditions. It is stated as follows: Assume \(\gamma(\cdot t)\) exists in \([0,t_{\infty})\). Then it holds that \(\frac1{2M_0}\leq t_\infty<\frac{\ell^2(0)}{8\pi^2}\), where \(M_0=\sup_Sk(\cdot,0)\) and \(\ell(0)\) the length of the initial curve \(\gamma_0(\,,\,)\).