Mean curvature flow of singular Riemannian foliations (Q2631029)

The paper studies the mean curvature flow equation with a regular leaf as initial datum in a singular Riemannian foliation on a compact Riemannian manifold. The results of the paper generalize results of \textit{X. Liu} and \textit{C.-L. Terng} [Duke Math. J. 147, No. 1, 157--179 (2009; Zbl 1172.53044)] and \textit{N. Koike} [Asian J. Math. 15, No. 1, 101--128 (2011; Zbl 1218.53071)]. Let \(\varphi\) be an immersion of a manifold \(L_0\) into a Riemannian manifold \(M\). Then a smooth family of immersions \(\varphi_t: L_0 \rightarrow M, t \in [0, T)\) is called a solution of the mean curvature flow (MCF for short) if \(\varphi_t\) satisfies the evolution equation \(\frac{d}{dt}\varphi_t = H(t)\), where \(H(t)\) is the mean curvature of the \(L(t): = \varphi_t(L_0)\). Morever, \(L_0\) is called the initial datum of the MCF \(\varphi_t\). The results of Liu-Terng [loc. cit.] and Koike [loc. cit.] say that if \(L\) is a given isoparametric submanifold of a sphere, Euclidean or compact symmetric space, then the MCF evolution with \(L\) as initial datum moves through the leaves of the foliation induced by \(L\). The paper generalizes the results of Liu-Terng [loc. cit.] and Koike [loc. cit.] to the generalized isoparametric foliations on compact Riemannian nonnegatively curved manifolds. Namely, the authors prove that the MCF with a regular leaf as initial datum has always finite time singularity for every isoparametric foliation on a compact nonnegatively curved space (Theorems 1.1 and 1.3). These results can be applied to study the foliations formed by isometric actions of a compact Lie group.