The harmonic mean curvature flow of nonconvex surfaces in R^3
The authors consider the following PDE: \[ (\partial t.F^k)+\kappa\nu^k=0\tag{1} \] where \(F^k=F^k(t,u^a)\), is a family of parametric equations for embeddings \(F_t:\Sigma^2\to{\mathbb R}^3\) of a \(2\)-dimensional, convex, star-shaped, compact surface \(\Sigma^2\) into \({\mathbb R}^3\), with \((u^a)_{1\leq a\leq 2}\) local coordinates on \(\Sigma^2\) and \((x^k)_{1\leq k\leq 3}\), coordinates in \({\mathbb R}^3\). \(\kappa=\kappa(t,u^a)\equiv \text{Gauss curvature}/\text{mean curvature}\) denotes the so-called \textit{harmonic mean curvature} of \(\Sigma_t\equiv F_t(\Sigma^2)\subset{\mathbb R}^3\). \(\nu=\nu^k\partial x_k\) is the unitary normal vector field on \(\Sigma_t\). In this paper the mean curvature is assumed to be positive. The main result concerns the existence of solutions \(\Sigma_t^\epsilon\) for short time starting from a \(\Sigma^2\) of class \(C^{2,1}\) and a maximal time \(T_\epsilon\) of existence of a smooth solution such that the mean curvature goes to zero as \(t\to T_\epsilon\) at some point of \(\Sigma_t^\epsilon\), or \(\Sigma_t^\epsilon\) shrinks to a point as \(t\to T_\epsilon\). In the particular case where \(\Sigma^2\) is a surface of revolution, the flow always exists up to the time when the surface shrinks to a point. The paper, after a detailed introduction, splits into four more sections. 2. Short time existence. 3: Long time existence for the \(\epsilon\)-flow. 4. Passing to the limit \(\epsilon\to 0\). 5. Radial case. Remark. It is interesting to recast this problem in the framework for geometric theory of PDE's, i.e., to implement this problem on a trivial vector fiber-bundle \(\pi:W\equiv {\mathbb R}^6\to{\mathbb R}^3\), \((t,u^a,x^k)\mapsto(t,u^a)\). Then the problem is encoded by the PDE reported in (2). \[ E_3\subset J{\mathcal D}^3(W):\begin{cases} A(x^i,x^i_a,x^i_{ab})x^k_t+B^k(x^i,x^i_a,x^i_{ab})=0\quad\text{(HMCF)}\\ b_{ab;c}-b_{ac;b}=0\quad\text{(Gauss-Codazzi equation)}\\ b_{ab}=[\epsilon_{ijk}x^i_{ab}x^j_{\bar a}x^k_{\bar b}\delta^{\bar a}_1\delta^{\bar b}_2]/\sqrt{EG-F^2}.\end{cases}\tag{2} \] In (2) \(A\) and \(B^k\) are known analytic functions of their arguments, \(b_{ab}\) are the components of the second fundamental form and \(E,F,G\), are the usual Gauss symbols of the surface \(\Sigma_t\). The semi-colon, in the Gauss-Codazzi equation denotes tensor derivative with respect to \(u^c\). In general the PDE in (2) is a singular equation, however in the case considered in this paper, i.e., positive mean curvature, one has \(A\not=0\). Then, in order to characterize local solutions, it is important to study the formal properties of such equation, and, by determination of its integral bordism groups, characterize global solutions also. In this way one could generalize the following well known result of differential geometry: Given symmetric functions \(\gamma_{ab}=\gamma_{ab}(u^c)\) and \(b_{ab}=b_{ab}(u^c)\), \(a,b,c=1,2\), such that the Gauss-Codazzi equations are satisfied, there exists a surface \(x^i=x^i(u^c)\), uniquely determined up to rigid motions, such that \(\gamma\) and \(b\) are respectively the first fundamental form and the second fundamental form of such a surface. [See, e.g. \textit{L. P. Eisenhart}, A treatise on the differential geometry of curves and surfaces. Boston: Ginn and Co. (1909; JFM 40.0657.01).] Of course this agrees with the structure of (HMCF) equation, since there coordinates with time derivatives are determined by the other ones containing coordinates with space derivatives only. It is important to emphasize that equation (2) is not formally integrable, since there is not surjectivity between the first prolongation \((E_3)_{+1}\) and \(E_3\). However, by using the geometric theory of PDE's, it is possible to identify a subequation \(\widehat{(E_3)}\subset E_3\) that is formally integrable and completely integrable. For this it is enough to add to the equations in (2) also the first prolongations of (HMCF). Then the characterization of Cauchy problems and global solutions, weak, singular and smooth, can be directly obtained by using the algebraic topologic methods in PDE's introduced by the reviewer of this paper. The asymptotic behaviour of solutions as mean curvature approaches the zero value, can be obtained by considering the singular PDE \(\widehat{(E_3)}^{(S)}\equiv \widehat{(E_3)}\cup S_3\), where \(S_3\) is the submanifold of \(J{\mathcal D}^3(W)\) identified by the condition \({{1}\over{2}}\gamma^{ab}b_{ab}=0\), i.e., zero mean-curvature. (See, e.g. the review of the paper by \textit{Z. Gang} and \textit{I. M. Sigal} [J. Geom. Anal. 19, No.~1, 36--80 (2009; Zbl 1179.53065)], where similar problems are considered.)
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