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Ben Andrews

Publications and source records attributed to Ben Andrews.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
arXiv2018

Non-concavity of Robin eigenfunctions

On a convex bounded Euclidean domain, the ground state for the Laplacian with Neumann boundary conditions is a constant, while the Dirichlet ground state is log-concave. The Robin eigenvalue problem can be considered as interpolating between the Dirichlet and Neumann cases, so it seems natural that the Robin ground state should have similar concavity properties. In this paper we show that this is false, by analysing the perturbation problem from the Neumann case. In particular we prove that on polyhedral convex domains, except in very special cases (which we completely classify) the variation of the ground state with respect to the Robin parameter is not a concave function. We conclude from this that the Robin ground stat is not log-concave (and indeed even has some superlevel sets which are non-convex) for small Robin parameter on polyhedral convex domains outside a special class, and hence also on arbitrary convex domains which approximate these in Hausdorff distance.

math.AP↗
arXiv2017

Volume preserving flow by powers of $k$-th mean curvature

We consider the flow of closed convex hypersurfaces in Euclidean space $\mathbb{R}^{n+1}$ with speed given by a power of the $k$-th mean curvature $E_k$ plus a global term chosen to impose a constraint involving the enclosed volume $V_{n+1}$ and the mixed volume $V_{n+1-k}$ of the evolving hypersurface. We prove that if the initial hypersurface is strictly convex, then the solution of the flow exists for all time and converges to a round sphere smoothly. No curvature pinching assumption is required on the initial hypersurface.

math.DG↗
arXiv2016

A Heat Flow for Diffeomorphisms of Flat Tori

In this paper we study the parabolic evolution equation $\partial_t u=(|Du|^{2}+2|\det Du|)^{-1} Δu$, where $u : M\times[0,\infty) \to N$ is an evolving map between compact flat surfaces. We use a tensor maximum principle for the induced metric to establish two-sided bounds on the singular values of Du, which shows that unlike harmonic map heat flow, this flow preserves diffeomorphisms. A change of variables for Du then allows us to establish a $C^α$ estimate for the coefficient of the tension field, and thus (thanks to the quasilinear structure and the Schauder estimates) we get full regularity and long-time existence. We conclude with some energy estimates to show convergence to an affine diffeomorphism.

math.DG↗
arXiv2015

Flow by the power of the Gauss curvature

We prove that convex hypersurfaces in ${\mathbb R}^{n+1}$ contracting under the flow by any power $α>\frac{1}{n+2}$ of the Gauss curvature converge (after rescaling to fixed volume) to a limit which is a smooth, uniformly convex self-similar contracting solution of the flow. Under additional central symmetry of the initial body we prove that the limit is the round sphere.

math.DG↗
arXiv2014

Two-sided non-collapsing curvature flows

It was recently proved that embedded solutions of Euclidean hypersurface flows with speeds given by concave (convex), degree one homogeneous functions of the Weingarten map are interior (exterior) non-collapsing. These results were subsequently extended to hypersurface flows in the sphere and hyperbolic space. In the first part of the paper, we show that locally convex solutions are exterior non-collapsing for a larger class of speed functions than previously considered; more precisely, we show that the previous results hold when convexity of the speed function is relaxed to inverse-concavity. We note that inverse-concavity is satisfied by a large class of concave speed functions. As a consequence, we obtain a large class of two-sided non-collapsing flows, whereas previously two-sided non-collapsing was only known for the mean curvature flow. In the second part of the paper, we demonstrate the utility of two sided non-collapsing with a straightforward proof of convergence of compact, convex hypersurfaces to round points. The proof of the non-collapsing estimate is similar to the previous results mentioned, in that we show that the exterior ball curvature is a viscosity supersolution of the linearised flow. The new ingredient is the following observation: Since the function which provides an upper support in the derivation of the viscosity inequality is defined on $M\times M$ (or $TM$ in the `boundary case'), whereas the exterior ball curvature and the linearised flow equation depend only on the first factor, we are privileged with a freedom of choice in which second derivatives from the extra directions to include in the calculation. The optimal choice is closely related to the class of inverse-concave speed functions.

math.DG↗
arXiv2013

Cylindrical estimates for hypersurfaces moving by convex curvature functions

We prove a complete family of `cylindrical estimates' for solutions of a class of fully non-linear curvature flows, generalising the cylindrical estimate of Huisken-Sinestrari for the mean curvature flow. More precisely, we show that, for the class of flows considered, an $(m+1)$-convex ($0\leq m\leq n-2$) solution becomes either strictly $m$-convex, or its Weingarten map approaches that of a cylinder $\R^m\times S^{n-m}$ at points where the curvature is becoming large. This result complements the convexity estimate proved by the authors and McCoy for the same class of flows.

math.DG↗
arXiv2012

$\mathcal{F}$-stability for self-shrinking solutions to mean curvature flow

In this paper, we formulate the notion of the $\mathcal{F}$-stability of self-shrinking solutions to mean curvature flow in arbitrary codimension. Then we give some classifications of the $\mathcal{F}$-stable self-shrinkers in arbitrary codimension, in codimension one case, our results reduce to Colding-Minicozzi's results.

math.DG↗
arXiv2011

Eigenvalue comparison on Bakry-Emery manifolds

We prove a comparison theorem on the first Neumann eigenvalue on Bakry-Emery manifolds. Examples are constructed to illustrate the sharpness of the result. A linear explicit lower bound is also proved. We also discuss the asymptotic sharpness of such a result.

math.AP↗
arXiv2011

Surfaces moving by powers of Gauss curvature

We prove that strictly convex surfaces moving by $K^{α/2}$ become spherical as they contract to points, provided $α$ lies in the range $[1,2]$. In the process we provide a natural candidate for a curvature pinching quantity for surfaces moving by arbitrary functions of curvature, by finding a quantity conserved by the reaction terms in the evolution of curvature.

math.DG↗
arXiv2011

Non-collapsing in fully nonlinear curvature flows

We consider embedded hypersurfaces evolving by fully nonlinear flows in which the normal speed of motion is a homogeneous degree one, concave or convex function of the principal curvatures, and prove a non-collapsing estimate: Precisely, the function which gives the curvature of the largest interior sphere touching the hypersurface at each point is a subsolution of the linearized flow equation if the speed is concave. If the speed is convex then there is an analogous statement for exterior spheres. In particular, if the hypersurface moves with positive speed and the speed is concave in the principal curvatures, then the curvature of the largest touching interior sphere is bounded by a multiple of the speed as long as the solution exists. The proof uses a maximum principle applied to a function of two points on the evolving hypersurface. We illustrate the techniques required for dealing with such functions in a proof of the known containment principle for flows of hypersurfaces.

math.DG↗
arXiv2011

Non-collapsing in mean-convex mean curvature flow

We provide a direct proof of a non-collapsing estimate for compact hypersurfaces with positive mean curvature moving under the mean curvature flow: Precisely, if every point on the initial hypersurface admits an interior sphere with radius inversely proportional to the mean curvature at that point, then this remains true for all positive times in the interval of existence.

math.DG↗
arXiv2011

Contracting convex hypersurfaces by curvature

We consider compact convex hypersurfaces contracting by functions of their curvature. Under the mean curvature flow, uniformly convex smooth initial hypersurfaces evolve to remain smooth and uniformly convex, and contract to points after finite time. The same holds if the initial data is only weakly convex or non-smooth, and the limiting shape at the final time is spherical. We provide a surprisingly large family of flows for which such results fail, by a variety of mechanisms: Uniformly convex hypersurfaces may become non-convex, and smooth ones may develop curvature singularities; even where this does not occur, non-uniformly convex regions and singular parts in the initial hypersurface may persist, including flat sides, ridges of infinite curvature, or `cylindrical' regions where some of the principal curvatures vanish; such cylindrical regions may persist even if the speed is positive, and in such cases the hypersurface may even collapse to a line segment or higher-dimensional disc rather than to a point. We provide sufficient conditions for these various disasters to occur, and by avoiding these arrive at a class of flows for which arbitrary weakly convex initial hypersurfaces immediately become smooth and uniformly convex and contract to points.

math.AP↗
arXiv2011

A comparison theorem for the isoperimetric profile under curve shortening flow

We prove a comparison theorem for the isoperimetric profiles of simple closed curves evolving by the normalized curve shortening flow: If the isoperimetric profile of the region enclosed by the initial curve is greater than that of some `model' convex region with exactly four vertices and with reflection symmetry in both axes, then the inequality remains true for the isoperimetric profiles of the evolved regions. We apply this using the Angenent solution as the model region to deduce sharp time-dependent upper bounds on curvature for arbitrary embedded closed curves evolving by the normalized curve shortening flow. A slightly different comparison also gives lower bounds on curvature, and the result is a simple and direct proof of Grayson's theorem without use of any blowup or compactness arguments, Harnack estimates, or classification of self-similar solutions.

math.DG↗