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Robert Haslhofer

Publications and source records attributed to Robert Haslhofer.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
arXiv2023

A nonexistence result for wing-like mean curvature flows in $\mathbb{R}^4$

Some of the most worrisome potential singularity models for the mean curvature flow of $3$-dimensional hypersurfaces in $\mathbb{R}^4$ are noncollapsed wing-like flows, i.e. noncollapsed flows that are asymptotic to a wedge. In this paper, we rule out this potential scenario, not just among self-similarly translating singularity models, but in fact among all ancient noncollapsed flows in $\mathbb{R}^4$. Specifically, we prove that for any ancient noncollapsed mean curvature flow $M_t=\partial K_t$ in $\mathbb{R}^4$ the blowdown $\lim_{λ\to 0} λ\cdot {K_{t_0}}$ is always a point, halfline, line, halfplane, plane or hyperplane, but never a wedge. In our proof we introduce a fine bubble-sheet analysis, which generalizes the fine neck analysis that has played a major role in many recent papers. Our result is also a key first step towards the classification of ancient noncollapsed flows in $\mathbb{R}^4$, which we will address in a series of subsequent papers.

math.DG↗
arXiv2023

Enhanced profile estimates for ovals and translators

We consider the profile function of ancient ovals and of noncollapsed translators. Recall that pioneering work of Angenent-Daskalopoulos-Sesum (JDG '19, Annals '20) gives a sharp $C^0$-estimate and a quadratic concavity estimate for the profile function of two-convex ancient ovals, which are crucial in their papers as well as a slew of subsequent papers on ancient solutions of mean curvature flow and Ricci flow. In this paper, we derive a sharp gradient estimate, which enhances their $C^0$-estimate, and a sharp Hessian estimate, which can be viewed as converse of their quadratic concavity estimate. Motivated by our forthcoming work on ancient noncollapsed flows in $\mathbb{R}^4$, we derive these estimates in the context of ancient ovals in $\mathbb{R}^3$ and noncollapsed translators in $\mathbb{R}^4$, though our methods seem to apply in other settings as well.

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arXiv2022

A note on blowup limits in 3d Ricci flow

We prove that Perelman's ancient ovals occur as blowup limit in 3d Ricci flow through singularities if and only if there is an accumulation of spherical singularities.

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arXiv2022

On uniqueness and nonuniqueness of ancient ovals

In this paper, we prove that any nontrivial $\mathrm{SO}(k )\times \mathrm{SO}(n+1-k)$-symmetric ancient compact noncollapsed solution of the mean curvature flow agrees up to scaling and rigid motion with the $\mathrm{O}(k)\times \mathrm{O}(n+1-k)$-symmetric ancient ovals constructed by Hershkovits and the second author. This confirms a conjecture by Angenent-Daskalopoulos-Sesum. On the other hand, for every $k\geq 2$ we also construct a $(k-1)$-parameter family of uniformly $(k+1)$-convex ancient ovals that are only $\mathbb{Z}^{k}_{2}\times \mathrm{O}(n+1-k)$-symmetric. This gives counterexamples to a conjecture of Daskalopoulos.

math.DG↗
arXiv2022

Ricci limit flows and weak solutions

In this paper we reconcile several different approaches to Ricci flow through singularities that have been proposed over the last few years by Kleiner-Lott, Haslhofer-Naber and Bamler. Specifically, we prove that every noncollapsed limit of Ricci flows, as provided by Bamler's precompactness theorem, as well as every singular Ricci flow from Kleiner-Lott, is a weak solution in the sense of Haslhofer-Naber. We also generalize all path-space estimates from Haslhofer-Naber to the setting of noncollapsed Ricci limit flows. The key step to establish these results is a new hitting estimate for Brownian motion. A fundamental difficulty, in stark contrast to all prior hitting estimates in the literature, is the lack of lower heat kernel bounds under Ricci flow. To overcome this, we introduce a novel approach to hitting estimates that compensates for the lack of lower heat kernel bounds by making use of the heat kernel geometry of space-time.

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arXiv2022

Ancient asymptotically cylindrical flows and applications

In this paper, we prove the mean-convex neighborhood conjecture for neck singularities of the mean curvature flow in $\mathbb{R}^{n+1}$ for all $n\geq 3$: we show that if a mean curvature flow $\{M_t\}$ in $\mathbb{R}^{n+1}$ has an $S^{n-1}\times \mathbb{R}$ singularity at $(x_0,t_0)$, then there exists an $\varepsilon=\varepsilon(x_0,t_0)>0$ such that $M_t\cap B(x_0,\varepsilon)$ is mean-convex for all $t\in(t_0-\varepsilon^2,t_0+\varepsilon^2)$. As in the case $n=2$, which was resolved by the first three authors in arXiv:1810.08467, the existence of such a mean-convex neighborhood follows from classifying a certain class of ancient Brakke flows that arise as potential blowup limits near a neck singularity. Specifically, we prove that any ancient unit-regular integral Brakke flow with a cylindrical blowdown must be either a round shrinking cylinder, a translating bowl soliton, or an ancient oval. In particular, combined with a prior result of the last two authors, we obtain uniqueness of mean curvature flow through neck singularities. The main difficulty in addressing the higher dimensional case is in promoting the spectral analysis on the cylinder to global geometric properties of the solution. Most crucially, due to the potential wide variety of self-shrinking flows with entropy lower than the cylinder when $n\geq 3$, smoothness does not follow from the spectral analysis by soft arguments. This precludes the use of the classical moving plane method to derive symmetry. To overcome this, we introduce a novel variant of the moving plane method, which we call "moving plane method without assuming smoothness" - where smoothness and symmetry are established in tandem.

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arXiv2021

Uniqueness and stability of singular Ricci flows in higher dimensions

In this short note, we observe that the Bamler-Kleiner proof of uniqueness and stability for 3-dimensional Ricci flow through singularities generalizes to singular Ricci flows in higher dimensions that satisfy an analogous canonical neighborhood property. In particular, this gives a canonical evolution through singularities for manifolds with positive isotropic curvature. The new ingredients we use are the recent classification of higher dimensional $κ$-solutions by Brendle, Daskalopoulos, Naff and Sesum, and the maximum principle for the linearized Ricci-DeTurck flow on locally conformally flat manifolds due to Chen and Wu.

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arXiv2021

Ancient low entropy flows, mean convex neighborhoods, and uniqueness

In this article, we prove the mean convex neighborhood conjecture for the mean curvature flow of surfaces in $\mathbb{R}^3$. Namely, if the flow has a spherical or cylindrical singularity at a space-time point $X=(x,t)$, then there exists a positive $\varepsilon=\varepsilon(X)>0$ such that the flow is mean convex in a space-time neighborhood of size $\varepsilon$ around $X$. The major difficulty is to promote the infinitesimal information about the singularity to a conclusion of macroscopic size. In fact, we prove a more general classification result for all ancient low entropy flows that arise as potential limit flows near $X$. Namely, we prove that any ancient, unit-regular, cyclic, integral Brakke flow in $\mathbb{R}^3$ with entropy at most $\sqrt{2π/e}+δ$ is either a flat plane, a round shrinking sphere, a round shrinking cylinder, a translating bowl soliton, or an ancient oval. As an application, we prove the uniqueness conjecture for mean curvature flow through spherical or cylindrical singularities. In particular, assuming Ilmanen's multiplicity one conjecture, we conclude that for embedded two-spheres the mean curvature flow through singularities is well-posed.

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arXiv2021

Hearing the shape of ancient noncollapsed flows in $\mathbb{R}^{4}$

We consider ancient noncollapsed mean curvature flows in $\mathbb{R}^4$ whose tangent flow at $-\infty$ is a bubble-sheet. We carry out a fine spectral analysis for the bubble-sheet function $u$ that measures the deviation of the renormalized flow from the round cylinder $\mathbb{R}^2 \times S^1(\sqrt{2})$ and prove that for $τ\to -\infty$ we have the fine asymptotics $u(y,θ,τ)= (y^\top Qy -2\textrm{tr}(Q))/|τ| + o(|τ|^{-1})$, where $Q=Q(τ)$ is a symmetric $2\times 2$-matrix whose eigenvalues are quantized to be either 0 or $-1/\sqrt{8}$. This naturally breaks up the classification problem for general ancient noncollapsed flows in $\mathbb{R}^4$ into three cases depending on the rank of $Q$. In the case $\mathrm{rk}(Q)=0$, generalizing a prior result of Choi, Hershkovits and the second author, we prove that the flow is either a round shrinking cylinder or $\mathbb{R}\times$2d-bowl. In the case $\mathrm{rk}(Q)=1$, under the additional assumption that the flow either splits off a line or is selfsimilarly translating, as a consequence of recent work by Angenent, Brendle, Choi, Daskalopoulos, Hershkovits, Sesum and the second author we show that the flow must be $\mathbb{R}\times$2d-oval or belongs to the one-parameter family of 3d oval-bowls constructed by Hoffman-Ilmanen-Martin-White, respectively. Finally, in the case $\mathrm{rk}(Q)=2$ we show that the flow is compact and $\mathrm{SO}(2)$-symmetric and for $τ\to-\infty$ has the same sharp asymptotics as the $\mathrm{O}(2)\times\mathrm{O}(2)$-symmetric ancient ovals constructed by Hershkovits and the second author. The full classification problem will be addressed in subsequent papers based on the results of the present paper.

math.DG↗
arXiv2021

Hitting estimates on Einstein manifolds and applications

We generalize the Benjamini-Pemantle-Peres estimate relating hitting probability and Martin capacity to the setting of manifolds with Ricci curvature bounded below. As applications we obtain: (1) a sharp estimate for the probability that Brownian motion comes close to the high curvature part of a Ricci-flat manifold, (2) a proof of an unpublished theorem of Naber that every noncollapsed limit of Ricci-flat manifolds is a weak solution of the Einstein equations, (3) an effective intersection estimate for two independent Brownian motions on manifolds with non-negative Ricci curvature and positive asymptotic volume ratio. We also obtain generalizations of (1) and (2) for the manifolds with two-sided Ricci bounds and Einstein manifolds with nonzero Einstein constant.

math.DG↗
arXiv2021

The blowdown of ancient noncollapsed mean curvature flows

In this paper, we consider ancient noncollapsed mean curvature flows $M_t=\partial K_t\subset \mathbb{R}^{n+1}$ that do not split off a line. It follows from general theory that the blowdown of any time-slice, $\lim_{λ\to 0} λK_{t_0}$, is at most $n-1$ dimensional. Here, we show that the blowdown is in fact at most $n-2$ dimensional. Our proof is based on fine cylindrical analysis, which generalizes the fine neck analysis that played a key role in many recent papers. Moreover, we show that in the uniformly $k$-convex case, the blowdown is at most $k-2$ dimensional. This generalizes recent results from Choi-Haslhofer-Hershkovits to higher dimensions, and also has some applications towards the classification problem for singularities in 3-convex mean curvature flow.

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arXiv2020

Heat flow on time-dependent manifolds

We establish effective existence and uniqueness for the heat flow on time-dependent Riemannian manifolds, under minimal assumptions tailored towards the study of Ricci flow through singularities. The main point is that our estimates only depend on an upper bound for the logarithmic derivative of the volume measure. In particular, our estimates hold for any Ricci flow with scalar curvature bounded below, and such a lower bound of course depends only on the initial data.

math.DG↗
arXiv2020

Differential Harnack Inequalities on Path Space

Recall that if $(M^n,g)$ satisfies $\mathrm{Ric}\geq 0$, then the Li-Yau Differential Harnack Inequality tells us for each nonnegative $f:M\to \mathbb{R}^+$, with $f_t$ its heat flow, that $\frac{Δf_t}{f_t}-\frac{|\nabla f_t|^2}{f_t^2} +\frac{n}{2t}\geq 0.$ Our main result will be to generalize this to path space $P_xM$ of the manifold. A key point is that instead of considering infinite dimensional gradients and Laplacians on $P_xM$ we will consider a family of finite dimensional gradients and Laplace operators. Namely, for each $H^1_0$-function $φ:\mathbb{R}^+\to \mathbb{R}$ we will define the $φ$-gradient $\nabla_φF: P_xM\to T_xM$ and the $φ$-Laplacian $Δ_φF =\text{tr}_φ\mathrm{Hess} F:P_xM\to \mathbb{R}$, where $\mathrm{Hess} F$ is the Markovian Hessian and both the gradient and the $φ$-trace are induced by $n$ vector fields naturally associated to $φ$ under stochastic parallel translation. Now let $(M^n,g)$ satisfy $\mathrm{Ric}=0$, then for each nonnegative $F:P_xM\to \mathbb{R}^+$ we will show the inequality $$\frac{E_x [Δ_φF]}{E_x [F]}-\frac{E_x [\nabla_φF]^2}{E_x [F]^2} +\frac{n}{2}|| φ||^2\geq 0$$ for each $φ$, where $E_x$ denotes the expectation with respect to the Wiener measure on $P_xM$. By applying this to the simplest functions on path space, namely cylinder functions of one variable $F(γ) \equiv f(γ(t))$, we will see we recover the classical Li-Yau Harnack inequality exactly. We have similar estimates for Einstein manifolds, with errors depending only on the Einstein constant, as well as for general manifolds, with errors depending on the curvature. Finally, we derive generalizations of Hamilton's Matrix Harnack inequality on path space $P_xM$. It is our understanding that these estimates are new even on the path space of $\mathbb{R}^n$.

math.DG↗
arXiv2019

Mean convex mean curvature flow with free boundary

In this paper, we generalize White's regularity and structure theory for mean-convex mean curvature flow to the setting with free boundary. A major new challenge in the free boundary setting is to derive an a priori bound for the ratio between the norm of the second fundamental form and the mean curvature. We establish such a bound via the maximum principle for a triple-approximation scheme, which combines ideas from Edelen, Haslhofer-Hershkovits, and Volkmann. Other important new ingredients are a Bernstein-type theorem and a sheeting theorem for low entropy free boundary flows in a halfslab, which allow us to rule out multiplicity 2 (half-)planes as possible tangent flows and, for mean convex domains, as possible limit flows.

math.DG↗
arXiv2019

A note on the selfsimilarity of limit flows

It is a fundamental open problem for the mean curvature flow, and in fact for many partial differential equations, whether or not all blowup limits are selfsimilar. In this short note, we prove that for the mean curvature flow of mean convex surfaces all limit flows are selfsimilar (static, shrinking or translating) if and only if there are only finitely many spherical singularities. More generally, using the solution of the mean convex neighborhood conjecture for neck singularities, we establish a local version of this equivalence for neck singularities in arbitrary dimension. In particular, we see that the ancient ovals occur as limit flows if and only if there is a sequence of spherical singularities converging to a neck singularity.

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arXiv2017

Brownian motion on Perelman's almost Ricci-flat manifold

We study Brownian motion and stochastic parallel transport on Perelman's almost Ricci flat manifold $\mathscr M=M\times \mathbb S^N\times I$, whose dimension depends on a parameter $N$ unbounded from above. We construct sequences of projected Brownian motions and stochastic parallel transports which for $N \to \infty$ converge to the corresponding objects for the Ricci flow. In order to make precise this process of passing to the limit, we study the martingale problems for the Laplace operator on $\mathscr M$ and for the horizontal Laplacian on the orthonormal frame bundle $\mathscr{OM}$ . As an application, we see how the characterizations of two-sided bounds on the Ricci curvature established by A. Naber applied to Perelman's manifold lead to the inequalities that characterize solutions of the Ricci flow discovered by Naber and the second author.

math.DG↗
arXiv2017

The moduli space of two-convex embedded spheres

We prove that the moduli space of 2-convex embedded n-spheres in R^{n+1} is path-connected for every n. Our proof uses mean curvature flow with surgery and can be seen as an extrinsic analog to Marques' influential proof of the path-connectedness of the moduli space of positive scalar curvature metics on three-manifolds.

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