Geometric Evolution Equations

Book excerpt: The Workshop on Geometric Evolution Equations was a gathering of experts that produced this comprehensive collection of articles. Many of the papers relate to the Ricci flow and Hamilton's program for understanding the geometry and topology of 3-manifolds. The use of evolution equations in geometry can lead to remarkable results. Of particular interest is the potential solution of Thurston's Geometrization Conjecture and the Poincare Conjecture. Yet applying the method poses serious technical problems. Contributors to this volume explain some of these issues and demonstrate a noteworthy deftness in the handling of technical areas. Various topics in geometric evolution equations and related fields are presented. Among other topics covered are minimal surface equations, mean curvature flow, harmonic map flow, Calabi flow, Ricci flow (including a numerical study), Kahler-Ricci flow, function theory on Kahler manifolds, flows of plane curves, convexity estimates, and the Christoffel-Minkowski problem. The material is suitable for graduate students and researchers interested in geometric analysis and connections to topology. Related titles of interest include The Ricci Flow: An Introduction.