We develop a theory of convex ancient mean curvature flow in slab regions, with
Grim hyperplanes playing a role analogous to that of half-spaces in the theory of
convex bodies.
We first construct a large new class of examples. These solutions
emerge from circumscribed polytopes at time minus infinity and
decompose into corresponding configurations of “asymptotic translators”.
This confirms a well-known conjecture attributed to Hamilton; see also
Huisken and Sinestrari (2015). We construct examples in all dimensions
,
which include both compact and noncompact examples, and both symmetric and
asymmetric examples, as well as a large family of eternal examples that
do not
evolve by translation. The latter resolve a conjecture of White (2003) in the
negative.
We also obtain a partial classification of convex ancient solutions in slab regions
via a detailed analysis of their asymptotics. Roughly speaking, we show that such
solutions decompose at time minus infinity into a canonical configuration of Grim
hyperplanes. An analogous decomposition holds at time plus infinity for
eternal solutions. There are many further consequences of this analysis. One
is a new rigidity result for translators. Another is that, in dimension two,
solutions are necessarily reflection symmetric across the midplane of their
slab.
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