English

High Codimension Curve Shortening Flow with Free Boundary

Differential Geometry 2026-02-25 v1 Analysis of PDEs

Abstract

We study curve shortening flow in high codimension for arcs with free boundary meeting a fixed smooth barrier orthogonally. We prove dilation-invariant curvature and higher-derivative estimates up to the boundary using a Stahl-type localised maximum principle and an adapted cut-off. Using a reflected Gaussian entropy and blow-up analysis, Type I boundary singularities yield a shrinking semicircle model after reflection. Type II blow-ups give a Grim Reaper translator, which is ruled out under a free-boundary entropy bound <2<2. Hence in the low-entropy regime the flow either converges to the orthogonal chord or has only semicircle boundary singularities.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2602.20865,
  title  = {High Codimension Curve Shortening Flow with Free Boundary},
  author = {Huy The Nguyen and Artemis A. Vogiatzi},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2602.20865},
  year   = {2026}
}