Convexity estimates for hypersurfaces moving by convex curvature functions

Abstract

We consider the evolution of compact hypersurfaces by fully nonlinear, parabolic curvature flows for which the normal speed is given by a smooth, convex, degree-one homogeneous function of the principal curvatures. We prove that solution hypersurfaces on which the speed is initially positive become weakly convex at a singularity of the flow. The result extends the convexity estimate of Huisken and Sinestrari [Acta Math. 183:1 (1999), 45–70] for the mean curvature flow to a large class of speeds, and leads to an analogous description of “type-II” singularities. We remark that many of the speeds considered are positive on larger cones than the positive mean half-space, so that the result in those cases also applies to non-mean-convex initial data.