# Heat kernels and regularity for rough metrics on smooth manifolds

We consider rough metrics on smooth manifolds and corresponding Laplacians induced by such metrics. We demonstrate that globally continuous heat kernels exist and are H\"older continuous locally in space and time. This is done via local parabolic Harnack estimates for weak solutions of operators in divergence form with bounded measurable coefficients in weighted Sobolev spaces.

# Harnack inequalities for curvature flows in Riemannian and Lorentzian manifolds

We obtain Harnack estimates for a class of curvature flows in Riemannian manifolds of constant non-negative sectional curvature as well as in the Lorentzian Minkowski and de Sitter spaces. Furthermore, we prove a Harnack estimate with a bonus term for mean curvature flow in locally symmetric Riemannian Einstein manifold of non-negative sectional curvature. Using a concept of "duality" for strictly convex hypersurfaces, we also obtain a new type of inequalities, so-called "pseudo"-Harnack inequalities, for expanding flows in the sphere and in the hyperbolic space.

# A unified flow approach to smooth, even $$L_p$$-Minkowski problems

We study long-time existence and asymptotic behaviour for a class of anisotropic, expanding curvature flows. For this we adapt new curvature estimates, which were developed by Guan, Ren and Wang to treat some stationary prescribed curvature problems. As an application we give a unified flow approach to the existence of smooth, even $$L_p$$-Minkowski problems in $$\mathbb{R}^{n+1}$$ for $$p>−n−1$$.

# On the classification of ancient solutions to curvature flows on the sphere

We obtain Harnack estimates for a class of curvature flows in Riemannian manifolds of constant non-negative sectional curvature as well as in the Lorentzian Minkowski and de Sitter spaces. Furthermore, we prove a Harnack estimate with a bonus term for mean curvature flow in locally symmetric Riemannian Einstein manifold of non-negative sectional curvature. Using a concept of "duality" for strictly convex hypersurfaces, we also obtain a new type of inequalities, so-called "pseudo"-Harnack inequalities, for expanding flows in the sphere and in the hyperbolic space.

# Harnack inequalities for evolving hypersurfaces on the sphere

We prove Harnack inequalities for hypersurfaces evolving on the unit sphere either by a 1-homogeneous convex curvature function or by the $$p$$-power of mean curvature with $$0 \lt p \lt 1$$.

# Harnack estimate for mean curvature flow on the sphere

We consider the evolution of hypersurfaces on the unit sphere $$\mathbb{S}^{n+1}$$ by their mean curvature. We prove a differential Harnack inequality for any weakly convex solution to the mean curvature flow. As an application, by applying an Aleksandrov reflection argument, we classify convex, ancient solutions of the mean curvature flow on the sphere.

# Classification of Convex Ancient Solutions to Curve Shortening Flow on the Sphere

We prove that the only closed, embedded ancient solutions to the curve shortening flow on $$\mathbb{S}^2$$ are equators or shrinking circles, starting at an equator at time $$t=−\infty$$ and collapsing to the north pole at time $$t=0$$. To obtain the result, we first prove a Harnack inequality for the curve shortening flow on the sphere. Then an application of the Gauss-Bonnet, easily allows us to obtain curvature bounds for ancient solutions leading to backwards smooth convergence to an equator. To complete the proof, we use an Aleksandrov reflection argument to show that maximal symmetry is preserved under the flow.

# Curvature bounds via an isoperimetric comparison for Ricci flow on surfaces

A comparison theorem for the isoperimetric profile on the universal cover of surfaces evolving by normalised Ricci flow is proven. For any initial metric, a model comparison is constructed that initially lies below the profile of the initial metric and which converges to the profile of the constant curvature metric. The comparison theorem implies that the evolving metric is bounded below by the model comparison for all time and hence converges to the constant curvature profile. This yields a curvature bound and a bound on the isoperimetric constant, leading to a direct proof that the metric converges to the constant curvature metric.

# A comparison theorem for the isoperimetric profile under curve shortening flow

We prove a comparison theorem for the isoperimetric profiles of simple closed curves evolving by the normalized curve shortening flow: If the isoperimetric profile of the region enclosed by the initial curve is greater than that of some `model' convex region with exactly four vertices and with reflection symmetry in both axes, then the inequality remains true for the isoperimetric profiles of the evolved regions. We apply this using the Angenent solution as the model region to deduce sharp time-dependent upper bounds on curvature for arbitrary embedded closed curves evolving by the normalized curve shortening flow. A slightly different comparison also gives lower bounds on curvature, and the result is a simple and direct proof of Grayson's theorem without use of any blowup or compactness arguments, Harnack estimates, or classification of self-similar solutions.

# Curvature bounds by isoperimetric comparison for normalized Ricci flow on the two-sphere

We prove a comparison theorem for the isoperimetric profiles of solutions of the normalized Ricci flow on the two-sphere: If the isoperimetric profile of the initial metric is greater than that of some positively curved axisymmetric metric, then the inequality remains true for the isoperimetric profiles of the evolved metrics. We apply this using the Rosenau solution as the model metric to deduce sharp time-dependent curvature bounds for arbitrary solutions of the normalized Ricci flow on the two-sphere. This gives a simple and direct proof of convergence to a constant curvature metric without use of any blowup or compactness arguments, Harnack estimates, or any classification of behaviour near singularities.

# Curvature bound for curve shortening flow via distance comparison and a direct proof of Grayson's theorem

A new isoperimetric estimate is proved for embedded closed curves evolving by curve shortening flow, normalized to have total length 2π. The estimate bounds the length of any chord from below in terms of the arc length between its endpoints and elapsed time. Applying the estimate to short segments we deduce directly that the maximum curvature decays exponentially to 1. This gives a self-contained proof of Grayson's theorem which does not require the monotonicity formula or the classification of singularities.