LONG-TERM BEHAVIOR OF CURVE SHORTENING FLOW IN R3

Space curve motion describes dynamics of material defects or interfaces and can be found in image processing or vortex dynamics. This article analyzes some properties of space curves evolved by the curve shortening flow. In contrast to the classical case of shrinking planar curves, space curves do not obey the Avoidance principle in general. They can lose their convexity or develop noncircular singularities even if they are simple. In the first part of the text, we show that even though the convexity of space curves is not preserved during the motion, their orthogonal projections remain convex. In the second part, the Avoidance principle for spherical curves under the curve shortening flow in R-3 is shown by generalizing the arguments developed by Hamilton and Gage.