Let g(t) be a smooth complete solution to the Ricci flow on a noncompact manifold such that g(0) is Kahler. We prove that if |Rm(g(t))| is bounded by a/t for some a > 0, then g(t) is Kahler for t > 0. We prove that there is a constant a(n) > 0 depending only on n such that the following is true: Suppose g(t) is a smooth complete solution to the Kahler-Ricci flow on a non-compact n-dimensional complex manifold such that g(0) has nonnegative holomorphic bisectional curvature and |Rm(g(t))| ≤ a(n)/t, then g(t) has nonnegative holomorphic bisectional curvature for t > 0. These generalize the results by Wan-Xiong Shi. As applications, we prove that (i) any complete noncompact Kahler manifold with nonnegative complex sectional curvature and maximum volume growth is biholomorphic to C^n; and (ii) there is ε(n) > 0 depending only on n such that if (M^n,g_0) is a complete noncompact Kahler manifold of complex dimension n with nonnegative holomorphic bisectional curvature and maximum volume growth and if (1+ε(n))^{−1}h ≤ g_0 ≤ (1+ε(n))h for some Riemannian metric h with bounded curvature, then M is biholomorphic to C^n.

This note surveys and compares results on the separation of variables construction for soliton solutions of curvature equations including the K\"ahler-Ricci flow and the Lagrangian mean curvature flow. In the last section, we propose some new generalizations in the Lagrangian mean curvature flow case.

We give a complete classification of irreducible symmetric spaces for which there exist proper SL(2,R)-actions as isometries, using the criterion for proper actions by T. Kobayashi [Math. Ann. ’89] and combinatorial techniques of nilpotent orbits. In particular, we classify irreducible symmetric spaces that admit surface groups as discontinuous groups, combining this with Benoist’s theorem [Ann. Math. ’96].

We study moduli spaces of O’Grady’s ten-dimensional irreducible symplectic manifolds. These moduli spaces are covers of modular varieties of dimension 21, namely quotients of hermitian symmetric domains by a suitable arithmetic group. The interesting and new aspect of this case is that the group in question is strictly bigger than the stable orthogonal group. This makes it different from both the K3 and the K3[n] case, which are of dimension 19 and 20 respectively.

Entropy is a natural geometric quantity measuring the complexity of a surface embedded in $\mathbb{R}^3$. For dynamical reasons relating to mean curvature flow, Colding-Ilmanen-Minicozzi-White conjectured that the entropy of any closed surface is at least that of the self-shrinking two-sphere. We prove this conjecture for all closed embedded $2$-spheres. Assuming a conjectural Morse index bound (announced recently by Marques-Neves), we can improve the result to apply to all closed embedded surfaces that are not tori. Our results can be thought of as the parabolic analog to the Willmore conjecture and our argument is analogous in many ways to that of Marques-Neves on the Willmore problem. The main tool is the min-max theory applied to the Gaussian area functional in $\mathbb{R}^3$ which we also establish. To any closed surface in $\mathbb{R}^3$ we associate a four parameter canonical family of surfaces and run a min-max procedure. The key step is ruling out the min-max sequence approaching a self-shrinking plane, and we accomplish this with a degree argument. To establish the min-max theory for $\mathbb{R}^3$ with Gaussian weight, the crucial ingredient is a tightening map that decreases the mass of non-stationary varifolds (with respect to the Gaussian metric of $\mathbb{R}^3$) in a continuous manner.