Mean curvature flow with generic initial data

Abstract

We show that the mean curvature flow of generic closed surfaces in ${\mathbb{R}}^3$ avoids asymptotically conical and non-spherical compact singularities. We also show that the mean curvature flow of generic closed low-entropy hypersurfaces in ${\mathbb{R}}^4$ is smooth until it disappears in a round point. The main technical ingredient is a long-time existence and uniqueness result for ancient mean curvature flows that lie on one side of asymptotically conical or compact shrinking solitons.

Final version, to appear in Invent. Math