Calabi flow on polarized Kähler surfaces

Abstract

We study global smooth Calabi flows on polarized Kähler surfaces $(M,L)$, assuming uniformly bounded Sobolev constants and the algebraic conditions $\chi ({\mathcal{O}}_M)=1$ and $c_1(M)\cdot c_1(L)>0$. Using the orbifold compactness theorem, we prove a uniform Bergman estimate, construct a normal test configuration for each geometric limit, and establish uniqueness of the extremal orbifold limit up to polarized holomorphic isometry. K-polystability then identifies the limit with the original surface and gives a constant scalar curvature Kähler metric. We also prove finite-group equivariant versions of these results. Independently of the flow, we obtain a uniform Bergman lower bound for polarized cscK surfaces with bounded volume and Sobolev constants and $|S|\le 1$. We illustrate the hypotheses with nonstationary flows near a product cscK metric on ${\mathbb{P}}^1\times {\mathbb{P}}^1$ and near Calabi's non-cscK extremal metric on the first Hirzebruch surface. Their controlled-cone energy inequalities follow from elementary calculations and continuity.