Spacelike Brakke flows with boundary in pseudo-Euclidean space

Abstract

We develop a weak formulation of spacelike mean curvature flow in pseudo-Euclidean space. The framework is based on spacelike integer rectifiable varifolds and a pseudo-Euclidean version of first variation. Particular attention is paid to the presence of a fixed spacelike boundary. We introduce a generalized mean curvature vector and a weak spacelike conormal along the boundary. Under natural uniform spacelikeness and curvature assumptions, we prove a closure theorem for spacelike varifolds with boundary. We then define spacelike Brakke flows by means of the corresponding pseudo-Euclidean Brakke inequality, and prove a compactness theorem for sequences of spacelike Brakke flows with fixed boundary. Basic monotonicity properties are established, reflecting the sign structure of the ambient indefinite metric. Finally, we adapt Ilmanen's elliptic regularization procedure to prove existence of spacelike Brakke flows, and the local regularity theorem of White to the pseudo-Euclidean setting. The results provide a varifold setting for studying weak spacelike mean curvature flow beyond singularities.