Holomorphic flexibility properties of compact complex surfaces

We introduce the notion of a stratified Oka manifold and prove that such a manifold $X$ is strongly dominable in the sense that for every $x\in X$, there is a holomorphic map f:\C^n\to X, $n=\dim X$, such that $f(0)=x$ and $f$ is a local biholomorphism at 0. We deduce that every Kummer surface is strongly dominable. We determine which minimal compact complex surfaces of class VII are Oka, assuming the global spherical shell conjecture. We deduce that the Oka property and several weaker holomorphic flexibility properties are in general not closed in families of compact complex manifolds. Finally, we consider the behaviour of the Oka property under blowing up and blowing down.Comment: Version 2: Theorem 11 reformulated and its proof corrected. Minor improvements to the exposition. Version 3: A few minor improvements. To appear in International Mathematics Research Notice

The singular set of mean curvature flow with generic singularities

A mean curvature flow starting from a closed embedded hypersurface in $R^{n+1}$ must develop singularities. We show that if the flow has only generic singularities, then the space-time singular set is contained in finitely many compact embedded $(n-1)$-dimensional Lipschitz submanifolds plus a set of dimension at most $n-2$. If the initial hypersurface is mean convex, then all singularities are generic and the results apply. In $R^3$ and $R^4$, we show that for almost all times the evolving hypersurface is completely smooth and any connected component of the singular set is entirely contained in a time-slice. For $2$ or $3$-convex hypersurfaces in all dimensions, the same arguments lead to the same conclusion: the flow is completely smooth at almost all times and connected components of the singular set are contained in time-slices. A key technical point is a strong {\emph{parabolic}} Reifenberg property that we show in all dimensions and for all flows with only generic singularities. We also show that the entire flow clears out very rapidly after a generic singularity. These results are essentially optimal

Zero Sets of Solutions to Semilinear Elliptic Systems of First Order

Consider a nontrivial solution to a semilinear elliptic system of first order with smooth coefficients defined over an $n$-dimensional manifold. Assume the operator has the strong unique continuation property. We show that the zero set of the solution is contained in a countable union of smooth $(n-2)$-dimensional submanifolds. Hence it is countably $(n-2)$-rectifiable and its Hausdorff dimension is at most $n-2$. Moreover, it has locally finite $(n-2)$-dimensional Hausdorff measure. We show by example that every real number between 0 and $n-2$ actually occurs as the Hausdorff dimension (for a suitable choice of operator). We also derive results for scalar elliptic equations of second order.Comment: 16 pages, LaTeX2e, 2 figs, uses pstricks macro packag

Dynamical surface structures in multi-particle-correlated surface growths

We investigate the scaling properties of the interface fluctuation width for the $Q$-mer and $Q$-particle-correlated deposition-evaporation models. These models are constrained with a global conservation law that the particle number at each height is conserved modulo $Q$. In equilibrium, the stationary roughness is anomalous but universal with roughness exponent $\alpha=1/3$, while the early time evolution shows nonuniversal behavior with growth exponent $\beta$ varying with models and $Q$. Nonequilibrium surfaces display diverse growing/stationary behavior. The $Q$-mer model shows a faceted structure, while the $Q$-particle-correlated model a macroscopically grooved structure.Comment: 16 pages, 10 figures, revte

On the rationality of quadric surface bundles

For any standard quadric surface bundle over $\mathbb P^2$, we show that the locus of rational fibres is dense in the moduli space.Comment: 20 pages; to appear in Annales de l'Institut Fourie