Paper · Oct 13, 2026

Pseudolocality and strong uniqueness for complete Ricci flows

Shaochuang Huang, Zhuo Peng

math.DGarXiv:2610.18364v2
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Abstract

In this paper, we prove a uniform pseudolocality theorem for smooth complete Ricci flows whose initial metrics have Ricci curvature bounded below and uniformly positive injectivity radius. No a priori curvature bound is assumed on the flow. As a consequence, we obtain strong uniqueness for smooth complete Ricci flows from a complete metric with the above geometric bounds. We also prove that every smooth complete Ricci flow from a complete Ricci-flat metric with uniformly positive injectivity radius is stationary. The same conclusion holds for any complete flat initial metric. In particular, we give an affirmative answer to Chen's question on the strong uniqueness of Ricci flow from Euclidean space in every dimension.

Comments: 35pages. Simplified some proofs in Section 2 and 3. Explain more on the idea of proofs in Introduction. All comments are welcome

Ricci flowRicci-flat & Calabi–YauStability & uniqueness

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Read around it

Background reading

The guides for the topics of this paper: what each idea is, why it matters, and the papers to read first.

Ricci flow Hamilton's Ricci flow evolves a Riemannian metric by minus twice its Ricci curvature. It is a nonlinear heat equation for geometry: it spreads… Start with: Three-manifolds with positive Ricci curvature (Hamilton, 1982) Ricci-flat & Calabi–Yau Ricci-flat metrics do not move under Ricci flow. Every known compact simply connected example has special holonomy (Calabi–Yau, hyperkähler, G₂… Start with: On the ricci curvature of a compact kähler manifold and the complex monge‐ampére equation, I (Yau, 1978) Stability & uniqueness When does a flow started near a special solution stay near it, and when is a flow determined by its data? Start with: Uniqueness of the Ricci Flow on Complete Noncompact Manifolds (Chen et al., 2005)

In the guidebook

  1. 5A.5
    Uniformization and the Two-Dimensional Ricci FlowBook 5A · Complex Analysis and Conformal Geometry

    Constant-curvature metrics on surfaces, and Ricci flow as a heat equation for the conformal factor.

  2. 10A.12
    Curve Shortening and Minimal DiscsBook 10A · Three-Manifolds and Geometrization

    How loops shrink under curvature, how the discs they bound lose area, and Perelman's extinction estimate.

  3. 11A.1
    The Equation and Its First SolutionsBook 11A · The Ricci Flow: Existence and Maximum Principles

    A heat equation for the metric: spheres, cylinders and scaling.