Scherk-like translators for mean curvature flow

Abstract

We prove existence and uniqueness for a two-parameter family of translators for mean curvature flow. We get additional examples by taking limits at the boundary of the parameter space. Some of the translators resemble well-known minimal surfaces (Scherk’s doubly periodic minimal surfaces, helicoids), but others have no minimal surface analogs. A one-parameter subfamily of the examples (the pitchforks) have finite topology and quadratic area growth, and thus might arise as blowups at singularities of initially smooth, closed surfaces flowing by mean curvature flow.