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Abstract

Foliations by constant mean curvature hypersurfaces provide a possibility of defining a preferred time coordinate in general relativity. In the following various conjectures are made about the existence of foliations of this kind in spacetimes satisfying the strong energy condition and possessing compact Cauchy hypersurfaces. Recent progress on proving these conjectures under supplementary assumptions is reviewed. The method of proof used is explained and the prospects for generalizing it discussed. The relations of these questions to cosmic censorship and the closed universe recollapse conjecture are pointed out.