An improved regularity criterion and absence of splash-like singularities for g-SQG patches

We prove that splash-like singularities cannot occur for sufficiently regular patch solutions to the generalized surface quasi-geostrophic equation on the plane or half-plane with parameter $\alpha \le \frac{1}{4}$. This includes potential touches of more than two patch boundary segments in the same location, an eventuality that has not been excluded previously and presents nontrivial complications (in fact, if we do a priori exclude it, then our results extend to all $\alpha \in (0,1)$). As a corollary, we obtain an improved global regularity criterion for $H^3$ patch solutions when $\alpha \le \frac{1}{4}$, namely that finite time singularities cannot occur while the $H^3$ norms of patch boundaries remain bounded.