  The deformation equation of a spacelike submanifold with an arbitrary
codimension is given by a general construction without using local frames. In
the case of codimension-1, this equation reduces to the evolution equation of
the extrinsic curvature of a spacelike hypersurface. In the more interesting
case of codimension-2, after selecting a local null frame, this deformation
equation reduces to the well known (cross) focusing equations. We show how the
thermodynamics of trapping horizons is related to these deformation equations
in two different formalisms: with and without introducing quasilocal energy. In
the formalism with the quasilocal energy, the Hawking mass in four dimension is
generalized to higher dimension, and it is found that the deformation of this
energy inside a marginal surface can be also decomposed into the contributions
from matter fields and gravitational radiation as in the four dimension. In the
formalism without the quasilocal energy, we generalize the definition of slowly
evolving future outer trapping horizons proposed by Booth to past trapping
horizons. The dynamics of the trapping horizons in FLRW universe is given as an
example. Especially, the slowly evolving past trapping horizon in the FLRW
universe has close relation to the scenario of slow-roll inflation. Up to the
second order of the slowly evolving parameter in this generalization, the
temperature (surface gravity) associated with the slowly evolving trapping
horizon in the FLRW universe is essentially the same as the one defined by
using the quasilocal energy.
