Skip to main content
Log in

On complete space-like stationary surfaces in 4-dimensional Minkowski space with graphical Gauss image

  • Published:
Mathematische Zeitschrift Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Concerning the value distribution problem for generalized Gauss maps, we not only generalize Fujimoto’s theorem (J Math Soc Jpn 40:235–247, 1988) to complete space-like stationary surfaces in \(\mathbb {R}^{3,1}\), but also estimate the upper bound of the number of exceptional values when the Gauss image lies in the graph of a rational function f of degree m, which is determined by the number of solutions of \(f(w)=\bar{w}\), showing a sharp contrast to Bernstein type results for minimal surfaces in \(\mathbb {R}^4\). Moreover, we introduce the concept of conjugate similarity on \(SL(2,\mathbb {C})\) to classify all degenerate stationary surfaces (i.e. \(m\le 1\)), and establish several structure theorems for complete stationary graphs in \(\mathbb {R}^{3,1}\) from the viewpoint of the degeneracy of Gauss maps.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Ahlfors, L.A.: Conformal Invariants. Topics in Geometric Function Theory. McGraw-Hill, New York (1973)

    Google Scholar 

  2. Aiyama, R., Akutagawa, K., Imagawa, S., Kawakami, Y.: Remarks on the Gauss images of complete minimal surfaces in Euclidean four-space. Ann. Mat. 196, 1863–1875 (2017)

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  3. Alías, L.J., Palmer, B.: Curvature properties of zero mean curvature surfaces in four-dimensional Lorentzian space forms. Math. Proc. Camb. Philos. Soc. 124, 315–327 (1998)

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  4. Asperti, A.C., Vilhena, J.A.M.: Björling problem for spacelike, zero mean curvature surfaces in \(\mathbb{L} ^4\). J. Geom. Phys. 56, 196–213 (2006)

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  5. Asperti, A.C., Vilhena, J.A.M.: Space-like surfaces in \(\mathbb{L} ^4\) with prescribed Gauss map and nonzero mean curvature. Mat. Contemp. 33, 55–83 (2007)

    MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  6. Asperti, A.C., Vilhena, J.A.M.: Space-like surfaces in \(\mathbb{L} ^4\) with degenerate Gauss map. Results Math. 60, 185–211 (2011)

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  7. Balk, M.B.: Polyanalytic Functions and their Generalizations. Complex Analysis, I, Encyclopaedia Math. Sci., vol. 85, pp. 195–253. Springer, Berlin (1997)

    Google Scholar 

  8. Bernstein, S.: Sur un théorème de géométrie et ses applications aux éuqations aux dérivées partielles du type elliptique. Commun. Soc. Math. Kharkov(2éme sér.), 15, 38–45 (1915–1917)

  9. Calabi, E.: Examples of Bernstein Problems for Some Nonlinear Equations, 223–230 in Global analysis (Berkeley, CA, 1968), edited by S. S. Chern and S. Smale, Proc. Sympos. Pure Math. 15. Amer. Math. Soc, Providence (1970)

    Google Scholar 

  10. Cheng, S.Y., Yau, S.T.: Maximal space-like hypersurfaces in the Lorentz–Minkowski space. Ann. Math. 104, 407–419 (1976)

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  11. Chern, S.S.: Minimal Surfaces in an Euclidean Space of N Dimensions, Differential and Combinatorial Topology, pp. 187–198. Princeton University Press, Princeton (1965)

    Book  Google Scholar 

  12. Chern, S.S., Osserman, R.: Complete minimal surfaces in Euclidean \(n\)-space. J. Anal. Math. 19, 15–34 (1967)

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  13. Estudillo, F., Romero, A.: On maximal surfaces in the \(n\)-dimensional Lorentz–Minkowski space. Geom. Ded. 38, 167–174 (1991)

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  14. Fujimoto, H.: On the number of exceptional values of the Gauss maps of minimal surfaces. J. Math. Soc. Jpn. 40, 235–247 (1988)

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  15. Hertrich-Jeromin, U.: Introduction to Möbius Differential Geometry. Lecture Note Series. London Math. Soc., Cambridge (2003)

    Book  Google Scholar 

  16. Hirschfeld, J.W.P., Korchmáros, G., Torres, F.: Algebraic Curves Over a Finite Field. Princeton University Press, Princeton (2008)

    Book  Google Scholar 

  17. Hoffman, D.A., Osserman, R.: The geometry of the generalized Gauss map. Mem. Am. Math. Soc. 28, 105 (1980)

    MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  18. Huber, A.: On subharmonic functions and differential geometry in the large. Comment. Math. Helv. 32, 13–72 (1957)

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  19. Kawakami, Y.: On the maximal number of exceptional values of Gauss maps for various classes of surfaces. Math. Z. 274, 1249–1260 (2013)

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  20. Lewy, H.: A priori limitations for solutions of Monge–Ampère equations, II. Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 41, 365–374 (1937)

    Google Scholar 

  21. Ma, X., Wang, C.P., Wang, P.: Global geometry and topology of space-like stationary surfaces in the 4-dimensional Lorentz space. Adv. Math. 249, 311–347 (2013)

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  22. Ma, X., Wang, P., Yang, L.: Bernstein type theorems for space-like stationary graphs in Minkowski spaces. Pac. J. Math. 287, 159–175 (2017)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Milnor, J.W.: Topology from the Differentiable Viewpoint. Princeton University Press, Princeton (1965)

    Google Scholar 

  24. Mo, X.K., Osserman, R.: On the Gauss map and total curvature of complete minimal surfaces and an extension of Fujimoto’s theorem. J. Diff. Geom. 31, 343–355 (1990)

    MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  25. Nevanlinna, R.: Analytic Functions. Springer, New York (1970)

    Book  Google Scholar 

  26. Osserman, R.: Proof of a conjecture of Nirenberg. Commun. Pure Appl. Math. 12, 229–232 (1959)

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  27. Osserman, R.: Minimal surfaces in the large. Comment. Math. Helv. 35, 65–76 (1961)

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  28. Osserman, R.: Global properties of minimal surfaces in \(E^3\) and \(E^n\). Ann. Math. 80, 340–364 (1964)

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  29. Osserman, R.: Le théorème de Bernstein pour des systèmes. C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris 262, 571–574 (1966)

    MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  30. Osserman, R.: A Survey of Minimal Surfaces. Van Nostrand, New York (1969)

    Google Scholar 

  31. Voss, K.: Über vollständige Minimalflächen. L’ Enseiǵnement Math. 10, 316–317 (1964)

    Google Scholar 

  32. Wang, C.P.: Weierstrass representations of Laguerre minimal surfaces in \(\mathbb{R} ^3\). Results Math. 52, 399–408 (2008)

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  33. Xavier, F.: The Gauss map of a complete non-flat minimal surface cannot omit 7 points of the sphere. Ann. Math. 113, 211–214 (1981)

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ling Yang.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

This work was supported in part by NSFC (Grant no. 11622103).

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Ou, L., Cheng, C. & Yang, L. On complete space-like stationary surfaces in 4-dimensional Minkowski space with graphical Gauss image. Math. Z. 306, 16 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00209-023-03408-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00209-023-03408-1

Keywords

Mathematics Subject Classification

Navigation