Abstract
When we consider surfaces of prescribed mean curvature H with a one-to-one orthogonal projection onto a plane, we have to study the nonparametric H-surface equation. Now the H-surfaces with a one-to-one central projection onto a plane lead to an interesting elliptic differential equation, which has been discovered for the case H = 0 already by T. Radó in 1932. We establish the uniqueness of the Dirichlet problem for this H-surface equation in central projection and develop an estimate for the maximal deviation of large H-surfaces from their boundary values, resembling an inequality by J. Serrin from 1969.
We solve the Dirichlet problem for nonvanishing H with compact support via a nonlinear continuity method. Here we introduce conformal parameters into the surface and study the well-known H-surface system. Then we combine these investigations with a differential equation for its unit normal, which has been developed by the author for variable H in 1982. Furthermore, we construct large H-surfaces bounding extreme contours by an approximation.
Here we only provide an overview on the relevant proofs; for the more detailed derivations of our results, we refer the readers to the author’s investigations in the Pacific Journal of Mathematics and the Milan Journal of Mathematics.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
H. Brezis and J.M. Coron, Multiple solutions of H-systems and Rellich’s conjecture, Commun. Pure Appl. Math., 37:149–187, 1984.
U. Dierkes, S. Hildebrandt, and F. Sauvigny, Minimal Surfaces, GrundlehrenMath.Wiss., Vol. 339, Springer, Berlin, 2010.
U. Dierkes, S. Hildebrandt, and A. Tromba, Regularity of Minimal Surfaces, Grundlehren Math. Wiss., Vol. 340, Springer, Berlin, 2010.
R. Finn, On equations of minimal surface type, Ann. Math., 60(3):397–416, 1954.
R. Finn, Equilibrium Capillary Surface, GrundlehrenMath. Wiss., Vol. 284, Springer, Berlin, 1986.
S. Hildebrandt, Über einen neuen Existenzsatz für Flächen vorgeschriebener mittlerer Krümmung, Math. Z., 119: 267–272, 1971.
J.C.C. Nitsche, Vorlesungen über Minimalflächen, GrundlehrenMath. Wiss., Vol. 199, Springer, Berlin, 1975.
T. Radó, Contributions to the theory of minimal surfaces, Acta Sci. Math., 6:1–20, 1932.
F. Sauvigny, Flächen vorgeschriebener mittlerer Krümmung mit eineindeutiger Projektion auf eine Ebene, Math. Z., 180:41–67, 1982.
F. Sauvigny, Partial Differential Equations 2. Functional Analytic Methods. With Consideration of Lectures by E. Heinz, 2nd ed., Universitext, Springer, London, 2012.
F. Sauvigny, Maximum principle for H-surfaces in the unit cone and Dirichlet’s problem for their equation in central projection, Milan J. Math., 84(1):91–104, 2016.
F. Sauvigny, Surfaces of prescribed mean curvature H = H(x, y, z) with one-to-one central projection onto a plane, Pac. J. Math., 281(2):481–509, 2016.
J. Serrin, On surfaces of constant mean curvature which span a given space curve, Math. Z., 112:77–88, 1969.
M. Struwe, Large H-surfaces via the mountain-pass-lemma, Math. Ann., 270:441–459, 1985.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Dedicated to Professor Dr. Robert Finn and Professor Dr. Vsevolod Solonnikov in very high respect, remembering a wonderful conference from the 21st to the 25th of August 2017 at the University of Vilnius
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Sauvigny, F. Solution of boundary value problems for surfaces of prescribed mean curvature H (x, y, z) with 1–1 central projection via the continuity method. Lith Math J 58, 320–328 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10986-018-9399-y
Received:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10986-018-9399-y