Abstract
We consider isometric immersions F: M → \(\tilde M\) between Riemannian manifolds whose higher mean curvature forms [in the sense of the author, Manuscripta Math. 49 (1984), 177–194] are all (covariantly) constant or, equivalently, whose shape operator with respect to each parallel unit normal vector field along any curve in M has constant eigenvalues. As in the hypersurface case we call such immersions isoparametric. Among other results it is proved: Isoparametric surfaces of constant curvature spaces are symmetric, i.e. have parallel second fundamental form. The same is true for isoparametric Kählerian hypersurfaces of complex space forms.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Backes, E., ‘Einige Beiträge zur Theorie symmetrischer Immersionen in Räume konstanter Krümmung’, Dissertation, Universität zu Köln, 1982.
Backes, E. and Reckziegel, H., ‘On Symmetric Submanifolds of Spaces of Constant Curvature’, Math. Ann. 263, (1983) 419–433.
Cartan, É., ‘Familles de surfaces isoparamétriques dans les espaces á courbure constante’, Ann. Mat. Pura Appl. 17 (1938), 177–191.
Cecil, E. and Ryan, J., ‘Focal Sets and Real Hypersurfaces in Complex Projective Space’, Trans. Amer. Math. Soc. 269 (1982), 481–499.
Chern, S.S., do Carmo, M., and Kobayashi, S., ‘Minimal Submanifolds of a Sphere with Second Fundamental Form of Constant Length’, Functional Analysis and Related Fields (ed. F.E. Browder), Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg, New York, 1970, pp. 59–75.
Dombrowski, P., ‘Differentiable Maps into Riemannian Manifolds of Constant Stable Osculating Rank’, I, J. reine angew. Math. 274/275 (1975), 310–341; II, J. reine angew. Math. 289 (1977), 144–173.
Erbacher, J., ‘Isometric Immersions of Constant Mean Curvature and Triviality of the Normal Connection’, Nagoya Math. J. 45 (1971), 139–165.
Ferus, D., Karcher, H., and Münzner, H.F., ‘Cliffordalgebren und neue isoparametrische Hyperflächen’, Math. Z. 177 (1981), 479–502.
Hardy, G.A., Littlewood, J.E., and Polya, G., Inequalities, Cambridge Univ. Press, 1967.
Kobayashi, S. and Nomizu, K., Foundations of Differential Geometry, I/II. Interscience, New York, London, Sydney, 1963/1969.
Lawson, H.B., Jr, ‘Local Rigidity Theorems for Minimal Hypersurfaces’, Ann. Math. 89 (1969), 187–197.
Moore, J.D., ‘Isometric Immersions of Riemannian Products’, J. Diff. Geom. 5 (1971), 159–168.
Münzner, H.F., ‘Isoparametrische Hyperflächen in Sphären’, I, Math. Ann. 251 (1980), 57–71; II, Math. Ann. 256 (1981), 215–232.
Nomizu, K., ‘Characteristic Roots and Vectors of a Differentiable Family of Symmetric Matrices’, Linear and Multilinear Algebra 1 (1973), 159–162.
Nomizu, K., ‘Elie Cartan's Work on Isoparametric Families of Hypersurfaces’, Proc. Symp. Pure Math. 27 (1975), 191–200.
Nomizu, K. and Smyth, B., ‘Differential Geometry of Complex Hypersurfaces, II’, J. Math. Soc. Japan 20 (1968), 498–521.
Peng, Ch.-K. and Terng, Ch.-L., ‘Minimal hypersurfaces of Spheres with Constant Scalar Curvature’, Sem. on Minimal Submanifolds, Princeton Univ. Press, 1983, pp. 177–198.
Pinkall, U., ‘Curvature Properties of Taut Submanifolds’ (preprint).
Reckziegel, H., ‘Krümmungsflächen von isometrischen Immersionen in Räumen konstanter Krümmung’, Math. Ann. 223 (1976), 169–181.
Reckziegel, H., ‘On the Eigenvalues of the Shape Operator of an Isometric Immersion into a Space of Constant Curvature’, Math. Ann. 243 (1979), 71–82.
Reckziegel, H., ‘On the Problem Whether the Image of a Given Differentiable Map into a Riemannian Manifold is Contained in a Submanifold with Parallel Second Fundamental Form’, J. reine angew. Math. 325 (1981), 87–104.
Ruh, E. A. and Vilms, J., ‘The Tension Field of the Gauss Map’, Trans. Amer. Math. Soc. 149 (1970), 569–573.
Smyth, B., ‘Differential Geometry of Complex Hypersurfaces’, Ann. Math. 85 (1967), 246–266.
Smyth, B., ‘Homogeneous Complex Hypersurfaces’, J. Math. Soc. Japan 20 (1968), 643–647.
Smyth, B., ‘Submanifolds of Constant Mean Curvature’, Math. Ann. 205 (1973), 265–280.
Strübing, W., ‘On Integral Formulas for Submanifolds of Spaces of Constant Curvature and Some Applications’, Manuscripta Math. 49 (1984), 177–194.
Takagi, R., ‘Real Hypersurfaces in a Complex Projective Space with Constant Principal Curvatures’, I, J. Math. Soc. Japan 27 (1975), 43–53; II, J. Math. Soc. Japan 27 (1975), 507–516.
Takagi, R. and Takahashi, T., ‘On the Principal Curvatures of Homogeneous Hypersurfaces in a Sphere’, Diff. Geometry, in honor of K. Yano, Kinokuniya, Tokyo, 1972, pp. 469–481.
Terng, Ch.-L., ‘Isoparametric Submanifolds and their Coxeter Groups’ (preprint).
Walden, R., ‘Untermannigfaltigkeiten mit parallelen zweiten Fundamentalformen in euklidischen Räumen und Sphären’, Dissertation, TU Berlin, 1973.
Walden, R., ‘Untermannigfaltigkeiten mit paralleler zweiter Fundamentalform in euklidischen Räumen und Sphären’, Manuscripta Math. 10 (1973), 91–102.
Walter, R., ‘Compact Hypersurfaces with a Constant Higher Mean Curvature Function’, Math. Ann. 270 (1985), 125–145.
Wang, Q., ‘Real Hypersurfaces with Constant Principal Curvatures in Complex Projective Spaces (I)’, Sci. Sinica, Ser. A, 26 (1983), 1017–1024.
Wang, Q., ‘Isoparametric Hypersurfaces in Complex Projective Spaces’, Proc. 1980 Beijing Symp. Diff. Geom. Diff. Equ. (eds. S. S. Chern and Wu Wen-Tsün), vol. 3 Science Press, Beijing, 1982, pp. 1509–1523, Gordon and Breach, New York, 1982.
Wegner, B., ‘Codazzi-Tensoren und Kennzeichnungen sphärischer Immersionen’, J. Diff. Geom. 9 (1974), 61–70.
Yau, S.-T., ‘Submanifolds with Constant Mean Curvature’, I, Amer. J. Math. 96 (1974), 346–366; II, Amer. J. Math. 97 (1975), 76–100.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Strübing, W. Isoparametric submanifolds. Geom Dedicata 20, 367–387 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00149586
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00149586