Skip to main content
Log in

Maximum principles and nonexistence results for minimal submanifolds

  • Published:
manuscripta mathematica Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

We construct a quadratic form on ℝn+k of signature (n-k) which is subharmonic on any n-dimensional minimal submanifold in ℝn+k. This yields an improvement over the convex hull property of minimal submanifolds as well as necessary conditions for compact minimal submanifolds the boundaries of which lie in disconnected sets. The argument also extends to submanifolds of bounded mean curvature. Furthermore an optimal nonexistence result is derived by employing a different geometrical argument, which is based on the construction of n-dimensional catenoids.

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

  • [A] Almgren, F.J.: Three theorems on manifolds with bounded mean curvature. Bull. Amer. Math. Soc. 71, 755–756 (1965)

    MATH  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  • [DHKW] Dierkes, U.—Hildebrandt, S.—Küster, A.—Wohlrab, O.: Minimal surfaces. To appear in Springer

  • [F] Federer, H.: Geometric Measure Theory. Springer Grundlehren 153, 1969

  • [H] Hildebrandt, S.: Maximum principles for minimal surfaces and for surfaces of continuous mean curvature. Math. Z. 128, 253–269 (1972)

    Article  MATH  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  • [K] Kaul, H.: Remarks on the isoperimetric inequality for multiply connected H-surfaces. Math. Z. 128, 271–276 (1972)

    Article  MATH  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  • [N1] Nitsche, J.C.C.: A necessary criterion for the existence of certain minimal surfaces. J. Math. Mech. 13, 659–666 (1964)

    MATH  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  • [N2] Nitsche, J.C.C.: A supplement to the condition of J. Douglas. Rend. Circ. Mat. Palermo 13, 192–198 (1964)

    Article  MATH  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  • [N3] Nitsche, J.C.C.: Note on the nonexistence of minimal surfaces. Proc. Amer. Math. Soc. 19, 1303–1305 (1968)

    Article  MATH  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  • [NL] Nitsche, J.C.C.—Leavitt, J.: Numerical estimates for minimal surfaces. Math. Ann. 180, 170–174 (1969)

    Article  MATH  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  • [OS] Osserman, R.—Schiffer, M.: Doubly connected minimal surfaces. Arch. Rat. Mech. Anal. 58, 285–306 (1974/5)

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  • [S] Simoes, P.A.Q.: A class of minimal cones in ℝn, n≥8, that minimize area. Ph.D. thesis, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 1973

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Dierkes, U. Maximum principles and nonexistence results for minimal submanifolds. Manuscripta Math 69, 203–218 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02567919

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02567919

Keywords

Navigation