Paper 2, Section II, 26F26 \mathbf{F}

Differential Geometry
Part II, 2021

Let UU be a domain in R2\mathbb{R}^{2}, and let ϕ:UR3\phi: U \rightarrow \mathbb{R}^{3} be a smooth map. Define what it means for ϕ\phi to be an immersion. What does it mean for an immersion to be isothermal?

Write down a formula for the mean curvature of an immersion in terms of the first and second fundamental forms. What does it mean for an immersed surface to be minimal? Assume that ϕ(u,v)=(x(u,v),y(u,v),z(u,v))\phi(u, v)=(x(u, v), y(u, v), z(u, v)) is an isothermal immersion. Prove that it is minimal if and only if x,y,zx, y, z are harmonic functions of u,vu, v.

For uR,v[0,2π]u \in \mathbb{R}, v \in[0,2 \pi], and smooth functions f,g:RRf, g: \mathbb{R} \rightarrow \mathbb{R}, assume that

ϕ(u,v)=(f(u)cosv,f(u)sinv,g(u))\phi(u, v)=(f(u) \cos v, f(u) \sin v, g(u))

is an isothermal immersion. Find all possible pairs (f,g)(f, g) such that this immersion is minimal.