Mean curvature one surfaces in hyperbolic space, and their relationship to minimal surfaces in Euclidean space (Q1608515): Difference between revisions

The author reports, equipped with many computer graphics, on the relationship between minimal surfaces \(\Phi\) in the Euclidean space \(\mathbb{R}^3\) and mean curvature one (cmc1) surfaces \(\widetilde\Phi\) in the hyperbolic space \((H^3(-1)\) of constant curvature \(-1\). This one was first described by \textit{H. Lawson} [Ann. Math. (2) 92, 335-374 (1970; Zbl 0205.52001)]. Its origin is the fact that the cmc1 surface \(\widetilde\Phi\), corresponding to the minimal surface \(\Phi\), is determined by the two fundamental forms \(\widetilde I_1= I_1\) and \(\widetilde I_2= I_1+ I_2\) if \(I_1\) and \(I_2\) are the fundamental forms of \(\Phi\). Hereby a kind of the well-known Weierstrass representation for \(\Phi\) by a holomorphic function \(f\) and a meromorphic function \(g\) exists for \(\widetilde\Phi\) discovered by \textit{R. L. Bryant} [Astérisque 154/155, 321-347 (1988; Zbl 0635.53047)] using the Hermitian model \(\{A\overline A^t\mid A\in \text{SL}(2,\mathbb{C})\}\) of \(H^3(-1)\). Bryant's representation of \(\widetilde\Phi\) also allows the definition of a dual cmc1 ``cousin'' \(\widetilde\Phi^*\) of \(\Phi\) in \(H^3(-1)\) which is better to handle than the cousin \(\widetilde\Phi\) of \(\Phi\) itself. Under special symmetry conditions there even exists a one-parameter family for such cousin duals. Roughly spoken, minimal surfaces in \(\mathbb{R}^3\) are indeed equivalent to cmc1 surfaces in \(H^3(-1)\) locally but interesting and essential differences arise (f.e. period problems) when considering the two types of surfaces globally.