Global Nash-Kuiper theorem for compact manifolds (Q2103541): Difference between revisions

Let \((\mathcal{M}, g)\) be a compact \(n\)-dimensional manifold with \(C^1\) metric \(g\). The celebrated isometric embedding theorem of \textit{N. H. Kuiper} [Nederl. Akad. Wet., Proc., Ser. A 58, 545--556, 683--689 (1955; Zbl 0067.39601)] and \textit{J. Nash} [Ann. Math. (2) 60, 383--396 (1954; Zbl 0058.37703)] states that any immersion or embedding \(u:\mathcal{M}\hookrightarrow \mathbb{R}^{n+1}\) can be uniformly approximated by \(C^1\) isometric immersions/embeddings. For the classical Weyl problem, i.e. embeddings \((S^2,g)\hookrightarrow\mathbb{R}^3\) of \((S^2,g)\) with positive Gauss curvature \(\kappa_g>0\), the Nash-Kuiper theorem implies the existence of a vast set of non-congruent \(C^1\) surfaces, each isometric to \((S^2,g)\). This is in strong contrast with the situation for \(C^2\) isometric embeddings, where a rigidity theorem of \textit{St. Cohn-Vossen} [Nachr. Ges. Wiss. Göttingen, Math.-Phys. Kl. 1927, 125--134 (1927; JFM 53.0712.01)] and \textit{G. Herglotz} [Abh. Math. Semin. Univ. Hamb. 15, 127--129 (1943; Zbl 0028.09401)], states that the \(C^2\) isometric embedding \((S^2,g)\hookrightarrow\mathbb{R}^3\) is uniquely determined up to congruencies. In the introduction to the present article, the authors outline very carefully the long history of the question of what happens inbetween the rigid \(C^2\) case and the highly non-rigid \(C^1\) case on the Hölder scale \(C^{1,\theta}\). In their main results, the authors obtain global extensions of the Nash-Kuiper theorem for \(C^{1,\theta}\) isometric immersions of compact manifolds with optimal Hölder exponent. In particular for the Weyl problem of isometrically embedding a convex compact surface in \(3\)-space, the authors show that the Nash-Kuiper non-rigidity prevails upto exponent \(\theta < 1/5\). This extends previous results on embedding 2-discs as well as higher dimensional analogues.