A variational proof of Alexandrov's convex cap theorem (Q1006391): Difference between revisions

The author presents an original proof of the following classical theorem of \textit{A. D.~Alexandrov} [Convex polyhedra, Berlin: Springer (2005; Zbl 1067.52011)]. Theorem. Let \(D^2\) be a disk with a convex Euclidean polyhedral metric. Then there exists a convex cap \(C\subset R^3\) with the upper boundary isometric to \(D\). Besides, \(C\) is unique up to a rigid motion. The proof uses a variational method. Namely, the author studies the space \({\mathcal C}(D)\) of generalized convex caps with the upper boundary isometric to \(D\). Considering the heights of cap vertices, the space \({\mathcal C}(D)\) is identified with a particular subset of \(R^\Sigma\), which is proved to be a convex polyhedron. The main idea is to analyze the total scalar curvature \(S\) of generalized convex caps. It turns out that the total scalar curvature, viewed as a functional \({\mathcal C}(D)\to R\), is strictly concave. Besides it achieves its maximum exactly at ``classical'' convex caps. Then the convexity of \({\mathcal C}(D)\) and the concavity of \(S\) implies the existence and uniqueness of a convex cap with the upper boundary isometric to \(D\) [cf., \textit{A. I. Bobenko} and \textit{I. Izmestiev}, Ann. Inst. Fourier 58, No.~2, 447--505 (2008; Zbl 1154.52005)].