The first Steklov eigenvalue, conformal geometry, and minimal surfaces (Q631794)

The authors consider a spectral problem for manifolds \(\Sigma\) with nonempty boundary \(\partial\Sigma\). The Dirichlet-Neumann map which takes a function \(u\) on \(\partial\Sigma\) to the normal derivative of the harmonic extension of \(u\) is a self-adjoint operator with a discrete spectrum \(\sigma_0= 0<\sigma_1\leq\cdots\) tending to infinity. The eigenvalues for this problem are called Steklov eigenvalues. The contents of the paper comprise the following sections: Dirichlet-to-Neumann map (example); rotationally symmetric metric on the annulus; supercritical annuli; boundary conformal volume and relative conformal volume; relationship between the first eigenvalue and conformal volume. A purpose of this note is to give an extension of a result of Weinstock to arbitrary Riemann surfaces with boundary to obtain the upper bound for surfaces of genus \(\gamma\) with \(k\) boundary components. Theorem: Let \(\Sigma\) be a compact surface of genus \(\gamma\) with \(k\) boundary components. Let \(\sigma_1\) be the first nonzero eigenvalue of the Dirichlet-to-Neumann operator on \(\Sigma\) with metric \(g\). Then \(\sigma_1 L(\partial\Sigma)\leq 2(\gamma+ k)\pi\). The authors show that a paper submanifold of the ball is immersed by Steklov eigenfunctions iff it is a free boundary solution. They prove general upper bounds for conformal metrics on manifolds of any dimension which can be properly conformally immersed into the unit ball in terms of certain conformal volume quantities. Moreover, the authors prove the following: Theorem: Let \(\Sigma\) be a minimal surface in the unit ball \(B^n\) in \(\mathbb R^n\), with nonempty boundary \(\partial\Sigma\subset \partial B^n\), and meeting \(\partial B^n\) orthogonally along \(\partial\Sigma\), given by the isometric immersion \(\varphi: \Sigma\to B^n\). Then \(V_{bc}(\Sigma, n,\varphi)= L(\partial\Sigma)\), the length of the boundary of \(\Sigma\). Finally, the authors study the relationship between the first eigenvalue and the conformal volume.