\(\sigma _2\)-diffeomorphisms between 4-dimensional annuli (Q2628978)

In this paper, the authors study existence of rotationally symmetric diffeomorphisms between \(4\)-dimensional annuli which is analogous to Nitsche's result between \(2\)-dimensional annuli. Let \(\varphi: (M^n, g) \to (N^m, h)\) be a smooth map between Riemannian manifolds. Denoting by \(d\varphi^t: TN \to TM\) the adjoint of \(d\varphi: TM \to TN\), we get an endomorphism \({\mathcal A}_\varphi:= d\varphi^t\circ d\varphi: TM \to TM\). Let \(\lambda_1, \lambda_2, \cdots, \lambda_n\) be the eigenvalues of \({\mathcal A}_\varphi\). The elementary symmetric functions in the eigenvalues of \({\mathcal A}_\varphi\) are defined by \[ \sigma_1(\varphi) = \sum_{i=1}^n \lambda_i, \quad \sigma_2(\varphi) = \sum_{i<j} \lambda_i \lambda_j, \quad \cdots, \quad \sigma_n(\varphi) = \lambda_1 \lambda_2 \cdots \lambda_n. \] Note that \(\frac{1}{2}\sigma_1(\varphi) = e(\varphi) = \frac{1}{2}|d\varphi|^2\) is the energy of \(\varphi\) and the critical points of the energy functional \(E(\varphi) = \int_M e(\varphi)\, dv_g\) are called harmonic maps. In [Am. Math. Mon. 69, 781--782 (1962; Zbl 0109.30503)], \textit{J. C. C. Nitsche} proved that there exists a rotationally symmetric harmonic diffeomorphism from \(A(r, R) = \{z\,:\, r<|z|< R\,\} \subset {\mathbb R}^2\) to \(A(r_*, R_*) = \{z\,:\, r_*<|z|< R_*\,\} \subset {\mathbb R}^2\) with the Euclidean metric if and only if \[ \frac{1}{2}\left(\frac{R}{r} + \frac{r}{R}\right) \leq \frac{R_*}{r_*}.\tag{1} \] With this property, Nitsche proposed a conjecture that (1) holds if and only if there exists a harmonic diffeomorphism from \(A(r, R)\) to \(A(r_*, R_*)\) . In this paper, the authors consider the following \(\sigma_2\)-energy \[ E_2(\varphi) = \int_M \sigma_2(\varphi)\, dv_g. \] The critical points of \(\sigma_2\)-energy are called \(\sigma_2\)-maps, and a \(\sigma_2\)-map which is also diffeomorphism is called \(\sigma_2\)-diffeomorphism. The authors prove that there exists a rotationally symmetric \(\sigma_2\)-diffeomorphism from \(A(r, R) = \{z\,:\, r<|z|< R\,\} \subset {\mathbb R}^4\) to \(A(r_*, R_*) = \{z\,:\, r_*<|z|< R_*\,\} \subset {\mathbb R}^4\) with the Euclidean metric if and only if \[ \frac{1}{2}\left(\frac{R^2}{r^2} + \frac{r^2}{R^2}\right) \leq \frac{R_*^2}{r_*^2}.\tag{2} \] And with this result, the authors propose the Nitsche type conjecture.