On the approximation of unstable parametric minimal surfaces (Q1904101)

The considered problem can be stated as follows: assume a smooth curve \(\Gamma\) in \(\mathbb{R}^n\) and \(D\subseteq \mathbb{R}^2\) be the unit disc. Let \(u_0: D\to \mathbb{R}^n\) be a non-degenerate minimal surface with boundary \(\Gamma\) (i.e., \(u_0\) has no branch points). For each \(h> 0\) a sequence of points on \(\partial \Omega\) is fixed with the distance between consecutive vertices \(\leq h\). Consider piecewise linear maps with respect to arc length \(s_0: \partial \Omega\to \mathbb{R}^n\), mapping the prescribed vertices on points on \(\Gamma\). Consider now those maps for which the harmonic extension as a function of position of the nodes on \(\Gamma\) either minimizes the Dirichlet energy or for which Dirichlet energy is stationary. The harmonic extension \(u_h\) of such a map is called a semi-discrete minimal surface. The authors prove that the estimate \(|u_0- u_h|_{H^1(D)}\leq ch^{3/2}\) is valid. The paper is completed by model examples, confirming the theoretical results.