Hypersurfaces in hyperbolic space associated with the conformal scalar curvature equation \(\Delta u +ku^{\frac{n+2}{n-2}}=0\) (Q1012343)

The Yamabe problem consists of finding a constant scalar curvature metric in a conformal class. In the class of a flat metric it leads to the equation \(\Delta u + k u^{n+2\over n-2} = 0\) where \(\Delta\) is the Euclidean Laplacian. In the present article it is shown that the same equations governs an extrinsic geometric problem in hyperbolic \((n+1)\)-space \(\mathbb H^{n+1}\): Finding hypersurfaces with a certain linear relation between the elementary symmetric functions of the principal curvatures (generalized mean curvatures) \(H_r\), \(r= 0,\dots n\), \[ \sum_{r=0}^n (c-n+2r){n\choose r} H_r = 0 \] for some real constant \(c\); they are called \(c\)-Weingarten hypersurfaces. What is special about these hypersurfaces? They are characterized by the following property: Consider the two hyperbolic Gauss maps, \(G_\pm = P\pm N\) where \(P\) is the position vector in \(\mathbb H^{n+1} \subset \mathbb R^{n+1,1}\) and \(N\) the unit normal vector of the hypersurface. Then, \(M\) is a \(c\)-Weingarten hypersurface for some \(c\) iff the local correspondence \(G_-(M) \to G_+(M)\) is harmonic wherever \(G_-\) is an immersion. As a consequence, if \(M\subset \mathbb H\) is a \(c\)-Weingarten hypersurface, so is each of its parallel hypersurfaces \(M_t = \{\exp_p tN(p): p\in M\}\) (with possibly diferent \(c\)) since \(M_t\) and \(M\) have the same Gauss maps. Now \(M\) and all \(M_t\) can be described by their common normal geodesic congruence. Locally, such geodesic congruences (foliations) with integrable normal distribution can be described by a function \(\phi\) on \(\mathbb R^n\), and the \(c\)-Weingarten property leads precisely to the Yamabe equation \(\Delta u + k u^{n+2\over n-2} = 0\) where \(au^b = e^\phi\) for suitable constants \(a,b\). Using this correspondence, \(c\)-Weingarten hypersurfaces are constructed from known solutions of the Yamabe equation. Another phenomenon might be related to this coincidence: The limit metric of \(M_t\) as \(t\to-\infty\), after normalizing by \(e^{2t}\), is conformally flat. This has global consequences when the Gauss map \(G_-\) is everywhere regular (no principal curvature equals \(-1\)); e.g. if \(M\) is compact, it must be a geodesic sphere. The defining equation for \(c\)-Weingarten hypersurfaces is elliptic, therefore we have some reflection principle of Alexandrov type.