Nonexistence of some complete stable minimal submanifolds (Q1110113)

Let \(M^ m\) be a complete Riemannian manifold and denote by \(S^ n\) the unit n-sphere of the Euclidean space \(R^{n+1}\). The author proves some theorems of the type: conditions on the metric of \(M^ n\) imply that there exists no isometric stable minimal immersion of \(M^ m\) into \(S^ n\). For instance, if the Ricci curvature of \(M^ n\) is greater than \(- 4m/(m-1),\) then the conclusion holds. Also, if some integral inequalities are satisfied for the scalar curvature of \(M^ n\), again the same conclusion holds. In the last part of the paper, the author presents some topological applications of his stability arguments.