Value distribution of the Gauss map and the total curvature of complete minimal surface in \(\mathbb{R}^ m\) (Q1318182)

The following result is proved. Let \(S\) be a complete minimal surface in \(\mathbb{R}^ m\) such that its Gauss map intersects only a finite number of times \(q\) hyperplanes in \(CP^{m - 1}\) in general position. If \(q > m(m+1)/2\), then \(S\) has finite total curvature. The proof uses an inequality derived by \textit{H. Fujimoto} [J. Differ. Geom. 31, No. 2, 365- 385 (1990; Zbl 0719.53005)] which is the key to his study of the value distribution of the Gauss map of a minimal surface. Fujimoto used the work on holomorphic curves in \(CP^ n\) of \textit{M. Cowen} and \textit{P. Griffiths} [J. Anal. Math. 29, 93-153 (1976; Zbl 0352.32014)]. An extra bonus of this paper is that it summarizes some of the ideas of the Cowen- Griffith's paper and presents a proof of Fujimoto's inequality.