Buckling eigenvalues, Gauss maps and Lagrangian submanifolds (Q1345400)

Let \(M\) be a two dimensional Riemannian manifold and let \(\Omega\subset M\) be a domain with smooth boundary \(\partial \Omega\) and compact closure. Let \(\Delta\) be the Laplacian in \(M\) and consider the smallest eigenvalue \(\beta_ 1\) for the problem \[ \Delta^ 2 u+\beta \Delta u=0 \quad \text{in } \Omega, \qquad u=0= \partial_ u u \quad \text{on } \partial\Omega. \] The author shows that \(\beta_ 1\) (known as the buckling eigenvalue of \(\Omega\)) is given by \[ \beta_ 1= \inf_{u\in C^ \infty_ 0 (\Omega)} {{\int| \Delta u|^ 2} \over {\int| \nabla u|^ 2}}, \] and obtains some estimates for \(\beta_ 1\). These estimates are used to obtain some geometric results. For instance, let \(x: M\to \mathbb{R}^ 3\) be an immersion with nonzero constant mean curvature \(H\). Its Gauss map \(\nu: M\to S^ 2\) is known to be harmonic. Then \(\nu/ \Omega\) is stable only if \(\beta_ 1\geq 2H^ 2\) holds.