On isometric and minimal isometric embeddings (Q1373186)

This paper is concerned with critial isometric and minimal isometric embeddings of so-called quasi-\(\kappa\)-curved Riemannian manifolds \((M^n,\widetilde{g})\), i.e., manifolds endowed with a metric \(\widetilde{g}\) such that the curvature tensor \(R_x\) at \(x\in M\) has the form \(R_x=-\gamma(Q_x,Q_x)+(\kappa+1) \gamma(\widetilde{g}_x,\widetilde{g}_x)\) where \(Q\) is a positive definite quadratic form on \(M\), \(\kappa\in\mathbb R\) and \(\gamma:S^2T^\ast\to S^2(\Lambda^2T^\ast)\) is the algebraic Gauss map. Quasi-\(\kappa\)-curved manifolds are generalizations of quasi-hyperbolic metrics as defined by \textit{E.~Berger, R.~Bryant} and \textit{P.~Griffiths} [Duke Math. J. 50, 803-892 (1983; Zbl 0526.53018)], which correspond to the case \(\kappa= -1\). Quasi-\(\kappa\)-curved metrics with \(\kappa= 0\) correspond to quasi-flat metrics. The following results are proved: At first, if \((M^n,\widetilde{g})\), \(n\geq 3\), is quasi-\(\kappa\)-curved then there exist local isometric embeddings \(M^n\longrightarrow X^{2n-1}(\kappa+1)\), into the space form of constant sectional curvature \(\kappa + 1\) if and only if \(\nabla Q\) is a symmetric cubic form and \(\nabla Q=L \cdot Q\) for some linear form \(L\in\Omega^1(M)\). These embeddings depend on \(n^2 - n\) functions of one variable. A second result exhibits spacelike submanifolds of the Lorentz space \({\mathbb L}^{n+2}\) as examples of quasi-\(\kappa\)-curved manifolds \(M^n\) satisfying this condition. The rank of an embedding is defined as the dimension of the image of the second fundamental form considered as a linear map form \(S^2T_x^\ast\) to the normal space. For the case of immersions that are both isometric and minimal, the following is stated. 1. If \((M^n,\widetilde{g})\) is a quasi-\(\kappa\)-curved manifold and \(Q\) is \(\widetilde{g}\)-parallel, then \(M\) does not admit any local embedding of rank less than \(n\) into \(X^N(\varepsilon)\), for \(\varepsilon<\kappa\), which is isometric and minimal, or which is isometric with parallel mean curvature vector, except when \(M\) is flat and its image is a piece of the Clifford torus. 2. If an \(n\)-dimensional space form \(M^n(\varepsilon)\) is locally isometrically embedded as a minimal submanifold of constant rank in an \(N\)-dimensional space form \(X^N(\varepsilon)\), then either \(M\) is totally geodesic, or the rank is at least \(n - 1\). If the rank is exactly \(n - 1\), then either \(M\) is totally geodesic or \(M\) is flat and its image is a piece of the Clifford torus \(T^n\subset S^{2n-1}\). 3. Let \(M^n\) be a quasi-\(\kappa\)-curved Riemannian manifold. Let \(l\) be the dimension of the principal orbits of the identity component of the isotropy group of \(M\), at a generic point \(p\in M\), acting on the \(Q\)-orthonormal frames of \(T_p M\). Then the minimal isometric embeddings, and more generally the isometric embeddings with parallel mean curvature vector of \(M\) into a space form \(X^{2n-1}(\kappa+ 1)\) depend, up to rigid motions, on a choice of \({n\choose 2}- l\) constants. Explicit examples of such embeddings are constructed.