Quantization of curvature for compact surfaces in \(S^{n*}\) (Q1416676)

For minimal surfaces in spheres there is the following well known conjecture: ``Let \(M\) be a compact surface minimally immersed in an \(n\)-dimensional unit sphere \(S^n(1)\). If \(K(s+ 1)\leq K\leq K(s)\) for an \(s\in N\), then either \(K= K(s)\) or \(K= K(s+ 1)\), where \(K\) is the Gaussian curvature of \(M\) and \(K(s)= 2/s(s+ 1)\), \(s\in N\). Moreover, the immersion is one of Calabi's standard immersions''. So far, this conjecture has been solved only in special cases. There is another version of this conjecture for the square of the length of the second fundamental form. In the present paper the authors recall the two versions for the known results and extend them to compact non-minimal surfaces in spheres. In particular, they discuss special classes like Willmore surfaces and surfaces with parallel mean curvature vector. The main tool for their results are different versions of a new integral inequality concerning compact minimal surfaces in \(S^n(1)\).