Kähler submanifolds with parallel pluri-mean curvature. (Q1422027)

The authors consider the class of Kähler submanifolds \(M\subset{\mathbb R}^n\) with parallel pluri-mean curvature, that is such that the (1,1)-part of the second fundamental form \(\alpha\) is parallel with respect to the connections on the tangent and normal bundles. These are generalizations of constant mean curvature surfaces in \({\mathbb R}^n\). They first show that a Kähler immersion \(f:M\to{\mathbb R}^n\) with second fundamental form \(\alpha\) has parallel pluri-mean curvature if and only if \(f\) has an associated family, that is a family of isometric immersions \(f_{\theta}:M\to{\mathbb R}^n\) with second fundamental form \(\alpha_{\theta}=\alpha(R_{\theta}X, R_{\theta}Y)\), where \(R_{\theta}=\cos(\theta) I + \sin(\theta) J\), \(J\) being the complex structure on \(M\). The main part of the paper is devoted to studying the relationship between a Kähler immersion with parallel pluri-mean curvature and its Gauss map. For example they show that, in analogy to the Ruh-Vilms theorem [\textit{E. A. Ruh} and \textit{J. Vilms}, Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 149, 569--573 (1970; Zbl 0199.56102)] for constant mean curvature surfaces, parallel pluri-mean curvature submanifolds are characterized by the pluriharmonicity of their Gauss map. Next, the authors introduce the complex Gauss map of a Kähler immersion \(f:M\to{\mathbb R}^n\) and prove some interesting relationships between parallel pluri-mean curvature immersions, pluri-minimal immersions and the complex Gauss map. For example, they generalize to Kähler immersions the well known fact that a surface is minimal if and only if its complex Gauss map is holomorphic. Some non trivial examples of the constructions described in the paper are given in the last section.