Kenmotsu type representation formula for surfaces with prescribed mean curvature in the 3-sphere (Q1572914)

Let \(M\) be a Riemann surface and \(f:M\rightarrow{\mathbb S}_c\) a conformal immersion into the 3-sphere of radius \(c\). The representation formula established in the paper is based on a model of \(\mathbb S_c\) as a symmetric space \(\text{SU}(2)\times\text{SU}(2)/\Delta\), where \(\Delta\) is the diagonal of \(\text{SU}(2)\times\text{SU}(2)\) and on the notion of a generalized Gauss map \({\mathcal G}= ({\mathcal G}_1,{\mathcal G}_2):M\rightarrow {\mathbb S}^2\times{\mathbb S}^2\) of the immersion \(f\). \({\mathcal G}\) can be defined by considering \({{\mathbb S}^3(c^2)}\) as embedded in \({\mathbb R}^4\), assigning to a point \(x\in M\) the normal space of \(f(M)\) at \(f(x)\) which is an element of the Grassmann manifold \(G_{2,2}\) of 2-planes in \({\mathbb R}^4\) and by using the identification of \(G_{2,2}\) with \({\mathbb S}^2\times{\mathbb S}^2\) . The Kenmotsu type formula mentioned in the title is the following: Let \(M\) be simply connected, \(z_0\in M\), \(z\) a local coordinate on \(M\), \(H:M\rightarrow{\mathbb R}\) a smooth function, and \(\nu:M\rightarrow{\mathbb S}^2\) a non-holomorphic smooth map into the Riemann sphere solving the differential equation \[ \nu_{z\overline{z}}-{2\overline{\nu}\over 1+|\nu|^2}\nu_{z}\nu_{\overline{z}}= {H_z\nu_{\overline{z}}\over H+i c}. \] Define a smooth 1-form \(\omega\) on \(M\), a \(\underline{\text{sl}}(2,{\mathbb C})\)-valued 1-form \(\alpha\) and a \(\underline{\text{su}}(2,{\mathbb C})\)-valued 1-form \(\mu\) by \[ \omega= {-2 i \overline{\nu}_z\over(H-i c)(1+|\nu|^2)^2}dz,\quad \alpha\left(\begin{matrix}\nu&-\nu^2\\1&-\nu\end{matrix}\right) \omega, \quad \mu=c(\alpha-\alpha^\ast). \] Let \({\mathcal S}:M\rightarrow\text{SU}(2)\) be the solution of the system \({\mathcal S}^{-1}d{\mathcal S}=\mu\). Identifying \({\mathbb R}^4\) with the linear hull of the \(\text{SU}(2)\)-matrices \[ {\mathbf e_1}=\left(\begin{matrix} 0&1\\ 1&0\end{matrix}\right),\quad {\mathbf e_2}=\left(\begin{matrix} 0&i\\ i&0\end{matrix}\right),\quad {\mathbf e_3}=\left(\begin{matrix} i&0\\0&-i\end{matrix}\right),\quad {\mathbf e_4}=\left(\begin{matrix} 1&0\\0&1\end{matrix}\right), \] the ordinary Euclidean sphere of \({\mathbb R}^4\) identifies with \(\text{SU}(2)\), \((1/c) \text{SU}(2)\) with \(\mathbb S_c\) and \(f=(1/c) {\mathcal S}\) maps \(M\) into \(\mathbb S_c\). One proves: Theorem: The mapping \(f\) so defined is a conformal immersion of the open subset \(\{z\in M\); \(\nu_{\overline{z}}(z)\neq 0\}\) of \(M\). The mean curvature of \(f\) is \(H\) and the generalized Gauss map is given by \({\mathcal G}=({\mathcal S}[\nu],\nu)\), where \({\mathcal S}[\nu]\) is defined by the linear fractional action of \(\text{SU}(2)\) on \({\mathbb S}^2\). Moreover, the metric induced on \(M\) by \(f\) is \(f^\ast ds^2=(1+|\nu|^2)^2\omega{\overline{\omega}}\) and the Hopf differential of \(f\) is given by \(\Phi=2 i \nu_z\omega dz=(H-i c)^{-1} 4 \nu_z \overline{\nu}_z/(1+|\nu|^2)^2 dz d\overline{z}\). This result is a spherical version of the \textit{K. Kenmotsu} representation formula for surfaces with prescribed mean curvature in Euclidean 3-space [Math. Ann. 245, 89-99 (1979; Zbl 0402.53002)]. Spin versions of it are derived as well. For the case \(H=\text{const}\), a spherical analogue of \textit{R. Bryants} representation formula [Astérisque 154-155, 321-347 (1988; Zbl 0635.53047)] for surfaces of constant mean curvature in hyperbolic 3-space is derived.