Riemannian structures and the codimension of exceptional minimal surfaces in \(H^ n\) and \(R^ n\) (Q1911166)

Let \(N^n(c)\) be the n-dimensional simply connected space form of constant curvature c (in particular, \(\mathbb{R}^n=N^n(0), S^n=N^n(1)\), and \(H^n=N^n(-1)\)) and let \(M\) be a minimal surface in \(N^n(c)\). An \(r\)-th normal plane to the minimal surface is said to be exceptional if a certain condition derived from the structure equations is satisfied. M is called an exceptional minimal surface if all normal planes are exceptional. In this paper the author studies exceptional minimal surfaces in \(\mathbb{R}^n\) and in \(H^n\). The main results are the following: Suppose that an exceptional minimal surface lying fully in \(N^{n_1}(c)\) is isometric to an exceptional minimal surface lying fully in \(N^{n_2}(c)\). Then (i) for \(c=-1\) we have \(n_1=n_2\); (ii) for \(c=0 \), either (a) \(n_1=n_2\), (b) \(n_1\) is odd and \(n_2=2n_1\), or (c) \(n_2 \) is odd and \(n_1=2n_2\). Especially, in the last case every exceptional minimal surface lying fully in \(\mathbb{R}^{2m-1}\) is locally isometric to an exceptional minimal surface lying fully in \(\mathbb{R}^{2(2m-1)}.\) The spherical case was studied by \textit{J. Bolton} and \textit{L. M. Woodward} [J. Lond. Math. Soc. 45, 363-376 (1992; Zbl 0723.53040)] and by \textit{M. Sakaki} [Math. Proc. Camb. Philos. Soc. 117, 251-257 (1995; Zbl 0832.53006)].