Total bending of vector fields on the sphere \(S^ 3\) (Q1924637)

The functional \(\mathcal B\) of total bending of unit vector fields was introduced by the author in his paper [Math. Ann. 303, No. 2, 325-344 (1995; Zbl 0834.53034)]. It measures up to what extent globally defined unit vector fields fail to be parallel. The interesting paper under review is a continuation of the program to find those vector fields on a given manifold where this functional attains its minimum, or which are its critical points; he now considers the total bending functional for odd-dimensional spheres, particularly in the three-dimensional case. His main tool are Hopf vector fields: \(\mathcal B\) has the common value 1 for all of them. Using previous results, he concludes that the Hopf vector fields are critical points of \(\mathcal B\). Then, using special features of \(S^3\), he shows that the Hesse form of \(\mathcal B\) at the Hopf vector forms is essentially positive definite. The main result of the first three sections is that those Hopf vector fields which belong to a special subset of the unit vector fields on \(S^3\) are of minimal total bending. This subset consists of those unit vector fields whose Hopf frame coordinates are restrictions of harmonic quadratic polynomials in four variables; they can be considered as special polynomial maps from \(S^3\) to \(S^2\). From the author's introduction: ``Not much seems to be known about such maps, so the classification of harmonic quadratic maps \dots might also be of interest independent of the study of \(\mathcal B\)''.