Polyharmonic hypersurfaces into space forms (Q2164423)

A polyharmonic map of order \(k\) (a positive integer), or \(k\)-polyharmonic map for short, is a map between Riemannian manifolds which is a critical point of the \(k\)-energy functional. A \(k\)-polyharmonic map of order \(k=1\) and \(k=2\) are the well-known harmonic map and biharmonic map respectively. For some recent study and progress on biharmonic maps and related topics see the recent book [\textit{Y.-L. Ou} and \textit{B.-Y. Chen}, Biharmonic submanifolds and biharmonic maps in Riemannian geometry. Hackensack, NJ: World Scientific (2020; Zbl 1455.53002)] and references therein. The paper is focused on \(k\)-polyharmonic hypersurfaces (\(k\ge 3\)) in space forms \(N^{m+1}(c)\) of constant curvature \(c\). Here, a \(k\)-polyharmonic hypersurfaces is a hypersurface whose isometric immersion is a \(k\)-polyharmonic map. Among other things, the authors of the paper prove that any \(k\)-polyharmonic hypersurface with constant mean curvature function and constant squared norm of the shape operator in a space form of nonpositive curvature has to be minimal. Some geometric condition that characterize \(k\)-polyharmonic hypersurfaces with constant mean curvature function and constant squared norm of the shape operator in a sphere, and some new examples of proper \(k\)-polyharmonic isoparametric hypersurfaces in \(S^{m+1}\) are also given.