A proof of the multiplicity 1 conjecture for min-max minimal surfaces in arbitrary codimension (Q2217874)

The paper under review concerns the theory of minimal surfaces in Riemannian manifolds. The authors discuss a novel method developed in [\textit{T. Rivière}, Publ. Math., Inst. Hautes Études Sci. 126, 177--246 (2017; Zbl 1387.53084)] for constructing branched immersed minimal surfaces of arbitrary topology in an assigned closed Riemannian manifold \(M^m\). Namely, for a fixed parameter \(\sigma\), one first finds an immersion \(\Phi: \Sigma\to M^m\) which is critical for the following perturbed area functional: \[ A^\sigma (\Phi) = \int_\Sigma d\, vol_{g_\Phi} + \sigma^2\int_\Sigma (1+\vert A\vert_{g_\Phi}^2) d\, vol_{g_\Phi}, \] where \(\Sigma\) is a fixed closed oriented surface, \(g_\Phi\) is the metric form induced by \(\Phi\) and \(vol_{g_\Phi}\) is the corresponding volume form, \(A\) is the second fundamental form of \(\Phi\). Choosing a sequence \(\sigma_j\to 0\), one gets a sequence of conformal immersions \(\Phi_j: \Sigma_j\to M^m\) which is bounded in \(W^{1,2}\) and give rise (as a weak limit) a parameterized stationary varifold \((\Sigma_\infty, \Theta_\infty, N_\infty)\). Interested in studying the limiting multiplicity \(N_\infty\), the authors prove that \(N_\infty\equiv 1\) holds true. Moreover, it is demonstrated that one has strong \(W^{1,2}\)-convergence \(\Phi_j\to \Phi_\infty\), if there is no bubbling or degeneration of the underlying conformal structure. Consequently, the authors consider an admissible \(k\)-dimensional family \(\mathcal{A}\subset\mathcal{P}(Imm(\Sigma, M^m))\), see [\textit{A. Michelat}, ``On the Morse index of critical points in the viscosity method'', Preprint, \url{arxiv:1806.09578}], and prove that there exists a (possibly branched) minimal immersion \(\Phi\) of a closed surface \(S\) into \(M^m\) such that: (i) genus(\(S\)) \(\leq\) genus(\(\Sigma\)), (ii) \(\inf\limits_{A\in \mathcal{A}}\sup\limits_{\Psi\in A}\) area(\(\Psi\)) = area (\(\Phi\)), (iii) index (\(\Phi\))\(\leq k\). The discussed problems and obtained results are claimed to be closely related to the multiplicity 1 conjecture by \textit{F.C. Marques} and \textit{A. Neves} [Camb. J. Math. 4, 463--511 (2016; Zbl 1367.49036)].