On the existence of space-like constant mean curvature surfaces spanning two circular contours in Minkowski space (Q2469957)

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On the existence of space-like constant mean curvature surfaces spanning two circular contours in Minkowski space
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    On the existence of space-like constant mean curvature surfaces spanning two circular contours in Minkowski space (English)
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    11 February 2008
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    The author considers the Plateau problem for space-like surfaces with constant mean curvature \(H\) \((\in\mathbb{R})\) in the 3-dimensional Lorentz-Minkowski space \(L^3\) which are spanning two axially symmetric contours (circles) \(\Gamma(r,a)\), \(\Gamma(R,b)\) with radii \(R> r> 0\) in parallel planes \(x_3= a\) and \(x_3= b\), respectively \((a,b\in\mathbb{R})\). In Theorem 1 he proves that the only solutions of this problem are rotational symmetric surfaces whose axis is a time-like line; such a solution exists iff \(|a- b|<R- r\). The article also gives a uniqueness result of the Dirichlet problem for the exterior of a disk (Theorem 2): Let \(u= u(x)\) define a space-like surface with constant mean curvature in the domain \(\Omega= \{x= (x_1,x_2)\in\mathbb{R}^2\); \(|x| > r\}\) such that \(u=a\) on \(\partial\Omega\); \(|u(x)|:\to 1\) as \(|x|\to\infty\), then \(u\) describes a surface of revolution. The proof of this theorem involves the study of the flux of a closed curve in a space-like surface, together with an application of a maximum principle for surfaces with constant mean curvature.
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    Lorentz-Minkowski space
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    space-like surface
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    constant mean curvature
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    maximum principle
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    flux formula
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    rotational symmetric surface
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