Incompressibility and least-area surfaces (Q2474004)

Let \(M\) be a closed orientable \(3\)-manifold and let \(F\) and \(F'\) be smoothly embedded oriented surfaces in \(M\). We say that \(F\) and \(F'\) are homotopic if there is a homeomorphism \(\varphi: F \to F'\), so that if \(i_F: F\to M\) and \(i_{F'}: F'\to M\) denote the inclusions, then \(i_F\) is homotopic to \(i_{F'}\circ \varphi: F\to M\). In the paper, the functional \[ A(g,F) = \inf\{\text{Area}_g(F')\,:\, F'\,\,\text{embedded surface homotopic to} \,\, F\,\} \] is considered and a surface \(F\) is said to be at least area with respect to the metric \(g\) if Area\(_g(F) = A(g, F)\). Fix a closed smooth orientable surface \(F\) embedded in a closed orientable \(3\)-manifold \(M\). The author proves that if for each Riemannian metric \(g\) on \(M\), there is a smooth, embedded surface \(F(g)\) homotopic to \(F\) such that Area\(_g(F(g)) = A(g, F)\), then \(F\) is incompressible. From the assumptions of the theorem, the author first derives that \(F\) is not homotopic to a handlebody and \(F\) is obtained from a surface \(\hat F\), each component of which is incompressible. Then given \(\epsilon >0\), the \(1\)-handles can be attached to \(\hat F\) so that the area of the resulting surface, which is homotopic to \(F\), is at most Area\(_g(\hat F) + \epsilon\) and hence \[ A(g, F) \leq \text{Area}_g(\hat F). \] Finally, the author constructs a metric \(g\) on \(M\) which is a warped product in a neighborhood of \(\hat F\) so that any least-area surface not contained in the neighborhood of \(\hat F\) has area greater than the area of \(\hat F\). The structure of the metric on the neighborhood of \(\hat F\) together with some topological arguments imply that this can not happen unless \(F = \hat F\).