Bernstein theorems for length and area decreasing minimal maps (Q2510350)

The Bernstein theorem [\textit{S. Bernstein}, Math. Z. 26, 551--558 (1927; JFM 53.0670.01)] states that the only complete minimal graphs in Euclidean 3-space are planes. In this article, the authors provided some additional conditions on minimal graphs to become isometric totally geodesic immersions. Theorem A: Let \(M\) and \(N\) be two Riemannian manifolds. Suppose that \(M\) is compact, \(m=\mathrm{dim}M\geq 2\) and there exists a constant \(\sigma >0\) such that the sectional curvatures \(\sigma_M\) of \(M\) and \(\sigma_N\) of \(N\) and the Ricci curvature \(\mathrm{Ric}_M\) of \(M\) satisfy \(\sigma_M>-\sigma\) and \(\mathrm{Ric}_M\geq (m-1)\sigma \geq (m-1)\sigma_N\). If \(f:M \rightarrow N\) is a minimal map that is weakly length decreasing, i.e., \(\| df(TM)\| < 1\), then \(f\) is either a constant or an isometric totally geodesic immersion. Also, other results are obtained if \(f\) is weakly area decreasing, i.e., \(\|\wedge^{2}df\|<1\) and if the dimension of \(N\) is 1. Some examples and remarks are included showing that these results are optimal with the methods (strong elliptic maximum principles and the Bochner-Weitzenböck formula).