Eigenmaps and the space of minimal immersions between spheres (Q3840652)

Let \(S_k^m\) be the \(m\)-dimensional sphere of constant curvature \(k>0\) and let \(S_V\) be the unit sphere in the Euclidean space \(V\). Let \(S(m,k)\) be the space of full isometric minimal immersions of \(S_k^m\) into \(S_V\), for various \(V\) (full means that the image of \(S_k^m\) is not contained in a hyperplane of \(V\)). Two elements of \(S(m,k)\) are equivalent (to be denoted by \(\cong\)) if they differ by an isometry of \(S_V\). It can be shown that, for fixed \(m\), the set of \(k>0\) such that \(S(m,k)\neq \emptyset \) is infinite countable, i.e., it can be enumerated by a sequence \(k=k_p\), for \(p=1,\dots,\infty\) [\textit{T. Takahashi}, J. Math. Soc. Japan 18, 380-385 (1966; Zbl 0145.18601)]. \textit{E. Calabi} [J. Differ. Geom. 1, 111-125 (1967; Zbl 0171.20504)] showed that \(S(2,k_p)/\cong\) is a single point. \textit{M. P. do Carmo} and \textit{N. R. Wallach} [Ann. Math., II. Ser. 93, 43-62 (1971; Zbl 0218.53069)] showed that \(S(m,k_p)/\cong\) can be parametrized by a compact convex body \(M_m^p\) of a finite-dimensional vector space \(F_m^p\). They derived a positive lower bound \(d(m,k_p)\) for the dimension of \(M_m^p\) and conjectured that it is sharp. In the present paper, by using a new approach to the problem, the author shows that the above conjecture is true. Particular cases of this result \((m=3\) and \(p=4\)) had been proved by Y. Muto by direct tensor computation. The author's method is very elegant and introduces new tools that will be useful for further investigations in this area.