Modified Novikov--Veselov equation and differential geometry of surfaces (Q4379997)

The author gives short introductions to the (modified) Novikov-Veselov equation and to the generalized Weierstrass representation of surfaces in Euclidean space: the (modified) Novikov-Veselov equation is a \((2+1)\)-dimensional generalization of the (modified) KdV-equation which is integrable by the inverse scattering method. The generalized Weierstrass representation provides any conformal (analytic) immersion (of a Riemann surface) into Euclidean 3-space from a solution of the Dirac equation \(\partial_z\psi_1= U\psi_2\), \(\partial_{\overline z}\psi_2= -U\psi_1\) with potential \(U: \mathbb{C}\to\mathbb{R}\). The classical Weierstrass representation of minimal surfaces is obtained when \(U= 0\). If the potential \(U= U(z,\overline z,t)\) also depends on a parameter \(t\) and satisfies the modified Novikov-Veselov equation, the generalized Weierstrass representation provides a deformation for the corresponding surfaces, the ``Novikov-Veselov deformation''. Periodicity conditions are discussed, i.e., when a deformation for closed surfaces is obtained. In the case of the Novikov-Veselov deformation of tori, the conformal structure and the Willmore functional are proven to be invariant (Theorems 1 and 2). This provides a new ansatz for proving the Willmore conjecture, \(\int_{T^2} H^2dA\geq 2\pi^2\) for any torus \(T^2\subset \mathbb{R}^3\). In the reviewer's opinion this is a very interesting and well-written paper. For the entire collection see [Zbl 0871.00030].