Formal conserved quantities for isothermic surfaces (Q464245)

An isothermic surface admits a pencil \(\nabla^t = \text{d} + t\eta\), \(t \in \mathbb{R}\) of flat connections. Recently, \textit{F. E. Burstall} and \textit{S. D. Santos} [J. Lond. Math. Soc., II. Ser. 85, No. 2, 571--591 (2012; Zbl 1239.53008)] considered \textit{special isothermic surfaces of type \(d\),} characterized by having a family \(p(t)\) of \(\nabla^t\)-parallel sections that are polynomial of degree \(d\) in \(t\). This family is called a \textit{polynomial conserved quantity.} Not every isothermic surface admits a polynomial conserved quantity but, as is shown in this article, every isothermic surfce in \(S^n\) locally admits a \textit{formal conserved quantity}, that is, a family of flat connections of the shape \(p(t) = \sum_{i \leq 0} p_it^i\). In case of \(n = 3\), global existence can be guaranteed. The authors characterize special isothermic surfaces by conditions on formal conserved quantities and use their theory to characterize the special isothermic surfaces among the surfaces of revolution, cones and cylinders in \(S^3\).