Differential geometry and minimal surfaces (Q5891307)

This book is the third, updated, edition of [Zbl 0797.53001; Zbl 1127.53001]. The introduction presents an extensive history of geometry and a summary of the contents of the book. There are 12 main chapters as well as two additional chapters of needed material, a bibliography of 50 items, and an index of names, and subjects. Many topics are clarified by diagrams. The first seven chapters deal with the basic concepts of geometry, including lines and surfaces, simple as well as multidimensional, and extend the customary geometrical treatment by more contemporary analytical methods. The subsequent three chapters on the theory of minimal surfaces may be viewed as application of the earlier material. Attention is drawn to the Weierstrass representation, Bernstein theorem, Plateau problem and the maximum principle. The last chapters consider the Theorema Egregium, geodesics and the Gauss-Bonnet theorem. The supplementary topics are the integrability conditions and existence of solutions of differential equations, and problems of their uniqueness. The topics of the book are well interconnected by references, useful additional information is provided by footnotes on biographical details of mathematicians and sometimes on the material discussed. At the end of each chapter, problems are set for independent solution, the results being sometimes used in the sequel. The book is useful not only to students for independent work, but is also handy to the teaching staff for lecture preparation and conduct of seminars.