Eigenvalue estimates for submanifolds with bounded mean curvature in the hyperbolic space (Q5932130)

Let \(M\) be a complete, non-compact Riemannian manifold and let \(B_p(r)\) denote the open geodesic ball of radius \(r\) and center \(p\in M\). Let \(\lambda_1(r)>0\) denote the first eigenvalue of the Dirichlet boundary value problem: \(\Delta u+\lambda u=0\) in \(B_p(r)\) and \(u=0\) in \(\partial B_p (r)\), where \(\Delta\) denotes the Laplacian on \(M\). Then \(\lambda_1(r)\) has a limit when \(r\) tends to infinity and this limit is independent of the center \(p\). It is denoted by \(\lambda_1(M)\) and is non-negative. Schoen and Yau asked to look for conditions which imply that \(\lambda_1(M)\) is positive. In this paper the authors present a contribution in this direction. Let \(M^n\) be an \(n\)-dimensional complete non-compact submanifold in a hyperbolic space \(H^m(-1)\) such that the norm of its mean curvature vector is bounded by a constant \(\alpha <n-1\). The authors prove that in this case we have \(4\lambda_1 (M)\geq(n-1-\alpha)^2 >0\). It follows that \(4\lambda_1(M) \geq(n-1)^2\) when \(M\) is minimal and this inequality is sharp since the equality holds for a totally geodesic \(M\).