Hypersurfaces satisfying \(\triangle \overrightarrow{H} = \lambda \overrightarrow{H}\) in \(\mathbb{E}_s^5\) (Q6044188)

The paper considers a class of hypersurfaces \(M^4_r\) in the pseudo-Euclidean space \(\mathbb{R}^5_s\), where \(0 \leq s \leq 5\) and \(0 \leq r \leq 4\) stand for the indices of the metric \(g_E\) on \(\mathbb{R}^5_s\) and the metric \(g_M\) on \(M^4_r\) induced by \(g_E\), respectively. The class consists of the hypersurfaces \(M^4_r \subset \mathbb{R}^5_s\) satisfying \[ \Delta \vec{H} = \lambda \vec{H},\tag{1} \] where \(\Delta\) is the Laplace operator with respect to the metric \(g_M\), \(\vec{H}\) is the mean curvature vector of \(M^4_r\) and \(\lambda\) is a real constant. As a particular case, a hypersurface satisfying (1) with \(\lambda=0\) is called biharmonic. In this context, the paper presents three main results. The first result states that a hypersurface \(M^4_r \subset \mathbb{R}^5_s\), whose mean curvature vector satisfies (1), with diagonal shape operator and distinct principal curvatures, has constant mean curvature, constant norm of the second fundamental form and constant scalar curvature. As a consequence of this theorem and the main result of \textit{J. Liu} and \textit{C. Yang} [J. Math. Anal. Appl. 419, No. 1, 562--573 (2014; Zbl 1296.53126)], the authors conclude that a hypersurface \(M^4_r \subset \mathbb{R}^5_s\) satisfying (1) and with diagonal shape operator, has constant mean curvature, constant norm of the second fundamental form and constant scalar curvature. This is the content of the second main result. Finally, the third main result asserts that a biharmonic hypersurface \(M^4_r \subset \mathbb{R}^5_s\), with diagonal shape operator, must be minimal. This result is related to a conjecture due to \textit{B.-Y. Chen} [Soochow J. Math. 17, No. 2, 169--188 (1991; Zbl 0749.53037)], which states that the only biharmonic submanifolds of Euclidean spaces are the minimal submanifolds.