Properly embedded minimal disks bounded by noncompact polygonal lines (Q706065)

The authors study Plateau's problem in \(\mathbb{R}^3\) for a special noncompact boundary configuration consisting of a pair of two congruent \(U\)-shaped piecewise linear curves \(\Gamma^+\) and \(\Gamma^-\). More precisely, \(\Gamma^+\) is a planar curve made of two parallel halflines \(\ell^+_1\), \(\ell^+_2\) together with a finite line segment \(\ell^+_0\) joining the endpoints of \(\ell^+_1\) and \(\ell^+_2\) and meeting both halflines under a right angle. \(\Gamma^+\) is the result of a rotation of \(\Gamma^+\) around an axis which is coplanar with \(\Gamma^+\), parallel to \(\ell^+_0\), but does not meet interior points of \(\ell^+_j\). Thus, \(\Gamma^+\) and \(\Gamma^-\) determine a wedge in a slab \(S\) of \(\mathbb{R}^3\). The authors ascertain the precise number of disc type minimal surfaces contained in \(S\) and spanning \(\Gamma^+\cup\Gamma^-\). This number is between 0 and 4 and depends on the distance of \(\Gamma^+\) and \(\Gamma^-\) and the angle of the rotation carrying \(\Gamma^+\) into \(\Gamma^-\). The analysis is based on an explicit determination of the Weierstrass data of possible solutions. Symmetry considerations are fundamental.