Geodesics in minimal immersions of \(S^ 3\) into \(S^{24}\) (Q756726)

Let W(m,s) be the Do Carmo-Wallach vector space spanned by the equivalence classes eq(f) determined by the isometric minimal immersion \(f: S^ m(1)\to S^{n-1}(r),\) under the action of the group of isometries of \(S^{n-1}(r)\). Here, n and r depend on m and s, s being the order of spherical harmonics on \(S^ m(1)\) inducing f. Each eq(f) belongs to a compact convex body L(m,s) in W(m,s). Furthermore, for any point eq(f) in the interior of L(m,s) f is a full immersion, whereas for eq(f) belonging to \(\partial L(m,s)\) f maps \(S^ m(1)\) into a sphere of dimension less than n-1. As in his previous papers, the author considers W(m,s) as a linear space of certain harmonic bi-symmetric tensors of bi- degree (s,s). After a beginning part containing some new general properties, he concentrates on the case \(m=3\), \(s=4\), studying geodesics obtained as image of great circles of \(S^ 3(1)\), by an isometric minimal immersion \(f: S^ 3(1)\to S^{24}(r),\) where \(r^ 2=1/8\) and \(S^{24}(r)\) is regarded as a hypersphere of \({\mathbb{R}}^{25}\). Any geodesic is a curve in \({\mathbb{R}}^{25}\) with curvatures \(k_ 1\), \(k_ 2\), \(k_ 3\). The author proves that such curvatures are constants which depend on the choice of the geodesic, unless f is a standard minimal immersion. He also obtains some relations satisfied by the curvatures, and a necessary and sufficient condition for an isometric minimal immersion to have a geodesic which is a circle in a 2-plane of \({\mathbb{R}}^{25}\). Such a condition involves the associated tensor C and implies that C belongs to \(\partial L(m,s)\), \(m=3\), \(s=4\).