On critical normal sections for two-dimensional immersions in \({\mathbb R^{n+2}}\) (Q834624)

Let \(X: B\to\mathbb{R}^{n+2}\) be a two-dimensional conformal immersion in \(\mathbb{R}^{n+2}\), \(n\geq 2\), \[ B= \{(u^1, u^2)\in \mathbb{R}^2/(u^1)^2+ (u^2)^2\leq 1\} \] and \(N= \{N_1,\dots,N_n\}\) an orthonormal normal section of the normal bundle of the immersion \(X\). The authors define the torsion coefficients of \(N\) as \(T^\theta_{\sigma,i}:= N_{\sigma,u^i}\cdot N_\theta\), \(i= 1,2\), or \(\theta= 1,\dots,n\), and the functional of total torsion as \[ T_X(N):=\iint_B h^{ij} T^\vartheta_{\sigma,i} T^\vartheta_{\sigma,j} W\,du^1 du^2, \] where \(W\) is the area element for the immersion \(X\) and \(h^{ij}\) are the elements of the inverse matrix to \((h_{ij})_{i,j=1,2}\), setting \(h_{ij}:= X_{u^i}\cdot X_{u^j}\). Then, they call the orthonormal normal section \(N\) Coulomb section of the normal bundle if it is critical for the total torsion \(T_X(N)\). In this paper, Coulomb sections of both flat and non-flat normal bundles are investigated. Among other results the authors prove that if \(X\) is an immersion with flat normal bundle, then, for any Coulomb section \(N\), all torsion coefficients vanish identically in \(B\). Besides, in case \(X\) is an immersion with non-flat normal bundle, they derive a lower bound for the total torsion and an upper bound for the torsion coefficients.