A proof of the multiplicity 1 conjecture for min-max minimal surfaces in arbitrary codimension

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Publication:2217874



Abstract: Given any admissible k-dimensional family of immersions of a given closed oriented surface into an arbitrary closed Riemannian manifold, we prove that the corresponding min-max width for the area is achieved by a smooth (possibly branched) immersed minimal surface with multiplicity one and Morse index bounded by k.


The paper under review concerns the theory of minimal surfaces in Riemannian manifolds. The authors discuss a novel method developed in [\textit{T. Rivière}, Publ. Math., Inst. Hautes Études Sci. 126, 177--246 (2017; Zbl 1387.53084)] for constructing branched immersed minimal surfaces of arbitrary topology in an assigned closed Riemannian manifold \(M^m\). Namely, for a fixed parameter \(\sigma\), one first finds an immersion \(\Phi: \Sigma\to M^m\) which is critical for the following perturbed area functional: \[ A^\sigma (\Phi) = \int_\Sigma d\, vol_{g_\Phi} + \sigma^2\int_\Sigma (1+\vert A\vert_{g_\Phi}^2) d\, vol_{g_\Phi}, \] where \(\Sigma\) is a fixed closed oriented surface, \(g_\Phi\) is the metric form induced by \(\Phi\) and \(vol_{g_\Phi}\) is the corresponding volume form, \(A\) is the second fundamental form of \(\Phi\). Choosing a sequence \(\sigma_j\to 0\), one gets a sequence of conformal immersions \(\Phi_j: \Sigma_j\to M^m\) which is bounded in \(W^{1,2}\) and give rise (as a weak limit) a parameterized stationary varifold \((\Sigma_\infty, \Theta_\infty, N_\infty)\). Interested in studying the limiting multiplicity \(N_\infty\), the authors prove that \(N_\infty\equiv 1\) holds true. Moreover, it is demonstrated that one has strong \(W^{1,2}\)-convergence \(\Phi_j\to \Phi_\infty\), if there is no bubbling or degeneration of the underlying conformal structure. Consequently, the authors consider an admissible \(k\)-dimensional family \(\mathcal{A}\subset\mathcal{P}(Imm(\Sigma, M^m))\), see [\textit{A. Michelat}, ``On the Morse index of critical points in the viscosity method, Preprint, \url{arxiv:1806.09578}], and prove that there exists a (possibly branched) minimal immersion \(\Phi\) of a closed surface \(S\) into \(M^m\) such that: (i) genus(\(S\)) \(\leq\) genus(\(\Sigma\)), (ii) \(\inf\limits_{A\in \mathcal{A}}\sup\limits_{\Psi\in A}\) area(\(\Psi\)) = area (\(\Phi\)), (iii) index (\(\Phi\))\(\leq k\). The discussed problems and obtained results are claimed to be closely related to the multiplicity 1 conjecture by \textit{F.C. Marques} and \textit{A. Neves} [Camb. J. Math. 4, 463--511 (2016; Zbl 1367.49036)].











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