The second variational formula for Willmore submanifolds
The second variational formula for Willmore submanifolds
The second variational formula for Willmore submanifolds
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<strong>The</strong> <strong>second</strong> <strong>variational</strong> <strong><strong>for</strong>mula</strong> <strong>for</strong> <strong>Willmore</strong><br />
<strong>submanifolds</strong><br />
n ∗ in S<br />
§0. Introduction<br />
Dedicated to Professor S. S. Chern at the occasion of his 90th birthday<br />
Zhen Guo, Haizhong Li, Changping Wang<br />
Abstract: In [17] the third author presented Moebius geometry <strong>for</strong> <strong>submanifolds</strong><br />
in S n and calculated the first <strong>variational</strong> <strong><strong>for</strong>mula</strong> of the <strong>Willmore</strong><br />
functional by using Moebius invariants. In this paper we present<br />
the <strong>second</strong> <strong>variational</strong> <strong><strong>for</strong>mula</strong> <strong>for</strong> <strong>Willmore</strong> <strong>submanifolds</strong>. As an application<br />
of these <strong>variational</strong> <strong><strong>for</strong>mula</strong>s we give the standard examples of<br />
<strong>Willmore</strong> hypersurfaces {W m k := Sk ( � (m − k)/m)×S m−k ( � k/m), 1 ≤<br />
k ≤ m − 1} in S m+1 (which can be obtained by exchanging radii in the<br />
Clif<strong>for</strong>d tori S k ( � k/m) × S m−k ( � (m − k)/m)) and show that they are<br />
stable <strong>Willmore</strong> hypersurfaces. In case of surfaces in S 3 , the stability of<br />
the Clif<strong>for</strong>d torus S 1 ( 1<br />
√ 2 ) × S 1 ( 1<br />
√ 2 ) was proved by J. L. Weiner in [18].<br />
We give also some examples of m-dimensional <strong>Willmore</strong> <strong>submanifolds</strong><br />
in an n-dimensional unit sphere S n .<br />
Keywords: <strong>Willmore</strong> functional, <strong>second</strong> <strong>variational</strong> <strong><strong>for</strong>mula</strong>, stability,<br />
<strong>Willmore</strong> conjecture<br />
2000 MR Subject Classification 53A30, 53B25<br />
Let M be an m-dimensional submanifold immersed in Sn . <strong>The</strong> <strong>Willmore</strong> functional W is<br />
defined by<br />
W (M) =<br />
� � m<br />
m 2<br />
m − 1<br />
� �<br />
m<br />
S − m�H�<br />
2� 2<br />
dM, (0.1)<br />
M<br />
∗ <strong>The</strong> <strong>second</strong> author is partially supported by the Alexander von Humboldt Research Fellowship and the<br />
US-China Cooperative Research NSF Grant INT-9906856 and the third author is partially supported by<br />
973-project, DFG466-CHV-II3/127/0, Qiushi Award and RFDP.<br />
1
which is a con<strong>for</strong>mal invariant under Moebius (or con<strong>for</strong>mal) trans<strong>for</strong>mations of S n (see [3],<br />
[17], [19]), where S is the square of the length of the <strong>second</strong> fundamental <strong>for</strong>m, H is the mean<br />
curvature vector and dM is the volume element of the induced metric on M. In case of a<br />
surface in S 3 , this functional is equivalent to the <strong>Willmore</strong> functional We(M) := 4 �<br />
M H2 dM<br />
<strong>for</strong> surfaces in R 3 . <strong>The</strong> so-called <strong>Willmore</strong> conjecture states that We(M) ≥ 8π 2 <strong>for</strong> any<br />
embedded torus in R 3 , well-studied (cf. [2], [9], [19], [20], [21]) since 1965. An equivalent<br />
version of the <strong>Willmore</strong> conjecture states that W (T 2 ) ≥ 8π 2 <strong>for</strong> any embedded torus T 2 in<br />
S 3 and the equality holds if and only if T 2 is Moebius equivalent to the Clif<strong>for</strong>d torus. Many<br />
ef<strong>for</strong>ts and partial results have been obtained <strong>for</strong> this conjecture, but up to now it is still<br />
open.<br />
From the analytic point of view, the <strong>second</strong> <strong>variational</strong> <strong><strong>for</strong>mula</strong> of the <strong>Willmore</strong> functional<br />
might be very important to solve the <strong>Willmore</strong> conjecture. In 1978, J. L. Weiner gave the<br />
<strong>second</strong> <strong>variational</strong> <strong><strong>for</strong>mula</strong> <strong>for</strong> minimal surfaces, which is a special class of <strong>Willmore</strong> surfaces<br />
(cf. [18]). But it is rather complicated to give the <strong>second</strong> variation <strong><strong>for</strong>mula</strong> <strong>for</strong> general<br />
<strong>Willmore</strong> surfaces by using Euclidean invariants. In [12] M. Peterson derives such a <strong><strong>for</strong>mula</strong>.<br />
In [10] and [11] B. Palmer calculated the <strong>second</strong> variation of a <strong>Willmore</strong> surface in S 3 by<br />
using its con<strong>for</strong>mal Gauss map and used the <strong><strong>for</strong>mula</strong> to study the nonexistence of stable<br />
<strong>Willmore</strong> surfaces under some conditions.<br />
Since the <strong>Willmore</strong> functional (0.1) is invariant under the Moebius group (cf. [3], [17]),<br />
one can use the framework of Moebius geometry and Moebius invariants to calculate the<br />
<strong>second</strong> <strong>variational</strong> <strong><strong>for</strong>mula</strong>. It is the key point of this paper. For any submanifold M in<br />
S n we can introduce a Moebius invariant metric g on M. <strong>The</strong>n the <strong>Willmore</strong> functional<br />
is exactly the volume functional of g. <strong>The</strong> third author computed the first variation and<br />
got the Euler - Lagrange equations in [17]. Submanifolds in S n satisfying these equations<br />
are called <strong>Willmore</strong> <strong>submanifolds</strong> or Moebius minimal <strong>submanifolds</strong>. In this paper we give<br />
the <strong>second</strong> <strong>variational</strong> <strong><strong>for</strong>mula</strong> of the <strong>Willmore</strong> functional <strong>for</strong> <strong>submanifolds</strong> in S n by using<br />
Moebius invariants. Although this <strong><strong>for</strong>mula</strong> looks very complicated, in case of surfaces in<br />
S 3 (which is the most important case) the <strong><strong>for</strong>mula</strong> is in good <strong>for</strong>m (cf. §2, (2.43)). Using<br />
the Euler-Lagrange � equations we find the standard examples of <strong>Willmore</strong> hypersurfaces<br />
(m − k)/m) × Sm−k �<br />
( k/m), 1 ≤ k ≤ m − 1} in Sm+1 , which is (euclidean)<br />
{W m k := Sk (<br />
minimal if and only if 2k = m. In some sense, W m � k can be considered � as the dual hypersurface<br />
of the standard minimal hypersurface S k (<br />
k/m) × S m−k (<br />
that the hypersurface W m k are stable <strong>Willmore</strong> hypersurfaces.<br />
(m − k)/m) in S m+1 . We show<br />
We organize this paper as follows. In §1 we give Moebius invariants and local <strong><strong>for</strong>mula</strong>s in<br />
Moebius geometry <strong>for</strong> <strong>submanifolds</strong> in S n . In §2 we calculate the <strong>second</strong> variation <strong><strong>for</strong>mula</strong><br />
<strong>for</strong> <strong>Willmore</strong> <strong>submanifolds</strong> in S n . As an application we prove in §3 that {W m k } are stable<br />
<strong>Willmore</strong> hypersurfaces.<br />
§1. Moebius invariants and local <strong><strong>for</strong>mula</strong>s <strong>for</strong> <strong>submanifolds</strong> in S n<br />
Let x0 : M → S n be an m-dimensional compact submanifold with boundary ∂M, {e1, ..., em}<br />
be a local orthonormal basis of T M with respect to the induced metric dx0 · dx0 and<br />
{θ1, ..., θm} be its dual basis. Let {em+1, ..., en} be the local normal orthonormal vector<br />
field. We make use of the following convention on the ranges of indices:<br />
1 ≤ i, j, k, · · · ≤ m; m + 1 ≤ α, β, γ, . . . ≤ n<br />
2
and we shall agree that repeated indices are summed over the respective ranges. <strong>The</strong>n the<br />
structure equation of x0 can be written as<br />
dx0 = � θiei<br />
dei = � θijej + � h α ijθjeα − θix0<br />
deα = − � h α ijθjei + � θαβeβ.<br />
� h α iieα are the first, the <strong>second</strong><br />
<strong>The</strong> quantities I = dx0 · dx0, II = � hα ijθi ⊗ θjeα and H = 1<br />
m<br />
fundamental <strong>for</strong>m and the mean curvature vector of x0 in Sn , respectively. We define the<br />
function ρ : M → R by<br />
ρ =<br />
�<br />
m<br />
�II − HI�. (1.1)<br />
m − 1<br />
<strong>The</strong> metric g = ρ 2 dx0 · dx0 is called a Moebius metric which is invariant under Moebius<br />
trans<strong>for</strong>mations in S n (cf.[17]); it is positive definite at any non-umbilical point. <strong>The</strong>n the<br />
<strong>Willmore</strong> functional in (0.1) is exactly the Moebius volume functional <strong>for</strong> g:<br />
�<br />
W (M) :=<br />
M<br />
ρ m dM = V olg(M), (1.2)<br />
where dM is the volume element <strong>for</strong> the metric dx0 · dx0. In this paper, it is our purpose to<br />
calculate the <strong>second</strong> variation in the framework of Moebius geometry. We need the following<br />
notation and local <strong><strong>for</strong>mula</strong>s. For more details we refer to [17].<br />
be the Lorentz space with the inner product given by<br />
Let R n+2<br />
1<br />
< X, W >= −x 0 w 0 + x 1 w 1 + · · · + x n+1 w n+1 ,<br />
where X = (x 0 , x 1 , · · · , x n+1 ), W = (w 0 , w 1 , · · · , w n+1 ) ∈ R n+2 . <strong>The</strong> half cone in R n+2<br />
1<br />
defined as<br />
C n+1<br />
+<br />
For the immersion x0 : M → S n we define<br />
= {X ∈ R n+2<br />
1 | < X, X >= 0, x 0 > 0}.<br />
Y = ρ(1, x0) : M → C n+1<br />
+ . (1.3)<br />
If ˜x0 : M → Sn is Moebius equivalent to x0, then we have ˜ Y = Y T <strong>for</strong> some T ∈ O(n + 1, 1).<br />
Thus<br />
g =< dY, dY >= ρ 2 dx0 · dx0<br />
(1.4)<br />
is a Moebius invariant. In the following we assume that x0 is an immersion without umbilical<br />
point, which implies that g is positive definite on M. Let Ei = ρ −1 ei, then {Ei} is an<br />
orthonormal basis with respect to the metric g, and its dual basis is {ωi = ρθi}. Set<br />
Yi := Ei(Y ), N := − 1 1<br />
∆Y − < ∆Y, ∆Y > Y,<br />
m 2m2 Eα := (H α , eα + H α x0), (1.5)<br />
where ∆ is the Laplacian of the metric g and H = H α eα is the mean curvature vector with<br />
respect to the induced metric dx0 · dx0.<br />
3<br />
is
Lemma 1.1([17]) {Y, N, Yi, Eα} satisfy the following conditions<br />
< Y, Y >=< N, N >= 0, < Y, N >= 1, < Yi, Yj >= δij;<br />
< Y, Yi >=< N, Yi >=< Y, Eα >=< N, Eα >= 0;<br />
< Eα, Yi >= 0, < Eα, Eβ >= δαβ.<br />
Lemma 1.1 shows that {Y, N, Yi, Eα} <strong>for</strong>ms a Moebius moving frame in R n+2<br />
1<br />
<strong>The</strong> structure equations can be written as<br />
dY = � ωiYi<br />
dN = � ψiYi + � φαEα<br />
dYi = −ψiY − ωiN + � ωijYj + � ωiαEα<br />
dEα = −φαY − � ωiαYi + � ωαβEβ.<br />
By differentiating these equations and using Cartan’s lemma, we obtain<br />
ψi = �<br />
Aijωj, Aij = Aji; ωiα = �<br />
B α ijωj, B α ij = B α ji; φα = �<br />
C α i ωi.<br />
We have the following equations:<br />
�<br />
B α ii = 0, �<br />
i<br />
α,i,j<br />
�<br />
B α �2 ij = m − 1<br />
m<br />
, �<br />
j<br />
along M.<br />
(1.6)<br />
B α ij,j = −(m − 1)C α i . (1.7)<br />
<strong>The</strong> relations between these Moebius invariants and Euclidean invariants are given by<br />
Aij = −ρ −2 (Hessij(logρ) − ei(logρ)ej(logρ) − H α h α ij)<br />
− 1<br />
2 ρ−2 (|∇logρ| 2 − 1 + �<br />
(H<br />
α<br />
α ) 2 )δij, (1.8)<br />
B α ij = ρ −1 (h α ij − H α δij), (1.9)<br />
C α i = − 1<br />
m − 1 Bα ij,j = −ρ −2 (H α ,i + (h α ij − H α δij)ej(logρ)). (1.10)<br />
§2. <strong>The</strong> <strong>second</strong> <strong>variational</strong> <strong><strong>for</strong>mula</strong> of the <strong>Willmore</strong> functional<br />
In this section we calculate the <strong>second</strong> variation of the <strong>Willmore</strong> functional (or the Moebius<br />
volume functional) defined by (1.2) or (0.1). Since the variation of the volume depends only<br />
on the normal component of the <strong>variational</strong> vector field (cf. [17]), we will consider the normal<br />
variation.<br />
Let x : M × R → S n be a smooth variation of x0 such that x(·, t) = x0 and dxt(T M) =<br />
dx0(T M) on ∂M <strong>for</strong> each (small) t. <strong>The</strong>se two boundary conditions disappear if ∂M = Ø.<br />
For each t we denote by{ei} a local orthonormal basis <strong>for</strong> T M with respect to dxt · dxt,<br />
by {θi} its dual basis and by {eα} a local orthonormal basis <strong>for</strong> the normal bundle of xt.<br />
be the canonical lift of xt and gt =< dY, dY > be the<br />
Let Y = ρ(1, x) : M × R → C n+1<br />
+<br />
4
Moebius metric of xt. Let {Ei := ρ−1ei} be a local orthonormal basis <strong>for</strong> gt with dual basis<br />
{ωi = ρθi}. <strong>The</strong>n the volume <strong>for</strong> gt can be written as<br />
�<br />
W (t) := V olgt(M) =<br />
From Lemma 1.1 in section 1, we can choose a moving frame<br />
in R n+2<br />
1<br />
{Y, N, Y1, · · · , Ym, Em+1, · · · , En}<br />
M<br />
ω1 ∧ · · · ∧ ωm. (2.1)<br />
along M × R, which satisfies the conditions in Lemma 1.1 <strong>for</strong> each t. Let d denote<br />
the differential operator on M × R, then we can find 1-<strong>for</strong>ms<br />
{V, Vα, Ψi, Φα, Ωi, Ωij, Ωiα, Ωαβ}<br />
on M × R with Ωij = −Ωji and Ωαβ = −Ωβα such that<br />
Taking the differentials of these equations we get<br />
dY = V Y + ΩiYi + VαEα, (2.2)<br />
dN = −V N + ΨiYi + ΦαEα, (2.3)<br />
dYi = −ΨiY − ΩiN + ΩijYj + ΩiαEα, (2.4)<br />
dEα = −Φα − VαN − ΩiαYi + ΩαβEβ. (2.5)<br />
dV = Ψi ∧ Ωi + Φα ∧ Vα, (2.6)<br />
dΩi = Ωij ∧ Ωj + V ∧ Ωi − Vα ∧ Ωiα, (2.7)<br />
dVα = Ωαβ ∧ Vβ + Ωi ∧ Ωiα + V ∧ Vα, (2.8)<br />
dΨi = Ωij ∧ Ψj − Φα ∧ Ωiα + Ψi ∧ V, (2.9)<br />
dΦα = Ωαβ ∧ Φβ + Ψi ∧ Ωiα + Φα ∧ V, (2.10)<br />
dΩij = Ωik ∧ Ωkj + Ωiα ∧ Ωαj − Ψi ∧ Ωj − Ωi ∧ Ψj, (2.11)<br />
dΩiα = Ωij ∧ Ωjα + Ωiβ ∧ Ωβα − Ψi ∧ Vα − Ωi ∧ Φα, (2.12)<br />
dΩαβ = Ωαγ ∧ Ωγβ + Ωαi ∧iβ −Φα ∧ Vβ − Vα ∧ Φβ. (2.13)<br />
Since Y = ρ(1, x), if we write the normal variation vector field of x in T S n by<br />
then by (1.5) we can find a function v : M × R → R such that<br />
∂x<br />
∂t = ρ−1 vαeα, (2.14)<br />
∂Y<br />
∂t = vY + vαEα. (2.15)<br />
From (2.2), (2.15) and the fact that d = ωiEi + dt ∂<br />
∂t on C∞ (M × R), we get<br />
V = vdt, Vα = vαdt, Ωi = ωi. (2.16)<br />
5
Since T ∗ (M × R) = T ∗ M ⊕ T ∗ R we can write<br />
Ψi = ψi + aidt, Φα = φα + bαdt, (2.17)<br />
Ωij = ωij + Pijdt, Ωiα = ωiα + Liαdt, Ωαβ = ωαβ + Qαβdt, (2.18)<br />
where {ai, bα, Pij, Qαβ} are local functions with Pij = −Pji and Qαβ = −Qβα. Let {Bα ij, Aij, Cα i }<br />
be Moebius invariants <strong>for</strong> xt defined in §1. If we denote by dM the exterior differential operator<br />
on T ∗M, then we have d = dM + dt ∧ ∂<br />
∂t on T ∗ (M × R). It follows from (2.6), (2.16)<br />
and (2.17) (comparing the terms in T ∗ (M) ∧ dt ) that<br />
ai = −v,i + vαC α i , (2.19)<br />
where v,i := Ei(v). Similarly we get from (2.8), (2.16), (2.17), (2.18) that<br />
and get from (2.7), (2.16), (2.18) that<br />
Liα = vα,i<br />
(2.20)<br />
∂ωi<br />
∂t = (Pij + vδij − vαB α ij)ωj. (2.21)<br />
By a direct calculation in a similar way, we obtain from (2.9)∼(2.13) that<br />
∂ωij<br />
∂t = (Pij,k + B α ikvα,j − B α jkvα,i − aiδkj + ajδik)ωk, (2.22)<br />
∂ψi<br />
∂t = (ai,j + PikAkj + vα,iC α j − bαB α ij − vAij)ωj (2.23)<br />
∂φα<br />
∂t = (bα,i + QαβC β<br />
i − Aijvα,j + ajB α ji − vC α i )ωi, (2.24)<br />
∂ωiα<br />
∂t = (vα,ij + PikB α kj − B β<br />
ijQβα + Aijvα + bαδij)ωj<br />
(2.25)<br />
∂ωαβ<br />
∂t = (Qαβ,i + vβ,jB α ji − vα,jB β<br />
ji + vβC α i − vαC β<br />
i )ωi, (2.26)<br />
where {vα,i} are covariant derivatives of {vα}. Since φα = Cα i ωi and ψi = Aijωj, from (2.21),<br />
(2.23) and (2.24) we have<br />
∂C α i<br />
∂t = bα,i + QαβC β<br />
i + ajB α ij − Aijvα,j + PijC α j + B β<br />
ijC α j vβ − 2vC α i , (2.27)<br />
∂Aij<br />
∂t = ai,j + PikAkj − PkjAki + vα,iC α j − B α ijbα + AikB α kjvα − 2vAij. (2.28)<br />
Since ωiα = B α ijωj, from (2.21) and (2.25) we have<br />
∂B α ij<br />
∂t = vα,ij − vB α ij + PikB α kj − PkjB α ki − B β<br />
ijQβα + vβB α ikB β<br />
kj + Aijvα + bαδij. (2.29)<br />
6
Multiplying B α ij to (2.29) and using (1.7) we get<br />
m − 1<br />
m v = Bα ijvα,ij + B α ikB β<br />
kj Bα jivβ + AijB α ijvα. (2.30)<br />
Making use of (2.21), (2.30), (1.7), Green’s <strong><strong>for</strong>mula</strong> and the conditions on ∂M, we get by<br />
noting (2.34) of [17]<br />
W ′ (t) = m2<br />
� �<br />
−(m − 1)C<br />
m − 1 M<br />
α i,i + B β<br />
ikBα kjB β<br />
ji + AijB α �<br />
ij vαdMt, (2.31)<br />
where dMt is volume element of gt.<br />
We summarize as follows<br />
Proposition 2.1. ([17]) x0 : M → S n is a <strong>Willmore</strong> submanifold (i.e., its <strong>Willmore</strong><br />
functional is stationary) if and only if<br />
−(m − 1)C α i,i + B β<br />
ik Bα kjB β<br />
ji + AijB α ij = 0. (2.32)<br />
Since ∂<br />
∂t ◦ dM − dM ◦ ∂<br />
∂t = 0 (or equivalently d2 = (dM + dt ∧ ∂<br />
∂t )2 = 0) and<br />
C α i,jωj = dMC α i + C α j ωji + C β<br />
i ωβα,<br />
we get<br />
∂C α i,j<br />
∂t = −Cα ∂ωk<br />
i,k<br />
∂t (Ej) + ( ∂Cα i<br />
∂t ),j + C α ∂ωki<br />
k<br />
∂t (Ej) + C β ∂ωβα<br />
i<br />
∂t (Ej). (2.33)<br />
By a direct calculation and use of (2.21), (2.22), (2.26) and (2.33), we get<br />
∂C α i,i<br />
∂t vα = −(C α i Pki),kvα − vC α i,ivα + vβB β<br />
kiCα �<br />
α ∂Ci i,kvα +<br />
∂t<br />
+C α k B β<br />
ki vβ,ivα + akC α k vα − makC α k vα − C β<br />
i Qαβ,ivα − B α kiC β<br />
i vβ,kvα<br />
+B β<br />
ki Cβ<br />
i vα,kvα − C β<br />
i C α i vβvα + �<br />
i,β<br />
�<br />
C β<br />
i<br />
�2 �<br />
v<br />
α<br />
2 α.<br />
By a straight<strong>for</strong>ward calculation and using (2.27), (2.19), we get from (2.34) that<br />
∂C α i,i<br />
∂t vα = −(C α �<br />
α ∂Ci i Pkivα),k +<br />
∂t vα<br />
�<br />
+ (vB<br />
,i<br />
α kivα,i),k<br />
+(m − 1)(vC α k vα),k − (C β<br />
i Qαβvα),i − (bαvα,i),i − mvC α i,ivα<br />
+C β<br />
i,iQαβvα + C α i,kB β<br />
kivαvβ + bαvα,ii − vB α kivα,ik + Aikvα,kvα,i<br />
−2C α k B β<br />
kivβvα,i + 2vC α i vα,i − m �<br />
�<br />
�<br />
C<br />
k α<br />
α �2 k vα<br />
+C β<br />
i B β<br />
ikvα,kvα + �<br />
(C<br />
i,β<br />
β<br />
�<br />
2<br />
i ) v<br />
α<br />
2 α.<br />
7<br />
�<br />
,i<br />
vα<br />
(2.34)<br />
(2.35)
From the conditions that x(., t) = x0 and dxt(T M) = dx0(T M) on ∂M <strong>for</strong> each t, we see<br />
that vα|∂M = 0 and<br />
0 = ∂<br />
∂t (dxt) = d( ∂x<br />
∂t ) = ρ−1dvαeα (2.36)<br />
at the boundary ∂M. It follows from (2.35) and Green’s <strong><strong>for</strong>mula</strong> that<br />
�<br />
Γ1:= {<br />
M<br />
∂<br />
∂t |t=0(C α i,i)}vαdM<br />
�<br />
= {−mvC<br />
M<br />
α i,ivα + C β<br />
i,iQαβvα + C α i,kB β<br />
kivαvβ + bαvα,ii<br />
−vB α kivα,ik + Aikvα,kvα,i − 2C α k B β<br />
kivβvα,i + 2vC α i vα,i<br />
−m �<br />
�<br />
�<br />
C<br />
k α<br />
α �2 k vα + C β<br />
i B β<br />
ikvα,kvα + �<br />
(C<br />
i,β<br />
β<br />
�<br />
2<br />
i )<br />
α<br />
v 2 α}dM.<br />
(2.37)<br />
Using (2.28), (2.29), (2.19) and the facts that Pij = −Pji and �<br />
j B α ij,j = −(m − 1)C α i , we<br />
get<br />
∂ �<br />
B<br />
∂t<br />
β<br />
ikBα kjB β<br />
ji + AijB α �<br />
ij vα<br />
= (vB α ijvα,j),i − (m − 1)(vC α i vα),i + (aiB α ijvα),j<br />
−2(m − 1)vC α i,ivα + 2B β<br />
ijB α jkvβ,ikvα + (B β<br />
ikBβ kj + Aij)vα,ijvα − vB α ijvα,ij<br />
+(m − 1)C β<br />
i,iQαβvα + 2(m − 1)vC α j vα,j + C γ<br />
i B α ijvγ,jvα − C γ<br />
i B α ijvα,jvγ<br />
+ �<br />
3B β<br />
ijB α jkB γ<br />
klBβ li + 4Bα ikB γ<br />
kjAji + (m − 1)C α i C γ<br />
�<br />
i vαvγ<br />
+ � �<br />
(B<br />
i,j β<br />
β<br />
ijbβ)( �<br />
B<br />
α<br />
α ijvα) + ( �<br />
⎛<br />
bαvα) ⎝<br />
α<br />
�<br />
(B<br />
β,i,j<br />
β<br />
ij) 2 ⎞<br />
+ tr(A) ⎠<br />
+ �<br />
A<br />
i,j<br />
2 �<br />
ij v<br />
α<br />
2 α + B β β<br />
ikAkjBji( �<br />
v<br />
α<br />
2 α).<br />
Using the boundary conditions and Green’s theorem we have<br />
�<br />
Γ2:=<br />
where<br />
�<br />
=<br />
M<br />
M<br />
{ ∂ β<br />
|t=0(Bik ∂t Bα klB β<br />
lj + AijB α ij)}vαdM<br />
{−2(m − 1)vC α i,ivα + 2B β<br />
ijB α jkvβ,ikvα + (B β<br />
ikBβ kj + Aij)vα,ijvα<br />
−vB α ijvα,ij + (m − 1)C β<br />
i,iQαβvα + 2(m − 1)vC α j vα,j + C γ<br />
i B α ijvγ,jvα<br />
−C γ<br />
i B α ijvα,jvγ + �<br />
3B β<br />
ijB α jkB γ<br />
klBβ li + 4Bα ikB γ<br />
kjAji + (m − 1)C α i C γ<br />
�<br />
i vαvγ<br />
+ � �<br />
(B β<br />
ijbβ)( �<br />
B α ijvα) + ( � m − 1<br />
bαvα)( + tr(A))<br />
m<br />
ij<br />
+ �<br />
ij<br />
β<br />
A 2 ij<br />
�<br />
α<br />
α<br />
α<br />
v 2 α + B β β<br />
ikAkjBji( �<br />
α<br />
v 2 α)}dM,<br />
(2.38)<br />
(2.39)<br />
bα = − 1<br />
�<br />
∆vα + B<br />
m<br />
α ikB β<br />
kivβ + 1<br />
2m (1 + m2 �<br />
κ)vα , (2.40)<br />
8
tr(A) = 1<br />
2m<br />
m<br />
+ κ, (2.41)<br />
2<br />
where κ is the normalized scalar curvature of the metric g = ρ 2 dx0 · dx0. <strong>The</strong> function v<br />
is given by (2.15) and (2.30). Thus <strong>for</strong> a <strong>Willmore</strong> submanifold x0, we get from (2.31) and<br />
(1.7) that<br />
W ′′ (0) = −m 2<br />
�<br />
M<br />
∂C α i,i<br />
∂t |t=0vαdM<br />
+ m2<br />
� �<br />
∂ β<br />
|t=0(Bik m − 1 M ∂t Bα kjB β<br />
ji + AijB α �<br />
ij) vαdM.<br />
Thus the <strong><strong>for</strong>mula</strong> of the <strong>second</strong> variation is given by (2.37) and (2.39). We conclude that<br />
<strong>The</strong>orem 2.1. Let x : M → S n be a compact <strong>Willmore</strong> submanifold without boundary.<br />
<strong>The</strong>n the <strong>second</strong> variation <strong><strong>for</strong>mula</strong> of the Moebius volume functional is given by<br />
W ′′ �<br />
(0) =<br />
M<br />
�<br />
m 2 (m − 2)vC α i,ivα − m 2 C α i,jB β<br />
jivαvβ + m2 (m − 2)<br />
vB α ijvα,ij<br />
m − 1<br />
−m 2 Aijvα,ivα,j + m2 (2m − 1)<br />
m − 1 Cβ i B α ijvβ,jvα + m 2 (m + 1) �<br />
�<br />
�<br />
C<br />
i α<br />
α �2 i vα<br />
−m 2 C β<br />
i B β<br />
�<br />
2<br />
ijvα,jvα − m<br />
i,β<br />
�<br />
C β<br />
i<br />
� 2 �<br />
α<br />
v 2 α + 2m2<br />
m − 1 Bβ<br />
ijB α jkvβ,ikvα<br />
+ m2<br />
m − 1 (Bβ<br />
ik Bβ<br />
kj + Aij)vα,ijvα − m2<br />
m − 1 Cβ<br />
i B α ijvα,jvβ<br />
+ m2 �<br />
3B<br />
m − 1<br />
γ<br />
ijB α jkB β<br />
klBγ li + 4Bα ikB β<br />
kjAji �<br />
vαvβ + m2<br />
m − 1<br />
+ m2<br />
m − 1 Bβ<br />
�<br />
�<br />
β<br />
ikAkjBji v<br />
α<br />
2 �<br />
α<br />
+ m �<br />
(∆vα) 2 +<br />
α<br />
�<br />
A<br />
ij<br />
2 �<br />
ij v<br />
α<br />
2 α<br />
m(m − 2)<br />
m − 1 Bα ijB β<br />
ij∆vαvβ<br />
� �<br />
m(m − 2)<br />
+<br />
tr(A) − 1 vα∆vα −<br />
m − 1 m<br />
⎛<br />
�<br />
⎝<br />
m − 1 α<br />
�<br />
B<br />
ijβ<br />
α ijB β<br />
⎞2<br />
⎠<br />
ijvβ<br />
�<br />
− 1 + 2m<br />
m − 1 tr(A)<br />
� �<br />
� �<br />
B<br />
ij α<br />
α �2 ijvα − tr(A)<br />
�<br />
1 + m<br />
m − 1 tr(A)<br />
�<br />
�<br />
v<br />
α<br />
2 �<br />
α dM.<br />
(2.42)<br />
In case of the surface in S 3 , we omit all α and β because the codimension now is one,<br />
the <strong><strong>for</strong>mula</strong> is reduced to<br />
Corollary 2.1. For a <strong>Willmore</strong> surface x0 : M → S 3 , the <strong>second</strong> <strong>variational</strong> <strong><strong>for</strong>mula</strong> is<br />
9
given by<br />
W ′′ �<br />
(0) =<br />
M<br />
−4 �<br />
ij<br />
{2(∆f) 2 + 2f∆f + 12 �<br />
Aijfifj + (4 �<br />
ij<br />
ij<br />
A 2 ij + 4 �<br />
CiBijfjf + 4 �<br />
Aijfijf<br />
i<br />
ij<br />
C 2 i + 7<br />
8 + K − 2K2 )}dM,<br />
where K is Gaussian curvature of the Moebius metric g = ρ 2 dx0 · dx0.<br />
(2.43)<br />
Remark 2.1. <strong>The</strong> <strong>second</strong> <strong>variational</strong> <strong><strong>for</strong>mula</strong> <strong>for</strong> <strong>Willmore</strong> surfaces in S 3 might be important<br />
to solve the <strong>Willmore</strong> conjecture. As far as we know the only known stable example of a<br />
<strong>Willmore</strong> torus is the Clif<strong>for</strong>d torus. From the existence result of L. Simon in [15], we know<br />
that the <strong>Willmore</strong> conjecture is true if one can show that the only stable <strong>Willmore</strong> torus<br />
embedded in S 3 is the Clif<strong>for</strong>d torus.<br />
§3. <strong>Willmore</strong> tori in S m+1 and their stabilities<br />
In this section we present a class of important examples of <strong>Willmore</strong> hypersurfaces called<br />
<strong>Willmore</strong> tori. As an application of <strong>The</strong>orem 2.1 we show that they are stable <strong>Willmore</strong><br />
hypersurfaces.<br />
Let R m+2 be the (m+2)-dimensional Euclidean space with inner product . We write<br />
R m+2 = R k+1 × R m−k+1 , 1 ≤ k ≤ m − 1. For any vector ξ ∈ R m+2 there is a unique<br />
decomposition ξ = ξ1 + ξ2 with ξ1 ∈ R k+1 and ξ2 ∈ R m−k+1 . For another vector η = η1 + η2<br />
the inner product of them can be written as < ξ, η >=< ξ1, η1 > + < ξ2, η2 >. Let<br />
ξ1 : S k → R k+1 and ξ2 : S m−k → R m−k+1 be standard embeddings of unit spheres. Let<br />
x : S k (a1) × S m−k (a2) → S m+1 ⊂ R m+2 be the embedded hypersurface x = a1ξ1 + a2ξ2 with<br />
a 2 1 + a 2 2 = 1. It is easy to check that<br />
(i) the unit normal vector of M := S k (a1) × S m−k (a2) in S m+1 is given by<br />
em+1 = −a2ξ1 + a1ξ2;<br />
(ii) the <strong>second</strong> fundamental <strong>for</strong>m of M is given by<br />
II = − < dx, dem+1 >= a1a2(< dξ1, dξ1 > − < dξ2, dξ2 >);<br />
(iii) the induced metric of M is given by<br />
If we take {ei} and {ωi}such that<br />
I = a 2 1|dξ1| 2 + a 2 2|dξ2| 2 .<br />
k�<br />
d(a1ξ1) = ωiei, d(a2ξ2) =<br />
n�<br />
ωjej,<br />
i=1<br />
j=k+1<br />
10
then we have<br />
where<br />
m�<br />
I = ω<br />
i=1<br />
2 k� a2<br />
i , II = ω<br />
i=1<br />
a1<br />
2 m� a1<br />
i − ω<br />
j=k+1<br />
a2<br />
2 j := hijωiωj, (3.1)<br />
⎧<br />
⎪⎨<br />
hij =<br />
⎪⎩<br />
a2<br />
a1 δij, if 1 ≤ i, j ≤ k,<br />
− a1<br />
a2 δij, if k + 1 ≤ i, j ≤ n.<br />
(3.2)<br />
<strong>The</strong>orem 3.1. Let W = S k (a1) × S m−k (a2) be the hypersurface imbedded into S m+1 ,<br />
where a 2 1 + a 2 2 = 1. <strong>The</strong>n W is a <strong>Willmore</strong> hypersurface if and if<br />
Proof. From (3.1) we see that<br />
S :=<br />
H := 1<br />
m<br />
a1 =<br />
�<br />
m − k<br />
m , a2<br />
�<br />
k<br />
=<br />
m .<br />
m�<br />
h<br />
i,j<br />
2 � �<br />
a2<br />
2<br />
� �<br />
a1<br />
2<br />
ij = k + (m − k) , (3.3)<br />
a1<br />
a2<br />
m�<br />
i=1<br />
hii = 1<br />
�<br />
k<br />
m<br />
a2<br />
a1<br />
− (m − k) a1<br />
a2<br />
�<br />
, (3.4)<br />
ρ 2 = m<br />
m − 1 (S − mH2 ). (3.5)<br />
Substituting (3.2) and (3.5) into (1.8)-(1.10) we know that the <strong>Willmore</strong> condition<br />
is equivalent to the equation<br />
(m − k)<br />
� �<br />
a2<br />
6<br />
a1<br />
−(m − 1)Ci,i + BikBkjBji + AijBij = 0<br />
+ (2m − 3k)<br />
� �<br />
a2<br />
4<br />
a1<br />
+ (m − 3k)<br />
� �<br />
a2<br />
2<br />
From the equations (3.6) and a2 1 + a2 �<br />
m−k<br />
2 = 1 we get a1 = m and a2<br />
�<br />
k = m .<br />
We call<br />
W m k = S k<br />
⎛�<br />
⎞<br />
m − k<br />
⎝ ⎠ × S<br />
m<br />
m−k<br />
⎛�<br />
⎞<br />
k<br />
⎝ ⎠ , 1 ≤ k ≤ m − 1,<br />
m<br />
a <strong>Willmore</strong> torus.<br />
a1<br />
− k = 0. (3.6)<br />
Remark 3.1. It is remarkable that the <strong>Willmore</strong> torus W m k is (Euclidean) minimal if<br />
and only if 2k = m. We note that W m �<br />
k can be obtained by exchanging the radii k/m and<br />
�<br />
m − k/m in the Clif<strong>for</strong>d minimal torus Sk �� �<br />
k × S m<br />
m−k �� �<br />
m−k . m<br />
Remark 3.2. It is known that any minimal surface in S n is a <strong>Willmore</strong> surface (see Weiner<br />
[18]) (also see Pinkall’s examples of non-minimal <strong>Willmore</strong> surfaces [13]). <strong>The</strong>orem 3.1<br />
shows that m-dimensional (m ≥ 3) minimal hypersurfaces are not <strong>Willmore</strong> hypersurfaces<br />
in general.<br />
11
Remark 3.3. In [6], the <strong>second</strong> author proved an integral inequality of Simons’ type <strong>for</strong><br />
m-dimensional compact <strong>Willmore</strong> hypersurfaces in S m+1 and gave a characterization of <strong>Willmore</strong><br />
tori W m k by use of his integral inequality.<br />
From now on we study the stability of <strong>Willmore</strong> tori W m k defined in <strong>The</strong>orem 3.1. For<br />
W m k we get from (3.2), (3.3), (3.4) and (3.5) that<br />
⎧ �<br />
⎨ k<br />
m−k<br />
hij =<br />
⎩<br />
δij, if 1 ≤ i, j ≤ k,<br />
�<br />
m−k − k δij, if k + 1 ≤ i, j ≤ m,<br />
S = k3 + (m − k) 3<br />
k(m − k)<br />
From (1.8) and (1.9) we have<br />
⎧<br />
⎨<br />
=<br />
⎩<br />
Bij = ρ −1 ⎧<br />
⎨<br />
(hij − Hδij) =<br />
⎩<br />
(3.7)<br />
m − 2k<br />
, H = −� k(m − k) , ρ2 = m2<br />
. (3.8)<br />
m − 1<br />
Aij = ρ −2 Hhij + 1<br />
2 ρ−2 (1 − H 2 )δij<br />
ρ −2 3km−k2 −m 2<br />
2k(m−k) δij, if 1 ≤ i, j ≤ k,<br />
ρ −2 m2 −k 2 −km<br />
2k(m−k) δij, if k + 1 ≤ i, j ≤ m,<br />
(3.9)<br />
tr(A) = (m − 1)(m2 − 3km + 3k2 )<br />
, (3.10)<br />
2km(m − k)<br />
ρ −1� m−k<br />
k δij, if 1 ≤ i, j ≤ k<br />
−ρ −1� k<br />
m−k δij, if k + 1 ≤ i, j ≤ m,<br />
(3.11)<br />
and � B 2 ij = m−1<br />
m . From the last equation in (1.7) we obtain Ci = 0. We are going to<br />
calculate<br />
W ′′ (0) = −m 2 Γ1 + m2<br />
m − 1 Γ2,<br />
{ ∂<br />
∂t |t=0(BikBklBli + AijBji)}fdM and f ∈ C ∞ (M) is<br />
where Γ1 = � ∂Ci,i<br />
M |t=0fdM, Γ2 = ∂t �<br />
M<br />
the normal component of the <strong>variational</strong> vector field. From (2.40) we have<br />
b = − 1<br />
�<br />
∆f +<br />
m<br />
(m − 1)(m2 + k2 �<br />
− km)<br />
f . (3.12)<br />
2km(m − k)<br />
Substituting (3.9), (3.11) and (3.12) into (2.37), we get<br />
−m2 �<br />
Γ1 =<br />
M<br />
�<br />
m(∆f) 2 + (m − 1)(m2 + k2 �<br />
− km)<br />
f∆f<br />
2k(m − k)<br />
� �<br />
2 2 (m − 1)(3km − k − m )<br />
−<br />
|∇1f|<br />
M 2k(m − k)<br />
2 + (m − 1)(m2 − km − k2 )<br />
|∇2f|<br />
2k(m − k)<br />
2<br />
�<br />
dM<br />
+m 2<br />
�<br />
M<br />
vBijfijdM.<br />
12<br />
dM<br />
(3.13)
Substituting (3.9), (3.11) and (3.12) into (2.39), by a straight<strong>for</strong>ward calculation we get<br />
m2 m − 1 Γ2 = − m2 − k2 �<br />
+ km<br />
f∆fdM +<br />
2k(m − k) M<br />
5m2 + 5k2 �<br />
− 9km<br />
f∆1fdM<br />
2k(m − k) M<br />
+ 5k2 + m 2 − km<br />
2k(m − k)<br />
�<br />
M<br />
f∆2fdM − m2<br />
�<br />
vBijfijdM<br />
m − 1 M<br />
+ �<br />
2km(m − k)(m 2 + 7km − 7k 2 ) − m(m 2 − k 2 + km)(k 2 + m 2 − km)<br />
+ k(3km − m 2 − k 2 ) 2 + (m − k)(m 2 − km − k 2 ) 2�<br />
m − 1<br />
4k2m2 (m − k) 2<br />
�<br />
f<br />
M<br />
2 dM.<br />
(3.14)<br />
In (3.13) and (3.14) we denote by ∆ the Laplace operator on W m k with respect to the<br />
Moebius metric g = ρ2dx · dx. � We write g = g1 ⊕ g2 �<br />
according to the decomposition<br />
M m k := M1×M2 := S k �� m−k<br />
m<br />
×S m−k �� k<br />
m<br />
. We denote by {∆1, ∆2} the Laplace operators<br />
of {g1, g2} and by {∇1, ∇2} the gradient operators on M1 and M2, respectively. From (2.30),<br />
(3.9) and (3.11), we have<br />
From(3.13), (3.14) and (3.15) we get<br />
W ′′ �<br />
(0) =<br />
vBijfij = 1<br />
⎛�<br />
m − k<br />
⎝<br />
m k ∆1f<br />
�<br />
k<br />
−<br />
m − k ∆2f<br />
⎞2<br />
⎠ . (3.15)<br />
M<br />
�<br />
m(∆f) 2 + m(k2 + m2 − km − 2m)<br />
f∆f<br />
2k(m − k)<br />
+ m(m − 2)<br />
⎛�<br />
m − k<br />
⎝<br />
m − 1 k ∆1f<br />
�<br />
k<br />
−<br />
m − k ∆2f<br />
⎞2<br />
⎠<br />
+ m(3km − k2 − m2 ) + 6(m − k) 2<br />
f∆1f<br />
2k(m − k)<br />
+ m(m2 − km − k2 ) + 6k2 f∆2f +<br />
2k(m − k)<br />
�<br />
2(m − 1) 2<br />
f dM.<br />
m<br />
(3.16)<br />
We denote the Laplace operators with respect to the Euclidean metric dx · dx by ∆M, ∆M1<br />
and ∆M2 on W m k , M1 and M2, respectively. Since ρ = constant and the Moebius metric<br />
g = ρ 2 dx · dx, we have ∆M = ρ 2 ∆, ∆M1 = ρ 2 ∆1, ∆M2 = ρ 2 ∆2 and ∆M = ∆M1 + ∆M2. From<br />
13
(3.8) and (3.16), we have<br />
W ′′ (0) =<br />
m − 1<br />
2k(m − k)m3 � �<br />
2k(m − k)(m − 1)(∆Mf)<br />
M<br />
2<br />
+m 2 (k 2 + m 2 − km − 2m)f∆Mf<br />
+2(m − 2) ((m − k)∆M1f − k∆M2f) 2<br />
+m �<br />
m(3km − k 2 − m 2 ) + 6(m − k) 2�<br />
f∆M1f<br />
+m �<br />
m(m 2 − km − k 2 ) + 6k 2�<br />
f∆M2f<br />
+4k(m − k)m 2 f 2 ) dM.<br />
(3.17)<br />
Let λi, λ ′ i and µij be the eigenvalues of Laplace operators ∆M1, ∆M2 and ∆M, respectively,<br />
then we have<br />
λi = i(k + i − 1) n<br />
n − k , λ′ j = j(n − k + j − 1) n<br />
k , µij = λi + λ ′ j,<br />
where i and j are nonnegative integers. Let fi, f ′ i be eigenfunctions corresponding to λi and<br />
λ ′ i, respectively, then gij(p, q) = fi(p)f ′ j(q) ((p, q) ∈ M1×M2) is an eigenfunction corresponding<br />
to µij. For any f ∈ C ∞ (M m k ) we have the decomposition of f into eigenfuctions<br />
f = �<br />
i+j�=0<br />
where cij and c0 are constants. Thus we have<br />
∆M1f = − �<br />
λicijgij, ∆M2f = − �<br />
i+j�=0<br />
i+j�=0<br />
Substituting (3.18) and (3.19) into <strong><strong>for</strong>mula</strong> (3.17), we get<br />
W ′′ (0) ≥ m−1<br />
2k(m−k)m3 � �<br />
M i+j�=0<br />
cijgij + c0, (3.18)<br />
λ ′ jcijgij, ∆Mf = − �<br />
�<br />
2k(m − k)(m − 1)µ 2 ij<br />
i+j�=0<br />
−m2 (k2 + m2 − km − 2m)µij + 2(m − 2) �<br />
(m − k)λi − kλ ′ �2 j<br />
−m (m(3km − k 2 − m 2 ) + 6(m − k) 2 ) λi<br />
−m (m(m 2 − km − k 2 ) + 6k 2 ) λ ′ j + 4k(m − k)k 2 ) c 2 ijg 2 ijdM<br />
=<br />
m−1<br />
2k(m−k)m3 � �<br />
i+j�=0 M {2(m − k)(m2 − 2m + k)λ2 i<br />
−2(2m 3 + km 3 − 6km 2 + 3k 2 m)λi<br />
+2k(m 2 − m − k)(λ ′ j) 2 − 2m(m 3 − m 2 − km 2 + 3k 2 )λ ′ j<br />
+4k(m − k)λiλ ′ j + 4k(m − k)m 2 }c 2 ijg 2 ijdM.<br />
14<br />
µijcijgij. (3.19)<br />
(3.20)<br />
(3.21)
If we set<br />
A(i, j) = 2(m − k)(m 2 − 2m + k)λ 2 i − 2(2m 3 + km 3 − 6km 2 + 3k 2 m)λi<br />
then one can easily verify that<br />
+2k(m 2 − m − k)(λ ′ j) 2 − 2m(m 3 − m 2 − km 2 + 3k 2 )λ ′ j<br />
+4k(m − k)λiλ ′ j + 4k(m − k)m 2 ,<br />
A(i, j) = � km<br />
(m−k) 2 (m2 − 2m + k)i(k + i − 1) + ( 2km j(m − k + j − 1) − 2km)�<br />
m−k<br />
· � m(m−k)<br />
k 2<br />
(m2 − m − k)j(m − k + j − 1) + ( 2(m−k)m<br />
i(k + i − 1) − 2(m − k)m) k<br />
�<br />
− m2 (m2−2m+k)(m2−m−k) ij(k + i − 1)(m − k + j − 1).<br />
k(m−k)<br />
(3.22)<br />
From (3.22) it is not difficult to see that A(i, j) ≥ 0 and A(i, j) = 0 if and only if (i, j) =<br />
(1, 0), (0, 1) or (1, 1). Thus we have proved the main result in this section:<br />
<strong>The</strong>orem 3.2. All <strong>Willmore</strong> tori Sk �� �<br />
m−k × S m<br />
m−k �� �<br />
k → S m<br />
m+1 , 1 ≤ k ≤ m − 1, are<br />
stable.<br />
Now we would like to propose the following generalized <strong>Willmore</strong> conjecture in S m+1 (cf.<br />
Pinkall [14] and Kobayashi [5]):<br />
Generalized <strong>Willmore</strong> Conjecture: Let Gk be a m-dimensional manifold which is diffeomorphic<br />
to S k × S m−k and x : Gk → S m+1 be an imbedding, where 1 ≤ k ≤ m − 1.<br />
Set<br />
τk(x) =<br />
� � m<br />
m 2<br />
m − 1<br />
� �<br />
m<br />
S − mH<br />
2� 2<br />
dM, (3.23)<br />
Gk<br />
where dM is the volume element of Gk with respect to the induced metric dx · dx, S the<br />
square of the length of the <strong>second</strong> fundamental <strong>for</strong>m and H the mean curvature of x. <strong>The</strong>n<br />
τk(x) ≥<br />
4π m+2<br />
2 (m − k) k<br />
2 k m−k<br />
2<br />
m m<br />
2 −2 (m − 1)Γ( k+1<br />
2<br />
m−k+1 )Γ( ) 2<br />
(3.24)<br />
and equality holds if and only if x(M) is Moebius equivalent to W m k . Here Γ is the gamma<br />
function and the term on the right hand side of (3.24) is the Moebius volume of W m k .<br />
Remark 3.4. When m = 2, the above generalized <strong>Willmore</strong> conjecture reduces to the<br />
<strong>Willmore</strong> conjecture.<br />
§4. Examples of <strong>Willmore</strong> Submanifolds in S n<br />
In this section, we will give some examples of <strong>Willmore</strong> <strong>submanifolds</strong> in a unit sphere S n .<br />
We first prove<br />
15
<strong>The</strong>orem 4.1. Let x : M → S n be a m-dimensional submanifold in an n-dimensional unit<br />
sphere. <strong>The</strong>n x(M) is a m-dimensional <strong>Willmore</strong> submanifold in S n if and only if, <strong>for</strong> any<br />
α with m + 1 ≤ α ≤ n,<br />
−ρm−2 [SH α + Hβh β<br />
ijhα ij − hα ijh β<br />
ikhβkj − m| � H| 2H α ]<br />
+(m − 1)∆(ρm−2H α ) − (ρm−2 ),ij(mHαδij − hα ij) = 0,<br />
(4.1)<br />
where ∆ and (.),ij are the Laplacian and covariant derivatives with respect to the induced<br />
metric dx · dx, respectively.<br />
Proof. From [17], we have the following relations between the connections of the Moebius<br />
metric ρ 2 dx · dx and the induced metric dx · dx, respectively,<br />
By use of (1.10), we get<br />
thus<br />
ωij = θij + (lnρ)iθj − (lnρ)jθi, ωαβ = θαβ. (4.2)<br />
ρC α i,jθj = C α i,jωj<br />
= dC α i + C α j ωji + C β<br />
i ωβα<br />
= dC α i + C α j θji + C β<br />
i θβα + [(lnρ)kθi − (lnρ)iθk] · C α k ,<br />
ρC α i,j = 2ρ −3 ρj[H α ,i + (h α ik − H α δik)(lnρ)k] − ρ −2 [H α ,ij + (h α ik,j − H α ,jδik)(lnρ)k]<br />
−ρ −2 (h α ik − H α δik)(lnρ)kj + C α k (lnρ)kδij − (lnρ)iC α j .<br />
Letting i = j and making summation over i in (4.3), we have<br />
�<br />
C<br />
i<br />
α i,i = −ρ−3∆H α − ρ−3 (hα ik − Hαδik)(lnρ)ki −2(m − 2)ρ−3H α ,i (lnρ)i − (m − 3)ρ−3 (lnρ)i(lnρ)j(hα ij − Hαδij). On the other hand, we have from (1.8) and (1.9)<br />
AijB α ij + B β<br />
ikBβ kjBα ij = −ρ−3 (lnρ)ij(hα ij − Hαδij) + ρ−3 (lnρ)i(lnρ)j(hα ij − Hαδij) +ρ−3 [h β<br />
ikhβkj hαij − Hβh β<br />
ijhα ij − SH α + m| � H| 2H α ].<br />
Putting (4.5) into (2.32), we get<br />
m−1<br />
ρ m+1 {− ρm−2<br />
m−1 [SHα + H β h β<br />
ijhα ij − hα ijh β<br />
ikhβkj − m| � H| 2H α ]<br />
+ρm−2∆H α + m−2<br />
m−1ρm−2 (lnρ),ij(H αδij − hα ij) + 2(m − 2)ρm−2 (lnρ)iH α ,i<br />
+ (m−2)2<br />
m−1 ρm−2 (lnρ)i(lnρ)j(hα ij − Hαδij)} = 0.<br />
By a direct computation we can check the following identity<br />
− 1<br />
m−1 (ρm−2 )ij(mHαδij − hα ij) + ∆(ρm−2H α )<br />
= (m−2)2<br />
m−1 ρm−2 (lnρ)i(lnρ)j(hα ij − Hαδij) + m−2<br />
m−1ρm−2 (lnρ)ij(hα ij − Hαδij) +2(m − 2)ρm−2 (lnρ)iH α ,i + ρm−2∆H α .<br />
(4.3)<br />
(4.4)<br />
(4.5)<br />
(4.6)<br />
(4.7)<br />
Thus (4.6) is equivalent to (4.1) by use of (4.7). We complete the proof of <strong>The</strong>orem 4.1. <strong>The</strong><br />
16
Gauss equations of an m-dimensional submanifold x : M → S n give<br />
Rij = (m − 1)δij + mH β h β<br />
ij − h β<br />
ikhβkj , (4.8)<br />
R = m(m − 1) + m 2 | � H| 2 − S, (4.9)<br />
where Rij and R are the Ricci curvature and scalar curvature of M, respectively, with respect<br />
to the induced metric dx · dx. By use of (4.8) and (4.9) we have,<br />
SH α + H β h β<br />
ijh α ij − h α ijh β<br />
ik hβ<br />
kj − n| � H| 2 H α = (Rij − (m − 1)H β h β<br />
ij)(h α ij − H α δij). (4.10)<br />
Combining (4.1) and (4.10), we prove Corollary 4.1. x : M → S n is an m-dimensional<br />
<strong>Willmore</strong> submanifold in an n-dimensional unit sphere if and only if, <strong>for</strong> any α with m+1 ≤<br />
α ≤ n,<br />
−ρ m−2 (Rij − (m − 1)H β h β<br />
ij)(h α ij − H α δij)<br />
+(m − 1)∆(ρ m−2 H α ) − (ρ m−2 ),ij(mH α δij − h α ij) = 0.<br />
(4.11)<br />
Remark 4.1. When m = 2, Corollary 4.1 implies that x : M 2 → S n is a <strong>Willmore</strong> surface<br />
if and only if<br />
∆H α + h α ijh β<br />
ijH β − 2| � H| 2 H α = 0, 3 ≤ α ≤ n,<br />
which was first proved by Weiner in [18]. Thus all minimal surfaces in S n are <strong>Willmore</strong><br />
surfaces. In particular, the Veronese surfaces in S n are <strong>Willmore</strong> surfaces. In [8], Li-Wang-<br />
Wu gave a Moebius characterization of Veronese surfaces in S n .<br />
Remark 4.2. Fix the index α with m + 1 ≤ α ≤ n, define ✷ α : M → R by<br />
✷ α f = (mH α δij − h α ij)fij,<br />
where f is any smooth function on M. We know that ✷ α is a self-adjoint operator (cf.<br />
Cheng-Yau [4] and Li [7]). This operator naturally appears in the <strong>Willmore</strong> equations (4.1)<br />
or (4.11).<br />
<strong>The</strong>orem 4.2. Let x : M → S n be a m-dimensional minimal submanifold in an ndimensional<br />
unit sphere. If M is an Einstein manifold, then x : M → S n is a <strong>Willmore</strong><br />
submanifold.<br />
Proof. From our assumption<br />
we have, by use of (4.9),<br />
H α = 0, m + 1 ≤ α ≤ n, Rij = R<br />
m δij, (4.12)<br />
ρ 2 = S − m| � H| 2 = S = m(m − 1) − R = constant. (4.13)<br />
Thus from (4.12) and (4.13) we know that (4.11) holds. We conclude that M is a <strong>Willmore</strong><br />
submanifold.<br />
17
Example 4.1. Sm �<br />
2(m+1)<br />
(<br />
S m (<br />
�<br />
m<br />
) → Sm+p with p = 1(m<br />
− 1)(m + 2). Let<br />
2<br />
2(m + 1)<br />
m<br />
) = {(x0, x1, · · · , xm) ∈ R m+1 ; � x 2 i =<br />
2(m + 1)<br />
m<br />
}.<br />
Let E be the space of (m + 1) × (m + 1) symmetric matrices (uij), (i, j = 1, · · · , m), such<br />
that � uii = 0; it is a vector space of dimension 1m(m<br />
+ 3). We define a norm in E by<br />
2<br />
||(uij)|| 2 = � u2 ij. Let Sm+p with p = 1(m<br />
− 1)(m + 2) be the unit hypersphere in E. <strong>The</strong><br />
2<br />
mapping of Sm �<br />
2(m+1)<br />
) into Sm+p , defined by<br />
m<br />
uij = 1<br />
�<br />
m<br />
2 m + 1 (xixj − 2<br />
m δij),<br />
is an isometric minimal immersion. (Actually, this gives an imbedding of the real projective<br />
space of m-dimension into Sm+p ). We know that Sm �<br />
2(m+1)<br />
( ) is an Einstein manifold, thus<br />
m<br />
from <strong>The</strong>orem 4.2 this immersion is a <strong>Willmore</strong> submanifold.<br />
Example 4.2. CP m 2m/(m+1) → Sm(m+2)−1 . We can define a minimal immersion of the<br />
with holomorphic sectional curvature<br />
m-dimensional complex projective space CP m 2m/(m+1)<br />
2m/(m+1) into a unit sphere Sm(m+2)−1 such that the usual coordinate functions of Rm(m+2) are all independent hermitian harmonic functions of degree 1 on CP m 2m/(m+1) (see Wallach<br />
[16]). We also know that CP m 2m/(m+1) is an Einstein manifold with Ricci curvature m. <strong>The</strong>re-<br />
<strong>for</strong>e from <strong>The</strong>orem 4.2 we conclude that this immersion is a <strong>Willmore</strong> submanifold.<br />
Proposition 4.1. Let M = Sm1 (a1) × · · · × Smr (ar) be the submanifold imbedded into<br />
Sm+r−1 , where m1 + · · · + mr = m. <strong>The</strong>n M is a <strong>Willmore</strong> submanifold if and only if<br />
Proof. Consider<br />
ai =<br />
�<br />
m − mi<br />
, i = 1, · · · , r. (4.14)<br />
m(r − 1)<br />
R m+r = R m1+1<br />
r�<br />
mr+1<br />
× · · · × R , m =<br />
i=1<br />
S m1 (a1) × · · · × S mr (ar) = {(a1x1, · · · , arxr) ∈ R m+r : |xi| = 1, i = 1, · · · , r},<br />
where Smi (ai) ⊂ Rmi+1 r�<br />
, (i = 1, · · · , r),<br />
a<br />
i=1<br />
2 i = 1, is a m-dimensional submanifold in Sm+r−1 .<br />
Writing x = (a1x1, · · · , arxr) : M = Sm1 (a1) × · · · × Smr (ar) → Sm+r−1 , x1 · x1 = · · · =<br />
xr · xr = 1. <strong>The</strong>n r − 1 orthogonal normal vector fields of M are<br />
mi,<br />
en+λ = (aλ1x1, · · · , aλrxr), λ = 1, · · · , r − 1<br />
where (aλ1, · · · , aλr) satisfies that (r × r) matrix<br />
⎛<br />
⎜<br />
A = ⎜<br />
⎝<br />
a1<br />
a11<br />
.<br />
· · ·<br />
· · ·<br />
· · ·<br />
ar<br />
a1r<br />
.<br />
ar−11 · · · ar−1r<br />
18<br />
⎞<br />
⎟<br />
⎠
is an orthogonal matrix, thus<br />
r−1<br />
�<br />
λ=1<br />
aλiaλj = δij − aiaj. (4.15)<br />
<strong>The</strong>re<strong>for</strong>e the first fundamental <strong>for</strong>m and the <strong>second</strong> fundamental <strong>for</strong>m of M are given by<br />
I = dx · dx = a 2 1dx1 · dx1 + · · · + a 2 rdxr · dxr,<br />
r−1 �<br />
II = − [a1aλ1dx1 · dx1 + · · · + araλrdxr · dxr]em+λ.<br />
λ=1<br />
We get the components of the <strong>second</strong> fundamental <strong>for</strong>m<br />
⎛<br />
(h m+λ<br />
⎜<br />
ij ) = ⎜<br />
⎝<br />
− aλ1<br />
a1 E1<br />
. ..<br />
aλr<br />
ar Er<br />
⎞<br />
⎟<br />
⎠ , λ = 1, · · · , r − 1 (4.16)<br />
where Ei is a (mi × mi) unit matrix. It follows that ρ 2 = m(S − mH 2 )/(m − 1) is constant<br />
and ∇ ⊥ eα = 0, ∆H α = 0, α = m + λ.<br />
From (4.1), we know that M is a <strong>Willmore</strong> submanifold if and only if<br />
SH α + H β h β<br />
ijh α ij − h α ijh β<br />
ik hβ<br />
kj − m| � H| 2 H α = 0, n + 1 ≤ α = m + λ ≤ n + r − 1. (4.17)<br />
Putting<br />
H m+λ = 1<br />
r� aλi<br />
mi,<br />
m i=1<br />
ai<br />
1 ≤ λ ≤ r − 1, S = � 1 − a<br />
mi<br />
i=1<br />
2 i<br />
a2 ,<br />
i<br />
− �<br />
h<br />
µ,i,j,k<br />
m+λ<br />
ij h m+µ<br />
ik hm+µ<br />
� mi<br />
kj =<br />
i a3 aλi(1 − a<br />
i<br />
2 i ), �<br />
h<br />
i,j<br />
m+λ<br />
ij h m+µ<br />
ij = � aλiaµi<br />
mi<br />
i a2 i<br />
into (4.17), by use of (4.15) and (4.16) we can easily check that (4.17) can be reduced to<br />
�<br />
aλi{−<br />
i<br />
mi �<br />
mj(1 −<br />
mai j<br />
1<br />
a2 ) −<br />
j<br />
1 � δij − aiaj<br />
mimj<br />
m j a2 i aj<br />
mi<br />
a3 (1 − a<br />
i<br />
2 i ) + 1<br />
m2 � δjk − ajak<br />
mimjmk } = 0,<br />
j,k<br />
aiajak<br />
where 1 ≤ λ ≤ r − 1. (4.18) is equivalent to<br />
<strong>The</strong>re<strong>for</strong>e (4.19) becomes<br />
−2m +<br />
�<br />
mj(1 −<br />
j<br />
1<br />
a2 ) −<br />
j<br />
1 � δij − aiaj<br />
mimj<br />
m j a2 i aj<br />
mi<br />
a3 (1 − a<br />
i<br />
2 i ) + 1<br />
m2 � δjk − ajak<br />
mimjmk = 0.<br />
j,k<br />
aiajak<br />
− mi<br />
mai<br />
m − mi<br />
a 2 i<br />
+ �<br />
j<br />
mj<br />
a 2 j<br />
(4.18)<br />
(4.19)<br />
(1 + mj<br />
) = 0, i = 1, · · · , r. (4.20)<br />
m<br />
19
We solve (4.20) to get<br />
a 2 i =<br />
We complete the proof of Proposition 4.1.<br />
m − mi<br />
, i = 1, · · · , r.<br />
m(r − 1)<br />
Remark 4.3. When r = 2, Proposition 4.1 reduces to <strong>The</strong>orem 3.1.<br />
Remark 4.4. We also know that S m1 (a1) × · · · × S mr (ar) in S m+r−1 is a m-dimensional<br />
minimal submanifold if and only if<br />
ai =<br />
� mi<br />
m ,<br />
�<br />
mi = m, i = 1, · · · , r.<br />
i<br />
Thus it follows that S m1 (a1) × · · · × S mr (ar) in S m+r−1 is an m-dimensional minimal and<br />
<strong>Willmore</strong> submanifold if and only if<br />
m1 = m2 = · · · = mr = m<br />
r , ai<br />
�<br />
=<br />
1<br />
r .<br />
Acknowledgements. <strong>The</strong> third author would like to thank Professor U. Simon <strong>for</strong> his<br />
hospitality during his research stay at the TU Berlin. We would like to thank the referee <strong>for</strong><br />
his useful suggestions and comments.<br />
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20
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27(1978), 19-35.<br />
[19] <strong>Willmore</strong>, T.J.: Total curvature in Riemannian geometry. Ellis Horwood Limitd, 1982.<br />
[20] <strong>Willmore</strong>, T.J.: Note on embedded surfaces, An. Sti. Univ. ”Al. I. Cuza” Iasi Sect. I a<br />
Mat., 11(1965), 493–496.<br />
[21] <strong>Willmore</strong>, T.J.: Mean curvature of Riemannian immersions, J. London Math. Soc.,<br />
3(1971), 307–310.<br />
Zhen Guo Haizhong Li<br />
Department of Mathematics Department of Mathematical Sciences<br />
Yunnan Normal University Tsinghua University<br />
Kunming, 650092, P. R. of China Beijing, 100084, P. R. of China<br />
e-mail:guominzhi@ynmail.com e-mail:hli@math.tsinghua.edu.cn<br />
Changping Wang<br />
Department of Mathematics<br />
Peking University<br />
Beijing,100871, P. R.of China<br />
e-mail:wangcp@pku.edu.cn<br />
Eingegangen am 11. April 2001<br />
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