On Yau rigidity theorem for minimal submanifolds in spheres

Abstract

In this note, we investigate the well-known Yau rigidity theorem for minimal submanifolds in spheres. Using the parameter method of Yau and the DDVV inequality verified by Lu, Ge and Tang, we prove that if $M$ is an $n$-dimensional oriented compact minimal submanifold in the unit sphere $S^{n+p}(1)$, and if $K_{M}\geq\frac{sgn(p-1)p}{2(p+1)},$ then $M$ is either a totally geodesic sphere, the standard immersion of the product of two spheres, or the Veronese surface in $S^4(1)$. Here $sgn(\cdot)$ is the standard sign function. We also extend the rigidity theorem above to the case where $M$ is a compact submanifold with parallel mean curvature in a space form.