arXiv subjects

Jose A. Galvez

Publications and source records attributed to Jose A. Galvez.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2023

Analytic saddle spheres in $\mathbb{S}^3$ are equatorial

A theorem by Almgren establishes that any minimal $2$-sphere immersed in $\mathbb{S}^3$ is a totally geodesic equator. In this paper we give a purely geometric extension of Almgren's result, by showing that any immersed, real analytic $2$-sphere in $\mathbb{S}^3$ that is saddle, i.e., of non-positive extrinsic curvature, must be an equator of $\mathbb{S}^3$. We remark that, contrary to Almgren's theorem, no geometric PDE is imposed on the surface. The result is not true for $C^{\infty}$ spheres.

math.DG↗

arXiv2022

Linearity of homogeneous solutions to degenerate elliptic equations in dimension three

Given a linear elliptic equation $\sum a_{ij} u_{ij} =0$ in $\mathbb{R}^3$, it is a classical problem to determine if its degree-one homogeneous solutions $u$ are linear. The answer is negative in general, by a construction of Martinez-Maure. In contrast, the answer is affirmative in the uniformly elliptic case, by a theorem of Han, Nadirashvili and Yuan, and it is a known open problem to determine the degenerate ellipticity condition on $(a_{ij})$ under which this theorem still holds. In this paper we solve this problem. We prove the linearity of $u$ under the following degenerate ellipticity condition for $(a_{ij})$, which is sharp by Martinez-Maure example: if $\mathcal{K}$ denotes the ratio between the largest and smallest eigenvalues of $(a_{ij})$, we assume $\mathcal{K}|_{\mathcal{O}}$ lies in $L_{\rm loc}^1$ for some connected open set $\mathcal{O}\subset \mathbb{S}^2$ that intersects any configuration of four disjoint closed geodesic arcs of length $π$ in $\mathbb{S}^2$. Our results also give the sharpest possible version under which an old conjecture by Alexandrov, Koutroufiotis and Nirenberg (disproved by Martinez-Maure's example) holds.

math.AP↗

arXiv2021

A quasiconformal Hopf soap bubble theorem

We show that any compact surface of genus zero in Euclidean 3-space that satisfies a quasiconformal inequality between its principal curvatures is a round sphere. This solves an old open problem by H. Hopf, and gives a spherical version of Simon's quasiconformal Bernstein theorem. The result generalizes, among others, Hopf's theorem for constant mean curvature spheres, the classification of round spheres as the only compact elliptic Weingarten surfaces of genus zero, and the uniqueness theorem for ovaloids by Han, Nadirashvili and Yuan. The proof relies on the Bers-Nirenberg representation of solutions to linear elliptic equations with discontinuous coefficients.

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arXiv2020

Quasiconformal Gauss maps and the Bernstein problem for Weingarten multigraphs

We prove that any complete, uniformly elliptic Weingarten surface in Euclidean $3$-space whose Gauss map image omits an open hemisphere is a cylinder or a plane. This generalizes a classical theorem by Hoffman, Osserman and Schoen for constant mean curvature surfaces. In particular, this proves that planes are the only complete, uniformly elliptic Weingarten multigraphs. We also show that this result holds for a large class of non-uniformly elliptic Weingarten equations. In particular, this solves in the affirmative the Bernstein problem for entire graphs for that class of elliptic equations. To obtain these results, we prove that planes are the only complete multigraphs with quasiconformal Gauss map and bounded second fundamental form.

math.DG↗

arXiv2019

Complete surfaces of constant anisotropic mean curvature

We study the geometry of complete immersed surfaces in $\mathbb{R}^3$ with constant anisotropic mean curvature (CAMC). Assuming that the anisotropic functional is uniformly elliptic, we prove that: (1) planes and CAMC cylinders are the only complete surfaces with CAMC whose Gauss map image is contained in a closed hemisphere of $\mathbb{S}^2$; (2) Any complete surface with non-zero CAMC and whose Gaussian curvature does not change sign is either a CAMC cylinder or the Wulff shape, up to a homothety of $\mathbb{R}^3$; and (3) if the Wulff shape $W$ of the anisotropic functional is invariant with respect to three linearly independent reflections in $\mathbb{R}^3$, then any properly embedded surface of non-zero CAMC, finite topology and at most one end is homothetic to $W$.

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arXiv2019

The global geometry of surfaces with prescribed mean curvature in $\mathbb{R}^3$

We develop a global theory for complete hypersurfaces in $\mathbb{R}^{n+1}$ whose mean curvature is given as a prescribed function of its Gauss map. This theory extends the usual one of constant mean curvature hypersurfaces in $\mathbb{R}^{n+1}$, and also that of self-translating solitons of the mean curvature flow. For the particular case $n=2$, we will obtain results regarding a priori height and curvature estimates, non-existence of complete stable surfaces, and classification of properly embedded surfaces with at most one end.

math.DG↗

arXiv2019

Rotational hypersurfaces of prescribed mean curvature

We use a phase space analysis to give some classification results for rotational hypersurfaces in $\mathbb{R}^{n+1}$ whose mean curvature is given as a prescribed function of its Gauss map. For the case where the prescribed function is an even function in $\mathbb{S}^n$, we show that a Delaunay-type classification holds for this class of hypersurfaces. We also exhibit examples showing that the behavior of rotational hypersurfaces of prescribed (non-constant) mean curvature is much richer than in the constant mean curvature case.

math.DG↗

arXiv2018

Rotational symmetry of Weingarten spheres in homogeneous three-manifolds

Let $M$ be a simply connected homogeneous three-manifold with isometry group of dimension $4$, and let $Σ$ be any compact surface of genus zero immersed in $M$ whose mean, extrinsic and Gauss curvatures satisfy a smooth elliptic relation $Φ(H,K_e,K)=0$. In this paper we prove that $Σ$ is a sphere of revolution, provided that the unique inextendible rotational surface $S$ in $M$ that satisfies this equation and touches its rotation axis orthogonally has bounded second fundamental form. In particular, we prove that: (i) any elliptic Weingarten sphere immersed in $\mathbb{H}^2\times \mathbb{R}$ is a rotational sphere. (ii) Any sphere of constant positive extrinsic curvature immersed in $M$ is a rotational sphere, and (iii) Any immersed sphere in $M$ that satisfies an elliptic Weingarten equation $H=ϕ(H^2-K_e)\geq a>0$ with $ϕ$ bounded, is a rotational sphere. As a very particular case of this last result, we recover the Abresch-Rosenberg classification of constant mean curvature spheres in $M$.

math.DG↗

arXiv2016

Uniqueness of immersed spheres in three-manifolds

Let $\mathcal{A}$ be a class of immersed surfaces in a three-manifold $M$, and assume that $\mathcal{A}$ is modeled by an elliptic PDE over each tangent plane. In this paper we solve the so-called Hopf uniqueness problem for the class $\mathcal{A}$ under the only mild assumption of the existence of a transitive family of candidate surfaces $\mathcal{S}\subset \mathcal{A}$. Specifically, we prove that any compact immersed surface of genus zero in the class $\mathcal{A}$ is a candidate sphere. This theorem unifies and extends many previous uniqueness results of different contexts. As an application, we settle in the affirmative a 1956 conjecture by A.D. Alexandrov on the uniqueness of immersed spheres with prescribed curvatures in $\mathbb{R}^3$.

math.DG↗

arXiv2015

A Hopf theorem for non-constant mean curvature and a conjecture of A.D. Alexandrov

We prove a uniqueness theorem for immersed spheres of prescribed (non-constant) mean curvature in homogeneous three-manifolds. In particular, this uniqueness theorem proves a conjecture by A.D. Alexandrov about immersed spheres of prescribed Weingarten curvature in R3 for the special but important case of prescribed mean curvature. As a consequence, we extend the classical Hopf uniqueness theorem for constant mean curvature spheres to the case of immersed spheres of prescribed antipodally symmetric mean curvature in R3.

math.DG↗

arXiv2011

The geometric Neumann problem for the Liouville equation

In this paper we classify the solutions to the geometric Neumann problem for the Liouville equation in the upper half-plane or an upper half-disk, with the energy condition given by finite area. As a result, we classify the conformal Riemannian metrics of constant curvature and finite area on a half-plane that have a finite number of boundary singularities, not assumed a priori to be conical, and constant geodesic curvature along each boundary arc.

math.AP↗

arXiv2010

Surfaces of constant curvature in R^3 with isolated singularities

We prove that finite area isolated singularities of surfaces with constant positive curvature in R^3 are removable singularities, branch points or immersed conical singularities. We describe the space of immersed conical singularities of such surfaces in terms of the class of real analytic closed locally convex curves in the 2-sphere with admissible cusp singularities, characterizing when the singularity is actually embedded. In the global setting, we describe the space of peaked spheres in R^3, i.e. compact convex surfaces of constant positive curvature with a finite number of singularities, and give applications to harmonic maps and constant mean curvature surfaces.

math.DG↗

arXiv2009

Proper harmonic maps from hyperbolic Riemann surfaces into the Euclidean plane

Let $Σ$ be a compact Riemann surface and $D_1,...,D_n$ a finite number of pairwise disjoint closed disks of $Σ$. We prove the existence of a proper harmonic map into the Euclidean plane from a hyperbolic domain $Ω$ containing $Σ\backslash\cup_{j=1}^n D_j$ and of its topological type. Here, $Ω$ can be chosen as close as necessary to $Σ\backslash\cup_{j=1}^n D_j$. In particular, we obtain proper harmonic maps from the unit disk into the Euclidean plane, which disproves a conjecture posed by R. Schoen and S.T. Yau.

math.DG↗

arXiv2008

Minimal surfaces and harmonic diffeomorphisms from the complex plane onto a Hadamard surface

We construct harmonic diffeomorphisms from the complex plane $C$ onto any Hadamard surface $M$ whose curvature is bounded above by a negative constant. For that, we prove a Jenkins-Serrin type theorem for minimal graphs in $M\times R$ over domains of $M$ bounded by ideal geodesic polygons and show the existence of a sequence of minimal graphs over polygonal domains converging to an entire minimal graph in $M\times R$ with the conformal structure of $C$.

math.DG↗

arXiv2007

Complete surfaces with positive extrinsic curvature in product spaces

We prove that every complete connected immersed surface with positive extrinsic curvature $K$ in $H^2\times R$ must be properly embedded, homeomorphic to a sphere or a plane and, in the latter case, study the behavior of the end. Then, we focus our attention on surfaces with positive constant extrinsic curvature ($K-$surfaces). We establish that the only complete $K-$surfaces in $S^2\times R$ and $H^2\times R$ are rotational spheres. Here are the key steps to achieve this. First height estimates for compact $K-$surfaces in a general ambient space $M^2\times R$ with boundary in a slice are obtained. Then distance estimates for compact $K-$surfaces (and H-$surfaces) in $H^2\times R$ with boundary on a vertical plane are obtained. Finally we construct a quadratic form with isolated zeroes of negative index.

math.DG↗

arXiv2006

The Bonnet problem for surfaces in homogeneous 3-manifolds

We solve the Bonnet problem for surfaces in the homogeneous 3-manifolds with a 4-dimensional isometry group. More specifically, we show that a simply connected real analytic surface in H^2xR or S^2xR is uniquely determined pointwise by its metric and its principal curvatures if and only if it is not a minimal or a properly helicoidal surface. In the remaining three types of homogeneous 3-manifolds, we show that except for constant mean curvature surfaces and helicoidal surfaces, all simply connected real analytic surfaces are pointwise determined by their metric and principal curvatures.

math.DG↗

arXiv2005

Complete surfaces of constant curvature in H2xR and S2xR

We study isometric immersions of surfaces of constant curvature into the homogeneous spaces H2xR and S2xR. In particular, we prove that there exists a unique isometric immersion from the standard 2-sphere of constant curvature c>0 into H2xR and a unique one into S2xR when c>1, up to isometries of the ambient space. Moreover, we show that the hyperbolic plane of constant curvature c<-1 cannot be isometrically immersed into H2xR or S2xR.

math.DG↗

arXiv2005

Marginally trapped surfaces in L4 and an extended Weierstrass-Bryant representation

We give a conformal representation in terms of meromorphic data for a certain class of spacelike surfaces in the Lorentz-Minkowski 4-space L^4 whose mean curvature vector is either lightlike or zero at each point. This representation extends simultaneously the Weierstrass representation for minimal surfaces in Euclidean 3-space and for maximal surfaces in the Lorentz-Minkowski 3-space, and the Bryant representation for mean curvature one surfaces in the hyperbolic 3-space and in the de Sitter 3-space.

math.DG↗