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1. Let S be the surface in R3 given by z = y 2 . Calculate the shape operator of S and show
that it is non-zero. [Note: S is isometric to R2 , so both S and R3 are flat.]
We can let x and y be (global) coordinates on S, with
f (x, y) = (x, y, y 2 ).
Then e1 = f
= (1, 0, 0) and e2 = f
= (0, 1, 2y) give a (non-orthonormal) basis for T S,
x
y
and a unit normal vector is given by
(0, 2y, 1)
= p
.
4y 2 + 1
This is the upward-pointing normal vector. We can extend to a vector field N on R3
by using the same formula; with this choice N is independent of both x and z. Therefore
S (e1 ) = (e1 N )T = ((1,0,0) N )T = (1
N )T = 0
x
and
S (e2 ) = (e2 N )T
= ((0,1,2y) N )T
T
= 1 N + 2y N
y
z
!T
(0, 2y, 1)
p
=
y 4y 2 + 1
(0, 2, 0)
p
+
4y 2 + 1
=
(0, 2, 4y)
=
(4y 2 + 1)3/2
2
=
e2 .
2
(4y + 1)3/2
Thus
S =
0
0
1
8y(0, 2y, 1)
2
(4y 2 + 1)3/2
!T
T
0
2
(4y 2 +1)3/2
.
Note that taking the tangential component ( )T is not necessary: since is a unit normal
vector field, it can only change by a tangential vector when we move along the surface.
2. Let M n be a Riemannian manifold isometrically embedded in Rn+1 as a hypersurface.
Show that M cannot have negative sectional curvature if n 3. [Note: There are many
counterexamples when n = 2: the helicoid, the catenoid, the paraboloid given by the
surface of revolution with (f, g) = (1 + v 2 , 2v), etc.]
Since the sectional curvature K of the ambient manifold Rn+1 is zero, Gausss formula
gives
K(ei , ej ) = i j
where ei are the principal directions, with principal curvatures i . If all these sectional
curvatures are negative, then
22 =
K(e1 , e2 )K(e2 , e3 )
(1 2 )(2 3 )
=
1 3
K(e1 , e3 )
+
,
+
.
(u, v) 7
2
6
2
2
6
2 2
2
Calculate the shape operator and prove that Ennepers surface is a minimal surface.
A basis for T S is given by
f
=
e1 =
u
and
f
e2 =
=
v
1 u2 + v 2
, uv, u
2
1 + v 2 u2
uv,
, v ,
2
2
(2u, 2v, 1 + u2 + v 2 )
.
1 + u2 + v 2
Therefore
S (e1 ) = (e1 N )T
(2u, 2v, 1 + u2 + v 2 )
=
u
1 + u2 + v 2
(2, 0, 2u)
2u
2
2
=
(2u, 2v, 1 + u + v )
1 + u2 + v 2 (1 + u2 + v 2 )2
(2 + 2u2 + 2v 2 , 0, 2u + 2u3 + 2uv 2 ) (4u2 , 4uv, 2u + 2u3 + 2uv 2 )
=
(1 + u2 + v 2 )2
(2 2u2 + 2v 2 , 4uv, 4u)
=
(1 + u2 + v 2 )2
4
=
e1
(1 + u2 + v 2 )2
and a similar calculation shows that
S (e2 ) =
4
(1 + u2 + v 2 )2
e2 .
4
(1+u2 +v 2 )2
4
(1+u2 +v 2 )2
!
,
and the principal curvatures sum to zero, i.e., the surface is minimal.
5. * Find all surfaces of revolution in R3 that are minimal surfaces.
First solution: We have seen that the principal curvatures of a surface of revolution are
g0
1 =
f ((f 0 )2 + (g 0 )2 )1/2
and
f 0 g 00 f 00 g 0
2 =
.
((f 0 )2 + (g 0 )2 )3/2
2f 0 f 00
f0
=
2
(f 0 )2 + 1
f
1p 2
f a2 .
a
Case 2a. If f 0 is identically zero then f is constant and the surface is part of the cylinder
x2 + y 2 = f 2 . However, one of the principal curvatures of a cylinder is zero, and the other
is non-zero; so it is not minimal.
Case 2b. Ifpf 0 is non-zero at a point then it is non-zero on a neighbourhood of that
point. Then f 2 a2 must be greater than zero, and we can divide by it to get
f0
1
= .
a
f 2 a2
Integrating yields
cosh
f
v
= + b,
a
a
i.e.,
f = acosh
v
a
+b .
matrix, g = Id22 (the scalar is not necessarily constant; it is a function on the surface).
For a surface of revolution the metric looks like
2
f
0
,
0 (f 0 )2 + (g 0 )2
and thus (u, v) are isothermal coordinates if and only if f 2 = (f 0 )2 + (g 0 )2 . We choose v
so that this equation is satisfied. (Note: v is the parameter of the curve that we rotate
to create the surface of revolution. The equation says that the velocity vector of this
curve has length equal to the distance from the zaxis, which can always be achieved by
reparameterizing the curve.)
Minimality takes a very simple form with respect to isothermal coordinates (u, v). Namely,
the surface will be minimal if and only if its coordinate functions are harmonic with respect
to (u, v) (see Proposition 2 on page 201 of do Carmos other book, Differential geometry
of curves and surfaces). We therefore require
2
2
+
(f cosu, f sinu, g) = ((f 00 f )cosu, (f 00 f )sinu, g 00 ) = (0, 0, 0).
u2 v 2
This implies that g = av + b for constants a and b. If a = 0 we find that the surface is
an open subset of the plane z = g = b. Otherwise, assume that a > 0 (after reversing the
sign of v if necessary).
Since f must satisfy f 00 = f , it is a linear combination of ev and ev . If f involves both
functions, then one can easily show that it can be written as
f = ccosh(v + d)
for constants c and d, with c > 0 since f must be positive. Otherwise we have f = ev+d
or f = ev+d .
Finally, we required f 2 = (f 0 )2 + (g 0 )2 . When f = ccosh(v + d) this yields
c2 = c2 (cosh2 (v + d) sinh2 (v + d)) = f 2 (f 0 )2 = (g 0 )2 = a2
so that c = a. This solution
(f, g) = (acosh(v + d), av + b)
gives the catenoid. When f = ev+d or f = ev+d we find
a2 = (g 0 )2 = f 2 (f 0 )2 = 0.
These solutions
(f, g) = (ev+d , b)
give the plane z = b.
and
e2 =
Note that the metric g with respect to this basis is given by the matrix
(r + bcos)2 0
.
0
b2
A unit normal vector is given by
= (coscos, cossin, sin).
Therefore
S (e1 ) = (e1 N )T
= (cossin, coscos, 0)
cos
=
e1
r + bcos
and
S (e2 ) = (e2 N )T
0
1
b
,
cos
.
b(r + bcos)
The curvature is positive on the outside of the torus (/2 < < /2), negative on
the inside (/2 < < 3/2), and zero on the top and bottom longitudes ( = /2 and
= 3/2).
b)
Calculate
detgdd.
R
T2
Kdvol =
T2
K
=0
2
=0
2
=0
2
=
Z
=0
2
p
detgdd
cos
b(r + bcos)dd
b(r + bcos)
cosdd
=0
=0
= 0.
Note Rthat this gives a verification of the Gauss-Bonnet formula, which in general states
that S Kdvol = 2(S) for a compact orientable surface S, where (S) is the Euler
characteristic of S.