A constant angle surface in Minkowski space is a spacelike surface whose unit normal vector field makes a constant hyperbolic angle with a fixed timelike vector. In this work we study and classify these surfaces. In particular, we show that they are flat. Next we prove that a tangent developable surface (resp. cylinder, cone) is a constant angle surface if and only if the generating curve is a helix (resp. a straight-line, a circle).
We first define a complex angle between two oriented spacelike planes in 4-dimensional Minkowski space, and then study the constant angle surfaces in that space, i.e. the oriented spacelike surfaces whose tangent planes form a constant complex angle with respect to a fixed spacelike plane. This notion is the natural Lorentzian analogue of the notion of constant angle surfaces in 4-dimensional Euclidean space. We prove that these surfaces have vanishing Gauss and normal curvatures, obtain representation formulas for the constant angle surfaces with regular Gauss maps and construct constant angl…
A hypersurface in a Euclidean space $\mathbb{E}^{n+1}$ is said to be a generalized constant ratio (GCR) hypersurface if the tangential part of its position vector is one of its principle directions. In this work, we move the study of generalized constant ratio hypersurfaces started in \cite% {YuFu2014GCRS} into the Minkowski space. First, we get some geometrical properties of non-degenerated GCR hypersurfaces in an arbitrary dimensional Minkowski space. Then, we obtain complete classification of GCR surfaces in the Minkowski 3-space. We also give some explicit examples.
We give a new proof of the generalized Minkowski identities relating the higher degree mean curvatures of orientable closed hypersurfaces immersed in a given constant sectional curvature manifold. Our methods rely on a fundamental differential system of Riemannian geometry introduced by the author. We develop the notion of position vector field, which lies at the core of the Minkowski identities.
In this work we find all helicoidal surfaces in Minkowski space with constant mean curvature whose generating curve is a the graph of a polynomial or a Lorentzian circle. In the first case, we prove that the degree of the polynomial is $0$ or $1$ and that the surface is ruled. If the generating curve is a Lorentzian circle, we show that the only possibility is that the axis is spacelike and the center of the circle lies in the axis.
We prove that, in Minkowski space, if a spacelike, $(n-1)$-convex hypersurface $M$ with constant $σ_{n-1}$ curvature has bounded principal curvatures, then $M$ is convex. Moreover, if $M$ is not strictly convex, after an $\mathbb{R}^{n,1}$ rigid motion, $M$ splits as a product $M^{n-1}\times\mathbb{R}.$ We also construct nontrivial examples of strictly convex, spacelike hypersurface $M$ with constant $σ_{n-1}$ curvature and bounded principal curvatures.
Consider a convex polygon P in the plane, and denote by U a homothetical copy of the vector sum of P and (-P). Then the polygon U, as unit ball, induces a norm such that, with respect to this norm, P has constant Minkowskian width. We define notions like Minkowskian curvature, evolutes and involutes for polygons of constant U-width, and we prove that many properties of the smooth case, which is already completely studied, are preserved. The iteration of involutes generates a pair of sequences of polygons of constant width with respect to the Minkowski norm and its dual norm, respectively. We p…
Salkowski \cite{salkow}, one century ago, introduced a family of curves with constant curvature but non-constant torsion (Salkowski curves) and a family of curves with constant torsion but non-constant curvature (anti-Salkowski curves) in Euclidean 3-space $\e^3$. In this paper, we adapt definition of such curves to time-like curves in Minkowski 3-space $\e_1^3$. Thereafter, we introduce an explicit parametrization of a time-like Salkowski curves and a time-like Anti-Salkowski curves in Minkowski space $\e_1^3$. Also, we characterize them as space curve with constant curvature or constant tors…
In this paper we solve the Plateau problem for spacelike surfaces with constant mean curvature in Lorentz-Minkowski three-space $ł^3$ and spanning two circular (axially symmetric) contours in parallel planes. We prove that rotational symmetric surfaces are the only compact spacelike surfaces in $ł^3$ of constant mean curvature bounded by two concentric circles in parallel planes. As conclusion, we characterize spacelike surfaces of revolution with constant mean curvature as the only that either i) are the solutions of the exterior Dirichlet problem for constant boundary data or ii) have an iso…
We investigate the differences and similarities of the Dirichlet problem of the mean curvature equation in the Euclidean space and in the Lorentz-Minkowski space. Although the solvability of the Dirichlet problem follows standards techniques of elliptic equations, we focus in showing how the spacelike condition in the Lorentz-Minkowski space allows to drop the hypothesis on the mean convexity which is required in the Euclidean case.
In this paper we study properties of the area evolute (AE) and the center symmetry set (CSS) of a convex planar curve $γ$. The main tool is to define a Minkowski plane where $γ$ becomes a constant width curve. In this Minkowski plane, the CSS is the evolute of $γ$ and the AE is an involute of the CSS. We prove that the AE is contained in the region bounded by the CSS and has smaller signed area. The iteration of involutes generate a pair of sequences of constant width curves with respect to the Minkowski metric and its dual, respectively. We prove that these sequences are converging to symmetr…
We show that every regular domain $\mathcal D$ in Minkowski space $\mathbb R^{n,1}$ which is not a wedge admits an entire hypersurface whose domain of dependence is $\mathcal D$ and whose scalar curvature is a prescribed constant (or function, under suitable hypotheses) in $(-\infty,0)$. Under rather general assumptions, these hypersurfaces are unique and provide foliations of $\mathcal D$. As an application, we show that every maximal globally hyperbolic Cauchy compact flat spacetime admits a foliation by hypersurfaces of constant scalar curvature, generalizing to any dimension previous resul…
In this paper, we obtain the classification theorem for three-dimensional complete space-like $λ$-translators $x:M^{3} \rightarrow \mathbb R^{4}_{1}$ with constant norm of the second fundamental form and constant $f_{4}$ in the Minkowski space $\mathbb R^{4}_{1}$.
In this work, we study spacelike surfaces in Minkowski space $E_1^3$ foliated by pieces of circles and that satisfy a linear Weingarten condition of type $a H+b K=c$, where $a,b$ and $c$ are constant and $H$ and $K$ denote the mean curvature and the Gauss curvature respectively. We show that such surfaces must be surfaces of revolution or surfaces with constant mean curvature H=0 or surfaces with constant Gauss curvature K=0.
Let $m\in\mathbb{N},$ $m\geq 2,$ and let $\{p_j\}_{j=1}^m$ be a finite subset of $\mathbb{S}^2$ such that $0\in\mathbb{R}^3$ lies in its positive convex hull. In this paper we make use of the classical Minkowski problem, to show the complete family of smooth convex bodies $K$ in $\mathbb{R}^3$ whose boundary surface consists of an open surface $S$ with constant Gauss curvature (respectively, constant mean curvature) and $m$ planar compact discs $\bar{D_1},...,\bar{D_m},$ such that the Gauss map of $S$ is a homeomorphism onto $\mathbb{S}^2-\{p_j\}_{j=1}^m$ and $D_j\bot p_j,$ for all $j.$ We der…
Isophote curve consists of a locus of surface points whose normal vectors make a constant angle with a fixed vector (the axis). In this paper, we define an isophote curve on a spacelike surface in Lorentz-Minkowski space and then find its axis as timelike and spacelike vectors via the Darboux frame. Besides, we give some characterizations concerning isophote curve and its axis.
Isophote comprises a locus of the surface points whose normal vectors make a constant angle with a fixed vector. In this paper, isophote curves are studied on timelike surfaces in Minkowski 3-space E31. The axises of spacelike and timelike isophote curves are found via their Darboux frames. Subsequently, the relationship between isophotes and slant helices is shown on timelike surfaces.
We investigate a variational problem in the Lorentz-Minkowski space $ł^3$ whose critical points are spacelike surfaces with constant mean curvature and making constant contact angle with a given support surface along its common boundary. We show that if the support surface is a pseudosphere, then the surface is a planar disc or a hyperbolic cap. We also study the problem of spacelike hypersurfaces with free boundary in the higher dimensional Lorentz-Minkowski space $ł^{n+1}$.
We prove existence and stability of smooth entire strictly convex spacelike hypersurfaces of prescribed Gauss curvature in Minkowski space. The proof is based on barrier constructions and local a priori estimates.
We prove that every $(3+1)$-dimensional flat GHMC Minkowski spacetime which is not a translation spacetime or a Misner spacetime carries a unique foliation by spacelike hypersurfaces of constant scalar curvature. In otherwords, we prove that every such spacetime carries a unique time function with isochrones of constant scalar curvature. Furthermore, this time function is a smooth submersion.
We prove existence in the Minkowski space of entire spacelike hypersurfaces with constant negative scalar curvature and given set of lightlike directions at infinity; we also construct the entire scalar curvature flow with prescribed set of lightlike directions at infinity, and prove that the flow converges to a spacelike hypersurface with constant scalar curvature. The proofs rely on barriers construction and a priori estimates.
We consider a unit speed timelike curve $α$ in Minkowski 4-space $E_1^4$ and denote the Frenet frame of $α$ by $\{T,N,B_1,B_2\}$. We say that $α$ is a generalized helix if one of the unit vector fields of the Frenet frame has constant scalar product with a fixed direction $U$ of $E_1^4$. In this work we study those helices where the function $<B_2,U>$ is constant and we give different characterizations of such curves.
The classical Minkowski formula is extended to spacelike codimension-two submanifolds in spacetimes which admit "hidden symmetry" from conformal Killing-Yano two-forms. As an application, we obtain an Alexandrov type theorem for spacelike codimension-two submanifolds in a static spherically symmetric spacetime: a codimension-two submanifold with constant normalized null expansion (null mean curvature) must lie in a shear-free (umbilical) null hypersurface. These results are generalized for higher order curvature invariants. In particular, the notion of mixed higher order mean curvature is intr…
The aim of this paper is to present a new perspective on the generation of developable trajectory ruled surfaces in Minkowski 3-space. Involute trajectory ruled surfaces generated by the Frenet trihedron, moving along spacelike involutes of a given timelike space curve, is stated according to Lorentzian timelike angle between tangent vector and unit vector of direction Darboux vector of this timelike space curve. Also some new results and theorems related to the developability of the involute trajectory timelike ruled surfaces are obtained. Finally we illustrate these surfaces by presenting on…
In this paper, we characterize and classify all surfaces endowed with canonical principal direction relative to a space-like and light-like, constant direction in Minkowski 3-spaces.
In this paper, we prove the existence of smooth, entire, strictly convex, spacelike, constant $σ_k$ curvature hypersurfaces with prescribed lightlike directions in Minkowski space. This is equivalent to prove the existence of smooth, entire, strictly convex, spacelike, constant $σ_k$ curvature hypersurfaces with prescribed Gauss map image. We also show that there doesn't exist any entire, convex, strictly spacelike, constant $σ_k$ curvature hypersurfaces. Moreover, we generalize the result in \cite{RWX} and construct strictly convex, spacelike, constant $σ_k$ curvature hypersurface with bounde…
We give an infinite dimensional generalized Weierstrass representation for spacelike constant mean curvature (CMC) surfaces in Minkowski 3-space $\real^{2,1}$. The formulation is analogous to that given by Dorfmeister, Pedit and Wu for CMC surfaces in Euclidean space, replacing the group $SU_2$ with $SU_{1,1}$. The non-compactness of the latter group, however, means that the Iwasawa decomposition of the loop group, used to construct the surfaces, is not global. We prove that it is defined on an open dense subset, after doubling the size of the real form $SU_{1,1}$, and prove several results co…
Given a polyhedral surface, assume that it is prohibited to change the shape and size of any face but it is permissible to change the dihedral angles between the faces. A polyhedral surface is said to be flexible if it is possible to change its shape under the above restrictions. We prove that flexible polyhedral surfaces without boundary do exist in the Minkowski 3-space and each of them preserves the (inclosed) volume and the (total) mean curvature during a flex. To prove the latter result, we introduce the notion of the angle between two arbitrary non-null nonzero vectors in the Minkowski p…
We investigate the geometric properties of lightlike surfaces in the Minkowski space $\R^{2,1}$, using Cartan's method of moving frames to compute a complete set of local invariants for such surfaces. Using these invariants, we give a complete local classification of lightlike surfaces of constant type in $\R^{2,1}$ and construct new examples of such surfaces.
Riemannian manifolds of quasi-constant sectional curvatures (QC-manifolds) are divided into two basic classes: with positive or negative horizontal sectional curvatures. We prove that the Riemannian QC-manifolds with positive horizontal sectional curvatures are locally equivalent to canal hypersurfaces in Euclidean space, while the Riemannian QC-manifolds with negative horizontal sectional curvatures are locally equivalent to canal space-like hypersurfaces in Minkowski space. We prove that the local theory of conformally flat Riemannian manifolds, which can be locally isometrically embedded as…
We obtain a gradient estimate for the Gauss maps from complete spacelike constant mean curvature hypersurfaces in Minkowski space into the hyperbolic space. As applications, we prove a Bernstein theorem which says that if the image of the Gauss map is bounded from one side, then the spacelike constant mean curvature hypersurface must be linear. This result extends the previous theorems obtained by B. Palmer and Y.L. Xin where they assume that the image of the Gauss map is bounded. We also proved a Bernstein theorem for spacelike complete surfaces with parallel mean curvature vector in four-dim…
We consider a special class of spacelike surfaces in the Minkowski 4-space which are one-parameter systems of meridians of the rotational hypersurface with timelike or spacelike axis. We call these surfaces meridian surfaces of elliptic or hyperbolic type, respectively. On the base of our invariant theory of surfaces we study meridian surfaces with special invariants and give the complete classification of the meridian surfaces with constant Gauss curvature or constant mean curvature. We also classify the Chen meridian surfaces and the meridian surfaces with parallel normal bundle.
A spacelike surface in the Minkowski 3-space is called a constant slope surface if its position vector makes a constant angle with the normal at each point on the surface. These surfaces completely classified in [J. Math. Anal. Appl. 385 (1) (2012) 208-220]. In this study, we give some relations between split quaternions and spacelike constant slope surfaces in Minkowski 3-space. We show that spacelike constant slope surfaces can be reparametrized by using rotation matrices corresponding to unit timelike quaternions with the spacelike vector parts and homothetic motions. Subsequently we give s…
In this paper, we introduce isoparametric functions and isoparametric hypersurfaces in Finsler manifolds and give the necessary and sufficient conditions for a transnormal function to be isoparametric. We then prove that hyperplanes, Minkowski hyperspheres and $F^*$-Minkowski cylinders in a Minkowski space with $BH$-volume (resp. $HT$-volume) form are all isoparametric hypersurfaces with one and two distinct constant principal curvatures respectively. Moreover, we give a complete classification of isoparametric hypersurfaces in Randers-Minkowski spaces and construct a counter example, which sh…
We review part of the classical theory of curves and surfaces in $3$-dimensional Lorentz-Minkowski space. We focus in spacelike surfaces with constant mean curvature pointing the differences and similarities with the Euclidean space.
This paper concerns the global theory of properly embedded spacelike surfaces in three-dimensional Minkowski space in relation to their Gaussian curvature. We prove that every regular domain which is not a wedge is uniquely foliated by properly embedded convex surfaces of constant Gaussian curvature. This is a consequence of our classification of surfaces with bounded prescribed Gaussian curvature, sometimes called the Minkowski problem, for which partial results were obtained by Li, Guan-Jian-Schoen, and Bonsante-Seppi. Some applications to minimal Lagrangian self-maps of the hyperbolic plane…
We consider a curve $α=α(s)$ in Minkowski 3-space $E_1^3$ and denote by $\{T,N,B}$ the Frenet frame of $α$. We say that $α$ is a slant helix if there exists a fixed direction $U$ of $E_1^3$ such that the function $<N(s),U>$ is constant. In this work we give characterizations of slant helices in terms of the curvature and torsion of $α$.
In this paper, based on the local comparison principle in [12], we study the local behavior of the difference of two spacelike graphs in a neighborhood of a second contact point. Then we apply it to the constant mean curvature equation in 3-dimensional Lorentz-Minkowski space $\mathbb{L}^3$ and get the uniqueness of critical point for the solution of such equation over convex domain, which is an analogue of the result in [28]. Last, by this uniqueness, we obtain a minimum principle for a functional depending on the solution and its gradient. This gives us a sharp gradient estimate for the solu…
We study the existence of surfaces with constant or prescribed Gauss curvature in certain Lorentzian spacetimes. We prove in particular that every (non-elementary) 3-dimensional maximal globally hyperbolic spatially compact spacetime with constant non-negative curvature is foliated by compact spacelike surfaces with constant Gauss curvature. In the constant negative curvature case, such a foliation exists outside the convex core. The existence of these foliations, together with a theorem of C. Gerhardt, yield several corollaries. For example, they allow to solve the Minkowski problem in the 3-…
We study the $C^4$ smooth convex bodies $\mathbb{K}\subset\mathbb{R}^{n+1}$ satisfying $K(x)=u(x)^{1-p}$, where $x\in\mathbb{S}^n$, $K$ is the Gauss curvature of $\partial\mathbb{K}$, $u$ is the support function of $\mathbb{K}$, and $p$ is a constant. In the case of $n=2$, either when $p\in[-1,0]$ or when $p\in(0,1)$ in addition to a pinching condition, we show that $\mathbb{K}$ must be the unit ball. This partially answers a conjecture of Lutwak, Yang, and Zhang about the uniqueness of the $L_p$-Minkowski problem in $\mathbb{R}^3$. Moreover, we give an explicit pinching constant depending onl…
In this paper, we introduce isoparametric functions and isoparametric hypersurfaces in conic Finsler spaces. We find that in a conic Minkowski space, besides the conic Minkowski hyperplanes, conic Minkowski hyperspheres and conic Minkowski cylinders, which are all isoparametric hypersurfaces, there are probably other isoparametric hypersurfaces, such as helicoids. Moreover, we give a complete classification of isoparametric hypersurfaces in kropina spaces with constant flag curvature.
Hilbert-Efimov theorem states that any complete surface with curvature bounded above by a negative constant can not be isometrically imbedded in $\mathbb{R}^3.$ We demonstrate that any simply-connected smooth complete surface with curvature bounded above by a negative constant admits a smooth isometric embedding into the Lorentz-Minkowski space $\mathbb{R}^{2,1}$.
We construct a special class of spacelike surfaces in the Minkowski 4-space which are one-parameter systems of meridians of the rotational hypersurface with lightlike axis and call these surfaces meridian surfaces of parabolic type. They are analogous to the meridian surfaces of elliptic or hyperbolic type. Using the invariants of these surfaces we give the complete classification of the meridian surfaces of parabolic type with constant Gauss curvature or constant mean curvature. We also classify the Chen meridian surfaces of parabolic type and the meridian surfaces of parabolic type with para…
Given a constant vector field $Z$ in Minkowski space, a timelike surface is said to have a canonical null direction with respect to $Z$ if the projection of $Z$ on the tangent space of the surface gives a lightlike vector field. In this paper we describe these surfaces in the ruled case. For example when the Minkowski space has three dimensions then a surface with a canonical null direction is minimal and flat. On the other hand, we describe several properties in the non ruled case and we partially describe these surfaces in four-dimensional Minkowski space. We give different ways for building…
In this work, we study spacelike and timelike surfaces of revolution in Minkowski space $\e_{1}^{3}$ that satisfy $aH+bK=c$, where $H$ and $K$ denote the mean curvature and the Gauss curvature of the surface and $a$, $b$ and $c$ are constants. The classification depends on the causal character of the axis of revolution and in all the cases, we obtain a first integral of the equation of the generating curve of the surface.
Timelike meridian surfaces of hyperbolic type in the Minkowski 4-space
”St. Cyril and St. Methodius” University of Veliko Tarnovo（大特尔诺沃圣西里尔和圣美多德大学）；Institute of Mathematics and Informatics, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences（保加利亚科学院数学与信息学研究所）
We are concerned with spacelike convex hypersurfaces of positive constant (K-hypersurfaces) or prescribed Gauss curvature in Minkowski space. Our main purpose is to study entire solutions as well as the Dirichlet problem in bounded domains of the related Monge-Ampere equation.
In this paper we revisit the anisotropic isoperimetric and the Brunn-Minkowski inequalities for convex sets. The best known constant $C(n)=Cn^{7}$ depending on the space dimension $n$ in both inequalities is due to Segal [\ref{bib:Seg.}]. We improve that constant to $Cn^6$ for convex sets and to $Cn^5$ for centrally symmetric convex sets. We also conjecture, that the best constant in both inequalities must be of the form $Cn^2,$ i.e., quadratic in $n.$ The tools are the Brenier's mapping from the theory of mass transportation combined with new sharp geometric-arithmetic mean and some algebraic…
The present note is a result of an on-going investigation into the logarithmic Brunn-Minkowski inequality. We obtain lower estimates on the volume product for convex bodies in $\mathbb{R}^n$ not necessarily symmetric with respect to the origin from a modified logarithmic Brunn-Minkowski inequality.
Let $S$ be a compact, orientable surface of hyperbolic type. Let $(k_+,k_-)$ be a pair of negative numbers and let $(g_+, g_-)$ be a pair of marked metrics over $S$ of constant curvature equal to $k_+$ and $k_-$ respectively. Using a functional introduced by Bonsante, Mondello \& Schlenker, we show that there exists a unique affine deformation $Γ:=(ρ,τ)$ of a Fuchsian group such that $(S,g_+)$ and $(S, g_-)$ embed isometrically as locally strictly convex Cauchy surfaces in the future and past complete components respectively of the quotient by $Γ$ of an open subset $Ω$ of Minkowski space. Such…
We study rotational surfaces with constant Minkowski Gaussian curvature and rotational surfaces with constant Minkowski mean curvature in a $3$-dimensional normed space with rotationally symmetric norm. We have a generalization of the catenoid, pseudo-sphere and Delaunay surfaces.
We study singularities of spacelike, constant (non-zero) mean curvature (CMC) surfaces in the Lorentz-Minkowski 3-space $L^3$. We show how to solve the singular Björling problem for such surfaces, which is stated as follows: given a real analytic null-curve $f_0(x)$, and a real analytic null vector field $v(x)$ parallel to the tangent field of $f_0$, find a conformally parameterized (generalized) CMC $H$ surface in $L^3$ which contains this curve as a singular set and such that the partial derivatives $f_x$ and $f_y$ are given by $\frac{\dd f_0}{\dd x}$ and $v$ along the curve. Within the clas…
