In this paper we are concerned with harmonic maps and minimal immersions defined on compact Riemannian manifolds and with values in homogenous strongly harmonic manifolds. We show some results on the Morse index by varying these maps along suitable conformal vector fields. We obtain also that they are global maxima on some subspaces of the eigenspaces corresponding to the nonvanishing eigenvalues of the Laplacian operator on the target manifolds.
J. Eells and L. Lemaire introduced k-harmonic maps, and Wang Shaobo showed the first variational formula. When, k=2, it is called biharmonic maps (2-harmonic maps). There have been extensive studies in the area. In this paper, We study k-harmonic immersion into a sphere, and get the rerationship between radious and "k" of k-harmonic. And we also consider k-harmonic submersion, and genelarize Oniciuc's results. Futhermore we construct non harmonic k-harmonic by Hopf map.
This paper is devoted to the study of the global properties of harmonically immersed Riemann surfaces in $\mathbb{R}^3.$ We focus on the geometry of complete harmonic immersions with quasiconformal Gauss map, and in particular, of those with finite total curvature. We pay special attention to the construction of new examples with significant geometry.
Polyharmonic, or $r$-harmonic, maps are a natural generalization of harmonic maps whose study was proposed by Eells-Lemaire in 1983. The main aim of this paper is to construct new examples of proper $r$-harmonic immersions into spheres. In particular, we shall prove that the canonical inclusion $i: S^{n-1}(R)\to S^n$ is a proper $r$-harmonic submanifold of $S^n$ if and only if the radius $R$ is equal to $1/ \sqrt{r}$. We shall also prove the existence of proper $r$-harmonic generalized Clifford's tori into the sphere.
We prove that any smooth harmonic map from $S^3$ into $S^2$ of Morse index less or equal than $4$ has to be an harmonic morphism, that is the successive composition of an isometry of $S^3$, the Hopf fibration and an holomorphic map from ${\mathbb C}P^1$ into itself.
The min-max construction of minimal spheres using harmonic replacement is introduced by Colding and Minicozzi and generalized by Zhou to conformal harmonic torus. We prove that the Morse index of the min-max conformal harmonic torus is bounded by one.
We prove that for any open Riemann surface $N,$ natural number $n\geq 3,$ non-constant harmonic map $h:N\to \mathbb{R}^{n-2}$ and holomorphic 2-form $H$ on $N,$ there exists a weakly complete harmonic map $X=(X_j)_{j=1,\ldots,n}:N \to \mathbb{R}^n$ with Hopf differential $H$ and $(X_j)_{j=3,\ldots,n}=h.$ In particular, there exists a complete conformal minimal immersion $Y=(Y_j)_{j=1,\ldots,n}:N \to \mathbb{R}^n$ such that $(Y_j)_{j=3,\ldots,n}=h.$ As a consequence of these results, complete full non-decomposable minimal surfaces with arbitrary conformal structure and whose generalized Gauss m…
We consider conformal immersions of Riemann surfaces in $\bb{S}^4$ and study their Gauss maps with values in the Grassmann bundle $\mathcal{F} = SO_5/T^2 \to \mathbb{S}^4$. The energy of maps from Riemann surfaces into $\mathcal{F}$ is considered with respect to the normal metric on the target and immersions with harmonic Gauss maps are characterized. We also show that the normal-harmonic map equation for Gauss maps is a completely integrable system, thus giving a partial answer of a question posed by Y. Ohnita in \cite{ohnita}. Associated $\mathbb{S}^1$-families of parallel mean curvature imm…
We will investigate the local geometry of the surfaces in the $7$-dimensional Euclidean space associated to harmonic maps from a Riemann surface $Σ$ into $S^6$. By applying methods based on the use of harmonic sequences, we will characterize the conformal harmonic immersions $φ:Σ\to S^6$ whose associated immersions $F:Σ\to \mathbb{R}^7$ belong to certain remarkable classes of surfaces, namely: minimal surfaces in hyperspheres; surfaces with parallel mean curvature vector field; pseudo-umbilical surfaces; isotropic surfaces.
If $(N^{m+p},h)$ is a Cartan-Hadamard manifold such that $Ric(h)\geq -G(r_{N}(x))$ where $G(0)\geq 1, G^{'}\geq 0$ and $G^{-1/2}\not\in L^{1}(+\infty)$ then every proper biharmonic isometric immersion $ϕ: M^{m}\rightarrow(N^{m+p},h)$ is a harmonic map.
We consider minimal immersions in MxR. We study existence and uniqueness of associate and conjugate isometric immersions to a given minimal surface. We use the theory of univalent harmonic map between surfaces. Then we study the geometry of associate minimal vertical graphs. We prove that an associate surface of a vertical graph on a convex domain is a graph. In the classical theory it is a theorem of R. Krust.
We obtain an upper bound for the Morse index of Willmore spheres $Σ\subset S^3$ coming from an immersion of $S^2$. The quantization of Willmore energy shows that there exists an integer $m$ such that $\mathscr{W}(Σ)=4πm$. Then we show that $\mathrm{Ind}_{\mathscr{W}}(Σ)\leq m$. The proof relies on an explicit computation relating the second derivative of $\mathscr{W}$ for $Σ$ with the Jacobi operator of the minimal surface in $\mathbb{R}^3$ it is the image of by stereographic projection thanks of the fundamental classification of Robert Bryant.
Given a closed manifold of dimension at least three, with non trivial homotopy group π_3(M) and a generic metric, we prove that there is a finite collection of harmonic spheres with Morse index bound one, with sum of their energies realizes a geometric invariant width.
Motivated by the beautiful theory and the rich applications of harmonic conformal immersions and conformal immersions of constant mean curvature (CMC) surfaces, we study biharmonic conformal immersions of surfaces into a generic 3-manifold. We first derive an invariant equation for such immersions, we then try to answer the question, "what surfaces can be biharmonically conformally immersed into Euclidean 3-space?" We prove that a circular cylinder is the only CMC surface that can be biharmonically conformally immersed into a Euclidean 3-space; We obtain a classification of biharmonic conforma…
We consider the problem of whether it is possible to improve the Novikov inequalities for closed 1-forms, or any other inequalities of a similar nature, if we assume, additionally, that the given 1-form is harmonic with respect to some Riemannian metric. We show that, under suitable assumptions, it is impossible. We use, in an essential way, a theorem of E.Calabi characterizing 1-forms which are harmonic with respect to some metric. We also study some interesting examples illustrating our results.
Geometry of conformal minimal two-spheres immersed in $G(2,6;\mathbb{R})$ is studied in this paper by harmonic maps. We construct a non-homogeneous constant curved minimal two-sphere in $G(2,6;\mathbb{R})$, and give a classification theorem of linearly full conformal minimal immersions of constant curvature from $S^2$ to $G(2,6;\mathbb{R})$, or equivalently, a complex hyperquadric $Q_{4}$, which illustrates minimal two-spheres of constant curvature in $Q_{4}$ are in general not congruent.
In 1992, Hitchin used his theory of Higgs bundles to construct an important family of representations of the fundamental group of a closed, oriented surface of genus at least two into the split real form of a complex adjoint simple Lie group. These Hitchin representations comprise a component of the space of conjugacy classes of all such representations and are deformations of the irreducible Fuchsian representations which uniformize the surface. For any choice of marked complex structure on the surface and any Hitchin representation, we show that the corresponding equivariant harmonic map fro…
Let $x:M^m\to \bar M$, with $m\geq 3$, be an isometric immersion of a complete noncompact manifold $M$ in a complete simply-connected manifold $\bar M$ with sectional curvature satisfying $-c^2\leq K_{\bar M}\leq 0$, for some constant $c$. Assume that the immersion has finite total curvature. If $c\neq 0$, assume further that the first eigenvalue of the Laplacian of $M$ is bounded from below by a suitable constant. We prove that the space of the $L^2$ harmonic 1-forms on $M$ has finite dimension. Moreover there exists a constant $\La>0$, explicitly computed, such that if the total curvature is…
In this note, we investigate estimates of the Morse index for F-harmonic maps into spheres, our results extend partially those obtained in ([14]) and ([15]) for harmonic and p-harmonic maps.
The CR analogue of B.-Y. Chen's conjecture on pseudo biharmonic maps will be shown. Pseudo biharmonic, but not pseudo harmonic, isometric immersions with parallel pseudo mean curvature vector fields, will be characterized. Several examples of pseudo biharmonic maps will be given.
The family of Willmore immersions from a Riemann surface into $S^{n+2}$ can be divided naturally into the subfamily of Willmore surfaces conformally equivalent to a minimal surface in $\R^{n+2}$ and those which are not conformally equivalent to a minimal surface in $\R^{n+2}$. On the level of their conformal Gauss maps into $Gr_{1,3}(\R^{1,n+3})=SO^+(1,n+3)/SO^+(1,3)\times SO(n)$ these two classes of Willmore immersions into $S^{n+2}$ correspond to conformally harmonic maps for which every image point, considered as a 4-dimensional Lorentzian subspace of $\R^{1,n+3}$, contains a fixed lightlik…
We show that all superconformal harmonic immersions from genus one surfaces into de Sitter spaces $ S ^ {2n}_1 $ with globally defined harmonic sequence are of finite-type and hence result merely from solving a pair of ordinary differential equations. As an application, we prove that all Willmore tori in $ S ^ 3 $ without umbilic points can be constructed in this simple way.
The quantum cohomology of CP^1 is generated by some potential (Frobenius manifold) that also has an interpretation as a potential of some harmonic map. Actually, the potential induces harmonic maps into three different symmetric spaces and each of these harmonic maps induces an immersion of an integrable surface. The final goal of this paper is to investigate if any of the associated immersions closes around the singularity at z=0 (none does). The crucial tool for deciding this question is the main technical result of the paper, which states that the dressing isotropy of the CP^1 potential is …
We prove that for any open Riemann surface $M$ and any non constant harmonic function $h:M \to \mathbb{R},$ there exists a complete conformal minimal immersion $X:M \to \mathbb{R}^3$ whose third coordinate function coincides with $h.$ As a consequence, complete minimal surfaces with arbitrary conformal structure and whose Gauss map misses two points are constructed.
Using a bigraded differential complex depending on the CR and pseudohermitian structure, we give a characterization of three-dimensional strongly pseudoconvex pseudo-hermitian CR-manifolds isometrically immersed in Euclidean space $\mathbb{R}^n$ in terms of an integral representation of Weierstrass type. Restricting to the case of immersions in $\mathbb{R}^4$, we study harmonicity conditions for such immersions and give a complete classification of CR-pluriharmonic immersions.
Existence of an infinite sequence of harmonic maps between spheres of certain dimensions was proven by Bizon and Chmaj. This sequence shares many features of the Bartnik-McKinnon sequence of solutions to the Einstein-Yang-Mills equations as well as sequences of solutions that have arisen in other physical models. We apply Morse theory methods to prove existence of the harmonic map sequence and to prove certain index and convergence properties of this sequence. In addition, we generalize the result of Bizon and Chmaj to produce infinite sequences of harmonic maps not previously known. The key f…
The Witten deformation associated to a Morse function on a closed Riemannian manifold, via Rellich-Kato theorem, relates analytically the spectral package of the Riemannian manifold (eigenvalues and eigenforms) to the Morse complex defined by the pair (Morse function, Riemannian metric) coupled with the "multivariable harmonic oscillators" associated to the critical points of the Morse function. We survey this relation and discuss some implications, including the finite subset of the spectral package referred to as the "virtually small spectral package" .
The Teichmüller harmonic map flow is a gradient flow for the harmonic map energy of maps from a closed surface to a general closed Riemannian target manifold of any dimension, where both the map and the domain metric are allowed to evolve. Given a weak solution of the flow that exists for all time $t\geq 0$, we find a sequence of times $t_i\to\infty$ at which the flow at different scales converges to a collection of branched minimal immersions with no loss of energy. We do this by developing a compactness theory, establishing no loss of energy, for sequences of almost-minimal maps. Moreover, w…
f-Harmonic maps were first introduced and studied by Lichnerowicz in \cite{Li} (see also Section 10.20 in Eells-Lemaire's report \cite{EL}). In this paper, we study a subclass of f-harmonic maps called f-harmonic morphisms which pull back local harmonic functions to local f-harmonic functions. We prove that a map between Riemannian manifolds is an f-harmonic morphism if and only if it is a horizontally weakly conformal f-harmonic map. This generalizes the well-known Fuglede-Ishihara characterization for harmonic morphisms. Some properties and many examples as well as some non-existence of f-ha…
We consider harmonic immersions in $\R^{\N}$ of compact Riemann surfaces with finitely many punctures where the harmonic coordinate functions are given as real parts of meromorphic functions. We prove that such surfaces have finite total Gauss curvature. The contribution of each end is a multiple of $2π$, determined by the maximal pole order of the meromorphic functions. This generalizes the well known Gackstatter-Jorge-Meeks formula for minimal surfaces. The situation is complicated as the ends are generally not conformally equivalent to punctured disks, nor does the surface have limit tangen…
We consider immersions of a Riemann surface into a manifold with $G_2$-holonomy and give criteria for them to be conformal and harmonic, in terms of an associated Gauss map.
In this article, we first consider the $L^{2}$ \textit{Morse-Novikov cohomology} on a complete Riemannian manifold $M$ equipped with a parallel $1$-form which includes Vaisman manifold. Based on a vanishing theorem of $L^{2}$ \textit{Morse-Novikov cohomology}, we prove that the $L^{2}$-harmonic forms on $M$ are identically zero.
A harmonic map from a Riemannian manifold into a Grassmannian manifold is characterized by a vector bundle, a space of sections of this bundle and a Laplace operator. We apply our main theorem, itself a generalization of a Theorem of Takahashi, to generalize the theory of do Carmo and Wallach and to describe the moduli space of harmonic maps satisfying the gauge and the Einstein-Hermitian conditions from a compact Rieannian manifold into a Grassmannian. As an application, several rigidity results are exihibited. In particular we generalize a rigidity theorem due to Calabi in the case of holomo…
Let $S$ be a closed surface of genus at least $2$. For each maximal representation $ρ: π_1(S)\rightarrow\mathsf{Sp}(4,\mathbb{R})$ in one of the $2g-3$ exceptional connected components, we prove there is a unique conformal structure on the surface in which the corresponding equivariant harmonic map to the symmetric space $\mathsf{Sp}(4,\mathbb{R})/\mathsf{U}(2)$ is a minimal immersion. Using a Higgs bundle parameterization of these components, we give a mapping class group invariant parameterization of such components as fiber bundles over Teichmüller space. Unlike Labourie's recent results on…
The Teichmüller harmonic map flow deforms both a map from an oriented closed surface $M$ into an arbitrary closed Riemannian manifold, and a constant curvature metric on $M$, so as to reduce the energy of the map as quickly as possible [16]. The flow then tries to converge to a branched minimal immersion when it can [16,18]. The only thing that can stop the flow is a finite-time degeneration of the metric on $M$ where one or more collars are pinched. In this paper we show that finite-time degeneration cannot happen in the case that the target has nonpositive sectional curvature, and indeed mor…
Let $\mathfrak{M}(Σ)$ be an open and connected subset of the space of hyperbolic metrics on a closed orientable surface, and $\mathfrak{M}(M)$ an open and connected subset of the space of metrics on an orientable manifold of dimension at least $3$. We impose conditions on $M$ and $\mathfrak{M}(M)$, which are often satisfied when the metrics in $\mathfrak{M}(M)$ have non-positive curvature. Under these conditions, the data of a homotopy class of maps from $Σ$ to $M$ gives $\mathfrak{M}(Σ)\times \mathfrak{M}(M)$ the structure of a space of harmonic maps. Using transversality theory for Banach ma…
For an immersed minimal surface in $\mathbb{R}^3$, we show that there exists a lower bound on its Morse index that depends on the genus and number of ends, counting multiplicity. This improves, in several ways, an estimate we previously obtained bounding the genus and number of ends by the index. Our new estimate resolves several conjectures made by J. Choe and D. Hoffman concerning the classification of low-index minimal surfaces: we show that there are no complete two-sided immersed minimal surfaces in $\mathbb{R}^3$ of index two, complete embedded minimal surface with index three, or comple…
The main result is a version of Morse inequalities for the minimum and maximum ideal boundary conditions of the de Rham complex on strata of compact Thom-Mather stratifications, endowed with adapted metrics. An adaptation of the analytic method of Witten is used in the proof, as well as certain perturbation of the harmonic oscillator related with the Dunkl harmonic oscillator.
This note reviews some of the recent work on biharmonic conformal maps (see \cite{OC}, Chapter 11, for a detailed survey). It will be focused on biharmonic conformal immersions and biharmonic conformal maps between manifolds of the same dimension and their links to isoparametric functions and Yamabe type equations, though biharmonic morphisms (maps that preserve solutions of bi-Laplace equations), generalized harmonic morphisms (maps that pull back germs of harmonic functions to germs of biharmonic functions), and biharmonic conformal and Riemannian submersions will also be touched.
Harmonic maps from $\BR^2$ or one-connected domain $Ø\subset \BR^2$ into $GL(m, \BC)$ and $U(m)$ are treated. The GBDT version of the Bäcklund-Darboux transformation is applied to the case of the harmonic maps. A new general formula on the GBDT transformations of the Sym-Tafel immersions is derived. A class of the harmonic maps similar in certain ways to line-solitons is obtained explicitly and studied.
We study biharmonic maps between Riemannian manifolds with finite energy and finite bi-energy. We show that if the domain is complete and the target of non-positive curvature, then such a map is harmonic. We then give applications to isometric immersions and horizontally conformal submersions.
We classify all harmonic maps with finite uniton number from a Riemann surface into an arbitrary compact simple Lie group $G$, whether $G$ has trivial centre or not, in terms of certain pieces of the Bruhat decomposition of the group $Ω_\mathrm{alg}{G}$ of algebraic loops in $G$ and corresponding canonical elements. This will allow us to give estimations for the minimal uniton number of the corresponding harmonic maps with respect to different representations and to make more explicit the relation between previous work by different authors on harmonic two-spheres in classical compact Lie group…
In [5], together with J. C. Wood, the authors gave a completely explicit formula for all harmonic maps from $2$-spheres to the unitary group $U(n)$ in terms of freely chosen meromorphic functions on $S^2$. The simplest harmonic maps are the isotropic ones. Using Morse theory Burstall and Guest [1] showed that the harmonic maps come in clusters labeled by the isotropic ones. In this work, using the formula for harmonic maps aforementioned, we describe explicitly this procedure, showing how all harmonic maps can be built from the isotropic ones. [1] F.~E.\ Burstall and M.~A.\ Guest, \textit{Harm…
Biharmonic maps are the critical points of the bienergy functional and generalise harmonic maps. We investigate the index of a class of biharmonic maps, derived from minimal Riemannian immersions into spheres. This study is motivated by three families of examples: the totally geodesic inclusion of spheres, the Veronese map and the Clifford torus.
