Let $\mathcal{K}$ be the space of properly embedded minimal tori in quotients of $\R^3$ by two independent translations, with any fixed (even) number of parallel ends. After an appropriate normalization, we prove that $\mathcal{K}$ is a 3-dimensional real analytic manifold that reduces to the finite coverings of the examples defined by Karcher, Meeks and Rosenberg in \cite{ka4,ka6,mr3}. The degenerate limits of surfaces in $\mathcal{K}$ are the catenoid, the helicoid and three 1-parameter families of surfaces: the simply and doubly periodic Scherk minimal surfaces and the Riemann minimal examples.
A Euclidean minimal torus with planar ends gives rise to an immersed Willmore torus in the conformal 3--sphere $S^3=\R^3\cup \{\infty\}$. The class of Willmore tori obtained this way is given a spectral theoretic characterization as the class of Willmore tori with reducible spectral curve. A spectral curve of this type is necessarily the double of the spectral curve of an elliptic KP soliton. The simplest possible examples of minimal tori with planar ends are related to 1--gap Lamé potentials, the simplest non--trivial algebro geometric KdV potentials. If one allows for translational periods, …
We describe a 3-parametric family $\mathcal{K}$ of properly embedded minimal tori with four parallel ends in quotients of $\mathbb{R}^3$ by two independent translations, which we will call the \textit{Standard Examples.} These surfaces generalize the examples given by Karcher, Meeks and Rosenberg in \cite{ka4,ka6,mr3}. $\mathcal{K}$ can be endowed with a natural structure of a self-conjugated 3-dimensional real analytic manifold diffeomorphic to $\mathbb{R}\times(\mathbb{R}^2-\{(\pm 1,0)\})$ whose degenerate limits are the catenoid, the helicoid, the simply and doubly periodic Scherk minimal s…
We construct Weierstrass data for higher genus embedded doubly periodic minimal surfaces and present numerical evidence that the associated period problem can be solved. In the orthogonal ends case, there previously was only one known surface for each genus. We illustrate multiple new examples for each genus g>2. In the parallel ends case, the known examples limit as a foliation of parallel planes with nodes. We construct a new example for each genus g>2 that limit as g-1 singly periodic Scherk surfaces glued between two doubly periodic Scherk surfaces and also as a singly periodic surface wit…
We characterize Willmore tori in the 4-sphere with nontrivial normal bundle as Twistor projections of elliptic curves in complex projective space or as inverted minimal tori (with planar ends) in Euclidean 4-space.
In this paper we develop the theory of properly immersed minimal surfaces in the quotient space $\mathbb H^2\times\mathbb R/G,$ where $G$ is a subgroup of isometries generated by a vertical translation and a horizontal isometry in $\mathbb H^2$ without fixed points. The horizontal isometry can be either a parabolic translation along horocycles in $\mathbb H^2$ or a hyperbolic translation along a geodesic in $\mathbb H^2.$ In fact, we prove that if a properly immersed minimal surface in $\mathbb H^2\times\mathbb R/G$ has finite total curvature then its total curvature is a multiple of $2π,$ and…
We prove the existence of a family of embedded doubly periodic minimal surfaces of (quotient) genus $g$ with orthogonal ends that generalizes the classical doubly periodic surface of Scherk and the genus-one Scherk surface of Karcher. The proof of the family of immersed surfaces is by induction on genus, while the proof of embeddedness is by the conjugate Plateau method.
We consider the question of existence of embedded doubly periodic minimal surfaces in Euclidean 3-space with Scherk-type ends, surfaces that topologically are Scherk's doubly periodic surface with handles added in various ways. We extend the existence results of H. Karcher and F. Wei to more cases, and we find other cases where existence does not hold.
Most known examples of doubly periodic minimal surfaces in $\mathbb{R}^3$ with parallel ends limit as a foliation of $\mathbb{R}^3$ by horizontal noded planes, with the location of the nodes satisfying a set of balance equations. Conversely, for each set of points providing a balanced configuration, there is a corresponding three-parameter family of doubly periodic minimal surfaces. In this note we derive a differential equation that is equivalent to the balance equations for doubly periodic minimal surfaces. This allows for the generation of many more solutions to the balance equations, enabl…
Using Traizet's regeneration method, we prove the existence of many new 3-dimensional families of embedded, doubly periodic minimal surfaces. All these families have a foliation of 3-dimensional Euclidean space by vertical planes as a limit. In the quotient, these limits can be realized conformally as noded Riemann surfaces, whose components are copies of C* with finitely many nodes. We derive the balance equations for the location of the nodes and exhibit solutions that allow for surfaces of arbitrarily large genus and number of ends in the quotient.
In this paper, we discuss complete minimal immersions in $\mathbb{R}^N$($N\geq4$) with finite total curvature and embedded planar ends. First, we prove nonexistence for the following cases: (1) genus 1 with 2 embedded planar ends, (2) genus $\neq4$, hyperelliptic with 2 embedded planar ends like the Lagrangian catenoid. Then we show the existence of embedded minimal spheres in $\mathbb{R}^4$ with 3 embedded planar ends. Moreover, we construct genus $g$ examples in $\mathbb{R}^4$ with $d$ embedded planar ends such that $g\geq 1$ and $g+2\leq d\leq 2g+1$. These examples include a family of embed…
We show the existence of several new families of non-compact constant mean curvature surfaces: (i) singly-punctured surfaces of arbitrary genus $g \geq 1$, (ii) doubly-punctured tori, and (iii) doubly periodic surfaces with Delaunay ends.
In 1988, Karcher generalized the family of singly periodic Scherk minimal surfaces by constructing, for each natural $n\geq 2$, a $(2n-3)$-parameter family of singly periodic minimal surfaces with genus zero and $2n$ Scherk-type ends in the quotient, called {\it saddle towers}. They have been recently classified by Pérez and Traizet \cite{PeTra1} as the only properly embedded singly periodic minimal surfaces in $\R^3$ with genus zero and finitely many Scherk-type ends in the quotient. In this paper we obtain as a limit of saddle towers: the catenoid; the doubly periodic Scherk minimal surface …
In this paper we show that all totally real superconformal minimal tori in $CP^2$ correspond with doubly-periodic finite gap solutions of the Tzitzeica equation $$ω_{z{\overline z}}=e^{-2ω}-e^ω$$ Using the results on the Tzitzeica equation in integrable system theory, we describe explicitly all these tori by Prym-theta functions.
This article shows that every non-isotropic harmonic 2-torus in complex projective space factors through a generalised Jacobi variety related to the spectral curve. Each map is composed of a homomorphism into the variety and a rational map off it. The same ideas allow one to construct (pluri)-harmonic maps of finite type from Euclidean space into Grassmannians and the projective unitary groups. Further, some of these maps will be purely algebraic. For maps into complex projective space the algebraic maps of the plane are always doubly periodic i.e. they yield 2-tori. The classification of all …
In 3-dimensional Euclidean space, Scherk second surfaces are singly periodic embedded minimal surfaces with four planar ends. In this paper, we obtain a natural generalization of these minimal surfaces in any higher dimensional Euclidean space ${\R}^{n+1}$, for $n \geq 3$. More precisely, we show that there exist $(n-1)$-periodic embedded minimal hypersurfaces with four hyperplanar ends. The moduli space of these hypersurfaces forms a 1-dimensional fibration over the moduli space of flat tori in ${\R}^{n-1}$. A partial description of the boundary of this moduli space is also given.
In this paper we develop the theory of Willmore sequences for Willmore surfaces in the 4-sphere. We show that under appropriate conditions this sequence has to terminate. In this case the Willmore surface either is the twistor projection of a holomorphic curve into complex projective space or the inversion of a minimal surface with planar ends in 4-space. These results give a unified explanation of previous work on the characterization of Willmore spheres and Willmore tori with non-trivial normal bundles by various authors.
The spinor representation is developed and used to investigate minimal surfaces in ${\bfR}^3$ with embedded planar ends. The moduli spaces of planar-ended minimal spheres and real projective planes are determined, and new families of minimal tori and Klein bottles are given. These surfaces compactify in $S^3$ to yield surfaces critical for the Möbius invariant squared mean curvature functional $W$. On the other hand, all $W\!$-critical spheres and real projective planes arise this way. Thus we determine at the same time the moduli spaces of $W\!$-critical spheres and real projective planes via…
The spinor representation is developed for conformal immersions of Riemann surfaces into space. We adapt the approach of Dennis Sullivan, which treats a spin structure on a Riemann surface M as a complex line bundle S whose square is the canonical line bundle K=T(M). Given a conformal immersion of M into \bbR^3, the unique spin strucure on S^2 pulls back via the Gauss map to a spin structure S on M, and gives rise to a pair of smooth sections (s_1,s_2) of S. Conversely, any pair of sections of S generates a (possibly periodic) conformal immersion of M under a suitable integrability condition, …
