English

Handle attachment and the normalized first eigenvalue

Differential Geometry 2019-10-17 v2 Analysis of PDEs

Abstract

We show that the first eigenvalue of a closed Riemannian surface normalized by the area can be strictly increased by attaching a cylinder or a cross cap. As a consequence we obtain the existence of maximizing metrics for the normalized first eigenvalue on any closed surface of fixed topological type. Since these metrics are induced by (possibly branched) minimal immersions into spheres, we find new examples of immersed minimal surfaces in spheres.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1909.03105,
  title  = {Handle attachment and the normalized first eigenvalue},
  author = {Henrik Matthiesen and Anna Siffert},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1909.03105},
  year   = {2019}
}

Comments

v2: 65 pages, Corollary 1.8 is new, sections 8.4 and 8.6 have been expanded, all comments welcome

R2 v1 2026-06-23T11:08:12.757Z