On the existence of degenerate solutions of the two-dimensional $H$-system

We consider entire solutions $\omega\in\dot H^1(\mathbb R^2;\mathbb R^3)$ of the $H$-system $\Delta\omega=2\omega_x\wedge\omega_y,$ which we refer to as bubbles. Surprisingly, and contrary to conjectures raised in the literature, we find that bubbles with degree at least three can be degenerate: the linearized $H$-system around a bubble can admit solutions that are not tangent to the smooth family of bubbles. We then give a complete algebraic characterization of degenerate bubbles.