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Radially Symmetric Solutions To The Graphic Willmore Surface Equation

Differential Geometry 2014-11-04 v2

Abstract

We show that a smooth radially symmetric solution uu to the graphic Willmore surface equation is either a constant or the defining function of a half sphere in R3{\mathbb R}^3. In particular, radially symmetric entire Willmore graphs in R3{\mathbb R}^3 must be flat. When uu is a smooth radial solution over a punctured disk D(ρ)\{0}D(\rho)\backslash\{0\} and is in C1(D(ρ))C^1(D(\rho)), we show that there exist a constant λ\lambda and a function β\beta in C0(D(ρ))C^0(D(\rho)) such that u(r)=λ2logr+β(r)u''(r) =\frac{\lambda}{2}\log r+\beta(r); moreover, the graph of uu is contained in a graphical region of an inverted catenoid which is uniquely determined by λ\lambda and β(0)\beta(0). It is also shown that a radial solution on the punctured disk extends to a C1C^1 function on the disk when the mean curvature is square integrable.

Cite

@article{arxiv.1410.5547,
  title  = {Radially Symmetric Solutions To The Graphic Willmore Surface Equation},
  author = {Jingyi Chen and Yuxiang Li},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1410.5547},
  year   = {2014}
}

Comments

We extend our previous study of smooth radial solutions to solutions with a singularity at 0. A new section is added

R2 v1 2026-06-22T06:30:39.060Z