MATH 782 Differential Geometry : solutions to homework assignment four

1. Let S be the surface in R3 given by z = y 2 . Calculate the shape operator of S and show
that it is non-zero. [Note: S is isometric to R2 , so both S and R3 are flat.]
We can let x and y be (global) coordinates on S, with
f (x, y) = (x, y, y 2 ).
Then e1 = f
= (1, 0, 0) and e2 = f
= (0, 1, 2y) give a (non-orthonormal) basis for T S,
x
y
and a unit normal vector is given by
(0, 2y, 1)
= p
.
4y 2 + 1
This is the upward-pointing normal vector. We can extend to a vector field N on R3
by using the same formula; with this choice N is independent of both x and z. Therefore
S (e1 ) = (e1 N )T = ((1,0,0) N )T = (1

N )T = 0
x

and
S (e2 ) = (e2 N )T
= ((0,1,2y) N )T

T

= 1 N + 2y N
y
z
!T
(0, 2y, 1)
p
=
y 4y 2 + 1
(0, 2, 0)
p
+
4y 2 + 1

=


(0, 2, 4y)
=
(4y 2 + 1)3/2
2
=
e2 .
2
(4y + 1)3/2
Thus


S =

0
0

1
8y(0, 2y, 1)
2
(4y 2 + 1)3/2

!T

T

0
2
(4y 2 +1)3/2


.

Note that taking the tangential component ( )T is not necessary: since is a unit normal
vector field, it can only change by a tangential vector when we move along the surface.
2. Let M n be a Riemannian manifold isometrically embedded in Rn+1 as a hypersurface.
Show that M cannot have negative sectional curvature if n 3. [Note: There are many

counterexamples when n = 2: the helicoid, the catenoid, the paraboloid given by the
surface of revolution with (f, g) = (1 + v 2 , 2v), etc.]
Since the sectional curvature K of the ambient manifold Rn+1 is zero, Gausss formula
gives
K(ei , ej ) = i j
where ei are the principal directions, with principal curvatures i . If all these sectional
curvatures are negative, then
22 =

K(e1 , e2 )K(e2 , e3 )
(1 2 )(2 3 )
=
1 3
K(e1 , e3 )

will also be negative, a contradiction.

3. Let G be a Lie group which admits a bi-invariant metric (for example, a compact Lie
group). Let H be a Lie subgroup of G. Show that the inclusion h : H G is a totally
geodesic embedding.
Firstly, left multiplication LA : G G and right multiplication RA : G G are
isometries for all A G. For A H, LA and RA also preserve H, so they are isometries
of H. Therefore the induced metric is also a bi-invariant metric for H.
As we have seen, geodesics through the identity with respect to a bi-invariant metric are
precisely one-parameter subgroups. More precisely, for X TI G the geodesic through I
in the direction X is given by the flow-line : R G of the left-invariant vector field
corresponding to X.
Now suppose that X TI H TI G, and consider the value XA TA G of the corresponding left-invariant vector field at A H. Since LA preserves H, dLA takes TI H TI G to
TA H TA G. Therefore XA = dLA .X lies in TA H, i.e., is tangent to H. This is true for
all A H, and therefore a flow-line starting at (0) = I H will remain inside H for all
t R.
Since flow-lines through I are precisely geodesics, it follows that a geodesic (in G) through
I in the direction X TI H will remain inside H, i.e., geodesics for H are also geodesics
for G. By definition, H is totally geodesic.
4. Ennepers surface is the parametrized immersed surface in R3 given by


u u3 uv 2 v v 3 u2 v u2 v 2

+
,
+

.
(u, v) 7
2
6
2
2
6
2 2
2
Calculate the shape operator and prove that Ennepers surface is a minimal surface.
A basis for T S is given by
f
=
e1 =
u
and

f
e2 =
=
v

1 u2 + v 2
, uv, u
2



1 + v 2 u2
uv,
, v ,
2
2

and a unit normal vector is given by

=

(2u, 2v, 1 + u2 + v 2 )
.
1 + u2 + v 2

Therefore
S (e1 ) = (e1 N )T


(2u, 2v, 1 + u2 + v 2 )

=
u
1 + u2 + v 2


(2, 0, 2u)
2u
2
2
=

(2u, 2v, 1 + u + v )
1 + u2 + v 2 (1 + u2 + v 2 )2


(2 + 2u2 + 2v 2 , 0, 2u + 2u3 + 2uv 2 ) (4u2 , 4uv, 2u + 2u3 + 2uv 2 )
=
(1 + u2 + v 2 )2
(2 2u2 + 2v 2 , 4uv, 4u)
=
(1 + u2 + v 2 )2
4
=
e1
(1 + u2 + v 2 )2
and a similar calculation shows that
S (e2 ) =

4
(1 + u2 + v 2 )2

e2 .

Thus e1 and e2 are the principal directions,

S =

4
(1+u2 +v 2 )2

4
(1+u2 +v 2 )2

!
,

and the principal curvatures sum to zero, i.e., the surface is minimal.
5. * Find all surfaces of revolution in R3 that are minimal surfaces.
First solution: We have seen that the principal curvatures of a surface of revolution are
g0
1 =
f ((f 0 )2 + (g 0 )2 )1/2

and

f 0 g 00 f 00 g 0
2 =
.
((f 0 )2 + (g 0 )2 )3/2

These sum to zero if and only if

g 0 ((f 0 )2 + (g 0 )2 ) + f (f 0 g 00 f 00 g 0 ) = 0.
Case 1. If g 0 is identically zero then g is constant and the surface is part of the plane
z = g. This is flat so clearly minimal.
Case 2. If g 0 is never zero then it must be always positive or always negative. Then
the function g : R R (replace R by subintervals if necessary) is strictly increasing or
3

strictly decreasing; either way, g is a diffeomorphism and hence we can assume g = v

after reparametrizing.
The above equation then looks like
(f 0 )2 + 1 f f 00 = 0.
Rearranging gives

2f 0 f 00
f0
=
2
(f 0 )2 + 1
f

and integrating yields

log((f 0 )2 + 1) = 2 log f + const.
Exponentiating gives
(f 0 )2 + 1 = const.f 2
where the constant must be positive, say, 1/a2 . Rearranging gives
f0 =

1p 2
f a2 .
a

Case 2a. If f 0 is identically zero then f is constant and the surface is part of the cylinder
x2 + y 2 = f 2 . However, one of the principal curvatures of a cylinder is zero, and the other
is non-zero; so it is not minimal.
Case 2b. Ifpf 0 is non-zero at a point then it is non-zero on a neighbourhood of that
point. Then f 2 a2 must be greater than zero, and we can divide by it to get
f0

1
= .
a
f 2 a2

Integrating yields
cosh

 
f
v
= + b,
a
a

i.e.,
f = acosh

v
a


+b .

This is the catenoid.

Case 3. If g 0 is zero at some points but not at others, then on some open interval it is
non-zero and the surface looks like a catenoid (Case 2b). At the points where g 0 vanishes,
the tangent plane to the circle is horizontal (parallel to the xyplane). By continuity,
such a point could never occur as limit point of a cylinder or a catenoid (tangent planes to
the cylinder are always vertical, and tangent planes to the catenoid only tend to horizontal
planes at infinity). In other words, this case is impossible.
Second solution: Another approach to this problem is to use isothermal coordinates
on the surface. These are coordinates such that the metric is a multiple of the identity

matrix, g = Id22 (the scalar is not necessarily constant; it is a function on the surface).
For a surface of revolution the metric looks like
 2

f
0
,
0 (f 0 )2 + (g 0 )2
and thus (u, v) are isothermal coordinates if and only if f 2 = (f 0 )2 + (g 0 )2 . We choose v
so that this equation is satisfied. (Note: v is the parameter of the curve that we rotate
to create the surface of revolution. The equation says that the velocity vector of this
curve has length equal to the distance from the zaxis, which can always be achieved by
reparameterizing the curve.)
Minimality takes a very simple form with respect to isothermal coordinates (u, v). Namely,
the surface will be minimal if and only if its coordinate functions are harmonic with respect
to (u, v) (see Proposition 2 on page 201 of do Carmos other book, Differential geometry
of curves and surfaces). We therefore require

 2
2

+
(f cosu, f sinu, g) = ((f 00 f )cosu, (f 00 f )sinu, g 00 ) = (0, 0, 0).
u2 v 2
This implies that g = av + b for constants a and b. If a = 0 we find that the surface is
an open subset of the plane z = g = b. Otherwise, assume that a > 0 (after reversing the
sign of v if necessary).
Since f must satisfy f 00 = f , it is a linear combination of ev and ev . If f involves both
functions, then one can easily show that it can be written as
f = ccosh(v + d)
for constants c and d, with c > 0 since f must be positive. Otherwise we have f = ev+d
or f = ev+d .
Finally, we required f 2 = (f 0 )2 + (g 0 )2 . When f = ccosh(v + d) this yields
c2 = c2 (cosh2 (v + d) sinh2 (v + d)) = f 2 (f 0 )2 = (g 0 )2 = a2
so that c = a. This solution
(f, g) = (acosh(v + d), av + b)
gives the catenoid. When f = ev+d or f = ev+d we find
a2 = (g 0 )2 = f 2 (f 0 )2 = 0.
These solutions
(f, g) = (ev+d , b)
give the plane z = b.

6. Embed the torus T 2 in R3 by

(, ) 7 ((r + b cos ) cos , (r + b cos ) sin , b sin )
where r > b > 0.
a) Calculate the shape operator S and the Gaussian curvature K = det S.
A basis for the tangent space T T 2 is given by
e1 =

= ((r + bcos)sin, (r + bcos)cos, 0)

and
e2 =

= (bsincos, bsinsin, bcos).

Note that the metric g with respect to this basis is given by the matrix


(r + bcos)2 0
.
0
b2
A unit normal vector is given by
= (coscos, cossin, sin).
Therefore
S (e1 ) = (e1 N )T

= (coscos, cossin, sin)

= (cossin, coscos, 0)
cos
=
e1
r + bcos
and
S (e2 ) = (e2 N )T

= (coscos, cossin, sin)

= (sincos, sinsin, cos)

1
=
e2 .
b
Thus e1 and e2 are the principal directions,
 cos
r+bcos
S =
0
6

0
1
b


,

and the Gaussian curvature

K = 1 2 =

cos
.
b(r + bcos)

The curvature is positive on the outside of the torus (/2 < < /2), negative on
the inside (/2 < < 3/2), and zero on the top and bottom longitudes ( = /2 and
= 3/2).
b)
Calculate
detgdd.

R
T2

Kdvol, where dvol is the volume form on the surface T 2 given by

Kdvol =
T2

K
=0
2

=0
2

=0
2

=
Z

=0
2

p
detgdd

cos
b(r + bcos)dd
b(r + bcos)
cosdd

=0

=0

= 0.

Note Rthat this gives a verification of the Gauss-Bonnet formula, which in general states
that S Kdvol = 2(S) for a compact orientable surface S, where (S) is the Euler
characteristic of S.