ProV Logo
0
Proof of the Caratheodory Conjecture
Guilfoyle, Brendan...

Free

Proof of the Caratheodory Conjecture by Guilfoyle, Brendan ( Author )
Lemonjar Open Access
N.A
31-07-2023
A well-known conjecture of Caratheodory states that the number of umbilic points on a closed convex surface in ${\mathbb E}^3$ must be greater than one. In this paper we prove this for $C^{3+\alpha}$-smooth surfaces. The Conjecture is first reformulated in terms of complex points on a Lagrangian surface in $TS^2$, viewed as the space of oriented geodesics in ${\mathbb E}^3$. Here complex and Lagrangian refer to the canonical neutral Kaehler structure on $TS^2$. We then prove that the existence of a closed convex surface with only one umbilic point implies the existence of a totally real Lagrangian hemisphere in $TS^2$, to which it is not possible to attach the edge of a holomorphic disc. The main step in the proof is to establish the existence of a holomorphic disc with edge contained on any given totally real Lagrangian hemisphere. To construct the holomorphic disc we utilize mean curvature flow with respect to the neutral metric. Long-time existence of this flow is proven by a priori estimates and we show that the flowing disc is asymptotically holomorphic. Existence of a holomorphic disc is then deduced from Schauder estimates.
-
Article
pdf
37.08 KB
English
-
MYR 0.01
-
http://arxiv.org/abs/0808.0851
Share this eBook