The question of estimating the number of minimal surfaces that bound a prescribed contour has been open since Douglas's solution of the Plateau problem in 1931. In this book, the authors formulate and prove an index theorem for minimal surfaces of higher topological type spanning one boundary contour. This book describes in terms of Fredholm Index, a rough measure on the set of curves bounding minimal surfaces of prescribed branching type and genus.
| ISBN: | 9780821803523 |
| Publication date: | 30th September 1995 |
| Author: | Friedrich Tomi, Anthony Tromba |
| Publisher: | American Mathematical Society |
| Format: | Paperback |
| Pagination: | 78 pages |
| Series: | Memoirs of the American Mathematical Society |
| Genres: |
Calculus and mathematical analysis |