Surfaces Of Revolution With Prescribed Mean Curvature: Tδhoku Math. Journ. 32 (1980), 147-153
Surfaces Of Revolution With Prescribed Mean Curvature: Tδhoku Math. Journ. 32 (1980), 147-153
32(1980), 147-153.
KATSUEI KENMOTSU*
Z(s) = | Γ e x p ( - 2 i Γ H(u)du
Cexv(2i[°H(t)dt) ,
where C is a complex constant. It is convenient to introduce the fol-
lowing functions:
2
{(TO - Cxf + (G(β) + C2) Γ '
Thus we obtained a family of generating curves which is denoted by
( 8) X(s; H(s), cl9 c2, c8)
c)J-ffi (F(t) C
)g^) t {(F(S)
__ )2
VJo f c2)r
2
c2)2r), s e l ,
where cl9 c2 and c3 are any integral constants. As the geometric mean-
ing of these constants we have
/ Q \ YίO- TT(Q\ n o ί* \ — (p in2 4- P2\1/2\
tures of the curves (F(β), G(s)) and (x(s), y(β)): The curvature Λ(s) of
the curve (F(s), G(s)) is given by — 2H(s). Conversely for any contin-
uous function k(s), the curve ί l s i n ί l k(t)dtjdu, icosίl k{t)dt jdu jhas
the curvature — k(s). From this curve we can construct the generating
curve of a surface of revolution whose mean curvature is fc(s)/2.
2. Surfaces of revolution with constant mean curvature. We assume
that the mean curvature is a constant function. If the constant is
zero, then we have F(s) = 0 and G(s) = s, which gives
2 1/2 2 2 1
X(s; 0, cu c2, c.) = (J* φl + (ί + c2) }" dί + c3, {c + (s + c2) }
(ID x{8, H, B) = y
sin 2ifs}1/2) , s e R ,
/
where B is any constant. It is easily verified that (a) X(s; —H,B) =
X(s; H, - £ ) , (b) X(s; H, - B ) - X(s - π/2ίί; H, B) + a constant vector,
(c) X{s\ λJΪ, JS) = (l/λ)X(λs; H, B), λ > 0. Therefore it is enough to con-
sider only the cases of B ^ 0 and H > 0.
JΓ(s; iϊ, 0) is clearly a generating line for a circular cylinder.
X(s; H, 1) is the only continuous curve and represents a sequence of
continuous half circles over the #-axis which have the same radii. The
corresponding surface is a sequence of continuous spheres which have
the same radii. According as 0 < B < 1 or B > 1, the smooth curves
X(s; H, B) have different figures. If we assume 0 < B < 1, then the
function x(s) is monotone increasing as the parameter s goes to the
positive infinity but in the case of B > 1, it is not monotone. Never-
theless we know lim$(s) = °° (s —>• °°) in both cases, because X(s; H, B)
is periodic and has the period π/H, which are proved in the following
way: We have
z
0.8 1.6 2.4 3.2 4. 4.8 5.6
AXIS OF ROTATION
6.4 7.2 8.8 9.6
FIGURE 1
152 K. KENMOTSU
0.8 1.6 2.4 3.2 4. 4.8 5.6 6.4 7.2 8.8 9.6
AXIS OF ROTATION
FIGURE 2
0. 2.8 3.6 4.4 5.2 6. 6.8 7.6 8.4 9.2 10. 10.8 11.6
AXIS OF ROTATION
FIGURE 3
0. 2.8 3.6 4.4 5.2 6. 6.8 7.6 8.4 9.2 10. 10.8 11.6
AXIS OF ROTATION
FIGURE 4
shall remark that in Figures 1 and 2, all curves are arranged in such a
way that they have the same I tangent vectors (1,0) and (—1,0), re-
spectively, at (5, |1 — B I).
3. Surfaces of revolution with H(s) = s/2. If we take H(s) = s/2 as
the mean curvature of a surface of revolution, then we have
(F(s), G(s)) =
which is the spiral of Cornu and each component functions are FresneΓs
integrals. From this famous curve, we can construct many surfaces of
revolution admitting s/2 as the mean curvature. Figures 3 and 4 re-
present two of those generating curves whose initial data are cx = 0,
c2=— 1 and c3 = 5 and cλ — 1/2, c 2 =—1/3/2 and c3 = 5, respectively.
REFERENCES
[1] C. DELAUNAY, Sur la surface de revolution dont la courbure moyenne est constante,
J. Math. Pures. Appl. Ser. 1, 6 (1841), 309-320. With a note appended by M. Sturm.
[ 2 ] J. EELLS, On the surfaces of Delaunay and their Gauss maps, to appear.
DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS
COLLEGE OF GENERAL EDUCATION
TOHOKU UNIVERSITY
SENDAI, 980 JAPAN