Anais da Academia Brasileira de Cincias (2002) 74(4): 559575

(Annals of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences)

ISSN 0001-3765
www.scielo.br/aabc

On Ribaucour transformations and applications

to linear Weingarten surfaces
KETI TENENBLAT*
Departamento de Matemtica, UnB, 70910-900 Braslia, DF, Brazil
Manuscript received on May 20, 2002; accepted for publication on July 15, 2002.
ABSTRACT

We present a revised definition of a Ribaucour transformation for submanifolds of space forms,

with flat normal bundle, motivated by the classical definition and by more recent extensions.
The new definition provides a precise treatment of the geometric aspect of such transformations
preserving lines of curvature and it can be applied to submanifolds whose principal curvatures
have multiplicity bigger than one. Ribaucour transformations are applied as a method of obtaining
linear Weingarten surfaces contained in Euclidean space, from a given such surface. Examples
are included for minimal surfaces, constant mean curvature and linear Weingarten surfaces. The
examples show the existence of complete hyperbolic linear Weingarten surfaces in Euclidean
space.
Key words: Ribaucour transformations, linear Weingarten surfaces, minimal surfaces, constant
mean curvature.

INTRODUCTION

This is an expository article which presents a new definition of a Ribaucour transformation and
includes some of its applications. The revised definition was introduced in (Corro and Tenenblat
2002), motivated by a discussion of the classical definition of a Ribaucour transformation for
hypersurfaces and some more recent extensions to submanifolds with higher codimension and flat
normal bundle (Corro 1997, Dajczer and Tojeiro 2002). The new definition provides a precise
treatment of the geometric aspect of such transformations preserving lines of curvature and it also
extends Ribaucour transformations to submanifolds whose principal curvatures have multiplicity
bigger than one.
Ribaucour transformations have a wide range of applications. In this paper, we will restrict
ourselves mainly to the results obtained in (Corro et al. 2000, 2001). We will show how Ribaucour
*Member of Academia Brasileira de Cincias
E-mail: keti@mat.unb.br

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KETI TENENBLAT

transformations can be applied as a method of constructing linear Weingarten surfaces contained in

R 3 , in particular minimal and constant mean curvature (cmc) surfaces, from a given such surface.
The transformation for minimal surfaces is related to producing embedded planar ends.
The method, when applied to the cylinder, produces complete n-bubble cmc and linear Weingarten surfaces. Moreover, it provides an unnexpected result. Namely, the existence of complete
hyperbolic linear Weingarten surfaces immersed in R 3 . It is well known, by Hilberts theorem,
that there are no complete surfaces of constant negative curvature immersed in R 3 . Although such
surfaces and hyperbolic linear Weingarten surfaces correspond to solutions of the sine-Gordon
equation, the examples constructed in (Corro et al. 2001) show that there exist infinitely many
complete hyperbolic linear Weingarten surfaces in R 3 .
2

RIBAUCOUR TRANSFORMATION

The classical Ribaucour transformation relates diffeomorphic surfaces M and M of R 3 such that
at corresponding points the normal lines intersect at an equidistant point. Moreover, the set of
intersection points is also required to describe a surface of R 3 and the diffeomorphism to preserve
the lines of curvature. The classical theory includes the case of hypersurfaces parametrized by lines
of curvature, where the principal curvatures of both hypersurfaces have multiplicity one, although
this is not stated clearly.
The extension to submanifolds of higher codimension is quite recent. One of the difficulties
relies on extending the condition on the intersection of the normal lines. The first attempt was
given in (Tojeiro 1991). In (Corro 1997) and (Dajczer and Tojeiro 2002), two distinct extensions
were given for submanifolds, with flat normal bundle, parametrized by lines of curvature.
Denition 2.1 (Corro 1997). Two manifolds M n and M n , contained in R n+2 , with flat normal
bundle and parametrized by lines of curvature, are said to be related by a Ribaucour transformation
which preserves lines of curvature, a differentiable
if there exist a diffeomorphism : M M,
function h : M R and unit normal vector fields N , N , parallel in the normal connection of M
respectively, such that q M, q + h(q)N (q) = (q) + h(q)N ((q)) and the subset
and M,
q + h(q)N(q) is n-dimensional.
Denition 2.2 (Dajczer and Tojeiro 2002). Two holonomic isometric immersions f : M n
R n+p and f : M n R n+p are said to be related by a Ribaucour transformation when there exist a
curvature-lines-preserving diffeomorfism : M M with |f f |  = 0 everywhere, a vector
bundle isometry P : Tf M T M covering , and a vector field Tf M that is nowhere a
f

principal curvature normal of f , such that a) P ( ) =< , > (f f ) for all Tf M;

and b) P is parallel, i.e. P commutes with the normal connection.
The first definition is quite simple compared to the second one. The definition of (Tojeiro
1991) ommits from Definition 2.2 the requirement of a vector field which is nowhere a principal
curvature normal of the immersion. We also mention that Definition 2.2, proposed by Dajczer
and Tojeiro, was used in (Brck et al. 2002). Before we relate these two definitions, we discuss
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some basic geometric aspects which motivated the new definition. We start by observing that the
definitions above require a Ribaucour transformation to preserve all lines of curvature. This is one
of the basic problems that will treated.
We first mention that, even in the case of surfaces in R 3 , one has to fix a surface and then
consider those associated to the given surface by Ribaucour tranformations (instead of considering
two surfaces associated by the transformation). An easy example illustrates this observation.
Consider in R 3 the following segments: (1, 0, t), (1 + t, 0, t) and (1 + t, 0, 0), where t > 0.
By rotating the segments arround the x3 axis one gets a half cylinder, a truncated cone and the
complement of a unit disc in the x1 , x2 plane. Let be the diffeomorphism that to each point
of the cylinder (cos , sin , t) it associates the point ((1 + t) cos , (1 + t) sin , 0) on the plane.
Then the truncated cone is the set of intersection of the normal lines and preserves the lines of
curvature. However, one cannot say that the cylinder is associated to the planar region, since not
all lines of curvature of the plane correspond to such curves on the cylinder.
Preserving Lines of Curvature
It is generally accepted that Ribaucour transformations preserve lines of curvature. In the classical
theory and in both (Corro 1997) and (Dajczer and Tojeiro 2002), the definition is characterized
essencially by the same integrable system of differential equations, whose solutions provide immersions locally associated by Ribaucour transformations to a given immersion. However, one can
show (see Corollary 2.10 and also Corro et al. 1999) that this procedure does not always preserve
multiplicity of principal curvatures. In such cases, the requirement of preserving all lines of curvature does not hold. This is due to the fact that the system of differential equations is a necessary
condition for the existence of immersions associated to a given one by Ribaucour transformations,
but it is not sufficient. Indeed one can show that given any hypersurface M n of R n+1 , which admits
n orthonormal principal direction vector fields, there exists a solution to the system of differential
equations so that the associated hypersurface is an open subset of a hyperplane or a sphere (see
Corollary 2.10).
In the new definition, the requirement of preserving lines of curvature is replaced by the requirement of preserving the lines of curvature corresponding to a fixed set of n orthonormal vector
fields of principal directions. In that case, the system of equations (which appear in [Corro 1997,
Corro et al. 1999, Dajczer and Tojeiro 2002]) is indeed equivalent to the definition. Moreover, for
submanifolds which admit principal curvatures with multiplicity bigger than one, in any dimension or codimension, the choice of distinct set of orthonormal principal directions may provide,
by solving the system of equations, distinct families of submanifolds associated by Ribaucour
transformations (see Remark 2.11).
Holonomic Submanifolds
The classical theory and Definitions 2.1 and 2.2 require the submanifolds to be holonomic. (i.e.
they admit a global parametrization by lines of curvature). However, by considering distinct such
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KETI TENENBLAT

parametrizations (for hypersurfaces with admit principal curvatures with multiplicity bigger than
one) one may obtain different associated submanifolds (see Remark 2.11). The nonholonomic
case was considered in (Dajczer and Tojeiro 2001), with the same problem with respect to the
transformation preserving all lines of curvature.
The new definition does not require the manifold to be holonomic. However, it requires
the existence of n orthomormal vector fields of principal directions globally defined, which will
be preserved by the transformation. If the submanifold is parametrized by orthogonal lines of
curvature, then the vector fields tangent to the coordinate curves are considered to be the principal
directions that will be preserved. We observe that, for n 3 the choice of a set of n orthonormal
vector fields of principal directions does not imply the existence of a local parametrization such
that the coordinate curves are tangent to these vector fields, nor that the submanifold is holonomic.
Extending the Condition on the Intersection of the Normal Lines
Assuming that the submanifolds have flat normal bundle, while Definition 2.1 requires the existence
of a unit vector field normal to each submanifold such that the corresponding lines intersect at an
equidistant point, Definition 2.2 requires the existence of an isometry of the normal bundles such
that the corresponding normal lines are parallel or intersect at an equidistant point.
The new definition requires the existence of a vector field normal to each submanifold such
that at corresponding points the lines in these normal directions intersect at an equidistant point.
It can be shown that this condition implies the existence of a correspondence between the normal
bundles (resp. tangent bundles) such that the lines at corresponding normal (resp. tangent) vectors
are parallel or intersect at an equidistant point. Moreover, the correspondence between the normal
bundles can be chosen so that it is an isometry wich commutes with the normal connection.
The Set of Equidistant Points
The classical definitions and Definition 2.1 requires that the set of the intersections of the normal
lines is an n-dimensional submanifold. The existence of a normal vector field, which is nowhere
a principal curvature normal to the immersion in Definition 2.2, is equivalent to requiring the
existence of a normal vector field for which the set of intersections of the corresponding normal
lines is an n dimensional submanifold.
In view of the aspects mentioned above, the revised definition is as follows:
Denition 2.3 (Corro and Tenenblat 2002). Let M n be a submanifold of R n+p with flat
normal bundle. Assume there exist e1 , ..., en orthonormal principal vector fields defined on M. A
submanifold M n R n+p , with flat normal bundle, is associated to M by a Ribaucour transfor a differentiable
mation with respect to e1 , ..., en if there exist a diffeomorphism : M M,

function h : M R and unit normal vector fields N and N , parallel in the normal connection of
M and M respectively, such that:
a) q + h(q)N (q) = (q) + h(q)N (q), q M;
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b) the subset q + h(q)N (q), q M is n-dimensional;

c) d(ei ) are orthogonal principal directions in M.

This transformation is invertible in the sense that there exist principal direction vector fields
e1 , ..., en on M such that M is associated to M by a Ribaucour transformation with respect to these
vector fields. One may consider the analogue local definition.
Denition 2.4. Let M n be a submanifold of R n+p with flat normal bundle. Assume there exist
e1 , ..., en orthonormal principal vector fields globally defined on M. A submanifold M n is locally
associated to M by Ribaucour transformations with respect to e1 , ..., en if for any q M there
exists a neighborhood V of q in M and an open subset V M such that V is associated to V by a
Ribaucour transformation with respect to e1 , ..., en .
Similar definitions can be considered for immersions in R n+p and also for submanifolds and
immersions in the sphere S n+p or the hyperbolic space H n+p . In the latter cases one should replace
the straight lines of conditions a) and b) by geodesics of the ambient space.
The above definition reduces to the classical case of surfaces in R 3 or hypersurfaces in R n ,
parametrized by lines of curvature, whenever the principal curvatures of the associated submanifolds
have multiplicity one. Moreover, it is equivalent to the system of differential equations which
appeared in the papers mentioned previously.
The requirement of being a diffeomorphism implies that both manifolds are topologically
equivalent. In general this is a very strong condition. Many interesting applications of this method
(see section 3) show that in general one has immersions locally associated by Ribaucour transformations to a given one, even when both manifolds are complete. Moreover, the integrability of the
corresponding system of differential equations imposes one to consider solutions on the universal
covering of the given immmersion.
In what follows we consider a submanifold M n of R n+p , with flat normal bundle. Let ei ,
1 i n, be orthonormal principal vector fields on M and let N 1 p be a an orthonormal
frame normal to M parallel in the normal connection. We denote by i the one forms dual to the


vector fields ei and by ij , 1 i, j n the connection forms determined by di = j =i j j i
and ij + j i = 0 and the normal connection i =< dei , N >. Since ei are principal directions,
we have dN (ei ) = i ei , i.e. i = i i . Details and proofs for the results in the remaining
of this section can be found in (Corro and Tenenblat 2002).
Theorem 2.5. Let M n be an immersed submanifold of R n+p , whose normal bundle is flat and
let ei , 1 i n be orthonormal principal vector fields defined on M. A submanifold M n is
locally associated to M by a Ribaucour transformation with respect to the set ei , if and only if,
for any q M there exist parametrizations X : U R n M and X : U M such that
), a differentiable function h : U R, a p p matrix function B defined on U and
q X(U
parallel orthonormal vector fields N , 1 p, normal to X(U ) such that
X = X + h(N1 N 1 ),

(1)

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KETI TENENBLAT

) given by
where N 1 is a unit vector field normal to X(U

N 1 = (1 B 11 )

n


Z ei +
i

p


dh(ei )
Z =
1 + h1i

(2)

i=1

B 1 N ,

n



Zi

2

(3)

i=1

dN (ei ) = i ei , h and B satisfy the differential equations

dZ (ei ) +
j

n


Z k kj (ei ) Z i Z j 1i = 0,

1 i  = j n,

(4)

k=1

BB t + DD t = I,
dB(ei )B t BdB t (ei ) + [dD(ei )D t DdD t (ei )] + 2Z i [B
i D t D(
i )t B t ] = 0

(5)
(6)

where

D t = (1 B 11 , B 21 , ..., B p1 )

(
i )t = (1i , ..., pi ).

In the theorem above, the associated parametrized manifold X depends on a function h and
a matrix B satisfying the differential equations (5) and (6). However, the expressions of the
parametrization X given by (1) and its normal vector field N 1 depend only on the first row of matrix
for 2.
B. The other rows of B are related to fixing the unit vector fields N , normal to X,

If M is associated to M as in Definition 2.3, then one can show that for each point q M and
any unit vector normal (resp. tangent) to M at q,
there exists a unit vector, normal (resp. tangent)
to M at a corresponding point q, such that the lines in these directions are parallel or intersect at
an equidistant point. One can also prove that there exists a matrix B, which satisfies (5) and (6),
such that the correspondence between the normal bundles is an isometry which commutes with the
normal connections (hence it satisfies the conditions of the Definition 2.2).
One can linearize the problem of obtaining the function h, by considering h = /W1 and i
defined by i = d(ei ). With this notation, equation (4) is equivalent to a linear system given in
the following result.
Proposition 2.6. A function h is a solution of (4) defined on a simply connected domain, if and
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565

only if, h = /W1 where W1 is a nonvanishing function and , i , W1 satisfy

d (ej ) =
i

n


k ik (ej ),

for i = j,

(7)

k=1

d =

n


i i ,

(8)

i=1

dW1 =

n


i 1i i .

(9)

i=1

Proposition 2.7. Equation (7) is the integrability condition for (8) and (9). Moreover, (7) implies
that there exist functions W , 2 p, defined on a simply connected domain such that

i i i , 2 p.
(10)
dW =
i

Proposition 2.8. Equations (7)-(10) are the integrability conditions, for the system of equations
(5) and (6) for B. Moreover, for a given solution of (7)-(10) the matrix function
B = 2

W W
,
S

1 , p,

(11)

where
S=

n


p

( ) +
(W )2 .
j 2

(12)

=1

j =1

is a solution of (6).
As a consequence of Proposition 2.8, Theorem 2.5 can be rewritten as follows.
Theorem 2.9. Let M n be an immersed submanifold of R n+p , with flat normal bundle parametrized
by X : U R n M. Assume ei , 1 i n are the principal directions, N , 1 p, is
a parallel orthonormal basis of the normal bundle of X(U ) and i the corresponding principal
curvatures. A submanifold M n is locally associated to M by a Ribaucour transformation with
there exist differentiable functions W , , i : V
respect to ei , if and only if, for each q M,
U R, defined on a simply connected domain V , which satisfy (7)-(10), such that, for some
1p
W S(W + i )(S T i ) = 0,

1 i n, .

where, S is defined by (12),

T i = 2 di (ei ) +


k

k ki (ei )

p


W i ,

=1

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KETI TENENBLAT

is a parametrization of a neighborhood of q in M given by

and X : V R n M,

p
n


2

 i ei
W N .
X = X
S
=1
i=1
From now on, whenever we say that a submanifold M is locally associated by a Ribaucour
transformation to M with respect to ei , we are assuming that ei are orthonormal principal direction
vector fields on M and there are functions i ,  and W , locally defined, satisfying the system
(7)-(10).
The following result states that an n-dimensional sphere or a hyperplane can be locally associated by a Ribaucour transformation to any given hypersurface M n R n+1 , which admits n
orthonormal principal direction vector fields.
Corollary 2.10. Let M n be a hypersurface of R n+1 , that admits n orthonormal principal direction
vector fields ei . The system of equations (7)-(9) with the additional algebraic condition
S = b0  + b1 W,
where S is defined by (12), is integrable for any real constants b0 and b1 = 0. Moreover, any point
of the locally associated hypersurface M is umbilic, with principal curvatures equal to b0 /b1 .
Hence M is an open subset of a sphere (resp. hyperplane) if b0 = 0 (resp. b0 = 0).
This corollary shows that the system of equations (7)-(9) does not preserve multiplicity of
principal curvatures. This fact had already been observed in (Corro et al. 1999).
We conclude this section with a remark which shows the effect of choosing distinct sets of
orthonormal principal directions (or distinct parametrizations by lines of curvatures), when one
applies Ribaucour transformations.
Remark 2.11. Whenever the multiplicity of the principal curvatures of M is bigger than one,
the submanifolds M associated by a Ribaucour transformation to M may differ depending on the
choice of the set of principal directions.
In fact, if we consider the parametrization X(u1 , u2 ) = (u1 , u2 , 0) of an open subset U of
the plane in R 3 and ei = Xui , i = 1, 2, to be the unit tangent vectors, then the family of Dupin
locally associated to X by a Ribaucour transformation with respect to
parametrized surfaces X,
ei does not contain a parametrization of a torus. However, if we consider the open subset of the
plane parametrized by X(u1 , u2 ) = (u1 cos u2 , u1 sin u2 , 0), 0 < u1 < , 0 < u2 < 2 . and the
principal directions e1 = Xu1 and e2 = Xu2 /u1 , then one can show that an open subset of a torus
is locally associated to the plane by a Ribaucour transformation.
3 APPLICATIONS TO LINEAR WEINGARTEN SURFACES

We start mentioning a few facts about linear Weingarten surfaces. These are surfaces whose
mean curvature H and Gaussian curvature K satisfy a linear relation + H + K = 0, where
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, , are real numbers. A linear Weingarten surface is said to be hyperbolic ( resp. elliptic)
when := 2 4 < 0 (resp. > 0). The relation = 0 characterizes the tubular
surfaces. In particular, surfaces of constant negative Gaussian curvature are hyperbolic, while
surfaces of constant mean curvature (including minimal) and constant positive curvature are elliptic.
Hyperbolic (resp. elliptic) linear Weingarten surfaces correspond to solutions of the sine-Gordon
equation (resp. elliptic sinh, cosh-Gordon equation) (see for example Tenenblat 1998).
Ribaucour transformations for constant Gaussian curvature and constant mean curvature (including minimal surfaces), were known since the beginning of last century (Bianchi 1927). However, they were applied for the first time to obtain minimal surfaces in (Corro et al. 2000). More
recently, in (Corro et al. 2001), the method was extended to linear Weingarten surfaces, providing
a unified version of the classical results.
We observe that linear Weingarten surfaces are locally parallel to surfaces of constant Gaussian
curvature or to minimal surfaces. However, the Ribaucour transformations for these surfaces cannot
be applied to produce complete linear Weingarten surfaces, since these parallel constructions in
general produce curves of singularities.
Theorem 3.1. Let M be a regular surface of R 3 , which admits orthonormal principal vector fields
e1 , e2 . Let M be a regular surface associated to M by a Ribaucour transformation with respect to
ei , such that the function h is not constant along the lines of curvature. Assume that the solutions
i ,  and W of (7)-(9) satisfy the additional relation
S = 2c(2 + W + W 2 ),

(13)

where S is defined by (12), c = 0 and , , are real constants. Then M is a linear Weingarten
satisfying + H + K = 0, if and only if + H + K = 0 holds for the surface M, where
H are the Gaussian and mean curvatures of M and M respectively. Moreover, M
K, H and K,
has no umbilic points, if and only if, M has no umbilic points.
One can show that (7)-(9) with the additional condition (13) is integrable, whenever we start
with a linear Weingarten surface. The solution is uniquely determined on a simply connected
domain U , by any given initial condition satisfying (13). Moreover, whenever = 0, any solution
of the system defined on U is either identically zero and hence anihilates S or else the function S
does not vanish on U .
If M is a linear Weingarten surface locally parametrized by X : U R 2 M R 3 , then any
locally associated to X by a Ribaucour transformation
linear Weingarten parametrized surface X,
as above, is regular on

U = (u1 , u2 ) U ; T 2 + 2T QH + Q2 K = 0
where T = 2 W 2 and Q = 2 W + 2 .
Special cases of the above results include the minimal surfaces and the cmc surfaces. The
cmc surfaces are obtained by considering = H = 0, = 1, = 0 and hence the algebraic
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KETI TENENBLAT

condition (13) reduces to S = 2c(H  + W ), where c satisfies the relation c(c 2H ) > 0. For
any nontrivial solution of the system (7)-(9) and (13), defined on a simply connected domain U ,
the function S does not vanish. Hence, if X : U R 2 R 3 is a cmc suface, then a cmc surface
X associated to X by Ribaucour transformation is regular on open subsets of U , where X has no
umbilic points.
The case of the minimal surfaces is obtained by considering = 0, = 1, and = 0 and the
algebraic condition reduces to S = 2cW . One can show that the Ribaucour transfomations for
minimal surfaces are related to producing embedded planar ends for the new associated minimal
surfaces. In fact such ends are produced by the isolated zeros of S, where  does not vanish.
The reader is referred to (Corro et al. 2000, 2001) for proofs and details in the case of the
minimal surfaces, linear Weingarten and cmc surfaces. In what follows, we first describe the
families of minimal surfaces associated to Enneper surface and to the catenoid. Then the family of
linear Weingarten surfaces associated by a Ribaucour transformation to the cylinder is discussed.
Proposition 3.2. Consider Ennepers surface parametrized by


u3
u3
X(u1 , u2 ) = u1 1 + u1 u22 , u2 2 + u2 u21 , u21 u22
3
3
1 , u2 ) is a minimal surface locally assoExcluding Ennepers surface, a parametrized surface X(u
ciated to X by a Ribaucour transformation as in Theorem 3.1, if and only if, up to a rigid motion
of R 3 ,
1
1
X = X + (u1 , u2 , 1)
(f  Xu1 g  Xu2 )
c
2c(f + g)

(14)

where c is a positive real number,

f = cosh(2 c u1 + A)

g = sin(2 c u2 + B)

where = 1, A, B are real numbers and the functions f and g are defined in R 2 \ {pk , k Z},
where pk = 1c (A/2, /4 B/2 + k ).
The family of minimal surfaces associated to Ennepers surface depends on three parameters.
Each surface of this family has infinite total curvature and corresponds to a complete immersion of a
sphere punctured at an infinite number of points, which are contained on a circle and accumulate at
the pole. All except one of the infinite number of ends are embedded planar ends, whose positions
are determined by the parameters. Figure 1 illustrates a minimal surface from the family described
by (14). In this figure, one can see two views of a region which contains two planar ends of the
surface X for the constants A = 0, B = 1 and c = 1.
Our next result describes the family of minimal surfaces associated to the catenoid by Ribaucour
transformations. Depending on the value of the parameter c of the Ribaucour transformation, the
associated surface may have infinitely many embedded planar ends (see Callahan et al. 1989 for
minimal surfaces with an infinite number of anular ends) or any finite number of embedded planar
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569

Fig. 1 Minimal surface associated to Ennepers surface with c = 1, A = 0, B = 1.

ends (see Jorge and Meeks 1983 for minimal surfaces with any finite number of catenoid ends).
Moreover, each surface has one or two nonplanar ends. We point out that the family of minimal
surfaces associated to the catenoid are of genus zero and contain a special class of 1-periodic
surfaces.
Proposition 3.3. Consider the catenoid parametrized by
X(u1 , u2 ) = (cos u2 cosh u1 , sin u2 cosh u1 , u1 ) .
Excluding the catenoid and up to rigid motions of R 3 , a parametrized surface X c (u1 , u2 ) is a
minimal surface locally associated to X by a Ribaucour transformation as in Theorem 3.1, if and
only if,
cosh u1
1
X c = X
(cos u2 , sin u2 , 0) +
(f  Xu1 g  Xu2 ),
c
c(f + g)
where c = 0, f (u1 ) and g(u2 ) are given as follows:
2

2
c u
1 +b1 )
a) if c = 1/2, then f = (c1 u2c
, g = 12 2 , where c1 = 0, b1 R, and the function X 1/2 is
1
defined on R 2 \ {p1 } with p1 = c11 (b1 , 0);

b) if 2c 1 > 0, then f = sin(A + 2c 1 u1 ), g = cosh( 2c 1 u2 ), A R and the

1
function X c is defined on R 2 \ {pk , k Z}, where pk = 2c1
(/2 A + 2k, 0).

c) if 1 2c > 0, then f = cosh(A + 1 2c u1 ), g = sin( 1 2c u2 ), A R and the

1
function X c is defined on R 2 \ {pk , k Z}, where pk = 12c
(A, /2 + 2k ).

One can prove that any minimal surface X c , locally associated to the catenoid, is complete.
Its geometric properties are quite distinct, depending on the value of the parameter c.
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KETI TENENBLAT

In particular, for special values of c, namely when 1 2c = n/m is a rational number,

n = m, the associated family of minimal surfaces will be denoted by X (n,m) . Any minimal surface
of X (n,m) is 1-periodic in the variable u2 , has total curvature 4(n + m) and it is an immersion
of a sphere punctured at n + 2 points: the two poles, corresponding to u1 , and n points
contained on a circle. Its Gauss map N extends to the n + 2 points. The surface has n embedded
planar ends and two ends F , of geometric index m, corresponding to u1 , that grow
asymptotically as the ends of the catenoid. In particular, F are embedded catenoid ends, if and
only if m = 1. Figure 2 contains several examples of such surfaces.

Fig. 2 Complete 1-periodic minimal surfaces X (n,m) associated to the catenoid by

Ribaucour transformations. Each surface has n planar ends and two ends of geometric
index m. a) n = 2, m = 1, A = 0; b) n = 2, m = 1, A = 1/2; c) n = 3, m = 1,
A = 0; d) n = 4, m = 1, A = 0; e) n = 4, m = 3, A = 0.

Whenever c is such that 2c 1 0 or 2c 1 < 0 and 1 2c is not a rational number,

then X c is a family of complete minimal surfaces which have infinite total curvature and they are
not periodic in any variable. Any surface of the family X c is an immersion of a sphere punctured
at two points if 2c 1 = 0 and punctured at an infinite number of points contained on a circle,
otherwise. Its normal map N extends to the points pk described in Proposition 3.3. Moreover, the
ends of any such surface are planar except the end corresponding to |u| .
We observe that whenever c = 1/2 any surface of X 1/2 is an immersed minimal surface with
two ends. One of them, corresponding to p1 , is planar and the other one, corresponding to the pole,
is not embedded.
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571

The families of minimal surfaces, associated to the catenoid depend on two parameters. While
the geometric properties of the surfaces are determined by c, the position of the planar ends is
determined by the other parameter (see Figure 2 a) and b)).
Our next application provides a two-parameter family of linear Weingarten surfaces,
Proposition 3.4. Consider the cylinder parametrized by
X(u1 , u2 ) = (cos(u2 ), sin(u2 ), u1 )

(u1 , u2 ) R 2

as a linear Weingarten surface satisfying 1/2 + H + K = 0. A parametrized surface is a linear

Weingarten surface locally associated to X by a Ribaucour transformation as in Theorem 3.1, if
and only if, it is given by
2(f + g)
X c = X
(15)
(f  Xu1 + g  Xu2 gN ),
c[(2 + 1)g 2 f 2 ]
where N is the inner unit normal vector field of the cylinder, c = 0 and are real constants, such
that
(c, ) = 1 c(2 + 1)

(16)

and c are not simultaneously positive, and f (u1 ), g(u2 ) are solutions of the equations f  + cf =
0, g  + g = 0, with initial conditions satisfying

  2
(f ) + (g  )2 + g 2 + cf 2 (u01 , u02 ) = 0.
Moreover, X c is a regular surface defined on the subset of U R 2 where



(f + g)2 + 2 g 2 f 2 + 2(2 + 1)f g + (2 + 1)g 2 = 0.
The linear Weingarten surfaces X c associated to the cylinder and parametrized by (15) (excluding the cylinder), have curves of singularity if c 0. Moreover, if c < 0 then, up to rigid
motions of R 3 , the surface X c is determined by the functions

g = 2 c cosh( | |u2 ) if c > 0, < 0

f = 1 | | sin( c u1 )




f = 1 cosh( |c|u1 )
g = 2 |c| sin( u2 ) if c < 0, > 0
where i = 1, c  = 0 and are real numbers and (c, ) is defined by (16).
One can show that the surface X c is complete, if and only if, c(c, ) < 0 and the pair (c, )
belongs to a region D R 2 with two connected components described in Figure 3. The functions
which determine the components of D are defined by


h1 (c, ) = 2c(2 + 1)
2 (2 + 1) 2 1


h2 (c, ) = 2c
2| | + 2 1


2 (2 + 1) + 2 1
h3 (c, ) = 2c(2 + 1)


2| | 2 + 1
h4 (c, ) = 2c


2 (2 + 1) 2 + 1
h5 (c, ) = 2c(2 + 1)
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KETI TENENBLAT

.... ....
...... ..........
.....
....
.......
......
......
....
......
... ...
......
.. ..
......
.. ..
... ...
... ..
... .....
.. . ..
... .....
.... .......
... .. ...
..... ............
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
...... ........................ h1 =0
h3 =0 .................... . . ..
.......
.......
....................................................................................................................... ....... .......
................... ..... ..... ........................................................................................................... c
............. ......................... .. .. .
..
.
.
.
.
.
............. ... .. 0
1 .................................. ..................... h2 =0
h4 =0
.......
.........................................................
.
....
..
=0
...
..
... .. 1
.
2
............
. . . . ..... ....
h5 =0
. . . .. .
...... ...
.. .. 1
..... .
...... ...
...... ...
. ... ..
Fig. 3 Any pair (c, ), in each of the two connected components, generates a complete
linear Weingarten surface and it is cmc when = 0. (c, ) on the dashed curves in the left
region generate 1-periodic n-bubble surfaces with two ends of geometric index m.

If c < 0 and (c, ) = n/m is an irreducible rational number, then the linear Weingarten
surface X c is periodic in the variable u2 and hence it is an immersion of a cylinder into R 3 . One
proves that the immersed surface has two ends of geometric index m and n isolated points of
maximum (respectively minimum) for the Gaussian curvature. Moreover, the total curvature of
X c is zero, while its total absolute curvature is 8 n. The ends are embedded if and only if m = 1;
in this case they are cylindrical ends.

If c > 0 or c < 0 and is not a rational number then the linear Weingarten surface, X c ,
associated to the cylinder is not periodic in any variable. It is an immersion of R 2 into R 3 with an
infinite number of isolated critical points of its Gaussian curvature.
One can also show that the complete linear Weingarten surfaces X c are asymptotically close
to the cylinder. We observe that the surfaces given by X c are tubular surfaces when = 1/2,
since they satisfy = 2 4 = 0. Figure 4 illustrates several examples of this family of
surfaces.
We point out that the surfaces X c , where c < 0 and < 1/2, are hyperbolic since < 0.
Therefore, they show that there exist complete hyperbolic linear Weingarten surfaces immersed in
R 3 , although there are no such surfaces with constant negative curvature (Hilberts theorem).
The class of linear Weingarten surfaces X c contains a family of 1/2 cmc-surfaces obtained
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APPLICATIONS TO LINEAR WEINGARTEN SURFACES

573

Fig. 4 Complete Weingarten surfaces X c which satisfy the relation 1/2 + H + K = 0

and are associated to the cylinder by Ribaucour transformations. a) 1-periodic cmc surface

= 0 and 1 c = 2; b) 1-periodic cmc-surface for which = 0, 1 c(2 + 1) =

3/2; c) 1-periodic Weingarten surface, = 0.15, 1 c(2 + 1) = 7/5 ; d) tubular surface,

= 1/2, c = 0.1; e) cmc surface (not periodic) where c = 1.5 and = 0; f) part of a
complete hyperbolic surface.

by considering = 0. Whenever c < 0, these cmc-surfaces have one spherical family of curvature

lines. Such surfaces are called of Enneper type by Wente (Wente 1992). By choosing 1 c =
n/m, an irreducible number, one gets n-bubble cmc-surfaces. These surfaces were first described
by Sievert (Sievert 1886) for n = 2 (see also (Pinkal and Sterling 1989)) and their existence was
proved later in (Groe-Brauckmann 1993) and (Sterling and Wente 1993). For other values of c
the cmc-surfaces are not periodic in any variable.
Similarly, by using Ribaucour transformations one can obtain families of cmc surfaces associated to the Delaunay surfaces. By restricting the range of the parameter c of the Ribaucour
transformation, one gets families of complete cmc surfaces. For special values of c one gets periodic surfaces in one variable otherwise the surfaces are not periodic in any variable. Details and
proofs for the results on linear Weingarten surfaces and cmc-surfaces can be found in (Corro et
al. 2001).

4 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors work is partially supported by CNPq.

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574

KETI TENENBLAT

RESUMO

Apresentamos uma definio de tranformao de Ribaucour revisada, para subvariedades de formas espaciais
com fibrado normal plano, motivados pela definio clssica e pelas extenses mais recentes. A nova
definio fornece um tratamento preciso do aspecto geomtrico de tais transformaes preservarem linhas
de curvatura e pode ser aplicada a subvariedades cujas curvaturas principais tm multiplicidade maior
que um. Transformaes de Ribaucour so aplicadas como um mtodo para obteno de superfcies de
Weingarten lineares, contidas no espao Euclideano, a partir de uma dada superfcie deste tipo. Exemplos so
incluidos para superfcies mnimas, superfcies de curvatura mdia constante e superfcies linear Weingarten.
Os exemplos mostram a existncia de superfcies linear Weingarten, hiperblicas, completas no espao
Euclideano.
Palavras-chave: transformaes de Ribaucour, superfcies de Weingarten lineares, superfcies mnimas,
curvatura mdia constante.

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