UNIQUENESS OF FAMILIES OF MINIMAL SURFACES IN ℝ³

We show that an umbilic-free minimal surface in ${\mathbb{R}}^3$ belongs to the associate family of the catenoid if and only if the geodesic curvatures of its lines of curvature have a constant ratio. As a corollary, the helicoid is shown to be the unique umbilic-free minimal surface whose lines of curvature have the same geodesic curvature. A similar characterization of the deformation family of minimal surfaces with planar lines of curvature is also given.

(0)

(0)

(0)

(0)