Translation surfaces of linear Weingarten type

Abstract

We give a relatively simple proof that a translation surface in Euclidean space that satisfies a relation of type $aH+bK=c$, for some real numbers $a,b,c$, where $H$ and $K$ are the mean curvature and the Gauss curvature of the surface, respectively, must have $a=0$ or $b=0$, and thus, $K$ is constant or $H$ is constant. Our method of proof extends to the Lorentzian ambient space.