Frame bundle approach to generalized minimal submanifolds

Abstract

We extend the notion of $r$-minimality of a submanifold in arbitrary codimension to $u$-minimality for a multi-index $u\in\mathbb{N}^q$, where $q$ is the codimension. This approach is based on the analysis on the frame bundle of orthonormal frames of the normal bundle to a submanifold and vector bundles associated with this bundle. The notion of $u$-minimality comes from the variation of $\sigma_u$-symmetric function obtained from the family of shape operators corresponding to all possible bases of the normal bundle. We obtain the variation field, which gives alternative definition of $u$--minimality. Finally, we give some examples of $u$-minimal submanifolds for some choices of $u$.