On the index of minimal 2-tori in the 4-sphere

Abstract

In this note we prove that any minimal $2$-torus in $S^4$ has Morse index at least $6$, with equality if and only if it is congruent to the Clifford torus in some great $S^3\subset S^4$.For a minimal $2$-torus in $S^n$ with vanishing Hopf differential, we show that its index is at least $n+3$, and that this estimate is sharp: the equilateral $2$-torus fully embedded in $S^5\subset S^n$ as a homogeneous minimal surface in $S^n$ has index exactly $n+3$.