Harmonic maps for Hitchin representations

Abstract

Let $(S,g_0)$ be a hyperbolic surface, $\rho$ be a Hitchin representation for $PSL(n,\mathbb R)$, and $f$ be the unique $\rho$-equivariant harmonic map from $(\widetilde S, \widetilde g_0)$ to the corresponding symmetric space. We show its energy density satisfies $e(f)\geq 1$ and equality holds at one point only if $e(f)\equiv 1$ and $\rho$ is the base $n$-Fuchsian representation of $(S,g_0)$. In particular, we show given a Hitchin representation $\rho$ for $PSL(n,\mathbb R)$, every $\rho$-equivariant minimal immersion $f$ from a hyperbolic plane $\mathbb H^2$ into the corresponding symmetric space $X$ is distance-increasing, i.e. $f^*(g_{X})\geq g_{\mathbb H^2}$. Equality holds at one point only if it holds everywhere and $\rho$ is an $n$-Fuchsian representation.