A Li-Yau inequality for the 1-dimensional Willmore energy

Abstract

By the classical Li-Yau inequality, an immersion of a closed surface in $\mathbb{R}^n$ with Willmore energy below $8\pi$ has to be embedded. We discuss analogous results for curves in $\mathbb{R}^2$, involving Euler's elastic energy and other possible curvature functionals. Additionally, we provide applications to associated gradient flows.