A proof of the Lawson conjecture for minimal tori embedded in $\S3$

Abstract

A peculiarity of the geometry of the euclidean 3-sphere $\S3$ is that it allows for the existence of compact without boundary minimally immersed surfaces. Despite a wealthy of examples of such surfaces, the only known tori minimally embedded in $\S3$ are the ones congruent to the Clifford torus. In 1970 Lawson conjectured that the Clifford torus is, up to congruences, the only torus minimally embedded in $\S3$. We prove here Lawson conjecture to be true. Two results are instrumental to this work, namely, a characterization of the Clifford torus in terms of its first eingenfunctions (\cite{MR}) and the assumption of a "two-piece property" to these tori: every equator divides a torus minimally embedded in $\S3$ in exactly two connected components (\cite{Rs}).