Isothermic surfaces in $\E^3$ as soliton surfaces

Abstract

We show that the theory of isothermic surfaces in $\E^3$ -- one of the oldest branches of differential geometry -- can be reformulated within the modern theory of completely integrable (soliton) systems. This enables one to study the geometry of isothermic surfaces in $\E^3$ by means of powerful spectral methods available in the soliton theory. Also the associated non-linear system is interesting in itself since it displays some unconventional soliton features and, physically, could be applied in the theory of infinitesimal deformations of membranes.