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AN ELEMENTARY PROOF OF THE EXISTENCE OF
ISOTHERMAL PARAMETERS ON A SURFACE
SHIING-SHEN CHERN
1. Introduction. Let
(1) ds2 = E(x, y)dx2 + 2F(x, y)dxdy + G(x, y)dy2,
EG - F2 > 0, E > 0,
be a positive definite Riemann metric of two dimensions defined in
a neighborhood of a surface with the local coordinates x, y. By iso-
thermal parameters we mean local coordinates u, v relative to which
the metric takes the form
(2) ds2 = X(u, v)(du2 + dv2), X(u, v) > 0.
In order that isothermal parameters exist it is necessary to impose
on the metric some regularity assumptions. In fact, it was shown
recently by Hartman and Wintnerl that it is not sufficient to assume
the functions E, F, G to be continuous. So far the weakest conditions
under which the isothermal parameters are known to exist were
found by Korn and Lichtenstein.2 To formulate their theorem we re-
call that a function f(x, y) in a domain D of the (x, y)-plane is said to
satisfy a Holder condition of order X, 0 <X _ 1, if the inequality
(3) f(x,y) -f(x', y')I <CrX
holds for any two points (x, y), (x', y') of D, where C is a constant
and r is the Euclidean distance between these two points. With this
definition the theorem of Korn-Lichtenstein can be stated as follows:
Received by the editors September 29, 1954 and, in revised form, November 15,
1954.
1P. Hartman and A. Wintner, On the existence of Riemannian manifolds which
cannot carry non-constant analytic or harmonic functions in the small, Amer. J. Math.
vol. 75 (1953) pp. 260-276. Also: S. Chern, P. Hartman, and A. Wintner, On iso-
thermic coordinates, Comment-Math. Helv. vol. 28 (1954) pp. 301-309.
2 A. Korn, Zwei Anwendungen der Methode der sukzessiven Annaherungen, Schwarz
771
772 S. S. CHERN [October
so that
(7) ds2 =i.
The form q5is then determined up to a complex factor of absolute
value 1. A conformal transformation of the Riemann metric is given,
3After this paper was submitted for publication,it has come to my attention that
a similarproofwas given by L. Bers in his mimeographednotes on Riemann surfaces,
New York University, 1951-1952.
x9551 ISOTHERMALPARAMETERS ON A SURFACE 773
This formula remains true, even if (t, 7) ED (but not on C), provided
that the integral in the left-hand side is convergent. The integral
(12)
(12) V ~~~1
A-(y- x + (x - t)dy
71)d (,r){
, 1 E
is an integer and is usually called the order of the point (t, 7) relative
to the curve C.
In particular, if g(r) =rX, X#O, formula (11) becomes
and is true either when (t, 7) ED or when X> 0. It follows that, if the
774 S. S. CHERN (October
for any two points P1,?2CD, where X and B are constants, 0 <X < 1. Let
the function F(D, T) be defined by
1955] PARAMETERS
ISOTHERMAL ON A SURFACE 775
orf(z,z2)dzdz rrf(z,z2)dxdy
(20) -27riF(D, ) = f f = 2i f,J )d E D.
D D
Computation gives
rr ddz
(25) = - 21riT.
-
D Z
a rr dzdz
+ {f(r2, T2) - f(t, T1)I -
J J
We observe that in this sum only the first two integrals are improper
integrals, while the last three are proper integrals. To estimate their
absolute values we first have
Do ~~~~(Z
-2 2)2
dxdy 47rB
_<2B _P12-- < (2rl2) X
ff(z2) - f(?.,
t') d(
2ddz
D- Do
= 4i r r i 1
=4i J J f(z' 2)- f(~, I)+ f(~, I)- fa-, i) }o dtdxdy,
D-D0 (z -
I9551 ISOTHERMALPARAMETERS ON A SURFACE 777
where r is a point on the segment ?1?2. It follows that its absolute
value is
? 4r12(Fj+ F2),
f dxdy
{S(r$-f(?. -
z
D- Do
4rB 1
1 -X rl2 X
D- Do
~2
D
~ 2
Do
the integral over Do being equal to zero. It follows that the last term
of (27) is zero.
Summing up these estimates, we get
2ir I Fr(r1, )- Fr(r2, T2) I
< 47rB
; (3r12)"+ 47rB (2rl2)'+ 4 47rB + X)r2
r12
4XrB
where o() is a complex analytic function, with o(0) = 0, has exactly one
solution w(z, z), provided that R is sufficiently small.
Before proceeding to the proof of this theorem, we shall make some
further estimates of integrals, based on the lemma of the last section.
The hypothesis of the theorem implies the existence of a number M
large enough to fulfill the following inequalities:
(31) 1 < M, I a (D, T)I :_!M, I a-(r)I < M,
We now define
27riwo(q,) =
(40) - f (ZWn
+ aw) (z Z)
n =0, 1,*
27riwn__ ________ d2dz, *
z- *
D
In particular, the last one implies that the function under the integral
780 S. S. CHERN [October
(45) Wn
w(Z, 2)
-27i(, ) f (Z + a) (z ) d2dz.
z
D
has a solution w(z, z). If o() is not a constant, say o() =D, this solu-
tion has the property that wr(O, 0) z0O. Since Zw(z, z) satisfies a
Hoilder condition, it follows from our lemma in ?3 that w(z, z) satis-
fies (47). Thus we have proved the theorem of Korn-Lichtenstein.
REMARKS.1. As L. Bers observed to me, the same method can be
used to establish the existence of a local solution of the equation
(49) w=aw- + bwz + aw + #w + y,
where a, b, a, ,B,'y satisfy a Holder condition and where Ia| + Ib < 1.
2. It follows from our proof that the first partial derivatives of the
isothermal parameters also satisfy a Holder condition of order X.
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