Abstract: In the first part of the talk we discuss a different formulation for describing maximal surfaces in Lorentz-Minkowski space $ \mathbb{L}^3:=(\mathbb{R}^3, dx^2+dy^2-dz^2) $ using the identification of $ \mathbb{R}^3 $ with $ \mathbb{C}\times \mathbb{R} $. This description of maximal surfaces help us to give a different proof of the singular Bj\"orling problem for the case of closed real analytic null curve. As an application, we show the existence of maximal surfaces which contain a given closed real analytic spacelike curve and has a special singularity. In the next part we make an observation that the maximal surface equation and Born-Infeld equation (which arises in physics in the context of nonlinear electrodynamics) are related by a Wick rotation. We shall also show that a Born-Infeld soliton can be realised either as a spacelike minimal graph or timelike minimal graph over a timelike plane or a combination of both away from singular points. Finally in the last part of the talk we show the connection of maximal surfaces to analytic number theory through certain Ramanujan’s identities.
Venue
SMS Seminal Hall
Speaker
Rahul Kumar Singh
Affiliation
HRI, Allahabad
Title
Maximal surfaces, Born-Infeld solitons and Ramanujan's identities