|
Abstract: Minimal surfaces in 4-manifolds are branched immersions: although they are not necessarily smooth immersions, they admit tangent planes at their singular points. However the usual notion of isotopy does not work for them: we will investigate alternative means of smooth classification. In the case of complex curves in projective surfaces, we will find ourselves on familiar ground.
A basic problem is: what happens to this classification when embedded minimal surfaces degenerate to a minimal surface with nodes? It is a very hard problem, in general almost nothing is known. We hope to present one or two situations where things are better understood.
|