New York Journal of Mathematics
Volume 15 (2009) 97-123

  

Max Engelstein, Anthony Marcuccio, Quinn Maurmann, and Taryn Pritchard

Isoperimetric problems on the sphere and on surfaces with density


Published: March 17, 2009
Keywords: Minimal partitions, isoperimetric problem, surfaces with density, stability
Subject: 53C42

Abstract
We discuss partitions of the sphere and other ellipsoids into equal areas and isoperimetric problems on surfaces with density. We prove that the least-perimeter partition of any ellipsoid into two equal areas is by division along the shortest equator. We extend the work of C. Quinn, 2007, and give a new sufficient condition for a perimeter-minimizing partition of S2 into four regions of equal area to be the tetrahedral arrangement of geodesic triangles. We solve the isoperimetric problem on the plane with density |y|α for α>0 and solve the double bubble problem when α is a positive integer. We also identify isoperimetric regions on cylinders with densities ez and |θ|α. Next, we investigate stable curves on surfaces of revolution with radially symmetric densities. Finally, we give an asymptotic estimate for the minimal perimeter of a partition of any smooth, compact surface with density into n regions of equal area, generalizing the previous work of Maurmann et al. (to appear).

Author information

Max Engelstein:
Department of Mathematics, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520
max.engelstein@yale.edu

Anthony Marcuccio:
Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Williams College, Williamstown, MA 01267
08anm@williams.edu

Quinn Maurmann:
Department of Mathematics, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912
quinn_maurmann@brown.edu

Taryn Pritchard:
Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Williams College, Williamstown, MA 01267
08tbp@williams.edu