Curvature estimates for surfaces with bounded mean curvature

Abstract

Estimates for the norm of the second fundamental form, $|A|$, play a crucial role in studying the geometry of surfaces. In fact, when $|A|$ is bounded the surface cannot bend too sharply. In this paper we prove that for an embedded geodesic disk with bounded $L^2$ norm of $|A|$, $|A|$ is bounded at interior points, provided that the $W^{1,p}$ norm of its mean curvature is sufficiently small, $p>2$. In doing this we generalize some renowned estimates on $|A|$ for minimal surfaces.

17 pages, no figures, submitted