Recognizing shape via 1st eigenvalue, mean curvature and upper curvature bound

Abstract

Let $M^n$ be a closed immersed hypersurface lying in a contractible ball $B(p,R)$ of the ambient $(n+1)$-manifold $N^{n+1}$. We prove that, by pinching Heintze-Reilly's inequality via sectional curvature upper bound of $B(p,R)$, 1st eigenvalue and mean curvature of $M$, not only $M$ is Hausdorff close to a geodesic sphere $S(p_0,R_0)$ in $N$, but also the ``enclosed'' ball $B(p_0,R_0)$ is close to be of constant curvature, provided with a uniform control on the volume and mean curvature of $M$. We raise a conjecture for $M$ to be a diffeomorphic sphere, and give some positive partial answer.

35 pages,1 figure