The structure of stable constant mean curvature hypersufaces

Abstract

We study the global behavior of (weakly) stable constant mean curvature hypersurfaces in general Riemannian manifolds. By using harmonic function theory, we prove some one-end theorems which are new even for constant mean curvature hypersurfaces in space forms. In particular, a complete oriented weakly stable minimal hypersurface in ${\mathbb{R}}^{n+1},n\ge 3,$ must have only one end. Any complete noncompact weakly stable CMC $H$-hypersurface in the hyperbolic space ${\mathbb{H}}^{n+1},n=3,4,$ with $H^2\ge 10/9,7/4,$ respectively, has only one end.

27 pages