Given a Riemannian manifold M, the Riemann tensor R induces the curvature operator on the exterior power of the tangent space, defined by the formula where the inner product is defined by From the symmetries of R, it follows that ρ is self-adjoint and so has only real eigenvalues. R also induces the sectional curvature function K on 2-planes in is an orthonormal basis of the 2-plane π.
Abstract
We prove that two spheres of the same constant mean curvature in an arbitrary homogeneous three-manifold only differ by an ambient isometry, and we determine the values of the mean curvature for which such spheres exist. This gives a complete classification of immersed constant mean curvature spheres in three-dimensional homogeneous manifolds.