On the Minimization of the Willmore Energy Under a Constraint on Total Mean Curvature and Area

Abstract

Motivated by a model for lipid bilayer cell membranes, we study the minimization of the Willmore functional in the class of oriented closed surfaces with prescribed total mean curvature, prescribed area, and prescribed genus. Adapting methods previously developed by Keller–Mondino–Rivière, Bauer–Kuwert, and Ndiaye–Schätzle, we prove the existence of smooth minimizers for a large class of constraints. Moreover, we analyze the asymptotic behaviour of the energy profile close to the unit sphere and consider the total mean curvature of axisymmetric surfaces.