Minimal surfaces of rotation in Finsler space with a Randers metric

 We consider Finsler spaces with a Randers metric F=α+β, on the three dimensional real vector space, where α is the Euclidean metric and β=bdx ₃ is a 1-form with norm b,0≤b<1. By using the notion of mean curvature for immersions in Finsler spaces introduced by Z. Shen, we get the ordinary differential equation that characterizes the minimal surfaces of rotation around the x ₃ axis. We prove that for every b,0≤b<1, there exists, up to homothety, a unique forward complete minimal surface of rotation. The surface is embedded, symmetric with respect to a plane perpendicular to the rotation axis and it is generated by a concave plane curve. Moreover, for every there are non complete minimal surfaces of rotation, which include explicit minimal cones. Received: 30 November 2001 / Published online: 10 February 2003 RID="⋆" ID="⋆" Partially supported by CAPES RID="⋆⋆" ID="⋆⋆" Partially supported by CNPq and PROCAD.