A Li–Yau inequality for the 1-dimensional Willmore energy

Abstract

Abstract By the classical Li–Yau inequality, an immersion of a closed surface in ℝ n {\mathbb{R}^{n}} with Willmore energy below 8 ⁢ π {8\pi} has to be embedded. We discuss analogous results for curves in ℝ 2 {\mathbb{R}^{2}} , involving Euler’s elastic energy and other possible curvature functionals. Additionally, we provide applications to associated gradient flows.