Möbius parametrizations of curves in \({\mathbb{R}}^n\) (Q2390925): Difference between revisions

The geometric idea behind Ahlfors' Schwarzian derivative \({\mathcal S}_1f\) of smooth parametrized curves \(f:I\subset{\mathbb R}\to{\mathbb R}^n\) is the following: At a point \(x=f(t_0), t_0\in I,\) consider the osculating sphere \(S^2_x\) of \(f\) and a parametrized curve \(g:I\to S^2_x\) having contact of order 3 with \(f\) at \(t_0\), i.\,e., \(f^{(i)}(t_0)=g^{(i)}(t_0)\) for \(i\in\{0,1,2,3\}\). Using stereographic projection of \(S^2_x\) to its tangent plane \(T_xS^2_x\) and a suitable linear transformation, \(g\) can be considered as a smooth map \(g:I\to{\mathbb R}^2={\mathbb C}\) for which the ordinary Schwarzian derivative \({\mathcal S}g=\left(g''/g'\right)'-1/2\,\left(g''/g'\right)^2\) can be formed. Then, \({\mathcal S}_1f\) is defined as the real part of \({\mathcal S}g(t_0)\). This is an invariant of curves under Möbius transformations of \({\mathbb R}^n\) that can be expressed as \({\mathcal S}_1f={\mathcal S}s+ 1/2\, v^2\,k^2 \) in terms of the infinitesimal arc length \(v\), the arc length function \(s\) and the curvature \(k\). In [[1]: Proc. Am. Math. Soc. 132, No.~1, 223--230 (2004; Zbl 1045.53003)], the author, in cooperation with \textit{J. Gevirtz}, proved basic properties and gave an injectivity criterion for curves \(f\) in terms of \({\mathcal S}_1f\). In [Pac. J. Math. 231, No.~1, 51--61 (2007; Zbl 1161.53300)], he generalized this notion of Schwarzian derivative to curves in arbitrary Riemannian manifolds and for curves in \({\mathbb R}^3\) he gave a criterion in terms of \({\mathcal S}_1\) to be unknotted. Here, the given parametrization of \(f\) is called a Möbius- or M-parametrization if \({\mathcal S}_1f=0\). Several properties of M-parametrizations are shown, so for instance, that they exist iff the linear differential equation \[ u''+\frac{1}{4}k^2\,u=0\tag{\(*\)} \] has a solution without zeroes on \(I\). Applying the results of [1] it is seen that if \(f:T\to{\mathbb R}^n\) is an M-parametrization then the image \(f(I)\) is a simple curve. We mention results concerned with extensions of M-parametrizations, with curves of infinite length allowing M-parametrizations and parametrizations for which \({\mathcal S}_1\,f=\frac{1}{2}\). The considerations are based on the oscillatory behavior of the equation~(\(*\)).