Singularities of \(\mathbb{R} P^2\)-valued Gauss maps of surfaces in Minkowski 3-space (Q1288005)

In a Minkowski 3-space \(\mathbb{R}^3_1\) with (pseudo) scalar product \(\langle x,y\rangle= -x_1y_1+ x_2y_2+ x_3y_3\) the (pseudo) vector product is defined by \(x\wedge y= (-(x_2y_3- x_3y_2), x_3y_1- x_1y_3, x_1y_2- x_2y_1)\). Let \(M\) be a compact 2-dimensional \(C^\infty\)-manifold and \(f: M\to \mathbb{R}^3_1\) a \(C^\infty\)-immersion with a local parametrization \(X= X(u,v)\). Let \(I(M,\mathbb{R}^3_1)\) be the space of all such immersions equipped with the Whitney \(C^\infty\)-topology. The \(\mathbb{R} P^2\)-valued Gauss map \(N(f): M\to \mathbb{R} P^2\) is defined by \(M\ni x\mapsto\{(X_u(x)\wedge X_v(x))t: t\in\mathbb{R}\}\). Here \(M\) can be separated into three parts \(M^f_s\), \(M^f_l\), \(M^f_t\), on which \(X_u(x)\wedge X_v(x)\) is, correspondingly, timelike, lightlike, spacelike. For any \(f\in I(M, \mathbb{R}^3_1)\) the singular set of \(N(f)\) is called a parabolic set of \(f\). When \(g: N\to P\) is a \(C^\infty\)-map between two 2-dimensional manifolds, a point \(x\in N\) is called a fold point (resp. cusp point) of \(g\) if there exist local coordinates \((x_1,x_2)\) and \((y_1,y_2)\) in neighbourhoods of \(x\) and \(g(x)\) respectively, such that \(y_1\circ g= x_1\) and \(y_2\circ g= x^2_2\) (resp. \(y_2\circ g= x^3_2+ x_1x_2\)). Theorem. There exists a dense set \(U\subset I(M,\mathbb{R}^3_1)\) such that the following conditions hold for any \(f\in U\). (1) The parabolic set of \(f\) consists of regular curves (called a parabolic locus in \(M\)). (2) The set of cusp points on the parabolic locus of \(f\) is a finite set and other points are fold points. (3) The lightlike part \(M^f_l\) is a union of regular curves (called a lightlike locus in \(M\)). (4) The lightlike locus and the parabolic locus in \(M\) intersect transversally, the intersections consist of fold points of \(N(f)\). (5) The set of points in \(M^f_l\) consisting of the points where the tangent line of \(M^f_l\) is lightlike is a set of isolated points. (6) The set of points in the parabolic locus consisting of the points where the tangent line of the parabolic locus is lightlike is a set of isolated points.