Local structure of ideal shapes of knots (Q2460841)

The author studies the local structure of \(C^{1,1}\) relatively extremal knots in \(\mathbb{R}^n\) \((n\geq 2)\) by using a length minimization problem with bounded curvature and \(C^1\) boundary conditions. The concept of the thickness of a knotted curve is defined as the radius of the largest tubular neighbourhood around the curve without intersections of the normal discs. The author proves that \(C^{1,1}\) relatively extremal knot in \(\mathbb{R}^n\) either has constant maximal curvature or its thickness is equal to half of the double critical self distance. The paper contains interesting illustrative pictures. In the introduction we find a review of the literature on concepts and problems in question.