Some equivalence theorems in affine hypersurface theory (Q1207691)

Let \(f:M\to\mathbb{R}^{n+1}\) describe an \(n\)-dimensional connected and orientable hypersurface. Then every vector field \(\xi\) along \(f\) and transversal to \(f\) induces canonically a covariant derivative \(\nabla\) for \(M\), a ``second fundamental form'' \(h\), a ``shape operator'' and a Pfaffian form. Analogously to the fundamental surface theorem of Riemannian geometry these data determine \(f\) up to affine transformations. In this article there are derived similar equivalence theorems involving only \(\nabla\) and \(h\) under the assumption that the type number of \(f\), i.e. the rank of \(h\) is \(\geq 2\). In another type of results the affine equivalence of two hypersurfaces is derived from the affine equivalence of their 3-jets at corresponding points.