Deformation of a kinematic surface in a hyperbolic space. (Q1419158)

Let \(M_0\) be a compact time like surface with piecewise smooth boundary \(\partial M_0\) in the hyperbolic 3-space \(H^3_1(-1)\) of constant sectional curvature (-1), and let \(F_t:M_0\to H^3_1(-1)\), \(t\in [0,1)\), be a smooth family of immersions such that \(F_0:M_0\to M_0\) is the identity mapping and \(F_t=F_0\) on the boundary \(\partial M_0\). Applying Cartan's method of moving frame, the authors obtain the fundamental and structural equations for the deformed surface \(F_t(M_0)\). Besides, they use the same method to study 2-parametric motions of congruences of lines that is of sets of straight lines in \(H^3_1(-1)\) which do not meet in a given chart of \(H^3_1(-1)\). The results obtained are claimed to be important in computational line geometry, geometric optics, fluid mechanics, and general relativity theory.