Envelopes of one-parameter families of framed curves in the Euclidean space (Q2329388)

In this paper, all mappings and manifolds considered are differential of class \(C^{\infty}\). A framed curve in the Euclidean space is a smooth curve with a moving frame. The framed curves may have singularities. As a one-parameter family of singular space curves, the authors deal with a one-parameter family of framed curves in the Euclidean space. It is given as: Let \((\gamma, \boldsymbol{\nu}): I\times \Lambda \rightarrow \mathbb{R}^{n}\times \Delta_{n-1}\) be a smooth mapping. We say that \((\gamma, \boldsymbol{\nu})\) is a one-parameter family of framed curves if \(\gamma_{t}(t, \lambda)\cdot \nu_{i} (t, \lambda)=0\) for all \((t, \lambda) \in I\times \Lambda\) and \(i=1, 2, \dots, n-1\), where \(\boldsymbol{\nu}=(\nu_{1}, \dots, \nu_{n-1})\). They give a moving frame and the curvature of a one-parameter family of framed curves. Then the authors provide the existence theorem in terms of the curvatures of the one-parameter families of framed curves which is given as: Let \((\alpha_{ij}, \beta_{ij}, \alpha, P_{1}, \dots, P_{n}): I\times \Lambda\rightarrow o(n)\times o(n)\times \mathbb{R}^{n+1}\) be a smooth mapping with the integrability condition. Then there exists a one-parameter family of framed curves \((\gamma, \boldsymbol{\nu}): I\times \Lambda \rightarrow \mathbb{R}^{n}\times \Delta_{n-1}\) whose associated curvature is given by \((\alpha_{ij}, \beta_{ij}, \alpha, P_{1}, \dots, P_{n})\). The uniqueness theorem is given as: Let \((\gamma, \boldsymbol{\nu})\) and \((\tilde{\gamma}, \tilde{\boldsymbol{\nu}}): I\times \Lambda \rightarrow \mathbb{R}^{n}\times \Delta_{n-1}\) be one-parameter families of framed curves with the curvatures \((\alpha_{ij}, \beta_{ij}, \alpha, P_{1}, \dots, P_{n})\) and \((\tilde{\alpha}_{ij}, \tilde{\beta}_{ij}, \tilde{\alpha}, \tilde{P}_{1}, \dots, \tilde{P}_{n})\), respectively. Then \((\gamma, \boldsymbol{\nu})\) and \((\tilde{\gamma}, \tilde{\boldsymbol{\nu}})\) are congruent as one- parameter families of framed curves if and only if \((\alpha_{ij}, \beta_{ij}, \alpha, P_{1}, \dots, P_{n})\) and \((\tilde{\alpha}_{ij}, \tilde{\beta}_{ij}, \tilde{\alpha}, \tilde{P}_{1}, \dots, \tilde{P}_{n})\) coincide. Next, they define an envelope for a one-parameter family of framed curves and determine properties of envelopes. They obtain that the envelope is also a framed curve. As a main result, the authors give a necessary and sufficient condition that a one-parameter family of framed curves has an envelope. It is given as: Let \((\gamma,\boldsymbol{\nu}): I\times\Lambda\rightarrow\mathbb{R}^{n}\times\Delta_{n-1}\) be a one-parameter family of framed curves and let \(e: U\rightarrow I\times\Lambda\) be a smooth curve satisfying the variability condition. Then the following are equivalent. (1) \(e: U\rightarrow I\times\Lambda\) is a pre-envelope of \((\gamma, \boldsymbol{\nu})\) and \(E_{\gamma}\) is an envelope of \((\gamma, \boldsymbol{\nu})\), (2) \(\gamma_{\lambda}(e(u)) \cdot \nu_{i} (e(u))=0\) for all \(u\in U\) and \(i=1, 2, \dots, n-1\). (3) \(P_{i} (e(u))=0\) for all \(u\in U\) and \(i=1, 2, \dots, n-1\). Moreover, the authors emphasis on one-parameter families of framed curves in the Euclidean 3-space (\(\mathbb{R}^{3}\times \Delta_{2}\)). For a one-parameter family of framed curves, they produce one example that has an envelope and the other does not have an envelope. They show that the envelope is independent of rotated frames and reflected frames of the framed curves. They also define a parallel curve of a one-parameter family of framed space curves. The parallel curve is also a one-parameter family of framed curves. Then the envelope of parallel curves and a parallel curve of the envelope of a one-parameter family of framed curves coincide. For applications of their results, the authors give more details about relations among envelopes of one-parameter families of framed space curves, one-parameter families of Legendre curves in the unit tangent bundle over the Euclidean plane as well as one-parameter families of Legendre curves in the unit spherical bundle over the unit sphere. Finally, the authors explain very rigorously (providing figures also) four examples of envelopes of one-parameter families of framed curves.