On the geometry of parametrized bicubic surfaces (Q2457413)

The authors study the double point locus \(D\) of a bicubic parametric surface \(\Phi\) in affine space \(\mathbb R^3\), and especially that part of \(D\) which lies in the image of a parameter rectangle. This question is motivated by the fact that such surface patches are employed in computer aided geometric design, e.g. as parts of spline surfaces. Special cases, distinguished by containing families of planar cubics, are given separate attention. The aim of the paper is to circumvent the straightforward Gröbner basis methods which because of \(D\)'s generic degree 132 do not perform well. Rather, \(D\) is described in terms of resultants. The proofs make use of the fact that \(D\) admits an involution.