On the curvature of algebraic hypersurfaces (Q2655005)

Let \(V\) be an algebraic hypersurface in real affine space of dimension \(d\), consider a subspace \(L\) of dimension \(d-2\) at infinity and denote by \(\text{Tan}_L V\) the intersection of \(V\) with the polar of \(L\) with respect to \(V\). The authors express the sum \(S\) of (suitably signed) reciprocal Gaussian curvatures of \(V\) in the points of \(\text{Tan}_L V\) as a rational function times a square root expression in the coordinates of \(L\) (viewed as subspace of co-dimension \(1\) in the hyperplane at infinity). Much of the theory is developed in more general context over arbitrary algebraically closed fields of characteristic zero. The authors provide an algorithm for computing the rational function in the formula for \(S\) and demonstrate it at hand of an explicit example in three-space. They also recover an old result by Chasles for the planar case \(d = 2\) stating that \(S\), the sum of signed curvature radii in curve points with parallel tangents, vanishes. All results only hold under suitable assumptions which are either too subtle or too involved for an exposition in this review.