Extrinsically flat Möbius strips on given knots in 3-dimensional spaceforms (Q386799)

In the present paper the authors classify the topology of closed extrinsically flat strips which contain a given knot in a 3-dimensional spaceform. In particular, results of Chicone-Kalton and Røgen are generalized. The classification is done by means of the (topological) twisting number. More precisely the following theorem is proven: Let \(\gamma:\mathbb S^1\rightarrow\mathbb R^3\) be a \(C^\omega\)-regular knot (i.e., a real-analytic regular knot whose derivative never vanishes) and let \(Z_k\) the zeros of its curvature function \(\kappa\). Denote by \(\tau(s)\) the torsion function of \(\gamma(s)\) defined on \(\mathbb S^1\subset Z_k\). Then, the following assertions hold: (1) Suppose that \(\tau(s)\) vanishes identically on \(\mathbb S^1\backslash Z_k\). Then, a closed developable \(C^\omega\)-regular strip along \(\gamma\) can only have zero twisting number. (2) Suppose that \(\tau(s)\) changes sign. Then, for each \(n\in(1/2)\mathbb Z\), there exist a closed developable \(C^\omega\)-regular strip along \(\gamma\) whose twisting number is \(n\). (3) Suppose that \(\tau\leq0\) on \(\mathbb S^1\subset Z_k\) and there exists a point \(s_0\in\mathbb S^1\) such that \(\tau(s_0)<0\). Then, there exists \(\lambda_\gamma\in(1/2)\mathbb Z\) such that: (i) for each \(n\geq\lambda_\gamma\) \((n\in(1/2)\mathbb Z)\), there exists a closed developable \(C^\omega\)-regular strip along \(\gamma\) whose twisting number is \(n\), and (ii) if \(n<\lambda_\gamma\), there exists a closed developable \(C^\infty\)-regular strip along \(\gamma\) whose twisting number is \(n\).