No label defined (Q3973893)

[For the entire collection see Zbl 0727.00009.] In 1972 B. Y. Chen defined quasiumbilical submanifolds \(M^ n\subset\mathbb{R}^{n+N}\). \textit{B. Y. Chen} and \textit{K. Yano} [Atti. Acad. Naz. Lincei, VIII. Ser., Rend. Cl. Sci. Fis. Mat. Nat. 53(1972), 255-260 (1973; Zbl 0265.53018)] proved that any quasiumbilical submanifold is conformally flat. The first result in the paper under review is an equivalent definition of quasiumbilicity using the concept of focal points. The author states: ``It is easy to prove'' that for \(1\leq N\leq n\) any quasiumbilical submanifold \(M\) is locally foliated by umbilical submanifolds of \(\mathbb{R}^{n+N}\) such that along each leaf \(Y\) the subbundle \(TM^ \perp\mid_ Y\) is parallel with respect to the normal connection of \(Y\). In the class of such submanifolds the quasiumbilical ones are characterized by properties of its focal sets. By a result of \textit{B. Y. Chen} and \textit{L. Verstraelen} [Med. Konink. Akad. Wetensch. Lett. Schone Kunst. Belgie Kl. Wetensch. 38, No. 7, 11 pp. (1976)], the conformally flat submanifolds, for \(1\leq N\leq n-3\), are quasiumbilical; thus, in this case, both classes coincide. Using this fact and applying the local foliations the author investigates the local structure of conformally flat submanifolds for \(N=2\), \(n\geq 5\). He describes the focal sets and obtains that the submanifolds under consideration can be generated by \(k\)-spheres, \(k=n-1\), \(n-2\), and locally are envelopes of one- or two-parameter families of such spheres, if some additional conditions are fulfilled. The paper does not contain complete proofs.