Curves in the Minkowski plane and their contact with pseudo-circles (Q438948)

The authors study evolutes, caustics, and parallel curves of a smooth, regular curve \(\gamma\) in the pseudo-Euclidean plane (Minkowski plane). A point on \(\gamma\) is called ``space-like'', ``time-like, ``light-like'' if the tangent in this point is space-like, time-like, light-like, respectively. The behavior of caustics at light-like points of \(\gamma\) are discussed. For instance, \(\gamma\) and the caustic are tangent to each other in such a point and lie locally in distinct halfplanes determined by the common tangent. Another result is that the caustic of an oval curve \(\gamma\) lies in the exterior of \(\gamma\). A parallel curve to \(\gamma\) can be defined only at non-light-like points of \(\gamma\). The behavior of the Minkowski parallel curves at an ordinary vertex of \(\gamma\) is compared to the behavior of their Euclidean counterparts at such a point.