Umbilic singularities and lines of curvature on ellipsoids of \(\mathbb{R}^{4}\) (Q487043)

A principal curvature configuration of a surface is the geometric structure given by the (singular) foliations of the associated principal curvatures. Namely, it consists of the lines defined by the minimal and maximal principal curvatures, as well as the umbilic points (where these curvatures coincide). An example of such a configuration for a surface in \(\mathbb R^3\) was given by Monge (1796) for ellipsoids. For a surface in \(\mathbb R^4\) (with the Euclidean inner product) we have 3 principal curvatures, whence umbilic points (where all the principal curvatures coincide) and partially umbilic points (where 2 out of the 3 principal curvatures coincide). On the complement of these points (regular part) we also have the foliations of the principal line fields. The article under review follows work of Garcia where generic properties of the principal curvature configuration for a hypersurface in \(\mathbb R^4\) was given. Some of these properties are reproven in the current article and the complete principal curvature configuration of an ellipsoid in \(\mathbb R^4\) is given. The results are proven analytically and illustrated graphically as well.