Pedal and contrapedal curves of framed immersions in the Euclidean 3-space (Q6040051)

Let \(\gamma: I \rightarrow {\mathbb R}^3\) be a smooth space curve and let \(\Delta := \{(x, y) \in S^2 \times S^2 \; | \; x \cdot y = 0\}\), where \(S^2\) denotes the unit 2-sphere. Then \((\gamma, \nu_1, \nu_2) : I \rightarrow {\mathbb R}^3 \times \Delta\) is called a framed curve, if \(\gamma'(t)\cdot \nu_1 = \gamma'(t)\cdot \nu_2 = 0\) for all \(t \in I\). Moreover, it is called a framed immersion if \((\gamma, \nu_1, \nu_2)\) is an immersion. The frame is completed by the unit tangent vector \({\mu} := \nu_1 \times \nu_2\) which is a multiple of \(\gamma'(t)\). A curve \(\gamma(t)\) is called a frame based curve if there exist unit vectors \(\nu_1\), \(\nu_2\) with \(\nu_1 \cdot \nu_2 = 0\) such that the triple \((\gamma, \nu_1, \nu_2)\) is a framed curve. Regular curves are of course frame based because one can choose the unit principal normal vector \(n_1\) and the unit binormal vector \(n_2\) as the pair \((\nu_1, \nu_2) \in \Delta\). Conversely, if \(\gamma(t)\) is frame based, then the pair \(\nu_1\), \(\nu_2\) can be exchanged by the pair consisting of the principal normal vector \(n_1\) and the unit binormal vector \(n_2\). This means that it suffices to consider frame based curves whose frame is the Frenet frame \((n_1, n_2, {\mu})\). For a given framed immersion \((\gamma, n_1, n_2)\) and a given point \(p\) in \({\mathbb R}^3\) one has that: (1) The pedal curve \(\mathcal{P}e_{\gamma, p}\) is the curve whose points are the orthogonal projections of \(p\) on the osculating planes of \(\gamma\). The osculating plane of \(\gamma\) at \(\gamma(t)\) is the plane through \(\gamma(t)\) and parallel to \({\mu}(t)\), \(n_1(t)\); (2) The contrapedal curve \(\mathcal{CP}e_{\gamma, p}\) is the curve whose points are the orthogonal projections of \(p\) on the normal planes of \(\gamma\). The normal plane of \(\gamma\) at \(\gamma(t)\) is the plane through \(\gamma(t)\) and parallel to \(n_1(t)\), \(n_2(t)\). The authors discuss various properties of pedal and contrapedal curves. For instance, they investigate under which conditions the pedal curve (contrapedal curve) of a given frame based curve is again frame based. Formulae for the curvature of pedal and contrapedal curves are derived. Moreover, it is shown that the contrapedal curve \(\mathcal{CP}e_{\gamma, p}\) of a curve \(\gamma\) with respect to a point \(p\) is at the same time the pedal curve with respect to \(p\) of the evolute of \(\gamma\). In analogy, the pedal curve \(\mathcal{P}e_{\gamma, p}\) of \(\gamma\) with respect to \(p\) is at the same time the contrapedal curve with respect to \(p\) of any of the involutes of \(\gamma\). The paper is rounded off with 3 examples.