On planar curves with position-dependent curvature (Q6567185)

The author classifies the planar curves whose curvature is a function of position or direction. The context is as follows: \(U\subset \mathbb{C}\) is an open set and \(k : U \times S^1 \to\mathbb{R}\) is a smooth function. The aim of the article is to investigate the smooth curve solutions \(Z\) for which \[\kappa=k(Z,N),\] where \(\kappa\) is the curvature and \(N\) is the unit normal vector at \(Z(s)\). A special case considered by the author is the equation \(\kappa=f(|Z|)\) \((*)\) for a smooth function \(f:\mathbb{R}^+\to \mathbb{R}\). \N\NThe approach relies on the properties of the planar topological flow \(\Phi_f\) associated with the above equation \((*)\) and to establish a correspondence between the dynamics of \(\Phi_f\) and the solutions of \((*)\). A particular emphasis is put on the case \(f(r)=ar^b\), where \(a,b\) are real constants.