G-deformations of curves and volumes of tubes in Riemannian manifolds (Q789753)

In this paper a geometrical meaning is given to the integral formula for the value of a tube about a curve [cf. the second author and \textit{T. J. Willmore}, Math. Ann. 263, 31-42 (1983; Zbl 0491.53034)] by relating it to the classical concept of deformation due to E. Cartan. Let (M,g) be a \(C^{\infty}\) Riemannian manifold and \(k\geq 0\) an integer. Two parametrized curves \(\alpha\),\(\beta\) : [a,b]\(\to M\) are said to be locally k-equivalent, if for each \(t\in [a,b]\) there is a local isometry \(D_ t\) of M such that \(j^ k\!_ t\alpha =j^ k\!_ t(D_ t{\mathbb{O}}\beta)\). Here \(j^ k\!_ t\) is the k-jet of a map [a,b]\(\to M\) at value t. In this paper the authors have proved the following theorems. 1. Let \(\alpha\),\(\beta\) : [a,b]\(\to M\) be two smooth regular parametrized curves of finite length which are topologically embedded in a real analytic Riemannian manifold M and let \(P_{\alpha}(r)\) and \(P_{\beta}(r)\) denote tubes of sufficiently small radius \(r>0\) about \(\alpha\) and \(\beta\) respectively. If \(\alpha\) and \(\beta\) are locally 2-equivalent, then \(P_{\alpha}(r)\) and \(P_{\beta}(r)\) have the same volume. 2. Let \(\alpha\) and \(\beta\) be interpreted as before. If M is a D'Atri space [cf. the second author, Bull. Soc. Math. Belg., Sér. B 34, 1-24 (1982; Zbl 0518.53042)] and if \(\alpha\) and \(\beta\) are locally 1-equivalent, the \(P_{\alpha}(r)\) and \(P_{\beta}(r)\) have the same volume for any sufficiently small radius \(r>0\). 3. Let M be a two-point homogeneous Riemannian space. Then the volume of a tube about a curve depends only on the length of the curve and radius of the tube.