Differential invariants for parametrized projective surfaces (Q1818729)

The authors classify the differential invariants and moving frames for (non-degenerate) 2-dimensional parametrized surfaces \(S:u(x^1,x^2)\) in projective space \(M:=\mathbb{R} P^{n-1}\) \((n\geq 3\), in particular: \(n=4)\) under the projective action of the unimodular group \(G:=SL(n)\). The methods that are used may -- shortly -- be described as follows. Let \(S\) be, more generally, a parametrized submanifold (local coordinates \(x\in X\subseteq\mathbb{R}^p)\) of a \(q\)-dimensional differentiable manifold \(M\) (local coordinates \(u\in\mathbb{R}^q)\), and let \(G\) be an \(r\)-dimensional Lie group acting smoothly on \(M\). Let \(J^n=J^n (X,M)\) denote the \(n\)th order jet bundle consisting of equivalence classes of \(p\)-dimensional submanifolds of \(M\) modulo \(n\)th order contact. Then, an \(n\)th order moving frame is a map \(\rho^{(n)}: J^n\to G\) which is (locally) \(G\)-equivariant with respect to the prolonged action \(G^{(n)}\) on \(J^n\), and the right action \(h\mapsto h\cdot g^{-1}\) of \(G\) on itself. Every \(n\)th order differential invariant can locally be written as a function of the ``normalized \(n\)th order differential invariants'' \(I^{(n)}: =\rho^{(n)} (u^{(n)})\cdot u^{(n)}\) (Theorem 3.4). A minimal system of differential invariants can be found by a careful analysis of the recurrence relations and consequent syzygies (see Theorem 3.6). Conclusions: These results can be directly applied to problems of equivalence, symmetry and rigidity of two-dimensional projective surfaces, and -- moreover -- in the study of generalizations of Adler-Gel'fand-Dikii (AGD) evolutions to the case of two independent variables.