Math F412: Homework 9

Due: April 1, 2005

Let {e1 , e2 } be an orthonormal basis of principal directions, and let v be a unit

vector, so v = v1 e1 + v2 e2 with v12 + v22 = 1. We showed in class that A(e1 , e1 ) = k1 ,
A(e1 , e2 ) = 0, and A(e2 , e2 ) = k2 . Hence

3-2.3.

A(v, v) = k1 v12 + k2 v22 .

Now

|A(v, v)| = k1 v12 + k2 v22

= |k1 | v12 + |k2 | v22

min(|k1 | , |k2 |)(v12 + v22 )

= min(|k1 | , |k2 |).
Here we have used the fact that k1 and k2 have the same sign to proceed from the first
equation to the second. We conclude that for any curve with tangent vector v,
|kN | = |A(v, v)| min(|k1 | , |k2 |).
On the other hand, for any curve in the surface we proved in class
2
k 2 = kN
+ kg2

where k is the curvature of the curve in space and kg is its geodesic curvature. Hence
k=

2 + k2
kN
g

2 = |k | min(|k | , |k |).
kN
1
2
N

This is false. Consider the unit sphere. Every point is an umbilic and every
principal curvature is 1. Consider the latitude curve
3-2.4.

z (t) = (

1 z 2 cos(t),

1 z 2 sin(t), z).

This curve belongs to the sphere but has curvature

1
k=
1 z2
at each point. Taking z as close to 1 as we want yields a curvature as large as we please and
certainly larger than 1. (In fact, of all such curves, only the equator has curvature bounded
above by 1).
Compute the second fundamental form of the helicoid in the coordinates defined by
the chart (u, v) = (v cos(u), v sin(u), u).

1.

Let (u) = (cos(u), sin(u), 0) and let X = (0, 0, 1), so that (u, v) = v(u) + uX. An
easy computation shows that
u = v0 (u) + X
v = (u)
uu = v(u)
uv = 0 (u)
vv = 0.

Math F412: Homework 9

Due: April 1, 2005

Since (t), 0 (t), and X form an orthonormal basis for all values of t we have
E = 1 + v2
F =0
G = 1.
From the formula N = (u v )/ |u v | it follows that
N=
Hence

1
(vX + 0 ).
(1 + v 2 )1/2
e=0
1
(1 + v 2 )1/2
g = 0.

f=

2.

Compute the normal and geodesic curvature of the lines of latitude of the unit sphere.

Each line of latitude is given by

q

z (t) = ( 1 z 2 cos(t),

1 z 2 sin(t), z).

This curve is a circle of radius z and hence has curvature k = 1/1 z 2 .

To compute the normal curvature, we notice that the normal at z (t) is z (t). So
kN =

< N(z (t)), z00 (t) >

|0 (t)|2

< z (t), z00 (t) >

= 1.
1 z2

This corresponds with the fact we already know that all normal curvatures on the unit sphere
are 1 depending on the choice of unit normal. For the geodesic curvature, we note that
1 = k 2 , so
kg2 + kN
s
1
z
kg =
1=
.
2
1z
1 z2
It remains to determine the sign of kg . This is determined by the sign of hN 0 , z00 i > 0.

Suppose S is connected orientable surface and that : R2 S is a chart such that the
second fundamental form in these coordinates vanishes. Prove that (R2 ) is contained in
a plane. (This is a version for surfaces of the fact that if a curve has vanishing curvature,
then its trace is contained in a line).

3.

Hint: Use the fact that

d
N((u, v)) = DN(u,v) (u (u, v))
du

Math F412: Homework 9

Due: April 1, 2005

and so forth (along with the definition of the second fundamental form) to show that the
normal vector is constant.
See me for more hints if need be!
Notice that
0 = A(u , u ) = hDN(u ), u i
and
0 = A(u , v ) = hDN(u ), v i .
Writing DN(u ) = au + bv we conclude that
< DN(u ), DN(u ) >= a hDN(u ), u i + b hDN(u ), v i = 0 + 0 = 0.
So DN(u ) = 0. A similar computation shows DN(v ) = 0. In other words,

N((u, v)) = 0
u
and

N((u, v)) = 0.
v

Hence the function taking (u, v) R2 to N(u, v) is constant. After a rigid motion, we can
assume that (0, 0) = (0, 0, 0) and that N = (0, 0, 1). Let be any smooth curve in the
(u, v)-plane with (0) = (0, 0) and let = . Then
D

0 = N, 0 (t) .
Writing (t) = (x(t), y(t), z(t)) we conclude that z 0 (t) = 0 and hence z is constant along
(and therefore equal to z(0) = 0. Since any point in the (u, v)-plane can be connected
to the origin by a smooth curve (e.g. let be a straight line) we conclude that (R2 ) is
contained in the plane z = 0.