Paper 4, Section II, F

Geometry
Part IB, 2014

Define an embedded parametrised surface in R3\mathbb{R}^{3}. What is the Riemannian metric induced by a parametrisation? State, in terms of the Riemannian metric, the equations defining a geodesic curve γ:(0,1)S\gamma:(0,1) \rightarrow S, assuming that γ\gamma is parametrised by arc-length.

Let SS be a conical surface

S={(x,y,z)R3:3(x2+y2)=z2,z>0}S=\left\{(x, y, z) \in \mathbb{R}^{3}: 3\left(x^{2}+y^{2}\right)=z^{2}, \quad z>0\right\}

Using an appropriate smooth parametrisation, or otherwise, prove that SS is locally isometric to the Euclidean plane. Show that any two points on SS can be joined by a geodesic. Is this geodesic always unique (up to a reparametrisation)? Justify your answer.

[The expression for the Euclidean metric in polar coordinates on R2\mathbb{R}^{2} may be used without proof.]