Paper 2, Section II, H

Differential Geometry
Part II, 2009

(a) Let α:IR3\alpha: I \rightarrow \mathbb{R}^{3} be a smooth regular curve, parametrized by arc length, such that α(s)0\alpha^{\prime \prime}(s) \neq 0 for all sIs \in I. Define the Frenet frame associated to α\alpha and derive the Frenet formulae, identifying curvature and torsion.

(b) Let α,α~:IR3\alpha, \tilde{\alpha}: I \rightarrow \mathbb{R}^{3} be as above such that k~(s)=k(s),τ~(s)=τ(s)\tilde{k}(s)=k(s), \tilde{\tau}(s)=-\tau(s), where k,k~k, \tilde{k} denote the curvature of α,α~\alpha, \tilde{\alpha}, respectively, and τ,τ~\tau, \tilde{\tau} denote the torsion. Show that there exists a TO3T \in \mathrm{O}_{3} and vR3v \in \mathbb{R}^{3} such that

α=Tα~+v\alpha=T \circ \tilde{\alpha}+v

[You may appeal to standard facts about ordinary differential equations provided that they are clearly stated.]

(c) Let α:IR2\alpha: I \rightarrow \mathbb{R}^{2} be a closed regular plane curve, bounding a region KK. Let A(K)A(K) denote the area of KK, and let k(s)k(s) denote the signed curvature at α(s)\alpha(s).

Show that there exists a point s0Is_{0} \in I such that

k(s0)π/A(K)k\left(s_{0}\right) \leqslant \sqrt{\pi / A(K)}

[You may appeal to any standard theorem provided that it is clearly stated.]