A simple closed curve $γ$ in the real projective plane $P^2$ is called anti-convex if for each point $p$ on the curve, there exists a line which is transversal to the curve and meets the curve only at $p$. We shall prove the relation $i(γ)-2δ(γ)=3$ for anti-convex curves, where $i(γ)$ is the number of independent (true) inflection points and $δ(γ)$ the number of independent double tangents. This formula is a refinement of the classical Möbius theorem. We shall also show that there are three inflection points on a given anti-convex curve such that the tangent lines at these three inflection points cross the curve only once. Our approach is axiomatic and can be applied in other situations. For example, we prove similar results for curves of constant width as a corollary.
We show that every smooth closed curve C immersed in Euclidean 3-space satisfies the sharp inequality 2(P+I)+V >5 which relates the numbers P of pairs of parallel tangent lines, I of inflections (or points of vanishing curvature), and V of vertices (or points of vanishing torsion) of C. We also show that 2(P'+I)+V >3, where P' is the number of pairs of concordant parallel tangent lines. The proofs, which employ curve shortening flow with surgery, are based on corresponding inequalities for the numbers of double points, singularities, and inflections of closed curves in the real projective plan…
In the previous paper (arXiv:0804.0701), the authors gave criteria for A_{k+1}-type singularities on wave fronts. Using them, we show in this paper that there is a duality between singular points and inflection points on wave fronts in the projective space. As an application, we show that the algebraic sum of 2-inflection points (i.e. godron points) on an immersed surface in the real projective space is equal to the Euler number of M_-. Here M^2 is a compact orientable 2-manifold, and M_-$is the open subset of M^2 where the Hessian of f takes negative values. This is a generalization of Bleeck…
We define a computable topological invariant $μ(γ)$ for generic closed planar regular curves $γ$, which gives an effective lower bound for the number of inflection points on a given generic closed planar curve. Using it, we classify the topological types of locally convex curves (i.e. closed planar regular curves without inflections) whose numbers of crossings are less than or equal to five. Moreover, we discuss the relationship between the number of double tangents and the invariant $μ(γ)$ on a given $γ$.
We give a global description of envelopes of geodesic tangents of regular curves in (not necessarily convex) Riemannian surfaces. We prove that such an envelope is the union of the curve itself, its inflectional geodesics and its tangential caustics (formed by the conjugate points to those of the initial curve along the tangent geodesics). Stable singularities of tangential caustics and geodesic envelopes are discussed. We also prove the (global) stability of tangential caustics of close curves in convex closed surfaces under small deformations of the initial curve and of the ambient metric.
We give optimal lower bounds for the number of sextactic points on a simple closed curve in the real projective plane. Sextactic points are after inflection points the simplest projectively invariant singularities on such curves. Our method is axiomatic and can be applied in other situations.
A natural parametrization of smooth projective plane curves which tolerates the presence of sextactic points is the Forsyth-Laguerre parametrization. On a closed projective plane curve, which necessarily contains sextactic points, this parametrization is, however, in general not periodic. We show that by the introduction of an additional scalar parameter $α\leq \frac12$ one can define a projectively invariant $2π$-periodic global parametrization on every simple closed convex sufficiently smooth projective plane curve without inflection points. For non-quadratic curves this parametrization, whi…
It is given the diffeomorphism classification on generic singularities of tangent varieties to curves with arbitrary codimension in a projective space. The generic classifications are performed in terms of certain geometric structures and differential systems on flag manifolds, via several techniques in differentiable algebra. It is provided also the generic diffeomorphism classification of singularities on tangent varieties to contact-integral curves in the standard contact projective space. Moreover we give basic results on the classification of singularities of tangent varieties to generic …
Suppose that $X$ is a projective manifold whose tangent bundle $T_X$ contains a locally free strictly nef subsheaf. We prove that $X$ is isomorphic to a projective bundle over a hyperbolic manifold. Moreover, if the fundamental group $π_1(X)$ is virtually abelian, then $X$ is isomorphic to a projective space.
The indicatrix or curvature ellipse and the characteristic curve of a surface in $\mathbf R^4$ are presented, as well as the projective duality connecting them. The characterisation of points in the surfaces as elliptic, parabolic and hyperbolic points, and the inflection points, are also discussed.
In this paper, we study smooth complex projective varieties $X$ such that some exterior power $\bigwedge^r T_X$ of the tangent bundle is strictly nef. We prove that such varieties are rationally connected. We also classify the following two cases. If $T_X$ is strictly nef, then $X$ isomorphic to the projective space $\mathrm{P}^n$. If $\bigwedge^2 T_X$ is strictly nef and if $X$ has dimension at least $3$, then $X$ is either isomorphic to $\mathrm{P}^n$ or a quadric $\mathrm{Q}^n$.
In this paper, we develop the theory of singular hermitian metrics on vector bundles. As an application, we give a structure theorem of a projective manifold $X$ with pseudo-effective tangent bundle: $X$ admits a smooth fibration $X \to Y$ to a flat projective manifold $Y$ such that its general fiber is rationally connected. Moreover, by applying this structure theorem, we classify all the minimal surfaces with pseudo-effective tangent bundle and study general non-minimal surfaces, which provide examples of (possibly singular) positively curved tangent bundles.
The authors study smooth lines on projective planes over the algebra C of complex numbers, the algebra C^1 of double numbers, and the algebra C^0 of dual numbers. In the space RP^5, to these smooth lines there correspond families of straight lines describing point three-dimensional tangentially degenerate submanifolds X^3 of rank 2. The authors study focal properties of these submanifolds and prove that they represent examples of different types of tangentially degenerate submanifolds. Namely, the submanifold X^3, corresponding in RP^5 to a smooth line γof the projective plane C, does not have…
Minimizing tangent maps into complex projective space
University of Chicago（芝加哥大学）；University of Cambridge（剑桥大学）；Instituto Superior Técnico（技术研究所）；Max Planck Institute for Mathematics in the Sciences（马克斯·普朗克科学促进部数学研究所）
We formulate the equivalence problem, in the sense of E. Cartan, for families of minimal rational curves on uniruled projective manifolds. An important invariant of this equivalence problem is the variety of minimal rational tangents. We study the case when varieties of minimal rational tangents at general points form an isotrivial family. The main question in this case is for which projective variety $Z$, a family of minimal rational curves with $Z$-isotrivial varieties of minimal rational tangents is locally equivalent to the flat model. We show that this is the case when $Z$ satisfies certa…
We study codimension one holomorphic distributions on the projective three-space, analyzing the properties of their singular schemes and tangent sheaves. In particular, we provide a classification of codimension one distributions of degree at most 2 with locally free tangent sheaves, and show that codimension one distributions of arbitrary degree with only isolated singularities have stable tangent sheaves. Furthermore, we describe the moduli space of distributions in terms of Grothendieck's Quot-scheme for the tangent bundle. In certain cases, we show that the moduli space of codimension one …
For an $n$-dimensional real hyperbolic manifold $M$, we calculate the Zariski tangent space of a character variety $χ(π_1(M),SL(n+1,\mathbb R)), n>2$ at Fuchisan loci to show that the tangent space consists of cubic forms. Furthermore we prove the Weil's local rigidity theorem for uniforml hyperbolic lattices using real projective structures.
In this article we give a geometric interpretation of the Hitchin component for PSL(4,R) in the representation variety of a closed oriented surface of higher genus. We show that representations in the Hitchin component are precisely the holonomy representations of properly convex foliated projective structures on the unit tangent bundle of the surface. From this we also deduce a geometric description of the Hitchin component the symplectic group PSp(4,R).
We study minimal rational curves on a complex manifold that are tangent to a distribution. In this setting, the variety of minimal rational tangents (VMRT) has to be isotropic with respect to the Levi tensor of the distribution. Our main result is a converse of this: any smooth projective variety isotropic with respect to a vector-valued anti-symmetric form can be realized as VMRT of minimal rational curves tangent to a distribution on a complex manifold. The complex manifold is constructed as a partial equivariant compactification of a metabelian group, which is a result of independent intere…
In this paper, we prove that the tangent bundle of the moduli space $\cSU_C(r,d)$ of stable bundles of rank $r>2$ and of fixed determinant of degree $d$ (such that $(r,d)=1$), on a smooth projective curve $C$ is always stable, in the sense of Mumford-Takemoto. This verifies a well-known conjecture, and is related to a conjectural existence of a Kähler-Einstein metric on Fano varieties with Picard number one.
Let $X$ be a smooth complex projective variety with nef $\bigwedge^2 T_X$ and $\dim X \geq 3$. We prove that, up to a finite étale cover $\tilde{X} \to X$, the Albanese map $\tilde{X} \to {\rm Alb}(\tilde{X})$ is a locally trivial fibration whose fibers are isomorphic to a smooth Fano variety $F$ with nef $\bigwedge^2 T_F$. As a bi-product, we see that either $T_X$ is nef or $X$ is a Fano variety. Moreover we study a contraction of a $K_X$-negative extremal ray $φ: X \to Y$. In particular, we prove that $X$ is isomorphic to the blow-up of a projective space at a point if $φ$ is of birational t…
A nonsingular rational curve $C$ in a complex manifold $X$ whose normal bundle is isomorphic to $${\mathcal O}_{{\mathbb P}^1}(1)^{\oplus p} \oplus {\mathcal O}_{{\mathbb P}^1}^{\oplus q}$$ for some nonnegative integers $p$ and $q$ is called an unbendable rational curve on $X$. Associated with it is the variety of minimal rational tangents (VMRT) at a point $x \in C,$ which is the germ of submanifolds ${\mathcal C}^C_x \subset {\mathbb P} T_x X$ consisting of tangent directions of small deformations of $C$ fixing $x$. Assuming that there exists a distribution $D \subset TX$ such that all small…
We characterize embedded $\C^1$ hypersurfaces of $\R^n$ as the only locally closed sets with continuously varying flat tangent cones whose measure-theoretic-multiplicity is at most $m<3/2$. It follows then that any (topological) hypersurface which has flat tangent cones and is supported everywhere by balls of uniform radius is $\C^1$. In the real analytic case the same conclusion holds under the weakened hypothesis that each tangent cone be a hypersurface. In particular, any convex real analytic hypersurface $X\subset\R^n$ is $\C^1$. Furthermore, if $X$ is real algebraic, strictly convex, and …
