Skew loops and quadric surfaces
Differential Geometry
2007-05-23 v2
Abstract
A skew loop is a closed curve without parallel tangent lines. We prove: The only complete surfaces in euclidean 3-space with a point of positive curvature and no skew loops are the quadrics. In particular, ellipsoids are the only closed surfaces without skew loops. We also prove results about skew loops on cylinders and positively curved surfaces.
Cite
@article{arxiv.math/0205222,
title = {Skew loops and quadric surfaces},
author = {Mohammad Ghomi and Bruce Solomon},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:math/0205222},
year = {2007}
}
Comments
14 pages, no figures; 11/02 revision corrects a small error in the original manuscript