Durham University Michaelmas 2016

Pavel Tumarkin

Differential Geometry III, Solutions 10 (Week 10)

Coordinate curves, angles and area

10.1. Let x : U S be a local parametrization of a regular surface S, and denote by E, F, G the
coefficients of the first fundamental form in this parametrization. Show that the tangent vector
a u x + b v x bisects the angle between the coordinate curves if and only if

G(aE + bF ) = E(aF + bG).

Further, if
x(u, v) = (u, v, u2 v 2 ),
find a vector tangential to S which bisects the angle between the coordinate curves at the point
(1, 1, 0) S.

Solution:
The cosine of the angle of the vector w = a u x + b v x with coordinate curve v = const is equal to

ha u x + b v x, u xi aE + bF
=
kwkku xk kwk E

Similarly, the cosine of the angle of w with coordinate curve u = const is equal to

ha u x + b v x, v xi aF + bG
=
kwkkv xk kwk G

The equality of the cosines

aE + bF aF + bG
=
kwk E kwk G
is equivalent to
G(aE + bF ) = E(aF + bG)
as required.
For
x(u, v) = (u, v, u2 v 2 ),
we have

u x(u, v) = (1, 0, 2u),

v x(u, v) = (0, 1, 2v),

which implies that

E(u, v) = 1 + 4u2 , F (u, v) = 4uv, G(u, v) = 1 + 4v 2 .

The point (1, 1, 0) has coordinates (u, v) = (1, 1), so we have E = G = 5, F = 4. Thus, we obtain the
following equation on (a, b):
5(5a 4b) = 5(4a + 5b),
which is equivalent to a = b. Thus, the vector u x + v x bisects the angle.
10.2. Find two families of curves on the helicoid parametrized by
x(u, v) = (v cos u, v sin u, u)
which, at each point, bisect the angles between the coordinate curves.
(Show that they are given by u sinh1 v = c, where c is a constant on each curve in the family.)

Solution: We have
u x(u, v) = (v sin u, v cos u, 1),
v x(u, v) = (cos u, sin u, 0),
which implies that
E(u, v) = 1 + v 2 , F (u, v) = 0, G(u, v) = 1,
so the equation from Exercise 10.1 becomes
p
a v 2 + 1 = b.
The curve u sinh1 v = c can be parametrized by (u) = (u, sinh(u c)), so
p
0 (u, v) = u x + cosh(u c)v x = u x + cosh(u c)v x = u x + v 2 + 1 v x
as required.
The curve u + sinh1 v = c can be parametrized by (u) = (u, sinh(u c)), so
p
0 (u, v) = u x cosh(u c)v x = u x cosh(u c)v x = u x v 2 + 1 v x.
Then
h0 , 0 i = E (v 2 + 1)G = 0,
which implies that 0 bisects the angle between u x and v x.

10.3. The coordinate curves of a parametrization x(u, v) constitute a Chebyshev net if the lengths of the
opposite sides of any quadrilateral formed by them are equal.
(a) Show that a necessary and sufficient condition for this is
E G
= = 0.
v u
(b) Show that if coordinate curves constitute a Chebyshev net, then it is possible to reparametrize
the coordinate neighborhood in such a way that the new coefficients of the first fundamental form
are
E = 1, F = cos , G = 1,
where is the angle between coordinate curves.

Solution:
(a) Assume that coordinate curves constitute a Chebyshev net. Consider a quadrilateral with vertices
(u0 , v0 ), (u1 , v0 ), (u0 , v1 ), (u1 , v1 ) formed by coordinate curves. The length of the side with vertices (u0 , v1 ), (u1 , v1 )
is equal to
Zu1 Zu1 p
ku x(u, v1 )k du = E(u, v1 ) du
u0 u0
R u1 p
Thus, the integral u0 E(u, v1 ) du does not depend on v1 , i.e. it is a function of u1 only. Differentiating it by
p
u1 , we see that E(u1 , v1 ) is also a function of u1 only, so E(u, v) does not depend on v. The considerations
for G are similar, and the converse statement is straightforward.
(b) Take Z p
u(u) = E(u) du

Then u is parametrized by arc length, so E(u) 1. Similarly, we can make G(v) 1. Now F is equal to the
cosine of the angle by definition.
10.4. Show that a surface of revolution can always be parametrized so that

E = E(v), F = 0, G=1

Solution: Parametrize the surface by

x = (f (v) cos u, f (v) sin u, g(v)),

where (v) = (f (v), 0, g(v)) is the generating curve. Then

u x = (f (v) sin u, f (v)v cos u, 0),

v x = (f 0 (v) cos u, f 0 (v) sin u, g 0 (v)),

which implies that

E(u, v) = f 2 (v), F (u, v) = 0, G(u, v) = f 02 (v) + g 02 (v) = k0 k2

Parametrizing (v) by arc length we obtain a required parametrization of the surface.

10.5. Let S be the surface {(x, y, z) R3 | z = x2 y 2 } and let F be the family of curves on S obtained
as the intersection of S with the planes z = const. Find the family of curves on S which meet F
orthogonally and show that they are the intersections of S with the family of hyperbolic cylinders
xy = const.

Solution:
p
A (part of a) curve x2 y 2 = c1 on S can be parametrized by (y) = ( y 2 + c, y), so
y y
0 (y) = p x + y = x + y
2
y + c1 x

A curve xy = c2 on S can be paranetrized by (x) = (x, xc ), so

c2 y
0 (x) = x y = x y
x2 x
Now we recall that the coefficients of the first fundamental form found in Exercise 10.1 are

E(u, v) = 1 + 4x2 , F (u, v) = 4xy, G(u, v) = 1 + 4y 2 ,

so we compute the inner product of 0 and 0 to get

 Dy y E y y2 y
0 , 0 =

x + y , x y = E + F 2 F G =
x x x  x x
y 2 y2 y y 4y y 4y
= (1 + 4x ) + 4xy 1 (1 + 4y 2 ) = + 4xy + 4xy =0
x x2 x x x x x
3
Note that we could avoid computations on S: one could consider and as curves

y in R
, and keeping in

mind
0
that z-coordinate of is equal to zero, the dot product of and is equal to x , 1, 0 1, xy , z 0 (x) = 0.
0 0

10.6. Using the notation of Exercise 10.2, show that the family of curves orthogonal to the family

v cos u = const

is the family defined by (1 + v 2 ) sin2 u = const.

Solution:
The coefficients of the first fundamental form found in Exercise 10.2 are

E(u, v) = 1 + v 2 , F (u, v) = 0, G(u, v) = 1.

A curve v cos u = c1 on S can be parametrized by (u) = (u, c1 / cos u), so

0 (u) = (1, c1 sin u/ cos2 u) = (1, v tan u).

 r 
2 2 c2
A curve (1 + v ) sin u = c2 on S can be paranetrized by (u) = u, 1 , so
sin2 u
  
0 1 1
(u) = 1, v+ .
tan u v

Computing the inner product of 0 and 0 we obtain

 

0 0 1 1
, = E v tan u v+ = 1 + v 2 (v 2 + 1) = 0.
tan u v