The geometry of fronts

Abstract

We shall introduce the singular curvature function on cuspidal edges of surfaces, which is related to the Gauss-Bonnet formula and which characterizes the shape of cuspidal edges. Moreover, it is closely related to the behavior of the Gaussian curvature of a surface near cuspidal edges and swallowtails.

Authors

Kentaro Saji

Department of Mathematics
Gifu University
Gifu 501-1193
Japan

Masaaki Umehara

Department of Mathematics
Osaka University
Osaka 560-0043
Japan

Kotaro Yamada

Faculty of Mathematics
Kyushu University
Fukuoka 819-0395
Japan