Showing papers by "David E. Blair published in 1992"

On the Gauss map of ruled surfaces

Abstract: Let M2 be a (connected) surface in Euclidean 3-space E3, and let G:M2→S2(1) ⊂ E3 be its Gauss map. Then, according to a theorem of E. A. Ruh and J. Vilms [3], M2 is a surface of constant mean curvature if and only if, as a map from M2 to S2(1), G is harmonic, or equivalently, if and only ifwhere δ is the Laplace operator on M2 corresponding to the induced metric on M2 from E3 and where G is seen as a map from M2to E3. A special case of (1.1) is given byi.e., the case where the Gauss map G:M2→E3 is an eigenfunction of the Laplacian δ on M2.

Ruled surfaces with vanishing second Gaussian curvature

Abstract: For a surface free of points of vanishing Gaussian curvature in Euclidean space the second Gaussian curvature is defined formally. It is first pointed out that a minimal surface has vanishing second Gaussian curvature but that a surface with vanishing second Gaussian curvature need not be minimal. Ruled surfaces for which a linear combination of the second Gaussian curvature and the mean curvature is constant along the rulings are then studied. In particular the only ruled surface in Euclidean space with vanishing second Gaussian curvature is a piece of a helicoid.