Open Access
2009 On $\mathrm{C}^2$-smooth Surfaces of Constant Width
Brendan Guilfoyle, Wilhelm Klingenberg
Author Affiliations +
Tbilisi Math. J. 2: 1-17 (2009). DOI: 10.32513/tbilisi/1528768838

Abstract

In this paper, we obtain a number of results for $\mathrm{C}^2$-smooth surfaces of constant width in Euclidean 3-space ${\mathbb{E}}^3$. In particular, we establish an integral inequality for constant width surfaces. This is used to prove that the ratio of volume to cubed width of a constant width surface is reduced by shrinking it along its normal lines. We also give a characterization of surfaces of constant width that have rational support function.

Our techniques, which are complex differential geometric in nature, allow us to construct explicit smooth surfaces of constant width in ${\mathbb{E}}^3$, and their focal sets. They also allow for easy construction of tetrahedrally symmetric surfaces of constant width.

Funding Statement

The authors would like to thank Peter Giblin for bringing this topic to their attention and Rolf Schneider for helpful discussions. Part of this work was supported by the Research in Pairs Programme of the Mathematisches Forschungsinstitut Oberwolfach, Germany.

Citation

Download Citation

Brendan Guilfoyle. Wilhelm Klingenberg. "On $\mathrm{C}^2$-smooth Surfaces of Constant Width." Tbilisi Math. J. 2 1 - 17, 2009. https://doi.org/10.32513/tbilisi/1528768838

Information

Received: 19 February 2008; Revised: 11 February 2009; Accepted: 17 March 2009; Published: 2009
First available in Project Euclid: 12 June 2018

zbMATH: 1206.53008
MathSciNet: MR2574869
Digital Object Identifier: 10.32513/tbilisi/1528768838

Subjects:
Primary: 53A05
Secondary: 52A38

Keywords: constant width , convex geometry , line congruence

Rights: Copyright © 2009 Tbilisi Centre for Mathematical Sciences

Vol.2 • 2009
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