Geometry of lightlike locus on mixed type surfaces in Lorentz-Minkowski 3-space from a contact viewpoint

Abstract

A surface in the Lorentz-Minkowski 3-space is generally a mixed type surface, namely, it has the lightlike locus. We study local differential geometric properties of such a locus on a mixed type surface. We define a frame field along a lightlike locus, and using it, we define two lightlike ruled surfaces along a lightlike locus which can be regarded as lightlike approximations of the surface along the lightlike locus. We study a relationship of singularities of these lightlike surfaces and differential geometric properties of the lightlike locus. We also consider the intersection curve of two lightlike approximations, which gives a model curve of the lightlike locus.