Characterizations of Ruled Surfaces in ${\mathbb{R}}^3$ and of Hyperquadrics in ${\mathbb{R}}^{n+1}$ via Relative Geometric Invariants

Abstract

We consider hypersurfaces in the real Euclidean space ${\mathbb{R}}^{n+1}$ ($n\ge 2$) which are relatively normalized. We give necessary and sufficient conditions a) for a surface of negative Gaussian curvature in ${\mathbb{R}}^3$ to be ruled, b) for a hypersurface of positive Gaussian curvature in ${\mathbb{R}}^{n+1}$ to be a hyperquadric and c) for a relative normalization to be constantly proportional to the equiaffine normalization.

8 pages