Some remarks on robust features of surfaces in 4-space

Abstract

We study robust features of smooth surfaces in 4-space associated with contact with lines and hyperplanes. We investigate the local and multi-local singularities of orthogonal projections and height functions that describe these contacts and their corresponding geometric loci on the surface. At an $A_4$-singularity of a height function, we show that the $A_3$-curve and the $A_1{A}_2$-curve are generically tangent with contact of order $2$. We further establish criteria for the versality of the families of height functions and orthogonal projections in terms of the regularity of the $B_2$-curve and $S_2$-curve, respectively. Finally, we obtain the $[A_2]$- and $(A_0{S}_0{)}_2$-curves arising from multi-local singularities of orthogonal projections and describe their tangency properties at the $B_3$- and $H_3$-singularities.

arXiv comment24 pages