Analysis of geodesics on different surfaces

Abstract

It is widely known that some surfaces contain special curves as a geodesics, while a lots of geodesics on surface have complicated shapes. Goal of this research is to find on what surfaces are u and v-parameter curves geodesics. Developable surfaces that contain a given plane curve as a geodesic are studied in the article, whereas the plane curve is also an initial u-parameter curve on that surface. Parametric equations of the minimal surfaces that contain an epicycloid as a geodesic are also given. Visualization of geodesics was done in Mathematica.

Keywords

• geodesics
• u and v-parameter curve
• developable surface
• minimal surface