ON HELİCES AND BERTRAND CURVES IN EUCLİDEAN 3-SPACE

Murat Babaarslan
Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Science and Arts
Bozok University, Yozgat, Turkey
murat.babaarslan@bozok.edu.tr

Yusuf Yaylı
Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Science
Ankara University, Tandoğan, Ankara, Turkey
yayli@science.ankara.edu.tr

Abstract- In this article, we investigate Bertrand curves corresponding to spherical

images of the tangent indicatrix, binormal indicatrix, principal normal indicatrix and
Darboux indicatrix of a space curve in Euclidean 3-space. As a result, in case of a space
curve is general helix, we show that curve corresponding to spherical images of its
tangent indicatrix and binormal indicatrix are circular helices and Bertrand curves.
Similarly, in case of a space curve is slant helix, we demonstrate that the curve
corresponding to spherical image of its principal normal indicatrix is circular helix and
Bertrand curve.

Key Words- Helix, Bertrand curve, Spherical Images

1. INTRODUCTION

In the differential geometry of a regular curve in Euclidean 3-space E 3 , it is well

known that, one of the important problems is characterization of a regular curve. The
curvature  and the torsion  of a regular curve play an important role to determine the
shape and size of the curve 1, 2 . Natural scientists have long held a fascination,
sometimes bordering on mystical obsession for helical structures in nature. Helices arise
in nanosprings, carbon nonotubes,   helices, DNA double and collagen triple helix,
the double helix shape is commonly associated with DNA, since the double helix is
structure of DNA  3 . This fact was published for the first time by Watson and Crick in
1953  4 . They constructed a molecular model of DNA in which there were two
complementary, antiparallel (side-by-side in opposite directions) strands of the bases
guanine, adenine, thymine and cytosine, covalently linked through phosphodiesterase
bonds  5, 6 .
Helix is one of the most fascinating curve in science and nature. Also we can see
the helix curve or helical structures in fractal geometry, for instance hyperhelices  7  .
From the view of differential geometry, a helix is a geometric curve with non-vanishing
constant curvature  and with non-vanishing constant torsion  8 . The helix may be
called a circular helix or W-curve  9,10 . Circular helix is the simplest three-
dimensional spirals. One of the most interesting spiral examples are k -Fibonacci

1
spirals. These curves appear naturally from studying the k -Fibonacci numbers Fk ,n n0


and the related hyperbolic k -Fibonacci function. Fibonacci numbers and the related
Golden Mean or Golden section appear very often is theoretical physics and physics of
the high energy particles 11,12 . Three-dimensional k  Fibonacci spirals were studied
from a geometric point of view in 13 . A classical result about helix stated by Lancret
in 1802 and first proved by Saint Venant in 1845 (see 14 for details). Thereafter
Bertrand curves discovered by J. Bertrand in 1850 are one of the important and
interesting topic of classical special curve theory. A Bertrand curve is defined as a
special curve which shares its principal normals with another special curve (called
Bertrand mate). Note that Bertrand mates are particular examples of offset curves used
in computer-aided design 15 .
The relationships among the curves are very important in differential geometry
and mathematical physics. For example, Izumiya and Takeuchi 16 have shown that
cylindrical helices can be constructed from plane curves and Bertrand curves can be
constructed from spherical curves. Kula and Yaylı 17  have studied spherical images
of tangent indicatrix and binormal indicatrix of a slant helix and they have shown that
spherical images are spherical helix. Yalınız and Hacısalihoğlu 18 find the relation of
between Frenet frame, slope axis and the curvature  , torsion  of null generalized
helix in 4 -dimensional Lorentzian space. Camcı, İlarslan, Kula and Hacısalihoğlu  3
have given some characterizations for a non-degenerate curve  to be a generalized
helix by using harmonic curvatures of the curve in n -dimensional Euclidean space E n .
The aim of this paper is to investigate Bertrand curves corresponding to
spherical images of the tangent indicatrix, binormal indicatrix, principal normal
indicatrix and Darboux indicatrix of a space curve in Euclidean 3-space. In case of a
space curve is general helix, we show that curve corresponding to spherical images of
its tangent indicatrix and binormal indicatrix are circular helices and Bertrand curves.
Similarly, in case of a space curve is slant helix, we demonstrate that the curve
corresponding to spherical image of its principal normal indicatrix is circular helix and
Bertrand curve.

2. PRELIMINARIES

We now recall basic concept on classical differential geometry of space curves

and the definitions of spherical images, general helix, circular helix, slant helix and
Bertrand curve in Euclidean 3-space. After that, we describe the method to construct
Bertrand curves from spherical curves. A curve  : I  R 3 with unit speed, is a general
helix if there is some constant vector u, so that T  u  cos is constant along the curve,
where T ( s)  ~( s) and we call T (s ) a unit tangent vector of ~ at s. We define the
curvature of ~ by  ( s )  ~( s ) . If  ( s)  0 , then the unit principal normal vector
N (s) of curve ~ at s is given by ~(s )   ( s) N (s) .

2
The unit vector B( s)  T ( s)  N ( s) is called the unit binormal vector of ~ at s. For the
derivations of the Frenet frame the Frenet-Serret formulae hold:
T ( s )   ( s ) N ( s )
N ( s )   (s )T (s )   (s ) B( s ) (1)
B( s )   ( s ) N (s )
where  (s) is the torsion of the curve ~ at s. For any unit speed curve ~ : I  R 3 , we
call W ( s)   ( s)T (s)   ( s) B( s) the Darboux vector field of ~ . Spherical
images(indicatrix) are well-known in classical differential geometry of curves. Let us
W ( s)
define the curve C on S 2 by the help of vector field C ( s )  . This curve is
W ( s)
called the spherical Darboux image or the Darboux indicatrix of ~ . Similarly, the unit
tangent vectors along the curve ~ generate a curve (T ) on S 2 . The curve (T ) is called
the spherical indicatrix of T or more commonly. (T ) is called tangent indicatrix of the
curve ~ . If ~  ~ ( s) is a natural representation of ~ , then (T )  T ( s) will be a
representation of (T ). One considers the principal normal indicatrix ( N )  N (s ) and
binormal indicatrix ( B)  B( s) 14 .
For a general parameter t of a space curve ~ , we can calculate the curvature and
torsion as follows:
~ (t )  ~(t ) det(~ (t ), ~(t ), ~ (3) (t ))
 (t )  ~ ,  (t )  (2)
( (t )  ~ (t ))3 / 2 ~ (t )  ~(t )
2

 
It has been known that the curve ~ is a general helix if and only if  (s )  const. If
 
both of  ( s)  0 and  (s) are constant, we call it as a circular helix. A curve ~ with
 ( s)  0 is called a slant helix if the principal normal line of ~ make a constant angle
with a fixed direction. ~ is a slant helix if and only if the geodesic curvature of the
spherical image of the principal normal indicatrix (N ) of ~

 
 2    
 (s)  (s ) (3)
 ( 2   2 )3 / 2    
 
is a constant function  20. On the other hand,  : I  R 3 with  ( s)  0 is called a
Bertrand curve if there exists a curve  : I  R 3 such that the principal normal lines of
 : I  R 3 and  at s  I are equal. In this case  is called a Bertrand mate of ~ . For
a space curve ~ (s) with  (s )  0, the curve ~ is a Bertrand curve if and only if there
exist nonzero real numbers A, B such that A (s)  B ( s)  1 for any s  I 1, 19 . So
a circular helix is a Bertrand curve.

3
Now we give a new frame different from Frenet frame. Let  : I  S 2 be unit speed
spherical curve. We denote  as the arc-lenght parameter of  . Let us denote
d
t ( )   ( ), and we call t ( ) a unit tangent vector of  at  , where   .
d
We now set a vector s( )   ( )  t ( ) . By definition, we have an orthonormal frame
 ( ), t ( ), s( )
along  . This frame is called the Sabban frame of   21. Then we
have the following spherical Frenet-Serret formulae of  :
 ( )  t ( )
t( )   ( )   g ( ) s ( ) (4)
s( )   g ( )t ( )
where  g ( ) is the geodesic curvature of the curve  in S 2 which is given by
 g ( )  det( ( ), t ( ), t( )). We now define a space curve
 
~ ( )  a   ( )d  a cot   s( )d  c (5)
0 0

where a,  are constant numbers and c is a constant vector 16 .

The following theorem and its result are key in this article.

Theorem 1. Under the above notation, ~ is a Bertrand curve. Moreover, all Bertrand
curves can be constructed by the above method 16 .
Corollary 1. The spherical curve  is a circle if and only if the corresponding Bertrand
curves are circular helices 16 .

3. HELİCES AND BERTRAND CURVES IN EUCLİDEAN 3-SPACE

In this section, we investigate Bertrand curves corresponding to spherical images

of the tangent indicatrix, binormal indicatrix, normal indicatrix and Darboux indicatrix
of a space curve in Euclidean 3-space and give some results about helices and Bertrand
curves. Moreover an example spherical image of tangent indicatrix of space curve and
Bertrand curve is presented.

Theorem 2. Let  be a space curve parametrized by s arc-length parameter. Then

 
~ ( )  a  T ( )d  a cot   B( )d  c (6)
0 0

is a Bertrand curve, where a,  are constant numbers, c is a constant vector and

s
   T (s ) ds .
0
Proof. We denote spherical image of tangent indicatrix of  space curve by (T ). Then
by Theorem 1, Bertrand curve corresponding to (T ) is
 
~ ( )  a T ( )d  a cot  T ( )  T ( )d  c .
 
0 0

Applying the Frenet frame and the Frenet-Serret formulae, we obtain

4
  
~ ( )  a  T ( )d  a cot   B( )d  c .
0 0

This completes the proof.

Then we have the following corollary of Theorem 2.

Corollary 2. Let  be a general helix parametrized by s arc-length parameter. Then

 
~ ( )  a  T ( )d  a cot   B( )d  c (7)
0 0

is a circular helix and a Bertrand curve.

Proof. Because of Theorem 2, Bertrand curve corresponding to spherical image of
tangent indicatrix (T ) of  space curve is
 
~ ( )  a T ( )d  a cot  B( )d  c .
 
0 0

It is not difficult to show that  be a general helix if and only if the spherical image of
the tangent (T ) : I  S 2 is a part of a circle in S 2 . Thus by Corollary 1, ~ is a circular
helix.

Theorem 3. Let  be a space curve parametrized by s arc-length parameter. Then

 
~ ( )  a  B( )d  a cot   T ( )d  c (8)
0 0

is a Bertrand curve, where a,  are constant numbers, c is a constant vector and

s
   B( s ) ds .
0
Proof. We denote spherical image of binormal indicatrix of  space curve by (B).
Hence by Theorem 1, Bertrand curve corresponding to (B) is
 
~ ( )  a B( )d  a cot  B( )  B( )d  c .
 
0 0

And using the Frenet frame and the Frenet-Serret formulae, we have
 
~ ( )  a B( )d  a cot  T ( )d  c .
 
0 0

The proof is completed.

Thus we can give the following corollary of Theorem 3.

Corollary 3. Let  be a general helix parametrized by s arc-length parameter. Then

 
~ ( )  a  B( )d  a cot   T ( )d  c (9)
0 0

is a circular helix and a Bertrand curve.

Proof. Because of Theorem 3, Bertrand curve corresponding to spherical image of
tangent indicatrix ( B) of  space curve is
 
~ ( )  a B( )d  a cot  T ( )d  c .
 
0 0

We can show that  be a general helix if and only if the spherical image of the
binormal ( B) : I  S 2 is a part of a circle in S 2 . Then by Corollary 1, ~ is a circular
helix.

5
Theorem 4. Let  be a space curve parametrized by s arc-length parameter. Then
 
~ ( )  a  N ( )d  a cot   C ( )d  c (10)
0 0

is a Bertrand curve, where a,  are constant numbers, c is a constant vector and

s
   N ( s ) ds .
0
Proof. We denote spherical image of principal normal indicatrix of  space curve by
(N ). Then by Theorem 1, Bertrand curve corresponding to (N ) is
 
~ ( )  a N ( )d  a cot  N ( )  N ( )d  c .
 
0 0

Because of N ( )  N ( )  C ( ), we get

 
~ ( )  a  N ( )d  a cot   C ( )d  c .
0 0

This completes the proof.

We can give the following results.

Corollary 4. Let  be a slant helix parametrized by s arc-length parameter. Then

 
~ ( )  a  N ( )d  a cot   C ( )d  c (11)
0 0

is a circular helix and a Bertrand curve.

Proof. Because of Theorem 4, Bertrand curve corresponding to spherical image of
tangent indicatrix ( N ) of  space curve is
 
~ ( )  a N ( )d  a cot  C ( )d  c .
 
0 0

We can show that  be a slant helix if and only if the spherical image of the principal
normal ( N ) : I  S 2 is a part of a circle in S 2 . Then by Corollary 1, ~ is a circular
helix.
Considering the above theorem, we also give:

Corollary 5. Let  be a general helix parametrized by s arc-length parameter. Then


~ ( )  a  N ( )d  a cot C ( )  c (12)
0

is a Bertrand curve.
Proof. By Theorem 4,
 
 ( )  a  N ( )d  a cot   C ( )  c
0 0

is a Bertrand curve.
Since  is a general helix, we can easily show that the Darboux indicatrix C is
constant. Thus we immediately have

~ ( )  a N ( )d  a cot C ( )  c .
 0

This completes the proof.

6
Theorem 5. Let  be a space curve parametrized by s arc-length parameter. Then
 
~ ( )  a  C ( )d  a cot   N ( )d  c (13)
0 0

is a Bertrand curve, where a,  are constant numbers,    1, c is a constant vector

s
and    C (s ) ds .
0
Proof. We denote the Darboux indicatrix of  space curve by (C ). Then by Theorem
1, Bertrand curve corresponding to (C ) is
 
 ( )  a  C ( )d   a cot   C ( )  C ( )d  c .
0 0

T  B  T   B
Since C  and taking the derivative, we have C   
2 2
   2  2
so we can easily obtain that
C  C   N
using the above equations, we can form
 
~ ( )  a  C ( )d  a cot   N ( )d  c .
0 0

This completes the proof.

Now we will give an example of the spherical image of the tangent inticatrix of
space curve and Bertrand curve and draw their pictures by using Mathematica.
2
Example 1. We consider a space curve  ( s )  ( cos s , sin2 s , 41 sin 2s  2s ) . The spherical
image of the tangent inticatrix of space curve  is
 ( s )  (T )  (sin s, sin s cos s, cos2 s ).
Then by Theorem 2, we have the following Bertrand curve (a  1 and cot   1) :

    
 1  1 s d 1 s 1 s d  
  cos s    0   4  1  sin 2  d  3 ,
 1
2  2 1  sin 2  2  0 2 0 1
 1  sin 2    
  2  2  
 
  2 sin s  1 3  cos(2 s ) sin s 
 ( s)   2arctan   cos(2s )  , .
 3  cos(2 s )  4 2 2
   
 s cos s 3  cos(2 s ) 3 1 
 
2 2 2 2

 log 2 cos s  3  cos(2s)  sin s  4


 
 
 

We can draw pictures of  ,  and ~ , respectively (Fig. 1, Fig. 2 and Fig. 3).

7
 Figure 1:  space curve

Figure 2:  spherical image of the tangent indicatrix of space curve 

Figure 3: ~ Bertrand curve corresponding to spherical image of the tangent indicatrix

of space curve 

8
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