This book surveys the differential geometry of varieties with degenerate Gauss maps, using moving frames and exterior differential forms as well as tensor methods. The authors illustrate the structure of varieties with degenerate Gauss maps, determine the singular points and singular varieties, find focal images and construct a classification of the varieties with degenerate Gauss maps.

Approach your problems from the right end It isn't that they can't see the solution. It is and begin with the answers. Then one day, that they can't see the problem. perhaps you will find the final question. G. K. Chesterton. The Scandal of Father 'The Hermit Clad in Crane Feathers' in R. Brown 'The point of a Pin'. van Gulik's The Chinese Maze Murders. Growing specialization and diversification have brought a host of monographs and textbooks on increasingly specialized topics. However, the "tree" of knowledge of mathematics and related fields does not grow only by putting forth new branches. It also happens, quite often in fact, that branches which were thought to be completely disparate are suddenly seen to be related. Further, the kind and level of sophistication of mathematics applied in various sciences has changed drastically in recent years: measure theory is used (non-trivially) in regional and theoretical economics; algebraic geometry interacts with physics; the Minkowsky lemma, coding theory and the structure of water meet one another in packing and covering theory; quantum fields, crystal defects and mathematical programming profit from homotopy theory; Lie algebras are relevant to filtering; and prediction and electrical engineering can use Stein spaces. And in addition to this there are such new emerging subdisciplines as "experimental mathematics," "CFD," "completely integrable systems," "chaos, synergetics and large-scale order," which are almost impossible to fit into the existing classification schemes. They draw upon widely different sections of mathematics.

In this book the authors study the differential geometry of varieties with degenerate Gauss maps. They use the main methods of differential geometry, namely, the methods of moving frames and exterior differential forms as well as tensor methods. By means of these methods, the authors discover the structure of varieties with degenerate Gauss maps, determine the singular points and singular varieties, find focal images and construct a classification of the varieties with degenerate Gauss maps. The authors introduce the above mentioned methods and apply them to a series of concrete problems arising in the theory of varieties with degenerate Gauss maps. What makes this book unique is the authors’ use of a systematic application of methods of projective differential geometry along with methods of the classical algebraic geometry for studying varieties with degenerate Gauss maps. This book is intended for researchers and graduate students interested in projective differential geometry and algebraic geometry and their applications. It can be used as a text for advanced undergraduate and graduate students. Each author has published over 100 papers and they have each written a number of books, including Conformal Differential Geometry and Its Generalizations (Wiley 1996), Projective Differential Geometry of Submanifolds (North-Holland 1993), and Introductory Linear Algebra (Prentice-Hall 1972), which were written by them jointly.

Approach your problems from the right end It isn't that they can't see the solution. It is and begin with the answers. Then one day, that they can't see the problem. perhaps you will find the final question. G. K. Chesterton. The Scandal of Father 'The Hermit Clad in Crane Feathers' in R. Brown 'The point of a Pin'. van Gulik's The Chinese Maze Murders. Growing specialization and diversification have brought a host of monographs and textbooks on increasingly specialized topics. However, the "tree" of knowledge of mathematics and related fields does not grow only by putting forth new branches. It also happens, quite often in fact, that branches which were thought to be completely disparate are suddenly seen to be related. Further, the kind and level of sophistication of mathematics applied in various sciences has changed drastically in recent years: measure theory is used (non-trivially) in regional and theoretical economics; algebraic geometry interacts with physics; the Minkowsky lemma, coding theory and the structure of water meet one another in packing and covering theory; quantum fields, crystal defects and mathematical programming profit from homotopy theory; Lie algebras are relevant to filtering; and prediction and electrical engineering can use Stein spaces. And in addition to this there are such new emerging subdisciplines as "experimental mathematics," "CFD," "completely integrable systems," "chaos, synergetics and large-scale order," which are almost impossible to fit into the existing classification schemes. They draw upon widely different sections of mathematics.

Elie Cartan's book Geometry of Riemannian Manifolds (1928) was one of the best introductions to his methods. It was based on lectures given by the author at the Sorbonne in the academic year 1925-26. A modernized and extensively augmented edition appeared in 1946 (2nd printing, 1951, and 3rd printing, 1988). Cartan's lectures in 1926-27 were different -- he introduced exterior forms at the very beginning and used extensively orthonormal frames throughout to investigate the geometry of Riemannian manifolds. In this course he solved a series of problems in Euclidean and non-Euclidean spaces, as well as a series of variational problems on geodesics. The lectures were translated into Russian in the book Riemannian Geometry in an Orthogonal Frame (1960). This book has many innovations, such as the notion of intrinsic normal differentiation and the Gaussian torsion of a submanifold in a Euclidean multidimensional space or in a space of constant curvature, an affine connection defined in a normal fiber bundle of a submanifold, etc. The only book of Elie Cartan that was not available in English, it has now been translated into English by Vladislav V Goldberg, the editor of the Russian edition.

Elie Cartan's book Geometry of Riemannian Manifolds (1928) was one of the best introductions to his methods. It was based on lectures given by the author at the Sorbonne in the academic year 1925-26. A modernized and extensively augmented edition appeared in 1946 (2nd printing, 1951, and 3rd printing, 1988). Cartan's lectures in 1926-27 were different -- he introduced exterior forms at the very beginning and used extensively orthonormal frames throughout to investigate the geometry of Riemannian manifolds. In this course he solved a series of problems in Euclidean and non-Euclidean spaces, as well as a series of variational problems on geodesics. The lectures were translated into Russian in the book Riemannian Geometry in an Orthogonal Frame (1960). This book has many innovations, such as the notion of intrinsic normal differentiation and the Gaussian torsion of a submanifold in a Euclidean multidimensional space or in a space of constant curvature, an affine connection defined in a normal fiber bundle of a submanifold, etc. The only book of Elie Cartan that was not available in English, it has now been translated into English by Vladislav V Goldberg, the editor of the Russian edition.

This textbook presents the foundations of tensor calculus and the elements of tensor analysis, in addition to considering numerous applications of tensors to geometry, mechanics and physics. While developing tensor calculus, the authors emphasize its relationship with linear algebra. Necessary notions and theorems of linear algebra are introduced and proved in connection with the construction of the apparatus of tensor calculus; prior knowledge is not assumed. For simplicity and to enable the reader to visualize concepts more clearly, all exposition is conducted in three-dimensional space. The principal feature of the book is that the authors use mainly orthogonal tensors, since such tensors are important in applications to physics and engineering. All notions introduced in the book, and also the obtained results, are illustrated with numerous examples discussed in the text. Each section of the book presents problems (a total over 300 problems are given). Examples and problems are intended to illustrate, reinforce textbook presents the foundations of tensor calculus and the elements of tensor analysis, in addition to considering numerous applications of tensors to geometry, mechanics and physics. While developing tensor calculus, the authors emphasize its relationship with linear algebra. Necessary notions and theorems of linear algebra are introduced and proved in connection with the construction of the apparatus of tensor calculus; prior knowledge is not assumed. For simplicity and to enable the reader to visualize concepts more clearly, all exposition is conducted in three-dimensional space. The principal feature of the book is that the authors use mainly orthogonal tensors, sincesuch tensors are important in applications to physics and engineering. All notions introduced in the book, and also the obtained results, are illustrated with numerous examples discussed in the text. Each section of the book presents problems (a total over 300 problems are given). Examples and problems are intended to illustrate, reinforce and deepen the presented material. There are answers to most of (he problems, as well as hints and solutions to selected problems at the end of the book.