Curves orthogonal to a vector field in Euclidean spaces

Abstract

A curve is rectifying if it lies on a moving hyperplane orthogonal to its curvature vector. In this work, we extend the main result of [B.-Y. Chen, Tamkang J. Math. \textbf{48} (2017) 209--214] to any space dimension: we prove that rectifying curves are geodesics on the hypersurface of higher dimensional cones. We later use this association to characterize rectifying curves that are also slant helices in three-dimensional space as geodesics of circular cones. In addition, we consider curves that lie on a moving hyperplane normal to (i) one of the normal vector fields of the Frenet frame and to (ii) a rotation minimizing vector field along the curve. The former class is characterized in terms of the constancy of a certain vector field normal to the curve, while the latter contains spherical and plane curves. Finally, we establish a formal mapping between rectifying and spherical curves in any dimension.Comment: 12 pages; keywords: Rectifying curve, geodesic, cone, spherical curve, plane curve, slant heli