Recognition of singularities of rectifying worldsheets generated by framed worldlines

Abstract

In this paper, we consider the local topological structures of a class of new worldsheets, call it the rectifying worldsheets, which are generated by a class of singular worldlines. Using the classification approaches of the finite type on the tangent developables and defining the extended striction curve, this paper gives the detailed classification of the rectifying worldsheets of singular worldlines. It is demonstrated that the rectifying worldsheets of singular worldlines will appear not only in cuspidal edge and swallowtail, but cuspidal beaks under suitable conditions. Especially the singularities of rectifying worldsheets of singular worldlines are associated with curvature functions such that the singularities can be characterized by these functions. Two examples are provided to put the theoretical results into the practice of computation and classification.