Local equivalence of some maximally symmetric rolling distributions and SU(2) Pfaffian systems

2017/05/23 by Randall, Matthew · 1 citation
#53C18 #58A15 (primary) #Differential Geometry (math.DG) #FOS: Mathematics

paper · doi:10.48550/arxiv.1705.08172

Abstract

We give a description of Nurowski's conformal structure for some examples of bracket-generating rank 2 distributions in dimension 5, aka (2,3,5)-distributions, namely the An-Nurowski circle twistor distribution for pairs of surfaces of constant Gauss curvature rolling without slipping or twisting over each other. In the case of hyperboloid surfaces whose curvature ratios give maximally symmetric (2,3,5)-distributions, we find the change of coordinates that map the conformal structure to the flat metric of Engel. We also consider a rank 3 Pfaffian system in dimension 5 with SU(2) symmetry obtained by rotating two of the 1-forms in the Pfaffian system of the spheres rolling distribution, and discuss complexifications of such distributions.

Cited by

• Geometric aspects of rank-3 vector bundles over surfaces and 2-plane distributions on 5-manifolds

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