A Proof Gauss Theorema Egregium

G. Santhanam

Let S be a regular surface in R3 . Let p be a point in S and (U, ϕ) be a local coordinate

system around the point p. That is there exists an open set V in R2 and a map ϕ : V → U
such that the map ϕ is a homeomorphism of V on to U and the derivative dϕ : R2 → R3 is
one-one. If we denote a point in U as ϕ(u, v), we let ϕu := dϕ(u,v) (e1 ) and ϕv := dϕ(u,v) (e2 )
in the coordinate neighbourhood U of p.
Let E := hϕu , ϕu i, F := hϕu , ϕv i and G := hϕv , ϕv i. In the coordinate system a unit
ϕu ×ϕv
normal to the surface is written as N := k ϕ u ×ϕv k
in U . In this coordinate neighbourhood U ,
the Gauss curvature of S is given by
hNu , ϕu i hNv , ϕv i − hNu , ϕv i2
.
EG − F 2
Using Leibnitz’ rule for differentiation, we write hNu , ϕu i = − hN, ϕuu i, hNu , ϕv i = − hN, ϕuv i
and hNv , ϕv i = − hN, ϕvv i. Hence the curvature of the surface S is written as
hϕ × ϕv , ϕuu i hϕ × ϕv , ϕvv i − hϕ × ϕv , ϕuv i2
K= .
(EG − F 2 )2
Let a, b and c be three vectors in R3 . If a × b denotes the cross product of the vectors a and
b, then ha × b, ci = det[a, b, c]. We use this to write
hϕ × ϕv , ϕuu i hϕ × ϕv , ϕvv i = det[ϕu , ϕv , ϕuu ] det[ϕu , ϕv , ϕvv ]t
 
hϕu , ϕu i hϕu , ϕv i hϕuu , ϕu i
= det  hϕu , ϕv i hϕv , ϕv i hϕv , ϕuu i 
hϕvv , ϕu i hϕvv , ϕv i hϕuu , ϕvv i
and
hϕ × ϕv , ϕuv i2 = det[ϕuv , ϕu , ϕv ]2
 
hϕu , ϕu i hϕu , ϕv i hϕu , ϕuv i
= det  hϕu , ϕv i hϕv , ϕv i hϕv , ϕuv i  .
hϕu , ϕuv i hϕv , ϕuv i hϕuv , ϕuv i
Let us now compute the entries in each of these matrices.
∂
hϕuu , ϕvv i = hϕu , ϕvv i − hϕu , ϕvvu i
∂u 
∂ ∂
= hϕu , ϕv i − hϕuv , ϕv i − hϕu , ϕvvu i
∂u ∂v
 
1 ∂
= Fuv − Guu − hϕu , ϕuv i − hϕuv , ϕuv i
2 ∂v
1 1
= Fuv − Guu − Evv + hϕuv , ϕuv i ,
2 2

1
 ∂
hϕuu , ϕv i = hϕu , ϕv i − hϕu , ϕuv i
∂u
1
= Fu − Ev ,
2
hϕuu , ϕu i = 12 Eu , hϕu , ϕvv i = Fv − 12 Gu and hϕv , ϕvv i = 12 Gv . Therefore
1
 
E F 2 Eu
hϕu × ϕv , ϕuu i hϕu × ϕv , ϕvv i = det  F G Fu − 12 Ev 
1 1 1 1 2
Fv − 2 Gu 2 Gv Fuv − 2 Evv − 2 Guu + kϕuv k
1
 
E F 2 Eu
= det  F G Fu − 12 Ev 
1 1 1 1
Fv − 2 Gu 2 Gv Fuv − 2 Evv − 2 Guu
 
E F 0
+ det  F G 0 
1 1
Fv − 2 Gu 2 Gv kϕuv k2
and
 
hϕuv , ϕuv i hϕuv , ϕu i hϕuv , ϕv i
hϕu × ϕv , ϕuv i2 = det  hϕu , ϕuv i hϕu , ϕu i hϕu , ϕv i 
hϕv , ϕuv i hϕu , ϕv i hϕv , ϕv i
1
 
E F 2 Ev
1
det  F G 2 Gu

1 1 2
2 Ev 2 Gu kϕuv k
1
 
E F 2 Ev
1
= det  F G 2 Gu

1 1
2 Ev 2 Gu 0
 
E F 0
+ det  F G 0 .
1 1 2
2 Ev 2 Gu kϕuv k

We substitute all these expressions in the formula

2
K EG − F 2 = hϕu × ϕv , ϕuu i hϕu × ϕv , ϕvv i − hϕu × ϕv , ϕuv i2

to get
1
 

2 E F 2 Eu
K EG − F 2 = det  F G Fu − 21 Ev  (1)
1 1 1 1
Fv − 2 Gu 2 Gv Fuv − 2 Evv − 2 Guu
1
 
E F 2 Ev
1
− det  F G 2 Gu

1 1
2 Ev 2 Gu 0
Summarizing the discussion above, we have proved the following theorem.
Theorem 1 (Theorema Egregium). Let S be a regular surface in R3 . Then in a coordinate
neighbourhood (U, ϕ) of S, the Gauss curvature od S is given by Equation 1.