On the differential geometry of smooth ruled surfaces in 4‐space

Abstract A smooth ruled surface in 4‐space has only parabolic points or inflection points of the real type. We show, by means of contact with transverse planes, that at a parabolic point, there exist two tangent directions determining two planes along which the parallel projection exhibits ‐singularities of type butterfly or worse. In particular, such parabolic points can be classified as butterfly hyperbolic, parabolic, or elliptic points depending on the value of the discriminant of a binary differential equation (BDE). Also, whenever such discriminant is positive, we ensure that the integral curves of these directions form a pair of foliations on the ruled surface. Moreover, the set of points that nullify the discriminant is a regular curve transverse to the regular curve formed by inflection points of the real type. Finally, using a particular projective transformation, we obtain a simple parametrization of the ruled surface such that the moduli of its 5‐jet identify a butterfly hyperbolic/parabolic/elliptic point, as well as we get the stable configurations of the solutions of BDE in the discriminant curve.