Past exam of the geometry of surfaces course of the University of Oxford / 2023 / 3 / b / Solution

Let $R_t$ be the horizontal rotation matrix through angle $t$. Define the screw motionIts linear part is an orthogonal matrix with determinant one, and its remaining part is a translation. Thus it is a proper Euclidean motion of Euclidean three-space, with ${\Phi }_s{\Phi }_t={\Phi }_{s+t}$.

In horizontal-vector notation the given parametric surface satisfies $\mathbf{r}(u,v)=(R_v(1+\cos u,\sin u),v)$. ThereforeThe defining circle in each horizontal plane is entirely parametrized by $u$, so $\mathbf{r}$ covers $X$. The displayed equality and ${\Phi }_{-t}={\Phi }_t^{-1}$ prove ${\Phi }_t(X)=X$. This one-parameter subgroup preserves the dot products and cross products defining $I$, $II$ and the chosen unit normal. Consequently their coordinate coefficients, and the Gaussian curvature, depend only on $u$.