Surface gradient (${\nabla }_{s}f$)

For an embedded surface with unit normal vector $\mathbf{n}$, the surface gradient is ${\nabla }_{s}f=(\mathbf{I}-\mathbf{n}{\mathbf{n}}^T)\nabla f$. It projects the ambient gradient onto the tangent space and is independent of how $f$ is extended normally off the surface.