Local Shape of Generalized Offsets to Algebraic Curves

Abstract

In this paper we study the local behavior of an algebraic curve under a geometric construction which is a variation of the usual offsetting construction, namely the {\it generalized} offsetting process (\cite {SS99}). More precisely, here we discuss when and how this geometric construction may cause local changes in the shape of an algebraic curve, and we compare our results with those obtained for the case of classical offsets (\cite{JGS07}). For these purposes, we use well-known notions of Differential Geometry, and also the notion of {\it local shape} introduced in \cite{JGS07}.