Differential invariants of surfaces

The algebra of differential invariants of a suitably generic surface S subset of R-3, under either the usual Euclidean or equi-affine group actions, is shown to be generated, through invariant differentiation, by a single differential invariant. For Euclidean surfaces, the generating invariant is the mean Curvature, and. as a consequence, the Gauss curvature can be expressed as an explicit rational function of the invariant derivatives, with respect to the Frenet frame, of the mean curvature. For equi-affine surfaces, the generating invariant is the third order Pick invariant. The proofs are based on the new, equivariant approach to the method of moving frames. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.