On geometry of fronts in wave propagations
Volume 50 / 1999
Banach Center Publications 50 (1999), 287-304
DOI: 10.4064/-50-1-287-304
Abstract
We give a geometric descriptions of (wave) fronts in wave propagation processes. Concrete form of defining function of wave front issued from initial algebraic variety is obtained by the aid of Gauss-Manin systems associated with certain complete intersection singularities. In the case of propagations on the plane, we get restrictions on types of possible cusps that can appear on the wave front.