geodesic curvature


geodesic curvature

[¦jē·ə¦des·ik ′kərv·ə·chər] (mathematics) For a point on a curve lying on a surface, the curvature of the orthogonal projection of the curve onto the tangent plane to the surface at the point; it measures the departure of the curve from a geodesic. Also known as tangential curvature.