Complex potential equations I. A technique for solution

This work amalgamates and solves certain problems arising in differential equation theory and in classical differential geometry. It describes a novel technique for solving systems of non-linear partial differential equations of the form where f(γ) and g(γ) are arbitrarily assigned functions. The circumstances are determined under which compatible solutions exist, not only when γ is real, but also when γ is complex, and all of the corresponding solutions are found. This is done by using a geometric technique that incorporates the equipotential surfaces of constant γ. In general, these surfaces are imaginary, and a fairly extensive treatment of such surfaces in (complexified) 3-dimensional Euclidean space is included. A close association is discovered between the set of equipotential surfaces and the class of surfaces of constant radii of principal normal curvature.