In differential geometry, the term 'Cartan' refers to Élie Cartan, a French mathematician whose contributions greatly influenced the study of differential geometry, particularly in the context of the cut locus and conjugate points. His work introduced important concepts such as the notion of parallel transport and the study of geodesics, which are essential for understanding how points relate on a manifold. The insights from Cartan’s theories help in analyzing the geometric properties of surfaces and the behavior of curves within them.
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