Classification of the relative positions between a small ellipsoid and an elliptic paraboloid

Abstract We classify all the relative positions between an ellipsoid and an elliptic paraboloid when the ellipsoid is small in comparison with the paraboloid (small meaning that the two surfaces cannot be tangent at two points simultaneously when one is moved with respect to the other). This provides an easy way to detect contact between the two surfaces by a direct analysis of the coefficients of a fourth degree polynomial.