Discretization of the 3D Monge-Ampere operator, between Wide Stencils and Power Diagrams

We introduce a monotone (degenerate elliptic) discretization of the Monge-Ampere operator, on domains discretized on cartesian grids. The scheme is consistent provided the solution hessian condition number is uniformly bounded. Our approach enjoys the simplicity of the Wide Stencil method, but significantly improves its accuracy using ideas from discretizations of optimal transport based on power diagrams. We establish the global convergence of a damped Newton solver for the discrete system of equations. Numerical experiments, in three dimensions, illustrate the scheme efficiency

Alpha, Betti and the Megaparsec Universe: on the Topology of the Cosmic Web

We study the topology of the Megaparsec Cosmic Web in terms of the scale-dependent Betti numbers, which formalize the topological information content of the cosmic mass distribution. While the Betti numbers do not fully quantify topology, they extend the information beyond conventional cosmological studies of topology in terms of genus and Euler characteristic. The richer information content of Betti numbers goes along the availability of fast algorithms to compute them. For continuous density fields, we determine the scale-dependence of Betti numbers by invoking the cosmologically familiar filtration of sublevel or superlevel sets defined by density thresholds. For the discrete galaxy distribution, however, the analysis is based on the alpha shapes of the particles. These simplicial complexes constitute an ordered sequence of nested subsets of the Delaunay tessellation, a filtration defined by the scale parameter, $\alpha$. As they are homotopy equivalent to the sublevel sets of the distance field, they are an excellent tool for assessing the topological structure of a discrete point distribution. In order to develop an intuitive understanding for the behavior of Betti numbers as a function of $\alpha$, and their relation to the morphological patterns in the Cosmic Web, we first study them within the context of simple heuristic Voronoi clustering models. Subsequently, we address the topology of structures emerging in the standard LCDM scenario and in cosmological scenarios with alternative dark energy content. The evolution and scale-dependence of the Betti numbers is shown to reflect the hierarchical evolution of the Cosmic Web and yields a promising measure of cosmological parameters. We also discuss the expected Betti numbers as a function of the density threshold for superlevel sets of a Gaussian random field.Comment: 42 pages, 14 figure

Continuum percolation for Cox point processes

We investigate continuum percolation for Cox point processes, that is, Poisson point processes driven by random intensity measures. First, we derive sufficient conditions for the existence of non-trivial sub- and super-critical percolation regimes based on the notion of stabilization. Second, we give asymptotic expressions for the percolation probability in large-radius, high-density and coupled regimes. In some regimes, we find universality, whereas in others, a sensitive dependence on the underlying random intensity measure survives.Comment: 21 pages, 5 figure