2,267 research outputs found
Symmetry Detection of Rational Space Curves from their Curvature and Torsion
We present a novel, deterministic, and efficient method to detect whether a
given rational space curve is symmetric. By using well-known differential
invariants of space curves, namely the curvature and torsion, the method is
significantly faster, simpler, and more general than an earlier method
addressing a similar problem. To support this claim, we present an analysis of
the arithmetic complexity of the algorithm and timings from an implementation
in Sage.Comment: 25 page
Quantum Histories and Quantum Gravity
This paper reviews the histories approach to quantum mechanics. This
discussion is then applied to theories of quantum gravity. It is argued that
some of the quantum histories must approximate (in a suitable sense) to
classical histories, if the correct classical regime is to be recovered. This
observation has significance for the formulation of new theories (such as
quantum gravity theories) as it puts a constraint on the kinematics, if the
quantum/classical correspondence principle is to be preserved. Consequences for
quantum gravity, particularly for Lorentz symmetry and the idea of "emergent
geometry", are discussed.Comment: 35 pages (29 pages main body), two figure
Detecting Similarity of Rational Plane Curves
A novel and deterministic algorithm is presented to detect whether two given
rational plane curves are related by means of a similarity, which is a central
question in Pattern Recognition. As a by-product it finds all such
similarities, and the particular case of equal curves yields all symmetries. A
complete theoretical description of the method is provided, and the method has
been implemented and tested in the Sage system for curves of moderate degrees.Comment: 22 page
Observing the Symmetry of Attractors
We show how the symmetry of attractors of equivariant dynamical systems can
be observed by equivariant projections of the phase space. Equivariant
projections have long been used, but they can give misleading results if used
improperly and have been considered untrustworthy. We find conditions under
which an equivariant projection generically shows the correct symmetry of the
attractor.Comment: 28 page LaTeX document with 9 ps figures included. Supplementary
color figures available at http://odin.math.nau.edu/~jws
Involutions of polynomially parametrized surfaces
We provide an algorithm for detecting the involutions leaving a surface
defined by a polynomial parametrization invariant. As a consequence, the
symmetry axes, symmetry planes and symmetry center of the surface, if any, can
be determined directly from the parametrization, without computing or making
use of the implicit representation. The algorithm is based on the fact, proven
in the paper, that any involution of the surface comes from an involution of
the parameter space (the real plane, in our case); therefore, by determining
the latter, the former can be found. The algorithm has been implemented in the
computer algebra system Maple 17. Evidence of its efficiency for moderate
degrees, examples and a complexity analysis are also given
- …