Focal surfaces of discrete geometry

The differential geometry of smooth three-dimensional surfaces can be interpreted from one of two perspectives: in terms of oriented frames located on the surface, or in terms of a pair of associated focal surfaces. These focal surfaces are swept by the loci of the principal curvatures' radii. In this article, we develop a focal-surface-based differential geometry interpretation for discrete mesh surfaces. Focal surfaces have many useful properties. For instance, the normal of each focal surface indicates a principal direction of the corresponding point on the original surface. We provide algorithms to robustly approximate the focal surfaces of a triangle mesh with known or estimated normals. Our approach locally parameterizes the surface normals about a point by their intersections with a pair of parallel planes. We show neighboring normal triplets are constrained to pass simultaneously through two slits, which are parallel to the specified parametrization planes and rule the focal surfaces. We develop both CPU and GPU-based algorithms to efficiently approximate these two slits and, hence, the focal meshes. Our focal mesh estimation also provides a novel discrete shape operator that simultaneously estimates the principal curvatures and principal directions.Engineering and Applied Science

Discrete asymptotic nets and W-congruences in Plucker line geometry

The asymptotic lattices and their transformations are studied within the line geometry approach. It is shown that the discrete asymptotic nets are represented by isotropic congruences in the Plucker quadric. On the basis of the Lelieuvre-type representation of asymptotic lattices and of the discrete analog of the Moutard transformation, it is constructed the discrete analog of the W-congruences, which provide the Darboux-Backlund type transformation of asymptotic lattices.The permutability theorems for the discrete Moutard transformation and for the corresponding transformation of asymptotic lattices are established as well. Moreover, it is proven that the discrete W-congruences are represented by quadrilateral lattices in the quadric of Plucker. These results generalize to a discrete level the classical line-geometric approach to asymptotic nets and W-congruences, and incorporate the theory of asymptotic lattices into more general theory of quadrilateral lattices and their reductions.Comment: 28 pages, 4 figures; expanded Introduction, new Section, added reference

On organizing principles of Discrete Differential Geometry. Geometry of spheres

Discrete differential geometry aims to develop discrete equivalents of the geometric notions and methods of classical differential geometry. In this survey we discuss the following two fundamental Discretization Principles: the transformation group principle (smooth geometric objects and their discretizations are invariant with respect to the same transformation group) and the consistency principle (discretizations of smooth parametrized geometries can be extended to multidimensional consistent nets). The main concrete geometric problem discussed in this survey is a discretization of curvature line parametrized surfaces in Lie geometry. We find a discretization of curvature line parametrization which unifies the circular and conical nets by systematically applying the Discretization Principles.Comment: 57 pages, 18 figures; In the second version the terminology is slightly changed and umbilic points are discusse

Geometric discretization of the Bianchi system

We introduce the dual Koenigs lattices, which are the integrable discrete analogues of conjugate nets with equal tangential invariants, and we find the corresponding reduction of the fundamental transformation. We also introduce the notion of discrete normal congruences. Finally, considering quadrilateral lattices "with equal tangential invariants" which allow for harmonic normal congruences we obtain, in complete analogy with the continuous case, the integrable discrete analogue of the Bianchi system together with its geometric meaning. To obtain this geometric meaning we also make use of the novel characterization of the circular lattice as a quadrilateral lattice whose coordinate lines intersect orthogonally in the mean.Comment: 26 pages, 7 postscript figure

Focal rigidity of hyperbolic surfaces

In this note, we consider the rigidity of the focal decomposition of closed hyperbolic surfaces. We show that, generically, the focal decomposition of a closed hyperbolic surface does not allow for non-trivial topological deformations, without changing the hyperbolic structure of the surface. By classical rigidity theory this is also true in dimension $n \geq 3$. Our current result extends a previous result that flat tori in dimension $n \geq 2$ that are focally equivalent are isometric modulo rescaling.Comment: Published in Annales Academiae Scientiarum Fennicae Mathematica, Volumen 37, 2012, 149-159, 11 page

Geometric discretization of the Koenigs nets

We introduce the Koenigs lattice, which is a new integrable reduction of the quadrilateral lattice (discrete conjugate net) and provides natural integrable discrete analogue of the Koenigs net. We construct the Darboux-type transformations of the Koenigs lattice and we show permutability of superpositions of such transformations, thus proving integrability of the Koenigs lattice. We also investigate the geometry of the discrete Koenigs transformation. In particular we characterize the Koenigs transformation in terms of an involution determined by a congruence conjugate to the lattice.Comment: 17 pages, 2 figures; some spelling and typing errors correcte

Integrable Systems and Discrete Geometry

This is an expository article for Elsevier's Encyclopedia of Mathematical Physics on the subject in the title. Comments/corrections welcome.Comment: 22 pages, 7 figure