Visualization of 2-D and 3-D Tensor Fields

In previous work we have developed a novel approach to visualizing second order symmetric 2-D tensor fields based on degenerate point analysis. At degenerate points the eigenvalues are either zero or equal to each other, and the hyper-streamlines about these points give rise to tri-sector or wedge points. These singularities and their connecting hyper-streamlines determine the topology of the tensor field. In this study we are developing new methods for analyzing and displaying 3-D tensor fields. This problem is considerably more difficult than the 2-D one, as the richness of the data set is much larger. Here we report on our progress and a novel method to find , analyze and display 3-D degenerate points. First we discuss the theory, then an application involving a 3-D tensor field, the Boussinesq problem with two forces

Visualization of 2-D and 3-D Tensor Fields

In previous work we have developed a novel approach to visualizing second order symmetric 2-D tensor fields based on degenerate point analysis. At degenerate points the eigenvalues are either zero or equal to each other, and the hyperstreamlines about these points give rise to trisector or wedge points. These singularities and their connecting hyperstreamlines determine the topology of the tensor field. In this study we are developing new methods for analyzing and displaying 3-D tensor fields. This problem is considerably more difficult than the 2-D one, as the richness of the data set is much larger. Here we report on our progress and a novel method to find, analyze and display 3-D degenerate points. First we discuss the theory, then an application involving a 3-D tensor field, the Boussinesq problem with two forces

Atomic Bifurcations of Degenerate Curves in 3D Linear Symmetric Tensor Fields

Tensor field topology is of importance to research areas of medicine, science, and engineering. Degenerate curves are one of the crucial topological features that provide valuable insights for tensor field visualization. In this thesis, we study the atomic bifurcations of degenerate curves in 3D linear second-order symmetric tensor fields, and present the findings of sub-scenarios generated by changing the number of degenerate curves, by reconnecting degenerate curves, and by varying the number of transition points on different degenerate curves in such fields

A spectral solver for evolution problems with spatial S3-topology

We introduce a single patch collocation method in order to compute solutions of initial value problems of partial differential equations whose spatial domains are 3-spheres. Besides the main ideas, we discuss issues related to our implementation and analyze numerical test applications. Our main interest lies in cosmological solutions of Einstein's field equations. Motivated by this, we also elaborate on problems of our approach for general tensorial evolution equations when certain symmetries are assumed. We restrict to U(1)- and Gowdy symmetry here.Comment: 29 pages, 11 figures, uses psfrag and hyperref, large parts rewritten in order to match to the requirements of the journal, conclusions unchanged; J. Comput. Phys. (2009

Genericity of nondegenerate geodesics with general boundary conditions

Let M be a possibly noncompact manifold. We prove, generically in the C^k-topology (k=2,...,\infty), that semi-Riemannian metrics of a given index on M do not possess any degenerate geodesics satisfying suitable boundary conditions. This extends a result of Biliotti, Javaloyes and Piccione for geodesics with fixed endpoints to the case where endpoints lie on a compact submanifold P of the product MxM that satisfies an admissibility condition. Such condition holds, for example, when P is transversal to the diagonal of MxM. Further aspects of these boundary conditions are discussed and general conditions under which metrics without degenerate geodesics are C^k-generic are given.Comment: LaTeX2e, 21 pages, no figure

Approximation of tensor fields on surfaces of arbitrary topology based on local Monge parametrizations

We introduce a new method, the Local Monge Parametrizations (LMP) method, to approximate tensor fields on general surfaces given by a collection of local parametrizations, e.g.~as in finite element or NURBS surface representations. Our goal is to use this method to solve numerically tensor-valued partial differential equations (PDE) on surfaces. Previous methods use scalar potentials to numerically describe vector fields on surfaces, at the expense of requiring higher-order derivatives of the approximated fields and limited to simply connected surfaces, or represent tangential tensor fields as tensor fields in 3D subjected to constraints, thus increasing the essential number of degrees of freedom. In contrast, the LMP method uses an optimal number of degrees of freedom to represent a tensor, is general with regards to the topology of the surface, and does not increase the order of the PDEs governing the tensor fields. The main idea is to construct maps between the element parametrizations and a local Monge parametrization around each node. We test the LMP method by approximating in a least-squares sense different vector and tensor fields on simply connected and genus-1 surfaces. Furthermore, we apply the LMP method to two physical models on surfaces, involving a tension-driven flow (vector-valued PDE) and nematic ordering (tensor-valued PDE). The LMP method thus solves the long-standing problem of the interpolation of tensors on general surfaces with an optimal number of degrees of freedom.Comment: 16 pages, 6 figure