Curvature weighted metrics on shape space of hypersurfaces in nn-space

Let $M$ be a compact connected oriented $n-1$ dimensional manifold without boundary. In this work, shape space is the orbifold of unparametrized immersions from $M$ to $\mathbb R^n$. The results of \cite{Michor118}, where mean curvature weighted metrics were studied, suggest incorporating Gau{\ss} curvature weights in the definition of the metric. This leads us to study metrics on shape space that are induced by metrics on the space of immersions of the form G_f(h,k) = \int_{M} \Phi . \bar g(h, k) \vol(f^*\bar{g}). Here f \in \Imm(M,\R^n) is an immersion of $M$ into $\R^n$ and $h,k\in C^\infty(M,\mathbb R^n)$ are tangent vectors at $f$. $\bar g$ is the standard metric on $\mathbb R^n$, $f^*\bar g$ is the induced metric on $M$, \vol(f^*\bar g) is the induced volume density and $\Phi$ is a suitable smooth function depending on the mean curvature and Gau{\ss} curvature. For these metrics we compute the geodesic equations both on the space of immersions and on shape space and the conserved momenta arising from the obvious symmetries. Numerical experiments illustrate the behavior of these metrics.Comment: 12 pages 3 figure

Basic differential forms for actions of Lie groups

A section of a Riemannian $G$-manifold $M$ is a closed submanifold $\Sigma$ which meets each orbit orthogonally. It is shown that the algebra of $G$-invariant differential forms on $M$ which are horizontal in the sense that they kill every vector which is tangent to some orbit, is isomorphic to the algebra of those differential forms on $\Sigma$ which are invariant with respect to the generalized Weyl group of this orbit, under some condition.Comment: 10 pages, ESI Preprint 87, AmSTe

An overview of the Riemannian metrics on spaces of curves using the Hamiltonian approach

Here shape space is either the manifold of simple closed smooth unparameterized curves in $\mathbb R^2$ or is the orbifold of immersions from $S^1$ to $\mathbb R^2$ modulo the group of diffeomorphisms of $S^1$. We investige several Riemannian metrics on shape space: $L^2$-metrics weighted by expressions in length and curvature. These include a scale invariant metric and a Wasserstein type metric which is sandwiched between two length-weighted metrics. Sobolev metrics of order $n$ on curves are described. Here the horizontal projection of a tangent field is given by a pseudo-differential operator. Finally the metric induced from the Sobolev metric on the group of diffeomorphisms on $\mathbb R^2$is treated. Although the quotient metrics are all given by pseudo-differential operators, their inverses are given by convolution with smooth kernels. We are able to prove local existence and uniqueness of solution to the geodesic equation for both kinds of Sobolev metrics. We are interested in all conserved quantities, so the paper starts with the Hamiltonian setting and computes conserved momenta and geodesics in general on the space of immersions. For each metric we compute the geodesic equation on shape space. In the end we sketch in some examples the differences between these metrics.Comment: 46 pages, some misprints correcte

The homotopy type of the space of degree 0 immersed plane curves

The space of all immersed closed curves of rotation degree 0 in the plane modulo reparametrizations has the same homotopy groups as the circle times the 2-sphere.Comment: 7 page