arXiv research

Computes fundamental groups of restricted configuration spaces.

We study the Orchard relation for generic configurations of points in the plane (also called order types). We introduce infinitesimally-close points and analyse the relation of this notion with the Orchard relation. The second part of the paper deals with monochromatic configurations (for the Orchard relation). We give…

Researchers create a model for surface point configurations.

The paper studies how points and lines can move while preserving incidences.

We compute the Betti numbers and describe the cohomology algebras of the ordered and unordered configuration spaces of three points in complex projective spaces, including the infinite dimensional case. We also compute these invariants for the configuration spaces of three collinear and non-collinear points.

Summary of pure cactus groups and circle points.

The paper addresses how to add points to existing configurations on surfaces without disrupting continuity.

We prove homological stability for sequences of "oriented configuration spaces" as the number of points in the configuration goes to infinity. These are spaces of configurations of n points in a connected manifold M of dimension at least 2 which 'admits a boundary', with labels in a path-connected space X, and with an …

This paper extends homological stability results for configuration spaces of manifolds.

Atiyah's conjecture concerning configurations of N points in the Euclidean three-space is verified for the following nonplanar configurations: The first m points lie on a line L and the remaining n=N-m (>2) points are the vertices of a regular n-gon whose plane is perpendicular to L and whose centroid is on L.

The square-peg problem is solved using configuration spaces and multijet transversality.

We determine explicit formulas for geodesics (in the Euclidean metric) in the configuration space of ordered pairs (x,x') of points in R^n which satisfy d(x,x')>=epsilon. We interpret this as two or three (depending on the parity of n) geodesic motion-planning rules for this configuration space. In the associated unord…

Explains the pure cactus group of degree three and its relation to four points on a circle.

Signals are submanifolds; bounds on energy calculated.

We study body-and-hinge and panel-and-hinge chains in R^d, with two marked points: one on the first body, the other on the last. For a general chain, the squared distance between the marked points gives a Morse-Bott function on a torus configuration space. Maximal configurations, when the distance between the two marke…

We study configurations of immersed curves in surfaces and surfaces in 3-manifolds. Among other results, we show that primitive curves have only finitely many configurations which minimize the number of double points. We give examples of minimal configurations not realized by geodesics in any hyperbolic metric.

Given a configuration $\mathbf{x}$ of $n$ distinct points in hyperbolic $3$-space $H^3$, Michael Atiyah associated $n$ polynomials $p_1,\ldots,p_n$ of a variable $t \in \mathbb{C}P^1$, of degree $n-1$, and conjectured that they are linearly independent over $\mathbb{C}$, no matter which configuration $\mathbf{x}$ one s…

We answer the question of when a new point can be added in a continuous way to configurations of $n$ distinct points in a closed ball of arbitrary dimension. We show that this is possible given an ordered configuration of $n$ points if and only if $n \neq 1$. On the other hand, when the points are not ordered and the d…

We say that a pair of points x and y is secure if there exist a finite set of blocking points such that any geodesic between x and y passes through one of the blocking points. The main point of this paper is to exhibit new examples of blocking phenomena both in the manifold and the billiard table setting. As an approac…

This paper contains a suite of results concerning the problem of adding $m$ distinct new points to a configuration of $n$ distinct points on the Riemann sphere, such that the new points depend continuously on the old. Altogether, the results of the paper provide a complete answer to the following question: given $n \ne…

Paper proposes a method to recover point configurations from noisy distance data.

The study identifies conjugate and cut points in ideal fluid motion configurations.

We introduce a new operation, double point surgery, on immersed surfaces in a 4-manifold, and use it to construct knotted configurations of surfaces in many 4-manifolds. Taking branched covers, we produce smoothly exotic actions of Z/m x Z/n on simply connected 4-manifolds with complicated fixed-point sets.

Decouples homotopy quotients of generalised configuration spaces on surfaces.

The algebraic and geometric properties of a novel generalization of Clifford's classical C4 point-circle configuration are analysed. A connection with the integrable quaternionic discrete Schwarzian Kadomtsev-Petviashvili equation is revealed.

This expository article describes applications of topological configuration spaces to the control of robotic systems. In particular, we review recent work by the authors on configuration spaces of graphs. These are lovely spaces: we show for example that the configuration space of two points on the complete graph of fi…

We show that the fundamental group of the space of ordered affine-equivalent configurations of at least five points in the real plane is isomorphic to the pure braid group modulo its centre. In the case of four points this fundamental group is free with eleven generators.

The paper explores different perspectives on rhombile tilings.

We study the principal configurations around an isolated $η$-umbilical point on a generic spacelike surface $S$ immersed in a null hypersurface $M$ of Minkowski space $\mathbb{R}_1^4$ relative to a well-defined null vector field $η$ orthogonal to the surface $S$. In the particular case of $M$ being a null rotation hype…

A pair of points in a riemannian manifold makes a secure configuration if the totality of geodesics connecting them can be blocked by a finite set. The manifold is secure if every configuration is secure. We investigate the security of compact, locally symmetric spaces.

A 2-manifold's group structure is deduced from orbit configuration spaces.

Study kernels of mapping class group representations on surface configuration spaces.

We describe the configuration space $\mathbf{S}$ of polygons with prescribed edge slopes, and study the perimeter $\mathcal{P}$ as a Morse function on $\mathbf{S}$. We characterize critical points of $\mathcal{P}$ (these are \textit{tangential} polygons) and compute their Morse indices. This setup is motivated by a num…

For Gamma a finite, connected metric graph, we consider the space of configurations of n points in Gamma with a restraint parameter r dictating the minimum distance allowed between each pair of points. These restricted configuration spaces come up naturally in topological robotics. In this paper, we study the homotopy,…

Exact universal interpolation property for landmark configurations in Euclidean space.

We prove a transversality "lifting property" for compactified configuration spaces as an application of the multijet transversality theorem: the submanifold of configurations of points on an arbitrary submanifold of Euclidean space may be made transverse to any submanifold of the configuration space of points in Euclid…

Study shows configuration spaces' homological dimension increases monotonically.

The paper establishes conditions for optimal sampling configurations on complex manifolds.

This is an expanded version of [arXiv:1107.4836v1 [math.DS]]. Using techniques from [Chapter XI, The Selberg Trace Formula, in Eigenvalues in Riemannian Geometry, by Isaac Chavel], in which a differential-geometrically intrinsic treatment of counterparts of classical electrostatics was introduced, it is shown that on s…

Researchers analyze geodesic complexity in robot paths on tree graphs.

We consider the configuration space of planar $n$-gons with fixed perimeter, which is diffeomorphic to the complex projective space $\mathbb{C}P^{n-2}$. The oriented area function has the minimal number of critical points on the configuration space. We describe its critical points (these are regular stars) and compute …

Tripod configurations of plane curves, formed by certain triples of normal lines coinciding at a point, were introduced by Tabachnikov, who showed that $C^2$ closed convex curves possess at least two tripod configurations. Later, Kao and Wang established the existence of tripod configurations for $C^2$ closed locally c…

In this article we study point configurations minimizing the discrete energy on a compact Riemannian manifold, where the energy kernel is taken to be the Green's function for the Laplacian. We show that every point in a minimizing configuration lies inside an open set called harmonic ball where no other point can enter…

Elliptic curves and braid groups linked through configuration spaces.

Study eigenfunctions of Laplacian on sphere with even point removals.

It is known that a closed polygon P is a critical point of the oriented area function if and only if P is a cyclic polygon, that is, $P$ can be inscribed in a circle. Moreover, there is a short formula for the Morse index. Going further in this direction, we extend these results to the case of open polygonal chains, or…

Study on eigenfunctions on sphere configurations, proving non-existence and construction of critical eigensections.

Modified group captures braid dynamics, revealing Burau kernel.