Multivariate topology simplification (Q340525)

Let \({\mathbb X}\) be a codimension-\(0\) submanifold of \({\mathbb R}^d\), and \(f:{\mathbb X}\rightarrow{\mathbb R}^r\). A point \({\mathbf x}\in{\mathbb X}\) is regular if the differential map of \(f\) at \({\mathbf x}\) has maximal rank, and is singular otherwise. The Jacobi set is the union of the singular points of \(f\) when restricted to the interior and to the boundary of \({\mathbb X}\). The fiber of a point \({\mathbf c}\in{\mathbb R}^r\) is the set \(f^{-1}({\mathbf c})\), and the Reeb space is the quotient space obtained by identifying all points of \({\mathbb X}\) that belong to the same connected component of a fiber. The Jacobi structure is the image the Jacobi set under the quotient map. In the case when \(d=3\) and \(r=2\), it is shown that if \(f\) is smooth and stable, then the Jacobi structure separates the Reeb space into \(2\)-manifold components. Moreover, a lip -- a regular component of the Reeb space that is attached along a singular arc -- can be removed without affecting the homotopy type. The Reeb skeleton is defined to be the graph whose vertices are the regular and singular components of the Reeb space, and with edges between adjacent singular components, and between adjacent singular and regular components (with some multiplicity conditions). The authors discuss how the Reeb space can be discretely approximated to any level of precision by a joint contour net [\textit{H. Carr} and \textit{D. Duke}, ``Joint Contour Nets'', IEEE Trans. Vis. Comput. Graph. 20, 1100--1113 (2014)]. Algorithms are given for using the joint contour net to extract the Jacobi structure and to construct the Reeb skeleton. It is shown how the Reeb skeleton may be further simplified by removing lips.