On the complexity of umbra and penumbra (Q1028233)

The authors analyze the combinatorial complexity of the direct shadow cast on a plane by a collection of 3D convex polyhedra illuminated by a \(1\)- or \(2\)-dimensional light source. Asymptotic upper and lower bounds on the maximum number of arcs in the boundaries between the full light, penumbra and umbra regions (the subsets of the plane from which the light source is, respectively, completely, partially visible and not at all visible) are given as functions of the number \(k\) of polyhedra and their total number \(n\) of triangles.