On the equilibria of finely discretized curves and surfaces

DOI10.1007/S00605-011-0361-XMaRDI QIDQ691035zbMATH OpenOpenAlexFDO

Authors Gábor Domokos, Zsolt Lángi, Tímea Szabó

Publication date 29 November 2012

Published in Monatshefte für Mathematik (Search for Journal in Brave)

Full work available at URL https://arxiv.org/abs/1106.0626, http://real.mtak.hu/26352/2/equilibrium_revised.pdf

zbMATH Keywords

equilibriumpolyhedral approximationconvex surfacePoincaré-Hopf formula

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Polyhedral manifolds (52B70) Curves in Euclidean and related spaces (53A04) Surfaces in Euclidean and related spaces (53A05) Applications of differential geometry to physics (53Z05)

Abstract: Our goal is to identify the type and number of static equilibrium points of solids arising from fine, equidistant $n$-discretrizations of smooth, convex surfaces. We assume uniform gravity and a frictionless, horizontal, planar support. We show that as $n$ approaches infinity these numbers fluctuate around specific values which we call the imaginary equilibrium indices associated with the approximated smooth surface. We derive simple formulae for these numbers in terms of the principal curvatures and the radial distances of the equilibrium points of the solid from its center of gravity. Our results are illustrated on a discretized ellipsoid and match well the observations on natural pebble surfaces.

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Cites work

• scientific article; zbMATH DE number 3117635 (Why is no real title available?)
• How do convex bodies sit?
• Monostatic Simplexes
• Pebbles, shapes, and equilibria
• Static equilibria of planar, rigid bodies: Is there anything new?
• Static equilibria of rigid bodies: Dice, pebbles, and the Poincaré-Hopf theorem
• What is Analysis in the Large?
• What shape is a loaded die?

Cited in

(6)

• Geometry of equilibrium curves and surfaces for discrete anisotropic energy
• A topological classification of convex bodies
• Monotonicity of spatial critical points evolving under curvature-driven flows
• Tracking critical points on evolving curves and surfaces
• A solution to some problems of Conway and Guy on monostable polyhedra
• On properties of analytical approximation for discretizing 2D curves and 3D surfaces

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