{"title":"Squared distance function on the configuration space of a planar spider with applications to Hooke energy and Voronoi distance","authors":"Maciej Denkowski , Gaiane Panina , Dirk Siersma","doi":"10.1016/j.geomphys.2025.105424","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Spider mechanisms are the simplest examples of arachnoid mechanisms, they are one step more complicated than polygonal linkages. Their configuration spaces have been studied intensively, but are yet not completely understood. In the paper we study them using the Morse theory of the squared distance function from the “body” of the spider to some fixed point in the plane. Generically, it is a Morse-Bott function. We list its critical manifolds, describe them as products of polygon spaces, and derive a formula for their Morse-Bott indices. We apply the obtained results to Hooke energy and Voronoi distance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55602,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Geometry and Physics","volume":"210 ","pages":"Article 105424"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6000,"publicationDate":"2025-01-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of Geometry and Physics","FirstCategoryId":"100","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0393044025000087","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"数学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"MATHEMATICS","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Spider mechanisms are the simplest examples of arachnoid mechanisms, they are one step more complicated than polygonal linkages. Their configuration spaces have been studied intensively, but are yet not completely understood. In the paper we study them using the Morse theory of the squared distance function from the “body” of the spider to some fixed point in the plane. Generically, it is a Morse-Bott function. We list its critical manifolds, describe them as products of polygon spaces, and derive a formula for their Morse-Bott indices. We apply the obtained results to Hooke energy and Voronoi distance.
期刊介绍:
The Journal of Geometry and Physics is an International Journal in Mathematical Physics. The Journal stimulates the interaction between geometry and physics by publishing primary research, feature and review articles which are of common interest to practitioners in both fields.
The Journal of Geometry and Physics now also accepts Letters, allowing for rapid dissemination of outstanding results in the field of geometry and physics. Letters should not exceed a maximum of five printed journal pages (or contain a maximum of 5000 words) and should contain novel, cutting edge results that are of broad interest to the mathematical physics community. Only Letters which are expected to make a significant addition to the literature in the field will be considered.
The Journal covers the following areas of research:
Methods of:
• Algebraic and Differential Topology
• Algebraic Geometry
• Real and Complex Differential Geometry
• Riemannian Manifolds
• Symplectic Geometry
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• Geometric Theory of Differential Equations
• Geometric Control Theory
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• Supermanifolds and Supergroups
• Discrete Geometry
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Applications to:
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