Calculus of Variations and Geometric Measure Theory

A. Yezzi - A. Mennucci

Metrics in the space of curves

created by mennucci on 05 Jan 2005
modified on 11 Feb 2022

[BibTeX]

Preprint

Inserted: 5 jan 2005
Last Updated: 11 feb 2022

Journal: arXiv
Year: 2004

ArXiv: math/0412454 PDF

Abstract:

In this paper we study geometries on the manifold of curves. We define a manifold $M$ where objects $c\in M$ are curves, which we parameterize as $c:S^1\to \real^n$ ($n\ge 2$, $S^1$ is the circle). Given a curve $c$, we define the tangent space $T_cM$ of $M$ at $c$ including in it all deformations $h:S^1\to\real^n$ of $c$. We discuss Riemannian and Finsler metrics $F(c,h)$ on this manifold $M$, and in particular the case of the geometric $H^0$ metric $F(c,h)=\int
h
^2ds$ of normal deformations $h$ of $c$; we study the existence of minimal geodesics of $H^0$ under constraints; we moreover propose a conformal version of the $H^0$ metric.

Keywords: space of curves


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