English

Min-type Morse theory for configuration spaces of hard spheres

Algebraic Topology 2014-05-13 v2 Robotics Mathematical Physics math.MP

Abstract

We study configuration spaces of hard spheres in a bounded region. We develop a general Morse-theoretic framework, and show that mechanically balanced configurations play the role of critical points. As an application, we find the precise threshold radius for a configuration space to be homotopy equivalent to the configuration space of points.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1108.3061,
  title  = {Min-type Morse theory for configuration spaces of hard spheres},
  author = {Yuliy Baryshnikov and Peter Bubenik and Matthew Kahle},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1108.3061},
  year   = {2014}
}

Comments

Minor changes, new title