• DOI:10.1007/BF02825045
• Corpus ID: 116405783

Shape determination for real curves and surfaces

@article{Gianni1983ShapeDF,
  title={Shape determination for real curves and surfaces},
  author={Patrizia M. Gianni and Carlo Traverso},
  journal={Annali dell’Universit{\`a} di Ferrara},
  year={1983},
  volume={29},
  pages={87-109}
}

• P. Gianni, C. Traverso
• Published 1 January 1983
• Mathematics
• Annali dell’Università di Ferrara

RiassuntoSi descrivono algoritmi per determinare la forma di una curva algebrica reale piana, e la topologia di una superficie reale inP3.La forma di una curvaC si ottiene proiettandoC suP1, ed esaminando la posizione relativa dei punti critici rispetto alle immagini inverse dei valori critici. La forma di una superficieS si ottiene esaminando la variazione della forma in un fascio di sezioni piane, e ricavandone l'omologia razionale delle componenti connesse diS.SummaryIn this paper we describe algorithms to find the shape of a real algebraic curve inP2 and the topology of a real algebraic surface inP3.The algorithm runs as follows: choose a pointO∈P2 outside the curveC and in general position with respect toC; consider the projection π from the curve toP1 with center0; determine the critical points and the critical values of π, and the inverse image of the critical values.Investigating the mutual position of these points, we obtain two finite sequences of integers, from which we obtain explicitly the shape ofC, as a finite set corresponding to the set of branches ofC, and a partial order relation on this set, corresponding to the inclusion between branches.The algorithm for surfaces considers the variation of the shape of the curve in a pencil, to find the number of connected components and their rational homology; this describes completly the topology of the surface.We discuss some results on the explicit computer implementation of the algorithm for curves, which has proved to be rapid and reliable.A preliminary version of the algorithm for curves, with sketchy proofs, and containing a listing of theFortran programs, is contained in [G-T].