arXiv subjects

John M. Sullivan

Publications and source records attributed to John M. Sullivan.

12 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2025

Classification of small links in the unmarked solid torus

We introduce a framework to analyze knots and links in an unmarked solid torus. We discuss invariants that detect when such links are equivalent under an ambient homeomorphism, and show that the multivariable Alexander polynomial is such in invariant. We compute, for links with low wrapping number, bounds on the degree of a Dehn twist needed to transform one into the other that depend on the dichromatic Kauffman polynomial. Finally, we use this to give a classification of all non-split links up to 6 crossings in the unmarked solid torus.

math.GT↗

arXiv2013

Ropelength Criticality

The ropelength problem asks for the minimum-length configuration of a knotted diameter-one tube embedded in Euclidean three-space. The core curve of such a tube is called a tight knot, and its length is a knot invariant measuring complexity. In terms of the core curve, the thickness constraint has two parts: an upper bound on curvature and a self-contact condition. We give a set of necessary and sufficient conditions for criticality with respect to this constraint, based on a version of the Kuhn-Tucker theorem that we established in previous work. The key technical difficulty is to compute the derivative of thickness under a smooth perturbation. This is accomplished by writing thickness as the minimum of a $C^1$-compact family of smooth functions in order to apply a theorem of Clarke. We give a number of applications, including a classification of the "supercoiled helices" formed by critical curves with no self-contacts (constrained by curvature alone) and an explicit but surprisingly complicated description of the "clasp" junctions formed when one rope is pulled tight over another.

math.DG↗

arXiv2012

There is no triangulation of the torus with vertex degrees 5, 6, ..., 6, 7 and related results: Geometric proofs for combinatorial theorems

There is no 5,7-triangulation of the torus, that is, no triangulation with exactly two exceptional vertices, of degree 5 and 7. Similarly, there is no 3,5-quadrangulation. The vertices of a 2,4-hexangulation of the torus cannot be bicolored. Similar statements hold for 4,8-triangulations and 2,6-quadrangulations. We prove these results, of which the first two are known and the others seem to be new, as corollaries of a theorem on the holonomy group of a euclidean cone metric on the torus with just two cone points. We provide two proofs of this theorem: One argument is metric in nature, the other relies on the induced conformal structure and proceeds by invoking the residue theorem. Similar methods can be used to prove a theorem of Dress on infinite triangulations of the plane with exactly two irregular vertices. The non-existence results for torus decompositions provide infinite families of graphs which cannot be embedded in the torus.

math.CO↗

arXiv2008

Coplanar k-unduloids are nondegenerate

We prove each embedded, constant mean curvature (CMC) surface in Euclidean space with genus zero and finitely many coplanar ends is nondegenerate: there is no nontrivial square-integrable solution to the Jacobi equation, the linearization of the CMC condition. This implies that the moduli space of such coplanar surfaces is a real-analytic manifold and that a neighborhood of these in the full CMC moduli space is itself a manifold. Nondegeneracy further implies (infinitesimal and local) rigidity in the sense that the asymptotes map is an analytic immersion on these spaces, and also that the coplanar classifying map is an analytic diffeomorphism.

math.DG↗

arXiv2007

Coplanar constant mean curvature surfaces

We consider constant mean curvature surfaces of finite topology, properly embedded in three-space in the sense of Alexandrov. Such surfaces with three ends and genus zero were constructed and completely classified by the authors in arXiv:math.DG/0102183. Here we extend the arguments to the case of an arbitrary number of ends, under the assumption that the asymptotic axes of the ends lie in a common plane: we construct and classify the entire family of these genus-zero coplanar constant mean curvature surfaces.

math.DG↗

arXiv2007

Curvatures of Smooth and Discrete Surfaces

We discuss notions of Gauss curvature and mean curvature for polyhedral surfaces. The discretizations are guided by the principle of preserving integral relations for curvatures, like the Gauss/Bonnet theorem and the mean-curvature force balance equation.

math.DG↗

arXiv2005

Some Ropelength-Critical Clasps

We describe several configurations of clasped ropes which are balanced and thus critical for the Gehring ropelength problem of arXiv:math.DG/0402212.

math.DG↗

arXiv2003

Tiling space and slabs with acute tetrahedra

We show it is possible to tile three-dimensional space using only tetrahedra with acute dihedral angles. We present several constructions to achieve this, including one in which all dihedral angles are less than $77.08^\circ$, and another which tiles a slab in space.

cs.CG↗

arXiv2002

Building Space-Time Meshes over Arbitrary Spatial Domains

We present an algorithm to construct meshes suitable for space-time discontinuous Galerkin finite-element methods. Our method generalizes and improves the `Tent Pitcher' algorithm of Üngör and Sheffer. Given an arbitrary simplicially meshed domain M of any dimension and a time interval [0,T], our algorithm builds a simplicial mesh of the space-time domain Mx[0,T], in constant time per element. Our algorithm avoids the limitations of previous methods by carefully adapting the durations of space-time elements to the local quality and feature size of the underlying space mesh.

cs.CG↗

arXiv1999

"The Optiverse" and other sphere eversions

For decades, the sphere eversion has been a classic subject for mathematical visualization. The 1998 video "The Optiverse" shows geometrically optimal eversions created by minimizing elastic bending energy. We contrast these minimax eversions with earlier ones, including those by Morin, Phillips, Max, and Thurston. The minimax eversions were automatically generated by flowing downhill in energy using Brakke's Evolver.

math.GT↗

arXiv1999

Constant mean curvature surfaces with three ends

We announce the classification of complete, almost embedded surfaces of constant mean curvature, with three ends and genus zero: they are classified by triples of points on the sphere whose distances are the asymptotic necksizes of the three ends.

math.DG↗

arXiv1997

On Distortion and Thickness of Knots

What length of rope (of given diameter) is required to tie a particular knot? To answer this question, we define some new notions of thickness for a space curve, one based on Gromov's distortion, and another generalizing the thickness of Litherland, Simon et al. We prove a basic inequality between these thickness measures, and show that the distortion thickness is upper semi-continuous in the C^0 topology, suggesting that shortest curves of thickness 1 should exist in each knot class.

dg-ga↗