

Preprint 38/2003
On reconstructing n-point configurations from the distribution of distances or areas.
Gregor Kemper and Mireille Boutin
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Submission date: 21. Apr. 2003
published in: Advances in applied mathematics, 32 (2004) 4, p. 709-735
DOI number (of the published article): 10.1016/S0196-8858(03)00101-5
Bibtex
MSC-Numbers: 13A50, 13-04, 68T45
Keywords and phrases: separating invariants, object recognition
Abstract:
One way to characterize configurations of points up to congruence is by considering the
distribution of all mutual distances between the points. This paper deals with the question if point
configurations are uniquely determined by this distribution. After giving some counterexamples,
we prove that this is the case for the vast majority of configurations.
In the second part of the paper, the distribution of aread of subtriangles is used for
characterizing point configurations. Again it turns out that most configurations are reconstructible
from the distribution of areas, though there are counterexamples.