Global curvature, thickness, and the ideal shapes of knots

Authors
Gonzalez, O Maddocks, JH
Citation
O. Gonzalez et Jh. Maddocks, Global curvature, thickness, and the ideal shapes of knots, P NAS US, 96(9), 1999, pp. 4769-4773
Citations number
8
Categorie Soggetti
Multidisciplinary
Journal title
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
ISSN journal
00278424 → ACNP
Volume
96
Issue
9
Year of publication
1999
Pages
4769 - 4773
Database
ISI
SICI code
0027-8424(19990427)96:9<4769:GCTATI>2.0.ZU;2-R
Abstract
The global radius of curvature of a space curve is introduced. This functio n is related to, but distinct from, the standard local radius of curvature and is connected to various physically appealing properties of a curve. In particular, the global radius of curvature function provides a concise char acterization of the thickness of a curve, and of certain ideal shapes of kn ots as have been investigated within the context of DNA.