Min-type Morse theory for configuration spaces of hard spheres
arXiv:1108.3061 · doi:10.1093/imrn/rnt012
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.
Minor changes, new title