Non-manifold surface reconstruction from high-dimensional point cloud data

Abstract

We present an algorithm capable of reconstructing a non-manifold surface embedded as a point cloud in a high-dimensional space. Our algorithm extends a previously developed incremental method and produces a non-optimal triangulation, but will work for non-orientable surfaces, and for surfaces with certain types of self-intersection. The self-intersections must be ordinary double curves and are fitted locally by intersecting planes using a degenerate quadratic surface. We present the algorithm in detail and provide many examples, including a dataset describing molecular conformations of cyclo-octane.