How many cones with angle theta can I pack into the unit sphere?












8












$begingroup$


Given a unit sphere (radius 1), I would like to know how many cones I can pack into this unit sphere. Restrictions: The top of the cone needs to be in the center of origin. The bottom of the cone needs to form a circle on the unit sphere.



I have found a related question, but with a cube: Packing space by cones: Translates best?



I have also tried to find an upper bound myself by performing the following calculation:

Surface of the projection of the base of the cone on the unit sphere:
$$2 pi r^2(1 + sin(theta) pm cos(theta))$$



Surface of the unit sphere: $4 pi r^2$



Now, a (very high) upper bound would be:



$$frac{2 pi r^2(1 + sin(theta) pm cos(theta))}{4 pi r^2}$$



This however does not take into account the restrictions of the shapes, so the actual number will likely be much lower.



Question 1: What would be a closer upper bound

Question 2: If an example value is easier, what would be a realistic number of cones given $theta = 5^{circ}$










share|cite|improve this question









New contributor




Thomas Hubregtsen is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.







$endgroup$












  • $begingroup$
    If $theta$ becomes small, the curvature of the sphere becomes less important. So asymptotically for $thetarightarrow 0$ you get your upper bound multiplied by the sphere packing constant. However, I don't understand your formula for the area of the base, neither typographically nor mathematically. It does not seem to scale with $theta^2$ for small $theta$ as it should.
    $endgroup$
    – Jan-Christoph Schlage-Puchta
    Apr 12 at 8:51










  • $begingroup$
    Seems to me that $theta$ should be listed in the restrictions. You shouldn't rely on the title of the question for relaying crucial parts of the questions.
    $endgroup$
    – Acccumulation
    Apr 12 at 17:44
















8












$begingroup$


Given a unit sphere (radius 1), I would like to know how many cones I can pack into this unit sphere. Restrictions: The top of the cone needs to be in the center of origin. The bottom of the cone needs to form a circle on the unit sphere.



I have found a related question, but with a cube: Packing space by cones: Translates best?



I have also tried to find an upper bound myself by performing the following calculation:

Surface of the projection of the base of the cone on the unit sphere:
$$2 pi r^2(1 + sin(theta) pm cos(theta))$$



Surface of the unit sphere: $4 pi r^2$



Now, a (very high) upper bound would be:



$$frac{2 pi r^2(1 + sin(theta) pm cos(theta))}{4 pi r^2}$$



This however does not take into account the restrictions of the shapes, so the actual number will likely be much lower.



Question 1: What would be a closer upper bound

Question 2: If an example value is easier, what would be a realistic number of cones given $theta = 5^{circ}$










share|cite|improve this question









New contributor




Thomas Hubregtsen is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.







$endgroup$












  • $begingroup$
    If $theta$ becomes small, the curvature of the sphere becomes less important. So asymptotically for $thetarightarrow 0$ you get your upper bound multiplied by the sphere packing constant. However, I don't understand your formula for the area of the base, neither typographically nor mathematically. It does not seem to scale with $theta^2$ for small $theta$ as it should.
    $endgroup$
    – Jan-Christoph Schlage-Puchta
    Apr 12 at 8:51










  • $begingroup$
    Seems to me that $theta$ should be listed in the restrictions. You shouldn't rely on the title of the question for relaying crucial parts of the questions.
    $endgroup$
    – Acccumulation
    Apr 12 at 17:44














8












8








8


1



$begingroup$


Given a unit sphere (radius 1), I would like to know how many cones I can pack into this unit sphere. Restrictions: The top of the cone needs to be in the center of origin. The bottom of the cone needs to form a circle on the unit sphere.



I have found a related question, but with a cube: Packing space by cones: Translates best?



I have also tried to find an upper bound myself by performing the following calculation:

Surface of the projection of the base of the cone on the unit sphere:
$$2 pi r^2(1 + sin(theta) pm cos(theta))$$



Surface of the unit sphere: $4 pi r^2$



Now, a (very high) upper bound would be:



$$frac{2 pi r^2(1 + sin(theta) pm cos(theta))}{4 pi r^2}$$



This however does not take into account the restrictions of the shapes, so the actual number will likely be much lower.



Question 1: What would be a closer upper bound

Question 2: If an example value is easier, what would be a realistic number of cones given $theta = 5^{circ}$










share|cite|improve this question









New contributor




Thomas Hubregtsen is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.







$endgroup$




Given a unit sphere (radius 1), I would like to know how many cones I can pack into this unit sphere. Restrictions: The top of the cone needs to be in the center of origin. The bottom of the cone needs to form a circle on the unit sphere.



I have found a related question, but with a cube: Packing space by cones: Translates best?



I have also tried to find an upper bound myself by performing the following calculation:

Surface of the projection of the base of the cone on the unit sphere:
$$2 pi r^2(1 + sin(theta) pm cos(theta))$$



Surface of the unit sphere: $4 pi r^2$



Now, a (very high) upper bound would be:



$$frac{2 pi r^2(1 + sin(theta) pm cos(theta))}{4 pi r^2}$$



This however does not take into account the restrictions of the shapes, so the actual number will likely be much lower.



Question 1: What would be a closer upper bound

Question 2: If an example value is easier, what would be a realistic number of cones given $theta = 5^{circ}$







sphere-packing cones






share|cite|improve this question









New contributor




Thomas Hubregtsen is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.











share|cite|improve this question









New contributor




Thomas Hubregtsen is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.









share|cite|improve this question




share|cite|improve this question








edited Apr 12 at 8:51









J.J. Green

1,54211219




1,54211219






New contributor




Thomas Hubregtsen is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.









asked Apr 12 at 8:29









Thomas HubregtsenThomas Hubregtsen

412




412




New contributor




Thomas Hubregtsen is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.





New contributor





Thomas Hubregtsen is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.






Thomas Hubregtsen is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.












  • $begingroup$
    If $theta$ becomes small, the curvature of the sphere becomes less important. So asymptotically for $thetarightarrow 0$ you get your upper bound multiplied by the sphere packing constant. However, I don't understand your formula for the area of the base, neither typographically nor mathematically. It does not seem to scale with $theta^2$ for small $theta$ as it should.
    $endgroup$
    – Jan-Christoph Schlage-Puchta
    Apr 12 at 8:51










  • $begingroup$
    Seems to me that $theta$ should be listed in the restrictions. You shouldn't rely on the title of the question for relaying crucial parts of the questions.
    $endgroup$
    – Acccumulation
    Apr 12 at 17:44


















  • $begingroup$
    If $theta$ becomes small, the curvature of the sphere becomes less important. So asymptotically for $thetarightarrow 0$ you get your upper bound multiplied by the sphere packing constant. However, I don't understand your formula for the area of the base, neither typographically nor mathematically. It does not seem to scale with $theta^2$ for small $theta$ as it should.
    $endgroup$
    – Jan-Christoph Schlage-Puchta
    Apr 12 at 8:51










  • $begingroup$
    Seems to me that $theta$ should be listed in the restrictions. You shouldn't rely on the title of the question for relaying crucial parts of the questions.
    $endgroup$
    – Acccumulation
    Apr 12 at 17:44
















$begingroup$
If $theta$ becomes small, the curvature of the sphere becomes less important. So asymptotically for $thetarightarrow 0$ you get your upper bound multiplied by the sphere packing constant. However, I don't understand your formula for the area of the base, neither typographically nor mathematically. It does not seem to scale with $theta^2$ for small $theta$ as it should.
$endgroup$
– Jan-Christoph Schlage-Puchta
Apr 12 at 8:51




$begingroup$
If $theta$ becomes small, the curvature of the sphere becomes less important. So asymptotically for $thetarightarrow 0$ you get your upper bound multiplied by the sphere packing constant. However, I don't understand your formula for the area of the base, neither typographically nor mathematically. It does not seem to scale with $theta^2$ for small $theta$ as it should.
$endgroup$
– Jan-Christoph Schlage-Puchta
Apr 12 at 8:51












$begingroup$
Seems to me that $theta$ should be listed in the restrictions. You shouldn't rely on the title of the question for relaying crucial parts of the questions.
$endgroup$
– Acccumulation
Apr 12 at 17:44




$begingroup$
Seems to me that $theta$ should be listed in the restrictions. You shouldn't rely on the title of the question for relaying crucial parts of the questions.
$endgroup$
– Acccumulation
Apr 12 at 17:44










2 Answers
2






active

oldest

votes


















7












$begingroup$

This is the problem of finding spherical codes. Putatively optimal solutions can be found at Neil Sloane's website.



For an upper bound, there's $dleqsqrt{4-csc^2[frac{πn}{6(n-2)}]}$, where $d$ is the 3d distance between some two points.






share|cite|improve this answer









$endgroup$





















    4












    $begingroup$

    A good reference for volumetric arguments for the maximum number of 'cones' or spherical 'caps' that one can fit, is a series of papers by Jon Hamkins. The density of a packing of these caps can be at most $frac{pi}{2sqrt{3}}$, (this being known as the Fejes Tóth bound) and in the minimal distance between centers of a packing, $d$, the density is bounded above by $frac{pi}{2sqrt{3}}-O(d^2)$.



    This follows from a bound on the maximum size of a code on the sphere with pairwise distances at least $d$,



    $$M(3,d)leq 2left(1-frac{pi}{6cot^{-1}sqrt{3-d^2}}right)^{-1}$$



    taken from chapter three of Hamkin's thesis here (being another form of Tóth's bound).



    For specific parameters, the problem can be pretty intricate. One of the best references has already been mentioned in Bullet's answer and is Sloane's webpage. Codes on Euclidean Spheres, by Ericson and Zinoviev is worth checking out as well as a reference on these specific packings (and is slightly outdated), along with Sphere Packings, Lattices and Groups by Conway and Sloane.






    share|cite|improve this answer











    $endgroup$














      Your Answer








      StackExchange.ready(function() {
      var channelOptions = {
      tags: "".split(" "),
      id: "504"
      };
      initTagRenderer("".split(" "), "".split(" "), channelOptions);

      StackExchange.using("externalEditor", function() {
      // Have to fire editor after snippets, if snippets enabled
      if (StackExchange.settings.snippets.snippetsEnabled) {
      StackExchange.using("snippets", function() {
      createEditor();
      });
      }
      else {
      createEditor();
      }
      });

      function createEditor() {
      StackExchange.prepareEditor({
      heartbeatType: 'answer',
      autoActivateHeartbeat: false,
      convertImagesToLinks: true,
      noModals: true,
      showLowRepImageUploadWarning: true,
      reputationToPostImages: 10,
      bindNavPrevention: true,
      postfix: "",
      imageUploader: {
      brandingHtml: "Powered by u003ca class="icon-imgur-white" href="https://imgur.com/"u003eu003c/au003e",
      contentPolicyHtml: "User contributions licensed under u003ca href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/"u003ecc by-sa 3.0 with attribution requiredu003c/au003e u003ca href="https://stackoverflow.com/legal/content-policy"u003e(content policy)u003c/au003e",
      allowUrls: true
      },
      noCode: true, onDemand: true,
      discardSelector: ".discard-answer"
      ,immediatelyShowMarkdownHelp:true
      });


      }
      });






      Thomas Hubregtsen is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.










      draft saved

      draft discarded


















      StackExchange.ready(
      function () {
      StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fmathoverflow.net%2fquestions%2f327852%2fhow-many-cones-with-angle-theta-can-i-pack-into-the-unit-sphere%23new-answer', 'question_page');
      }
      );

      Post as a guest















      Required, but never shown

























      2 Answers
      2






      active

      oldest

      votes








      2 Answers
      2






      active

      oldest

      votes









      active

      oldest

      votes






      active

      oldest

      votes









      7












      $begingroup$

      This is the problem of finding spherical codes. Putatively optimal solutions can be found at Neil Sloane's website.



      For an upper bound, there's $dleqsqrt{4-csc^2[frac{πn}{6(n-2)}]}$, where $d$ is the 3d distance between some two points.






      share|cite|improve this answer









      $endgroup$


















        7












        $begingroup$

        This is the problem of finding spherical codes. Putatively optimal solutions can be found at Neil Sloane's website.



        For an upper bound, there's $dleqsqrt{4-csc^2[frac{πn}{6(n-2)}]}$, where $d$ is the 3d distance between some two points.






        share|cite|improve this answer









        $endgroup$
















          7












          7








          7





          $begingroup$

          This is the problem of finding spherical codes. Putatively optimal solutions can be found at Neil Sloane's website.



          For an upper bound, there's $dleqsqrt{4-csc^2[frac{πn}{6(n-2)}]}$, where $d$ is the 3d distance between some two points.






          share|cite|improve this answer









          $endgroup$



          This is the problem of finding spherical codes. Putatively optimal solutions can be found at Neil Sloane's website.



          For an upper bound, there's $dleqsqrt{4-csc^2[frac{πn}{6(n-2)}]}$, where $d$ is the 3d distance between some two points.







          share|cite|improve this answer












          share|cite|improve this answer



          share|cite|improve this answer










          answered Apr 12 at 8:54









          Bullet51Bullet51

          1,548317




          1,548317























              4












              $begingroup$

              A good reference for volumetric arguments for the maximum number of 'cones' or spherical 'caps' that one can fit, is a series of papers by Jon Hamkins. The density of a packing of these caps can be at most $frac{pi}{2sqrt{3}}$, (this being known as the Fejes Tóth bound) and in the minimal distance between centers of a packing, $d$, the density is bounded above by $frac{pi}{2sqrt{3}}-O(d^2)$.



              This follows from a bound on the maximum size of a code on the sphere with pairwise distances at least $d$,



              $$M(3,d)leq 2left(1-frac{pi}{6cot^{-1}sqrt{3-d^2}}right)^{-1}$$



              taken from chapter three of Hamkin's thesis here (being another form of Tóth's bound).



              For specific parameters, the problem can be pretty intricate. One of the best references has already been mentioned in Bullet's answer and is Sloane's webpage. Codes on Euclidean Spheres, by Ericson and Zinoviev is worth checking out as well as a reference on these specific packings (and is slightly outdated), along with Sphere Packings, Lattices and Groups by Conway and Sloane.






              share|cite|improve this answer











              $endgroup$


















                4












                $begingroup$

                A good reference for volumetric arguments for the maximum number of 'cones' or spherical 'caps' that one can fit, is a series of papers by Jon Hamkins. The density of a packing of these caps can be at most $frac{pi}{2sqrt{3}}$, (this being known as the Fejes Tóth bound) and in the minimal distance between centers of a packing, $d$, the density is bounded above by $frac{pi}{2sqrt{3}}-O(d^2)$.



                This follows from a bound on the maximum size of a code on the sphere with pairwise distances at least $d$,



                $$M(3,d)leq 2left(1-frac{pi}{6cot^{-1}sqrt{3-d^2}}right)^{-1}$$



                taken from chapter three of Hamkin's thesis here (being another form of Tóth's bound).



                For specific parameters, the problem can be pretty intricate. One of the best references has already been mentioned in Bullet's answer and is Sloane's webpage. Codes on Euclidean Spheres, by Ericson and Zinoviev is worth checking out as well as a reference on these specific packings (and is slightly outdated), along with Sphere Packings, Lattices and Groups by Conway and Sloane.






                share|cite|improve this answer











                $endgroup$
















                  4












                  4








                  4





                  $begingroup$

                  A good reference for volumetric arguments for the maximum number of 'cones' or spherical 'caps' that one can fit, is a series of papers by Jon Hamkins. The density of a packing of these caps can be at most $frac{pi}{2sqrt{3}}$, (this being known as the Fejes Tóth bound) and in the minimal distance between centers of a packing, $d$, the density is bounded above by $frac{pi}{2sqrt{3}}-O(d^2)$.



                  This follows from a bound on the maximum size of a code on the sphere with pairwise distances at least $d$,



                  $$M(3,d)leq 2left(1-frac{pi}{6cot^{-1}sqrt{3-d^2}}right)^{-1}$$



                  taken from chapter three of Hamkin's thesis here (being another form of Tóth's bound).



                  For specific parameters, the problem can be pretty intricate. One of the best references has already been mentioned in Bullet's answer and is Sloane's webpage. Codes on Euclidean Spheres, by Ericson and Zinoviev is worth checking out as well as a reference on these specific packings (and is slightly outdated), along with Sphere Packings, Lattices and Groups by Conway and Sloane.






                  share|cite|improve this answer











                  $endgroup$



                  A good reference for volumetric arguments for the maximum number of 'cones' or spherical 'caps' that one can fit, is a series of papers by Jon Hamkins. The density of a packing of these caps can be at most $frac{pi}{2sqrt{3}}$, (this being known as the Fejes Tóth bound) and in the minimal distance between centers of a packing, $d$, the density is bounded above by $frac{pi}{2sqrt{3}}-O(d^2)$.



                  This follows from a bound on the maximum size of a code on the sphere with pairwise distances at least $d$,



                  $$M(3,d)leq 2left(1-frac{pi}{6cot^{-1}sqrt{3-d^2}}right)^{-1}$$



                  taken from chapter three of Hamkin's thesis here (being another form of Tóth's bound).



                  For specific parameters, the problem can be pretty intricate. One of the best references has already been mentioned in Bullet's answer and is Sloane's webpage. Codes on Euclidean Spheres, by Ericson and Zinoviev is worth checking out as well as a reference on these specific packings (and is slightly outdated), along with Sphere Packings, Lattices and Groups by Conway and Sloane.







                  share|cite|improve this answer














                  share|cite|improve this answer



                  share|cite|improve this answer








                  edited Apr 12 at 10:04

























                  answered Apr 12 at 9:34









                  Josiah ParkJosiah Park

                  1,536523




                  1,536523






















                      Thomas Hubregtsen is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.










                      draft saved

                      draft discarded


















                      Thomas Hubregtsen is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.













                      Thomas Hubregtsen is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.












                      Thomas Hubregtsen is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
















                      Thanks for contributing an answer to MathOverflow!


                      • Please be sure to answer the question. Provide details and share your research!

                      But avoid



                      • Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers.

                      • Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience.


                      Use MathJax to format equations. MathJax reference.


                      To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers.




                      draft saved


                      draft discarded














                      StackExchange.ready(
                      function () {
                      StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fmathoverflow.net%2fquestions%2f327852%2fhow-many-cones-with-angle-theta-can-i-pack-into-the-unit-sphere%23new-answer', 'question_page');
                      }
                      );

                      Post as a guest















                      Required, but never shown





















































                      Required, but never shown














                      Required, but never shown












                      Required, but never shown







                      Required, but never shown

































                      Required, but never shown














                      Required, but never shown












                      Required, but never shown







                      Required, but never shown







                      Popular posts from this blog

                      Plaza Victoria

                      In PowerPoint, is there a keyboard shortcut for bulleted / numbered list?

                      How to put 3 figures in Latex with 2 figures side by side and 1 below these side by side images but in...