Hostname: page-component-7bb8b95d7b-cx56b Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-10-04T08:12:15.805Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Random uniform triangles and the alignment problem

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 October 2008

Christopher Small
Affiliation:
Statistical Laboratory, Cambridge

Abstract

Let n points be drawn independently and uniformly from a compact convex set K. The distribution of the shape of the resulting n–ad is determined and studied in the region corresponding to near alignment. Special attention is given to the case n ≥ 4 and a table provided to help in the assessment of practical data (e.g. megalithic ‘alignments’). The Broadbent factor, representing the effect of stretching the parent distribution, is computed explicitly.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge Philosophical Society 1982

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

(1)Behrend, D. M. To appear.Google Scholar
(2)Broadbent, S. R.Simulating the ley hunter. J. Roy. Statist. Soc. (A) 143 (1980), 109140.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
(3)Kendall, D. G.Shape-manifolds, procrustean metrics and complex projective spaces. To be submitted to Ann. Prob. (1980).Google Scholar
(4)Kendall, D. G.Foundations of a theory of random shape. To appear in Bull. London Math. Soc.Google Scholar
(5)Kendall, D. G. and Kendall, W. S.Alignments in two-dimensional random sets of points Adv. Appl.Prob. 12 (1980), 380424.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
(6)Kendall, W. S. Random gaussian triangles. (1981), to appear.Google Scholar
(7)Ripley, B. D. and Rasson, J.-P.Finding the edge of a Poisson forest. J. Appl. Prob. 14 (1977), 483491.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
(8)Santalo, L. A.Integral geometry and geometric probability (Addison-Wesley, 1976).Google Scholar
(9)Silverman, B. W. and Brown, T. C.Short distances, flat triangles and Poisson limits. J. Appl. Prob. 15 (1978), 815825.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
(10)Watkins, A.The Old Straight Track (Methuen, 1925; republished Garnstone Press, 1970).Google Scholar