Vietoris–Rips filtration & persistence diagram

A random point cloud in ℝ² and its Vietoris–Rips filtration (nested complexes built from disks of radius ε). Increasing ε adds simplices when pairwise distances permit; we visualize persistent homology via a persistence diagram of birth–death pairs (b, d).

About this demo

A random point cloud in ℝ² and its Vietoris–Rips filtration (nested complexes built from disks of radius ε). Increasing ε adds simplices when pairwise distances permit.

Rips complex at filtration ε

Sublevel set of the filtration parameter (disk radius)

Filtration controls

Range 0–200 (depends on point cloud)

5–30 vertices

Vertices — sample points. Disks B(pi, ε): a 1-simplex (edge) joins pi, pj when ‖pi − pj‖ ≤ 2ε; a 2-simplex (triangle) appears when all three pairwise edges exist; a 3-simplex (tetrahedron on four vertices) appears when all six pairwise edges exist. Each resample uses the selected point cloud model.

Persistence diagram

Cumulative diagram up to the current filtration value ε

Diagram options & legend

  • H0 — finite (b, d), b = 0
  • H1 — d ≤ ε (dead)
  • H1 — d > ε (alive)
  • H2 — d ≤ ε (dead)
  • H2 — d > ε (alive)
  • 3-simplex fill in Rips panel
  • Current ε

Each point (b, d) is a generator in persistent homology (b = birth, d = death). H0 (blue): connected components. H1 (green): 1-dimensional classes. H2 (purple): 2-dimensional classes from 3-simplices. Points with d − b ≫ 0 lie far above the diagonal {b = d}. Hover diagram points for explanations; green highlights a triangle, purple a 3-simplex in the Rips panel.

Help: reading the diagram

Reading the persistence diagram

  • H0 — each off-diagonal blue point (0, d) records a connected component merging at filtration d.
  • H1 — green points (b, d) with b < d are 1-dimensional classes; persistence is d − b.
  • H2 — purple points record 2-dimensional classes filled in by 3-simplices (four mutually adjacent vertices).
  • Diagonal — instant death (d − b = 0). See persistence diagram and persistent homology.

Filtration & ε

Both panels share the same ε. The Vietoris–Rips complex grows monotonically; diagram points with b ≤ ε accumulate. Orange lines mark the current ε.

Tip: Use Animate ε for a smooth filtration sweep. Hover diagram points for definitions; the point cloud is auto-scaled to fit the canvas.