On the Role of the Double Fourier Sphere Method in Fast Algorithms on SO(3)

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Hielscher, Ralf, Wuensche, Erik
Format: Preprint
Published: 2026
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author Hielscher, Ralf
Wuensche, Erik
author_facet Hielscher, Ralf
Wuensche, Erik
contents We analyze the Double Fourier Sphere (DFS) method on the rotation group $\mathcal{SO}(3)$ in the frequency domain and demonstrate its central role in fast algorithms. Fast Fourier algorithms on $\mathcal{SO}(3)$ are commonly formulated as a Wigner transform - mapping harmonic to Fourier coefficients - followed by a Fourier transform. We revisit this formulation and interpret the Wigner transform as an explicit realization of the DFS method, lifting functions from $\mathcal{SO}(3)$ to $\mathbb{T}^3$. In this context, we analyze the Sobolev regularity loss induced by this lifting. Furthermore, we compare different Wigner transform implementations, examine additional symmetry enhancements, and observe that the direct method is often faster and more stable than the fast polynomial transform approaches.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2602_06677
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle On the Role of the Double Fourier Sphere Method in Fast Algorithms on SO(3)
Hielscher, Ralf
Wuensche, Erik
Numerical Analysis
65T40, 22E70
We analyze the Double Fourier Sphere (DFS) method on the rotation group $\mathcal{SO}(3)$ in the frequency domain and demonstrate its central role in fast algorithms. Fast Fourier algorithms on $\mathcal{SO}(3)$ are commonly formulated as a Wigner transform - mapping harmonic to Fourier coefficients - followed by a Fourier transform. We revisit this formulation and interpret the Wigner transform as an explicit realization of the DFS method, lifting functions from $\mathcal{SO}(3)$ to $\mathbb{T}^3$. In this context, we analyze the Sobolev regularity loss induced by this lifting. Furthermore, we compare different Wigner transform implementations, examine additional symmetry enhancements, and observe that the direct method is often faster and more stable than the fast polynomial transform approaches.
title On the Role of the Double Fourier Sphere Method in Fast Algorithms on SO(3)
topic Numerical Analysis
65T40, 22E70
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2602.06677