Self-intersecting (ConceptAttribute, 4)

From Hi.gher. Space

Self intersection occurs when at least one given point on the (n-1)D hypersurface of an nD shape occurs more than once on the surface, in the same bounding reference position but a different net reference position.

Problems with self-intersecting shapes

Self-intersecting shapes do not technically have an "inside" and an "outside". There are two main effects of this:

• Computer programs will not correctly render a self-intersecting shape, unless they have been specifically programmed to correct such shapes. Most programs are however programmed to recognise and correct these shapes, so the following effects are not often seen.
  • In a 3D render, some parts of the shape will not appear, as the normals will point away from the camera.
  • A test for whether a point lies inside or outside the shape will return very erroneous results, and any attempt to shade the "inside" of the shape will look strange.
• The hypervolume calculated from a self-intersecting shape will usually, but not always, be incorrect, often zero or negative.