Applet of Explicit (Unstable) Discrete Catenoids (Description)

Usage of the Applet

Height Delta Vertical distance between adjacent rings. Value is constant for each catenoid.
Bottom Height Vertical height of bottom ring. Flag Symmetric must be switched off to enable this slider.
Waist Radius Distance of cosh curve associated with catenoid to axis of rotation.
Waist Discr Number of vertices on each horizontal ring, i.e. order of dihedral symmetry of catenoid.
Profile Discr Number of vertices on each vertical profile curve.
Fixed Height If true the vertical height of  catenoid remains fixed if variable height delta is modified. Otherwise, catenoid changes height.
Symmetry If true the catenoid is symmetric w.r.t. xy-plane and the variable bottom height is disabled.
Interpolate Cosh(z) If true the parameters of the discrete catenoid are automatically chosen such that its vertices interpolate the smooth catenoid with radius 1. For each dihedral symmetry, i.e. waist discr, the variables height delta and profile discr are uniquely determined and, therefore, their sliders are disabled..
Alternate If true the discretization of the catenoid is zig-zag, i.e. the profile curves are no longer edges. This surface is not discrete minimal.
For usage of Minimization Panel see PaHarmonic.