Footprints of geodesics in persistent homology

Abstract: Given a metric space $X$ and a subspace $A\subset X$, we prove $A$ can generate various algebraic elements in persistent homology of $X$. We call such elements (algebraic) footprints of $A$. Our results imply that footprints typically appear in dimensions above the dimension of $A$. Higher-dimensional persistent homology thus encodes lower-dimensional geometric features of $X$. We pay special attention to a specific type of geodesics in a geodesic surface $X$ called geodesic circles. We explain how they may generate non-trivial odd-dimensional and two-dimensional footprints. In particular, we can detect even some contractible geodesics using two- and three-dimensional persistent homology. This provides a link between persistent homology and length spectrum in Riemannian geometry.