Draw tangent vectors of a path on a sphere

Question

I am trying to draw tangent and normal vectors to describe parallel transport on a sphere. I have longitude and latitude circles, but I'm stuck with the vectors. They have to adapt to the angles of the circles making the path, too...

I cheated and used arcs with a bigger radius to "simulate" tangent vectors, but it only works on the one circle. Can you help me complete the drawing with the normal vectors ?

Thank you !

Here's a picture and a MWE :

\documentclass[12pt]{article}
\usepackage{tikz}

\usepackage{verbatim}
\usepackage[active,tightpage]{preview}
\PreviewEnvironment{tikzpicture}
\setlength\PreviewBorder{5pt}%

\usetikzlibrary{positioning}


\newcommand\pgfmathsinandcos[3]{%
\pgfmathsetmacro#1{sin(#3)}%
\pgfmathsetmacro#2{cos(#3)}%
}
\newcommand\LongitudePlane[3][current plane]{%
\pgfmathsinandcos\sinEl\cosEl{#2} % elevation
\pgfmathsinandcos\sint\cost{#3} % azimuth
\tikzset{#1/.estyle={cm={\cost,\sint*\sinEl,0,\cosEl,(0,0)}}}
}
\newcommand\LatitudePlane[3][current plane]{%
\pgfmathsinandcos\sinEl\cosEl{#2} % elevation
\pgfmathsinandcos\sint\cost{#3} % latitude
\pgfmathsetmacro\yshift{\cosEl*\sint}
\tikzset{#1/.style={cm={\cost,0,0,\cost*\sinEl,(0,\yshift)}}} %
}

%Defining function to draw complete latitude circles 
\newcommand\DrawLongitudeCircle[2][1]{
    \LongitudePlane{\angEl}{#2}
    \tikzset{current plane/.estyle={cm={\cost,\sint*\sinEl,0,\cosEl,(0,0)},scale=#1}}
    % angle of "visibility"
    \pgfmathsetmacro\angVis{atan(sin(#2)*cos(\angEl)/sin(\angEl))} %
    \draw[current plane,thin,black] (\angVis:1) arc (\angVis:\angVis+180:1);
    \draw[current plane,thin,dashed] (\angVis-180:1) arc (\angVis-180:\angVis:1);
}

%Defining function to draw limited longitude circles 
\newcommand\DrawLongitudeCirclered[2][1]{
    \LongitudePlane{\angEl}{#2}
    \tikzset{current plane/.estyle={cm={\cost,\sint*\sinEl,0,\cosEl,(0,0)},scale=#1}}
    % angle of "visibility"
    \pgfmathsetmacro\angVis{atan(sin(#2)*cos(\angEl)/sin(\angEl))} %
    \draw[current plane,red,thick] (90:1) arc (90:180:1);   
}


%Defining function to draw complete latitude circles 
\newcommand\DrawLatitudeCircle[2][1]{
    \LatitudePlane{\angEl}{#2}
    \tikzset{current plane/.prefix style={scale=#1}}
    \pgfmathsetmacro\sinVis{sin(#2)/cos(#2)*sin(\angEl)/cos(\angEl)}
    % angle of "visibility"
    \pgfmathsetmacro\angVis{asin(min(1,max(\sinVis,-1)))}
    \draw[current plane,thin,black] (\angVis:1) arc (\angVis:-\angVis-180:1);
    \draw[current plane,thin,dashed] (180-\angVis:1) arc (180-\angVis:\angVis:1);
}

%Defining function to draw limited latitude circles 
\newcommand\DrawLatitudeCirclered[2][1]{
    \LatitudePlane{\angEl}{#2}
    \tikzset{current plane/.prefix style={scale=#1}}
    \pgfmathsetmacro\sinVis{sin(#2)/cos(#2)*sin(\angEl)/cos(\angEl)}
    % angle of "visibility"
    \pgfmathsetmacro\angVis{asin(min(1,max(\sinVis,-1)))}
    \draw[current plane,red,thick] (\angPhiTwo:1) node[below right] {$$} arc (\angPhiTwo:\angPhiOne:1) node[below left] {$$}; %Point Q suivi du point P

    \foreach \r in {-130,-110,...,-50}{
    \draw[current plane,blue,ultra thick,->] (\r:1) arc (\r:\r+2:20);
    }
}

\tikzset{%
>=latex,
inner sep=0pt,%
outer sep=2pt,%
mark coordinate/.style={inner sep=0pt,outer sep=0pt,minimum size=3pt,
fill=black,circle}%
}

\usepackage{amsmath}
\usetikzlibrary{arrows}
\pagestyle{empty}
\usepackage{pgfplots}
\usetikzlibrary{calc,fadings,decorations.pathreplacing}

\begin{document}
\begin{figure}[ht!]
\begin{tikzpicture}[scale=1,every node/.style={minimum size=1cm}]

%% some definitions
\def\R{4} % sphere radius

\def\angEl{25} % elevation angle
\def\angAz{-100} % azimuth angle
\def\angPhiOne{-130} % longitude of point P
\def\angPhiTwo{-50} % longitude of point Q
\def\angBeta{30} % latitude of point P and Q

%Sphere
\fill[ball color=white!10] (0,0) circle (\R); % 3D lighting effect

%Meridiens et équateur
\DrawLongitudeCircle[\R]{\angPhiOne} % pzplane
\DrawLongitudeCircle[\R]{\angPhiTwo} % qzplane
\DrawLatitudeCircle[\R]{0} % equator

%Poles nord et sud
\pgfmathsetmacro\H{\R*cos(\angEl)} % distance to north pole
\coordinate[mark coordinate] (N) at (0,\H);
\coordinate[mark coordinate] (S) at (0,-\H);
\node[above=8pt] at (N) {$\mathbf{N}$};
\node[below=8pt] at (S) {$\mathbf{S}$};


%Trajectoires
\DrawLongitudeCirclered[\R]{180+\angPhiOne}
\DrawLongitudeCirclered[\R]{180+\angPhiTwo}
\DrawLatitudeCirclered[\R]{0}

\end{tikzpicture}
\end{figure}
\end{document}

+1 for the good question and the nice drawing! =D – Guilherme Zanotelli Nov 16 '16 at 08:21 — Guilherme Zanotelli, Nov 16 '16 at 08:21

score 7 · Accepted Answer · answered Nov 16 '16 at 08:19

You can use the turn option of the coordinate which locally shifts the coordinate system so that the last point reached is at the origin and the coordinate system is also "turned" so that the x-axis points in the direction of a tangent entering the last point.

You can replace your hacky \draw[current plane,blue,ultra thick,->] (\r:1) arc (\r:\r+2:20); by

\draw[current plane,blue,ultra thick,->] (\r:1) -- ([turn]90:.5); % tangent vectors
\draw[current plane,red,->] (\r:1) -- ([turn]0:.5); % normal vectors

Having:

The complete MWE:

\documentclass[12pt]{article}
\usepackage{tikz}
\usepackage[active,tightpage]{preview}
\PreviewEnvironment{tikzpicture}
\setlength\PreviewBorder{5pt}%

\newcommand\pgfmathsinandcos[3]{%
\pgfmathsetmacro#1{sin(#3)}%
\pgfmathsetmacro#2{cos(#3)}%
}
\newcommand\LongitudePlane[3][current plane]{%
\pgfmathsinandcos\sinEl\cosEl{#2} % elevation
\pgfmathsinandcos\sint\cost{#3} % azimuth
\tikzset{#1/.estyle={cm={\cost,\sint*\sinEl,0,\cosEl,(0,0)}}}
}
\newcommand\LatitudePlane[3][current plane]{%
\pgfmathsinandcos\sinEl\cosEl{#2} % elevation
\pgfmathsinandcos\sint\cost{#3} % latitude
\pgfmathsetmacro\yshift{\cosEl*\sint}
\tikzset{#1/.style={cm={\cost,0,0,\cost*\sinEl,(0,\yshift)}}} %
}

%Defining function to draw complete latitude circles 
\newcommand\DrawLongitudeCircle[2][1]{
    \LongitudePlane{\angEl}{#2}
    \tikzset{current plane/.estyle={cm={\cost,\sint*\sinEl,0,\cosEl,(0,0)},scale=#1}}
    % angle of "visibility"
    \pgfmathsetmacro\angVis{atan(sin(#2)*cos(\angEl)/sin(\angEl))} %
    \draw[current plane,thin,black] (\angVis:1) arc (\angVis:\angVis+180:1);
    \draw[current plane,thin,dashed] (\angVis-180:1) arc (\angVis-180:\angVis:1);
}

%Defining function to draw limited longitude circles 
\newcommand\DrawLongitudeCirclered[2][1]{
    \LongitudePlane{\angEl}{#2}
    \tikzset{current plane/.estyle={cm={\cost,\sint*\sinEl,0,\cosEl,(0,0)},scale=#1}}
    % angle of "visibility"
    \pgfmathsetmacro\angVis{atan(sin(#2)*cos(\angEl)/sin(\angEl))} %
    \draw[current plane,red,thick] (90:1) arc (90:180:1);   
}


%Defining function to draw complete latitude circles 
\newcommand\DrawLatitudeCircle[2][1]{
    \LatitudePlane{\angEl}{#2}
    \tikzset{current plane/.prefix style={scale=#1}}
    \pgfmathsetmacro\sinVis{sin(#2)/cos(#2)*sin(\angEl)/cos(\angEl)}
    % angle of "visibility"
    \pgfmathsetmacro\angVis{asin(min(1,max(\sinVis,-1)))}
    \draw[current plane,thin,black] (\angVis:1) arc (\angVis:-\angVis-180:1);
    \draw[current plane,thin,dashed] (180-\angVis:1) arc (180-\angVis:\angVis:1);
}

%Defining function to draw limited latitude circles 
\newcommand\DrawLatitudeCirclered[2][1]{
    \LatitudePlane{\angEl}{#2}
    \tikzset{current plane/.prefix style={scale=#1}}
    \pgfmathsetmacro\sinVis{sin(#2)/cos(#2)*sin(\angEl)/cos(\angEl)}
    % angle of "visibility"
    \pgfmathsetmacro\angVis{asin(min(1,max(\sinVis,-1)))}
    \draw[current plane,red,thick] (\angPhiTwo:1) node[below right] {$$} arc (\angPhiTwo:\angPhiOne:1) node[below left] {$$}; %Point Q suivi du point P

    \foreach \r in {-130,-110,...,-50}{
    \draw[current plane,blue,ultra thick,->] (\r:1) -- ([turn]90:.5);
    \draw[current plane,red,->] (\r:1) -- ([turn]0:.5);
    }
}

\tikzset{%
>=latex,
inner sep=0pt,%
outer sep=2pt,%
mark coordinate/.style={inner sep=0pt,outer sep=0pt,minimum size=3pt,
fill=black,circle}%
}

\usetikzlibrary{arrows}
\pagestyle{empty}
\usepackage{pgfplots}
\usetikzlibrary{calc,fadings,decorations.pathreplacing,positioning}
\pgfplotsset{compat=1.14}

\begin{document}
\begin{tikzpicture}[scale=1,every node/.style={minimum size=1cm}]
%% some definitions
\def\R{4} % sphere radius

\def\angEl{25} % elevation angle
\def\angAz{-100} % azimuth angle
\def\angPhiOne{-130} % longitude of point P
\def\angPhiTwo{-50} % longitude of point Q
\def\angBeta{30} % latitude of point P and Q

%Sphere
\fill[ball color=white!10] (0,0) circle (\R); % 3D lighting effect

%Meridiens et équateur
\DrawLongitudeCircle[\R]{\angPhiOne} % pzplane
\DrawLongitudeCircle[\R]{\angPhiTwo} % qzplane
\DrawLatitudeCircle[\R]{0} % equator

%Poles nord et sud
\pgfmathsetmacro\H{\R*cos(\angEl)} % distance to north pole
\coordinate[mark coordinate] (N) at (0,\H);
\coordinate[mark coordinate] (S) at (0,-\H);
\node[above=8pt] at (N) {$\mathbf{N}$};
\node[below=8pt] at (S) {$\mathbf{S}$};


%Trajectoires
\DrawLongitudeCirclered[\R]{180+\angPhiOne}
\DrawLongitudeCirclered[\R]{180+\angPhiTwo}
\DrawLatitudeCirclered[\R]{0}

\end{tikzpicture}
\end{document}

That works great, and it even solves the next problem I would have ! Thanks a lot — Johann, Nov 16 '16 at 20:43
You're welcome! Still, the best way to say thanks here is to upvote and/or accept questions and answers. :) — Guilherme Zanotelli, Nov 16 '16 at 20:49

Black Mild · Answer 2 · 2022-03-20T09:06:12.570

This is an Asymptote solution (see more in this link).

// http://asymptote.ualberta.ca/
import three;
unitsize(1cm);
currentprojection=orthographic(1,1,.6,zoom=.9);
real r=3;
draw(scale3(r)*unitsphere,lightyellow+opacity(.6));
path3 circX=arc(O,r*Y,r*Y,normal=X);
path3 circY=arc(O,r*Z,r*Z,normal=Y);
path3 g=arc(O,r,90,0,90,360,normal=Z);
draw(g^^circX^^circY,blue+.6pt);
real[] t={0,.2,.4,.6,.8,1};
for(int i=0;i<t.length;++i){
triple P=point(g,t[i]);
triple Pt=dir(g,t[i]);           // the tangent vector at P
draw(P--P+1.5Pt,red,Arrow3);
// the normal vector at P of the planar curve g (in that plane)

triple Pn=rotate(-90,normal(g))*Pt;  // in fact, normal(g)=Z

draw(P--P+1.5Pn,orange,Arrow3);

}
dot("$N$",align=plain.N,rZ);
dot("$S$",align=plain.S,-rZ);

Draw tangent vectors of a path on a sphere

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