Wavelet compression for 3D and higher-dimensional objects

We present a technique to compress scalar functions defined on 2-manifolds of arbitrary topology. Our approach combines discrete wavelet transforms with zerotree compression, building on ideas from three previous developments. the lifting scheme, spherical wavelets, and embedded zerotree coding methods. Applications lie in the efficient storage and rapid transmission of complex data sets. Typical data sets are earth topography, satellite images, and surface parametrizations. Our contribution in this paper is the novel combination and application of these techniques to general 2-manifolds.