Level lines of a polynomial in the plane

Abstract

We propose a method for computing the position of all level lines of a real polynomial in the real plane. To do this, it is necessary to compute its critical points and critical curves, and then to compute critical values of the polynomial (there are finite number of them). Now finite number of critical levels and one representative of noncritical level corresponding to a value between two neighboring critical ones enough to compute. We propose a scheme for computing level lines based on polynomial computer algebra algorithms: Gröbner bases, primary ideal decomposition. Software for these computations are pointed out. Nontrivial examples are considered.