A Complete Set of Fourier Descriptors for Two-Dimensional Shapes

A set of Fourier descriptors for two-dimensional shapes is defined which is complete in the sense that two objects have the same shape if and only if they have the same set of Fourier descriptors. It also is shown that the moduli of the Fourier coefficients of the parameterizing function of the boundary of an object do not contain enough information to characterize the shape of an object. Further a relationship is established between rotational symmetries of an object and the set of integers for which the corresponding Fourier coefficients of the parameterizing function are nonzero.