Published online by Cambridge University Press: 01 September 2008
A framework is introduced for the study of general Radon shape diffusions, that is, shape diffusions induced by projections of randomly rotating shapes. This is done via a convenient representation of unoriented Radon shape diffusions in (unoriented) D.G. Kendall shape space through a Brownian motion on the hypersphere. This representation leads to a coordinate system for the generalized version of Radon diffusions since it is shown that shape can be essentially identified with unoriented shape in the projected case. A bijective correspondence between Brownian motion on real projective space and Radon shape diffusions is established. Furthermore, equations are derived for the general (unoriented) Radon diffusion of shape-and-size, and stationary measures are discussed.