Inflection reflection: images in mirrors whose curvature changes sign

Abstract Mirrors that are convex in some places and concave others can generate images of extended objects (such as the viewer’s face) curiously distorted often topologically disrupted. Understanding these involves caustics family rays emitted by each point object, totality all such families constituting from points object. The general theory is illustrated simplest mirror with an inflection, whose profile a cubic function. Simulations, observations flexible plastic mirror, show how image changes viewer moves relative to mirror.