A new construction of Radon curves and related topics

We present a new construction of Radon curves which only uses convexity methods. In other words, it does not rely on an auxiliary Euclidean background metric (as in the classical works of J. Radon, W. Blaschke, G. Birkhoff, and M. M. Day), and also it does not use typical methods from plane Minkowski Geometry (as proposed by H. Martini and K. J. Swanepoel). We also discuss some properties of normed planes whose unit circle is a Radon curve and give characterizations of Radon curves only in terms of Convex Geometry.     

Cassini Curves in Normed Planes

We extend the concept of Cassini curves from the Euclidean plane to normed (or Minkowski) planes and show that geometric properties of (Minkowskian) Cassini curves are closely related to geometric properties of the unit disc determining the underlying normed plane.     

A note on Minkowski planes admitting groups of automorphisms of some large types with respect to homotheties

Monica Klein classified Minkowski planes with respect to linearly transitive subgroups of Minkowski homotheties. She obtained 23 possible types. In this paper we investigate Minkowski planes with respect to groups of automorphism of certain Klein types 12 and higher. We show that types 12 and 14 can only occur in finite miquelian Minkowski planes of order 3 or 5, and we provide examples for such groups. Furthermore, we prove that types 13 and 18 in finite Minkowski planes can only occur in miquelian planes.     

The size of a Minkowski ellipse that contains the unit ball

In this paper we study the minimum radius of Minkowski ellipses (with antipodal foci on the unit sphere) necessary to contain the unit ball of a (normed or) Minkowski plane. We obtain a general upper bound depending on the modulus of convexity, and in the special case of a so-called symmetric Minkowski plane (a notion that we will recall in the paper) we prove a lower bound, and also we obtain that 3 is the exact upper bound.     

The divergence theorem and the Laplacian in Minkowski space

Let (X, B) be a Minkowski space (finite-dimensional Banach space) with unit ball B. Using a Minkowski definition of unit normal to a hypersurface, a Minkowski analogue of Euclidean divergence is defined. We show that the divergence theorem holds. Using the Minkowski divergence, a Minkowski Laplacian is defined. We prove that this Laplacian is a second-order, constant-coefficient, elliptic, differential operator. Furthermore, the symbol of this Laplacian is computed and used to associate a natural Euclidean structure with (X, B).Supported, in part, by NSERC Operating Grant #4066.     

Flat Circle Planes as Integrals of Flat Affine Planes

In a previous article (Arch. Math. {64} (1995), 75–85) we showed that flat Laguerre planes can be constructed by'integrating' flat affine planes. It turns out that'most' of the known flat Laguerre planes arise in this manner. In this paper we show that similar constructions are also possible in the case of the other two kinds of flat circle planes, that is, the flat Möbius planes and the flat Minkowski planes. In particular, we show that many of the known flat Möbius planes can be constructed by integrating a closed strip taken from a flat affine plane. We also show how flat Minkowski planes arise as integrals of two flat affine planes. All known flat Minkowski planes can be constructed in this manner.     

Min-weight double-tree shortcutting for Metric TSP: Bounding the approximation ratio

The Metric Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP) is a classical NP-hard optimization problem. The double-tree shortcutting method for Metric TSP yields an exponentially-sized space of TSP tours, each of which approximates the optimal solution within at most a factor of 2. We consider the problem of finding among these tours the one that gives the closest approximation, i.e. the minimum-weight double-tree shortcutting. Previously, we gave an efficient algorithm for this problem, and carried out its experimental analysis. In this paper, we address the related question of the worst-case approximation ratio for the minimum-weight double-tree shortcutting method. In particular, we give lower bounds on the approximation ratio in some specific metric spaces: the ratio of 2 in the discrete shortest path metric, 1.622 in the planar Euclidean metric, and 1.666 in the planar Minkowski metric. The first of these lower bounds is tight; we conjecture that the other two bounds are also tight, and in particular that the minimum-weight double-tree method provides a 1.622-approximation for planar Euclidean TSP.     

On regular 4-coverings and their application for lattice coverings in normed planes

It is well known that the famous covering problem of Hadwiger is completely solved only in the planar case, i.e.: any planar convex body can be covered by four smaller homothetical copies of itself. Lassak derived the smallest possible ratio of four such homothets (having equal size), using the notion of regular 4-covering. We will continue these investigations, mainly (but not only) referring to centrally symmetric convex plates. This allows to interpret and derive our results in terms of Minkowski geometry (i.e., the geometry of finite dimensional real Banach spaces). As a tool we also use the notion of quasi-perfect and perfect parallelograms of normed planes, which do not differ in the Euclidean plane. Further on, we will use Minkowskian bisectors, different orthogonality types, and further notions from the geometry of normed planes, and we will construct lattice coverings of such planes and study related Voronoi regions and gray areas. Discussing relations to the known bundle theorem, we also extend Miquel’s six-circles theorem from the Euclidean plane to all strictly convex normed planes.     

Gauss-Bonnet theorems in the affine group and the group of rigid motions of the Minkowski plane

In this paper, we compute sub-Riemannian limits of Gaussian curvature for a Euclidean C~2-smooth surface in the affine group and the group of rigid motions of the Minkowski plane away from characteristic points and signed geodesic curvature for Euclidean C~2-smooth curves on surfaces. We get Gauss-Bonnet theorems in the affine group and the group of rigid motions of the Minkowski plane.     

New euclidean theorems by the use of Laguerre transformations — Some geometry of Minkowski (2+1)-space

Examples of the use of Laguerre transformations to discover theorems in the Euclidean and Minkowski planes.     

A Family Of 2-Dimensional Minkowski Planes with Small Automorphism Groups

This paper concerns 2-dimensional (topological locally compact connected) Minkowski planes. It uses a construction of J. Jakóbowski [4] of Minkowski planes over half-ordered fields and applies it to the field of reals. This generalizes a construction by A. Schenkel [7] of 2-dimensional Minkowski planes admitting a 3-dimensional kernel. It is shown that most planes in this family of Minkowski planes have 0-dimensional and even trivial automorphism groups.     

On Bisectors in Minkowski Normed Spaces

We discuss the concept of the bisector of a segment in a Minkowski normed n-space, and prove that if the unit ball K of the space is strictly convex then all bisectors are topological images of a hyperplane of the embedding Euclidean n-space. The converse statement is not true. We give an example in the three-space showing that all bisectors are topological planes, however K contains segments on its boundary. Strict convexity ensures the normality of Dirichlet-Voronoi-type K-subdivision of any point lattice.     

On Reduced Triangles in Normed Planes

A convex body is reduced if it does not properly contain a convex body of the same minimal width. In this paper we present new results on reduced triangles in normed (or Minkowski) planes, clearly showing how basic seemingly elementary notions from Euclidean geometry (like that of the regular triangle) spread when we extend them to arbitrary normed planes. Via the concept of anti-norms, we study the rich geometry of reduced triangles for arbitrary norms giving bounds on their side-lengths and on their vertex norms. We derive results on the existence and uniqueness of reduced triangles, and also we obtain characterizations of the Euclidean norm by means of reduced triangles. In the introductory part we discuss different topics from Banach Space Theory, Discrete Geometry, and Location Science which, unexpectedly, benefit from results on reduced triangles.     

Crystallographic classes on the Minkowski space R 1,2. II. Tables of groups

For the Minkowski spaces, the traditional definition of a crystallographic group yields only trivial groups that are isomorphic to the Euclidean groups. In this article, we use a weaker definition (the topological discreteness). We classify the isomorphism types of the groups in the six crystallographic classes in the 3-dimensional Minkowski space: three classes are determined by the unimodular subgroups of the general Lorentz group, and the other three classes, by the subgroups unimodular in isotropic coordinates.     

On geometric interpretations of split quaternions

Quaternions are an important tool that provides a convenient and effective mathematical method for representing reflections and rotations in three-dimensional space. A unit timelike split quaternion represents a rotation in the Lorentzian space. In this paper, we give some geometric interpretations of split quaternions for lines and planes in the Minkowski 3-space with the help of mutual pseudo orthogonal planes. We classified mutual planes with respect to the casual character of the normals of the plane as follows; if the normal is timelike, then the mutual plane is isomorphic to the complex plane; if the normal is spacelike, then the plane is isomorphic to the hyperbolic number plane (Lorentzian plane); if the normal is lightlike, then the plane is isomorphic to the dual number plane (Galilean plane).     

A unified Pythagorean hodograph approach to the medial axis transform and offset approximation

Algorithms based on Pythagorean hodographs (PH) in the Euclidean plane and in Minkowski space share common goals, the main one being rationality of offsets of planar domains. However, only separate interpolation techniques based on these curves can be found in the literature. It was recently revealed that rational PH curves in the Euclidean plane and in Minkowski space are very closely related. In this paper, we continue the discussion of the interplay between spatial MPH curves and their associated planar PH curves from the point of view of Hermite interpolation. On the basis of this approach we design a new, simple interpolation algorithm. The main advantage of the unifying method presented lies in the fact that it uses, after only some simple additional computations, an arbitrary algorithm for interpolation using planar PH curves also for interpolation using spatial MPH curves. We present the functionality of our method for G¹ Hermite data; however, one could also obtain higher order algorithms.     

A Reilly Type Inequality for the First Eigenvalue of Finsler Submanifolds in Minkowski Space

In this paper, we study the extrinsic upper bound for the first eigenvalue of compact Finsler submanifolds in Minkowski space and obtain a Reilly type inequality. It is reduced to the standard Reilly inequality when the ambient space is Euclidean.Mathematics Subject Classification (1991): 53C60, 53B40.     

Geometric algebra of strictly convex Minkowski planes

Imposing geometric or group-theoretical conditions on left reflections or the group \({\mathfrak{G}}\) generated by them, we obtain many characterizations of the Euclidean plane and of Radon planes within the framework of strictly convex Minkowski planes. In particular, Bachmann’s view of geometry provides a rich source of pertinent conditions on \({\mathfrak{G}}\) . A special role in characterizing the Euclidean plane and Radon planes is played by the shape of the locus of images of a point x under the set of left reflections in lines having a point distinct from x in common.     

TheC M -embedded problem and optimality conditions

In this paper theC _M -embedded problem which is also called the design centering problem in other papers will be described, and new optimality conditions and some results associated with optimality conditions will be presented. These results hold for general non-convex regions. To a certain extent they provide the possibility to develop search techniques. It should be pointed out that, in this paper, the only case where the Minkowski norm is just the Euclidean norm is treated.     

Unit-distance graphs in Minkowski metric spaces

The Unit-Distance Graph problem in Euclidean plane asks for the minimum number of colors, so that each point on the Euclidean plane can be assigned a single color with the condition that the points at unit distance apart are assigned different colors. It is well known that this number is between 4 and 7, but the exact value is not known. Here this problem is generalized to Minkowski metric spaces and once again the answer is shown to be between 4 and 7. In extreme special cases where the unit circle is a parallelogram or a hexagon the answer is shown to be exactly 4.