Volume approximation of convex bodies by inscribed polytopes

Dedicated to the memory of my dear friend Professor Dr. Wilfried Nöbauer (1928–1988)     

Approximation of convex bodies by polytopes

LetC be a convex body ofE ^d and consider the symmetric difference metric. The distance ofC to its best approximating polytope having at mostn vertices is 0 (1/n ^2/(d?1)) asn→∞. It is shown that this estimate cannot be improved for anyC of differentiability class two. These results complement analogous theorems for the Hausdorff metric. It is also shown that for both metrics the approximation properties of «most» convex bodies are rather irregular and that ford=2 «most» convex bodies have unique best approximating polygons with respect to both metrics.     

Coverings by convex bodies and inscribed balls

Let be a Hilbert space. For a closed convex body denote by the supremum of the radiuses of balls contained in . We prove that for every covering of a convex closed body by a sequence of convex closed bodies , . It looks like this fact is new even for triangles in a 2-dimensional space.

     

Variance asymptotics for random polytopes in smooth convex bodies

Let $K \subset \mathbb R ^d$ be a smooth convex set and let $\mathcal{P }_{\lambda }$ be a Poisson point process on $\mathbb R ^d$ of intensity ${\lambda }$ . The convex hull of $\mathcal{P }_{\lambda }\cap K$ is a random convex polytope $K_{\lambda }$ . As ${\lambda }\rightarrow \infty $ , we show that the variance of the number of $k$ -dimensional faces of $K_{\lambda }$ , when properly scaled, converges to a scalar multiple of the affine surface area of $K$ . Similar asymptotics hold for the variance of the number of $k$ -dimensional faces for the convex hull of a binomial process in $K$ .     

On convex bodies of constant width

We present an alternative proof of the following fact: the hyperspace of compact closed subsets of constant width in Rn is a contractible Hilbert cube manifold. The proof also works for certain subspaces of compact convex sets of constant width as well as for the pairs of compact convex sets of constant relative width. Besides, it is proved that the projection map of compact closed subsets of constant width is not 0-soft in the sense of Shchepin, in particular, is not open.     

Mean width of random polytopes in a reasonably smooth convex body

Let K be a convex body in and let X_n=(x₁,…,x_n) be a random sample of n independent points in K chosen according to the uniform distribution. The convex hull K_n of X_n is a random polytope in K, and we consider its mean width W(K_n). In this article, we assume that K has a rolling ball of radius >0. First, we extend the asymptotic formula for the expectation of W(K)−W(K_n) which was earlier known only in the case when ∂K has positive Gaussian curvature. In addition, we determine the order of magnitude of the variance of W(K_n), and prove the strong law of large numbers for W(K_n). We note that the strong law of large numbers for any quermassintegral of K was only known earlier for the case when ∂K has positive Gaussian curvature.     

On determinants and the volume of random polytopes in isotropic convex bodies

In this paper we consider random polytopes generated by sampling points in multiple convex bodies. We prove related estimates for random determinants and give applications to several geometric inequalities.     

Approximation of convex bodies by polytopes with uniformly bounded valences

Given any convex bodyK in Euclideann-spaceR ⁿ and any number ?>0, does there always exist a polytopeP(K, ?)?R ⁿ such that the number of vertices of a facet ofP and the number of facets meeting in a common vertex are bounded by a constant depending on the dimensiond only and such that the Hausdorff-distance ? (K, P) ofK andP is less than ?? This question of Ewald posed at the Durham symposium in 1975 is answered in the affirmative.     

Estimates of the asphericity of sections of convex bodies

We define the function (n, k) to be the infimum of all such that any bounded centrally symmetric convex body inR ⁿ possesses an -asphericalk-dimensional central section. It is proved that (3, 2)=2–1 and (n, n-1)n-1-1. Several related functions are defined and their values on the pairs (n, n-1) are estimated.Translated from Ukrainskií Geometricheskií Sbornik, Issue 28, 1985, pp. 76–79.     

Topology of the hyperspace of convex bodies of constant width

The hyperspace of all convex bodies of constant width in Euclidean spaceR ⁿ ,n≥2, is proved to be homeomorphic to a contractibleQ-manifold (Q denotes the Hilbert cube). The proof makes use of an explicitly constructed retraction of the entire hyperspace of convex bodies on the hyperspace of convex bodies of constant width. Translated fromMaternaticheskie Zametki, Vol. 62, No. 6, pp. 813–819, December, 1997 Translated by V. N. Dubrovsky     

Barycentric coordinates for convex polytopes

An extension of the standard barycentric coordinate functions for simplices to arbitrary convex polytopes is described. The key to this extension is the construction, for a given convex polytope, of a unique polynomial associated with that polytope. This polynomial, theadjoint of the polytope, generalizes a previous two-dimensional construction described by Wachspress. The barycentric coordinate functions for the polytope are rational combinations of adjoints of various dual cones associated with the polytope.     

Note dual polytopes of rational convex polytopes

LetP ^d be a rational convex polytope with dimP=d such that the origin of ^d is contained in the interiorP – P ofP. In this paper, from a viewpoint of enumeration of certain rational points inP (which originated in Ehrhart's work), a necessary and sufficient condition for the dual polytopeP ^dual ofP to be integral is presented.This research was performed while the author was staying at Massachusetts Institute of Technology during the 1988–89 academic year.     

The extreme bodies in the set of plane convex bodies with a given width function

Let \(\bar K\) (w) denote the class of plane convex bodies having a width functionw. Examining the length measure of the boundary of a convex body in \(\bar K\) (w), a characterization is given for the extreme (indecomposable) bodies in \(\bar K\) (w). This is a generalization of the solution previously given by the author in Israel J. Math. (1974) for the case wherew′ is absolutely continuous.     

Diagonals of convex polytopes

Translated from Matematicheskie Zametki, Vol. 49, No. 4, pp. 20–30, April, 1991.     

Pentagons inscribed in a closed convex curve

Two theorems are proved. Let the points A₁, A₂, A₃, A₄, and A₅ be the vertices of a convex pentagon inscribed in an ellipse, let Κ⊂ℝ² be a convex figure, and let A₀ be a fixed distinguished point of its boundary ϖK. If the sum of any two of the neighboring angles of the pentagon A₁A₂A₃A₄A₅ is greater than π or the boundary ϖK is C⁴-smooth and has positive curvature, then some affine image of the pentagon A₁A₂A₃A₄A₅ is inscribed in K and has A₀ as the image of the vertex A₁. (This is not true for arbitrary pentagons incribed in an ellipse and for arbitrary convex figures.) Bibliography: 4 titles. Translated from Zapiski Nauchnykh Seminarov POMI, Vol. 246, 1997, pp. 184–190. Translated by N. Yu. Netsvetaev.