Constructing a polytope to approximate a convex body

We develop an algorithm to construct a convex polytopeP withn vertices, contained in an arbitrary convex bodyK inR ^d , so that the ratio of the volumes |K/P|/|K| is dominated byc ·. d/n ^2/(d–1).Supported in part by the fund for the promotion of research in the Technion     

On a question of K. Bezdek and T. Odor on Γ-parallelotops

K. Bezdek and T. Odor proved the following statement in [1]: If a covering ofE ³ is a lattice packing of the convex compact bodyK with packing lattice Λ (K is a Λ-parallelotopes) then there exists such a 2-dimensional sublattice Λ′ of Λ which is covered by the set ∪(K+z∣z ∈ Λ′). (K ∪L(Λ′) is a Λ′-parallelotopes). We prove that the statement is not true in the case of the dimensionsn=6, 7, 8. Supported by Hung. Nat. Found for Sci. Research (OTKA) grant no. 1615 (1991).     

Expectation of random polytopes

A random polytopeP _n in a convex bodyC is the convex hull ofn identically and independently distributed points inC. Its expectation is a convex body in the interior ofC. We study the deviation of the expectation ofP _n fromC asn→∞: while forC of classC ^k+1,k≥1, precise asymptotic expansions for the deviation exist, the behaviour of the deviation is extremely irregular for most convex bodiesC of classC ¹. Dedicated to my teacher and friend Professor Edmund Hlawka on the occasion of his 80^th birthday     

Constant Minkowskian width in terms of double normals

We extend the notion of a double normal of a convex body from smooth, strictly convex Minkowski planes to arbitrary two-dimensional real, normed, linear spaces in two different ways. Then, for both of these ways, we obtain the following characterization theorem: a convex body K in a Minkowski plane is of constant Minkowskian width iff every chord I of K splits K into two compact convex sets K₁ and K₂ such that I is a Minkowskian double normal of K₁ or K₂. Furthermore, the Euclidean version of this theorem yields a new characterization of d-dimensional Euclidean ball where d 3.     

Mean projections and finite packings of convex bodies

Consider the convex hullQ ofn non-overlapping translates of a convex bodyC inE ^d ,n be large. IfQ has minimali-dimensional projection, 1i<d then we prove thatQ is approximately a sphere.     

The geometry of p-convex intersection bodies

Busemann's theorem states that the intersection body of an origin-symmetric convex body is also convex. In this paper we provide a version of Busemann's theorem for p-convex bodies. We show that the intersection body of a p-convex body is q-convex for certain q. Furthermore, we discuss the sharpness of the previous result by constructing an appropriate example. This example is also used to show that IK, the intersection body of K, can be much farther away from the Euclidean ball than K. Finally, we extend these theorems to some general measure spaces with log-concave and s-concave measures.     

An example of a convex body without symmetric projections

Many crucial results of the asymptotic theory of symmetric convex bodies were extended to the non-symmetric case in recent years. That led to the conjecture that for everyn-dimensional convex bodyK there exists a projectionP of rankk, proportional ton, such thatPK is almost symmetric. We prove that the conjecture does not hold. More precisely, we construct ann-dimensional convex bodyK such that for everyk >C√nlnn and every projectionP of rankk, the bodyPK is very far from being symmetric. In particular, our example shows that one cannot expect a formal argument extending the “symmetric” theory to the general case. This author holds a Lady Davis Fellowship.     

Computing the radius of pointedness of a convex cone

Let Ξ(H) denote the set of all nonzero closed convex cones in a finite dimensional Hilbert space H. Consider this set equipped with the bounded Pompeiu-Hausdorff metric δ. The collection of all pointed cones forms an open set in the metric space (Ξ(H),δ). One possible way of measuring the degree of pointedness of a cone K is by evaluating the distance from K to the set of all nonpointed cones. The number ρ(K) obtained in this way is called the radius of pointedness of the cone K. The evaluation of this number is, in general, a very cumbersome task. In this note, we derive a simple formula for computing ρ(K), and we propose also a method for constructing a nonpointed cone at minimal distance from K. Our results apply to any cone K whose maximal angle does not exceed 120°. Dedicated to Clovis Gonzaga on the occassion of his 60th birthday.     

The mean value of the area of polygons circumscribed about a plane convex body

Inner parallel bodies are used to prove that the mean area of polygons circumscribed about a convex bodyK of given area is minimum whenK is a circle.     

On reduced convex bodies

A convex bodyK ⊂R ^d is called reduced if for each convex bodyK′ ⊂K,K′ ≠K, the width ofK′ is less than the width ofK. We prove that reduced bodyK is of constant width if (i) the bodyK has a supporting sphere almost everywhere in ∂K. (The radius of the sphere may vary with the point in ∂K; the condition (i) and strict convexity do not imply each other.) Supported by an N.S.E.R.C. Grant of Canada.     

Hessian measures of semi-convex functions and applications to support measures of convex bodies

This paper originates from the investigation of support measures of convex bodies (sets of positive reach), which form a central subject in convex geometry and also represent an important tool in related fields. We show that these measures are absolutely continuous with respect to Hausdorff measures of appropriate dimensions, and we determine the Radon-Nikodym derivatives explicitly on sets of σ-finite Hausdorff measure. The results which we obtain in the setting of the theory of convex bodies (sets of positive reach) are achieved as applications of various new results on Hessian measures of convex (semi-convex) functions. Among these are a Crofton formula, results on the absolute continuity of Hessian measures, and a duality theorem which relates the Hessian measures of a convex function to those of the conjugate function. In particular, it turns out that curvature and surface area measures of a convex body K are the Hessian measures of special functions, namely the distance function and the support function of K. Received: 15 July 1999     

A solution to Hammer's X-ray reconstruction problem

We propose algorithms for reconstructing a planar convex body K from possibly noisy measurements of either its parallel X-rays taken in a fixed finite set of directions or its point X-rays taken at a fixed finite set of points, in known situations that guarantee a unique solution when the data is exact. The algorithms construct a convex polygon Pk whose X-rays approximate (in the least squares sense) k equally spaced noisy X-ray measurements in each of the directions or at each of the points.It is shown that these procedures are strongly consistent, meaning that, almost surely, Pk tends to K in the Hausdorff metric as k→∞. This solves, for the first time in the strongest sense, Hammer's X-ray problem published in 1963.     

On the Sobolev distance of convex bodies

Summary LetK ^d denote the cone of all convex bodies in the Euclidean spaceK ^d . The mappingK h _K of each bodyK K ^d onto its support function induces a metric _w onK ^d by" _w (K, L)h _L –h _{K w} where _w is the Sobolev I-norm on the unit sphere . We call _w (K, L) the Sobolev distance ofK andL. The goal of our paper is to develop some fundamental properties of the Sobolev distance.     

The spherical conjecture in Minkowski geometry

We show that the shapes of convex bodies containing m translates of a convex body K, so that their Minkowskian surface area is minimum, tends for growing m to a convex body L.Received: 7 January 2002     

Projection problems for symmetric polytopes

Let K⊂Rn be a convex body (a compact, convex subset with non-empty interior), ΠK its projection body. Finding the least upper bound, as K ranges over the class of origin-symmetric convex bodies, of the affine-invariant ratio V(ΠK)/V(K)ⁿ⁻¹, being called Schneider's projection problem, is a well-known open problem in the convex geometry. To study this problem, Lutwak, Yang and Zhang recently introduced a new affine invariant functional for convex polytopes in Rn. For origin-symmetric convex polytopes, they posed a conjecture for the new functional U(P). In this paper, we give an affirmative answer to the conjecture in Rn, thereby, obtain a modified version of Schneider's projection problem.     

The average number of normals through a point in a convex body and a related Euler-type identity

Anormal to a convex bodyK at a pointx in the boundary ofK is a ray with endpoint atx, perpendicular to support planeH ofK atx, and contained in the halfspace bounded byH that containsK. This work establishes bounds on the average number ofnormals through a point inK forK a polytope and forK with sufficiently smooth boundary. The integrals used to establish these bounds lead to an Euler-type relation.     

On Blaschke's extension of Bonnesen's inequality

W. Blaschke established a Bonnesen-style inequality for the relative inradius and circumradius of a planar convex bodyK with respect to another. We sharpen this inequality by considering the radii of the minimal convex annulus ofK.     

On the minimal convex annulus of a planar convex body

In this paper we introduce the notion of a minimal convex annulusK (C) of a convex bodyC, generalizing the concept of a minimal circular annulus. Then we prove the existence — as for the minimal circular annulus — of a Radon partition of the set of contact points of the boundaries ofK (C) andC. Subsequently, the uniqueness ofK (C) is shown. Finally, it is proven that, for typicalC, the boundary ofC has precisely two points in common with each component of the boundary ofK (C).     

Intersection bodies and generalized cosine transforms

The paper is focused on intimate connection between geometric properties of intersection bodies in convex geometry and generalized cosine transforms in harmonic analysis. A new concept of λ-intersection body, that unifies some known classes of geometric objects, is introduced. A parallel between trace theorems in function theory, restriction onto lower-dimensional subspaces of the spherical Radon transforms and the generalized cosine transforms, and sections of λ-intersection bodies is established. New integral formulas for different classes of cosine transforms are obtained and examples of λ-intersection bodies are given. We also revisit some known facts in this area and give them new simple proofs.