The "old-new" concept of convex-hull function was investigated by several authors in the last seventy years. A recent research on it led to some other volume functions as the covariogram function, the widthness function or the so-called brightness functions, respectively. A very interesting fact that there are many long-standing open problems connected with these functions whose serious investigation closed before the "age of computers". In this survey, we concentrate only on the three-dimensional case, we will mention the most important concepts, statements, and problems.
The X-ray numbers of some classes of convex bodies are investigated. In particular, we give a proof of the X-ray Conjecture as well as of the Illumination Conjecture for almost smooth convex bodies of any dimension and for convex bodies of constant width of dimensions 3, 4, 5 and 6.
We prove several stability and volume difference inequalities for projections of convex bodies and apply them to prove a hyperplane inequality for surface area of projection bodies.
The semigroup of convex bodies in ${\mathbb R}^n$ with Minkowski addition has a canonical embedding into an abelian group; its elements have been called virtual convex bodies. Geometric interpretations of such virtual convex bodies have been particularly fruitful under the restriction to polytopes. For general convex bodies, mainly the planar case has been studied, as a part of the more general investigation of hedgehogs. Here we restrict ourselves to strictly convex bodies in ${\mathbb R}^n$. A particularly natural geometric interpretation of virtual convex bodies can then be seen in the set …
Abstract In this paper, we study affine bodies of revolution. This will allow us to prove that a convex body all whose orthogonal $n$-projections are affinely equivalent is an ellipsoid, provided $n\equiv 0,1, 2$ mod $4$, $n>1$ with the possible exemption of $n=133$. Our proof uses convex geometry and topology of compact Lie groups. AMS classification subject: 22E10, 52A05
This article is a survey of recent results on slicing inequalities for convex bodies. The focus is on the setting of arbitrary measures in place of volume.
We provide an estimate of the distance (in the dual flat seminorm) of the normal cycles of convex bodies with given Hausdorff distance. We also give an estimate (in the bounded Lipschitz metric) of the support measures of convex bodies.
We settle the first unsolved case of a problem of P. M. Gruber, asked by him in 1991, namely, to investigate the homomorphisms from the lattice of convex bodies of ${\mathbb{E}}^c$ to the lattice of convex bodies of ${\mathbb{E}}^d$ for $c<d$. We completely describe these homomorphisms for the case $d=c+1$, for $c \ge 3$. The obtained result is then applied to characterize anti-homomorphisms and homomorphisms from lattices of convex bodies to lattices of convex functions.
We present a survey article about the geometry of convex bodies on the $d$-dimensional sphere $S^d$. We concentrate on the results based on the notion of the width of a convex body $C \subset S^d$ determined by a supporting hemisphere of $C$. Important tools are the lunes containing $C$. The supporting hemispheres take over the role of the supporting half-spaces of a convex body in Euclidean space, and lunes the role of strips. Also essential is the notion of thickness of $C$, i.e, its minimum width. In particular, we describe properties of reduced spherical convex bodies and spherical bodies …
In this paper we introduce and study a topological abelian group of convex bodies, analogous to the scissors congruence group and McMullen's polytope algebra, with the universal property that continuous valuations on convex bodies correspond to continuous homomorphisms on the group of convex bodies. To study this group, we first obtain a version of McMullen polynomiality for valuations that take values not in fields or vector spaces, but in abelian groups. Using this, we are able to equip the group of convex bodies with a grading that consists of real vector spaces in all positive degrees, mir…
We disprove a conjecture of A. Koldobsky asking whether it is enough to compare $(n-2)$-derivatives of the projection functions of two symmetric convex bodies in the Shephard problem in order to get a positive answer in all dimensions.
This paper suveys different variants of the following problem: Given a convex set $K$ and a sequence $\{C_i\}$ of convex bodies in $E^n$, is it possible to pack the sequence of bodies in $K$ or cover $K$ with the bodies? Algorithmic versions of these problems are on-line packing and on-line covering: The bodies of the sequence are given one at a time and the algorithm is to decide on the placement of the arriving body before the next body is revealed; once placed, the body cannot be moved.
In this paper we deal with problems concerning the volume of the convex hull of two "connecting" bodies. After a historical background we collect some results, methods and open problems, respectively.
The notion of ball convexity, considered in finite dimensional real Banach spaces, is a natural and useful extension of usual convexity; one replaces intersections of half-spaces by suitable intersections of balls. A subset $S$ of a normed space is called ball convex if it coincides with its ball hull, which is obtained as intersection of all balls (of fixed radius) containing $S$. Ball convex sets are closely related to notions like ball polytopes, complete sets, bodies of constant width, and spindle convexity. We will study geometric properties of ball convex bodies in normed spaces, for exa…
We prove several estimates for the moments of arbitrary measures on convex bodies. We apply these estimates to show a new slicing inequality for measures on convex bodies. We also deduce estimates for the outer volume ratio distance from an arbitrary centrally-symmetric convex body in R^n to the class of unit balls of n-dimensional subspaces of L_p-spaces. Finally, we prove a result of the Busemann-Petty type for these moments.
Similarly to the classic notion in $E^d$, a subset of a positive diameter below $\fracπ{2}$ of a hemisphere of the sphere $S^d$ is called complete, provided adding any extra point increases its diameter. Complete sets are convex bodies on $S^d$. Our main theorem says that on $S^d$ complete bodies of diameter $δ$ coincide with bodies of constant width $δ$.
The Brunn-Minkowski theory relies heavily on the notion of mixed volumes. Despite its particular importance, even explicit representations for the mixed volumes of two convex bodies in Euclidean space are available only in special cases. Here we investigate a new integral representation of such mixed volumes, in terms of flag measures of the involved convex sets. A brief introduction to (extended) flag measures of convex bodies is also provided.
The aim of this paper is to present some properties of reduced spherical convex bodies on the two-dimensional sphere $S^2$. The intersection of two different non-opposite hemispheres is called a lune. By its thickness we mean the distance of the centers of the two semicircles bounding it. The thickness $Δ(C)$ of $C$ is the minimum thickness of a lune containing $C$. We say that a spherical convex body $R$ is reduced if $Δ(Z) < Δ(R)$ for every spherical convex body $Z \subset R$ different from $R$. Our main theorem permits to describe the shape of reduced bodies of thickness below $\fracπ{2}$. …
In this note we examine the volume of the convex hull of two congruent copies of a convex body in Euclidean $n$-space, under some subsets of the isometry group of the space. We prove inequalities for this volume if the two bodies are translates, or reflected copies of each other about a common point or a hyperplane containing it. In particular, we give a proof of a related conjecture of Rogers and Shephard.
We give the sharp lower bound of the volume product of three dimensional convex bodies which are invariant under a discrete subgroup of $O(3)$ in several cases. We also characterize the convex bodies with the minimal volume product in each case. In particular, this provides a new partial result of the non-symmetric version of Mahler's conjecture in the three dimensional case.
In this paper, a new proof of the following result is given: The product of the volumes of an origin symmetric convex bodies $K$ in R^2 and of its polar body is minimal if and only if $K$ is a parallelogram.
A subset of the d-dimensional Euclidean space having nonempty interior is called a spindle convex body if it is the intersection of (finitely or infinitely many) congruent d-dimensional closed balls. The spindle convex body is called a "fat" one, if it contains the centers of its generating balls. The core part of this paper is an extension of Schramm's theorem and its proof on illuminating convex bodies of constant width to the family of "fat" spindle convex bodies.
We present a method which shows that in $\Eb$ the Busemann-Petty problem, concerning central sections of centrally symmetric convex bodies, has a positive answer. Together with other results, this settles the problem in each dimension.
An infinitely smooth convex body in $\mathbb R^n$ is called polynomially integrable of degree $N$ if its parallel section functions are polynomials of degree $N$. We prove that the only smooth convex bodies with this property in odd dimensions are ellipsoids, if $N\ge n-1$. This is in contrast with the case of even dimensions and the case of odd dimensions with $N<n-1$, where such bodies do not exist, as it was recently shown by Agranovsky.
It is proved that every convex body in the plane has a point such that the union of the body and its image under reflection in the point is convex. If the body is not centrally symmetric, then it has, in fact, three affinely independent points with this property.
We study upper bounds on the number of lattice points for convex bodies having their centroid at the origin. For the family of simplices as well as in the planar case we obtain best possible results. For arbitrary convex bodies we provide an upper bound, which extends the centrally symmetric case and which, in particular, shows that the centroid assumption is indeed much more restrictive than an assumption on the number of interior lattice points even for the class of lattice polytopes.
We introduce combinatorial types of arrangements of convex bodies, extending order types of point sets to arrangements of convex bodies, and study their realization spaces. Our main results witness a trade-off between the combinatorial complexity of the bodies and the topological complexity of their realization space. First, we show that every combinatorial type is realizable and its realization space is contractible under mild assumptions. Second, we prove a universality theorem that says the restriction of the realization space to arrangements polygons with a bounded number of vertices can h…
In this paper we show that a spherical convex body $C$ is of constant diameter $τ$ if and only if $C$ is of constant width $τ$, for $0<τ<π$. Moreover, some applications to Wulff shapes are given.
We present some relationships between the diameter, width and thickness of a reduced convex body on the $d$-dimensional sphere. We apply the obtained properties to recognize if a Wulff shape in the Euclidean $d$-space is self-dual.
It is shown by Makai, Martini, and Ódor that a convex body $K\subset\mathbb{R}^n$, all of whose maximal sections pass through the origin, must be origin-symmetric. We prove a stability version of this result. We also discuss a theorem of Koldobsky and Shane about determination of convex bodies by fractional derivatives of the parallel section function, and establish the corresponding stability result.
{We show in this paper that two normal elliptic sections through every point of the boundary of a smooth convex body essentially characterize an ellipsoid and furthermore, that four different pairwise non-tangent elliptic sections through every point of the $C^2$-differentiable boundary of a convex body also essentially characterize an ellipsoid.
In this note, we derive an asymptotically sharp upper bound on the number of lattice points in terms of the volume of centrally symmetric convex bodies. Our main tool is a generalization of a result of Davenport that bounds the number of lattice points in terms of volumes of suitable projections.
Very recently J. Kotrbaty has proven general inequalities for translation invariant smooth valuations formally analogous to the Hodge- Riemann bilinear relations in the Kahler geometry. The goal of this note is to apply Kotrbaty's theorem to obtain a few apparently new inequalities for mixed volumes of convex bodies.
A $\sqrt{n}$ estimate in the hyperplane problem with arbitrary measures has recently been proved in \cite{K3}. In this note we present analogs of this result for sections of lower dimensions and in the complex case. We deduce these inequalities from stability in comparison problems for different generalizations of intersection bodies.
Covering numbers of convex bodies based on homothetical copies and related illumination numbers are well-known in combinatorial geometry and, for example, related to Hadwiger's famous covering problem. Similar numbers can be defined by using proper translates instead of homothets, and even more related concepts make sense. On these lines we introduce some new covering and illumination numbers of convex bodies, present their properties and compare them with each other as well as with already known numbers. Finally, some suggestive examples illustrate that these new illumination numbers are inte…
We study a long standing open problem by Ulam, which is whether the Euclidean ball is the unique body of uniform density which will float in equilibrium in any direction. We answer this problem in the class of origin symmetric n-dimensional convex bodies whose relative density to water is 1/2. For n=3, this result is due to Falconer.
We generalize the hyperplane inequality in dimensions up to 4 to the setting of arbitrary measures in place of the volume. To prove this generalization we establish stability in the affirmative part of the solution to the Busemann-Petty problem asking whether symmetric convex bodies in R^n with smaller (n-1)-dimensional volume of all central hyperplane sections necessarily have smaller n-dimensional volume.
One of the fundamental results in Convex Geometry is Busemann's theorem, which states that the intersection body of a symmetric convex body is convex. Thus, it is only natural to ask if there is a quantitative version of Busemann's theorem, i.e., if the intersection body operation actually improves convexity. In this paper we concentrate on the symmetric bodies of revolution to provide several results on the (strict) improvement of convexity under the intersection body operation. It is shown that the intersection body of a symmetric convex body of revolution has the same asymptotic behavior ne…
Upper estimates of the diameter and the radius of the family of all planar convex bodies with respect to the Banach-Mazur distance are obtained. Namely, it is shown that the diameter does not exceed $\tfrac{19-\sqrt{73}}4\approx 2.614$, which improves the previously known bound of $3$, and that the radius does not exceed $\frac{117}{70}\approx 1.671$.
In this paper, we derive uniqueness and stability results for surface tensors. Further, we develop two algorithms that reconstruct shape of $n$-dimensional convex bodies. One algorithm requires knowledge of a finite number of surface tensors, whereas the other algorithm is based on noisy measurements of a finite number of harmonic intrinsic volumes. The derived stability results ensure consistency of the two algorithms. Examples that illustrate the feasibility of the algorithms are presented.
In this paper we study the bisections of a centrally symmetric planar convex body which minimize the maximum relative diameter functional. We give necessary and sufficient conditions for being a minimizing bisection, as well as analyzing the behavior of the so-called standard bisection.
The support measures of a convex body are a common generalization of the curvature measures and the area measures. With respect to the Hausdorff metric on the space of convex bodies, they are weakly continuous. We provide a quantitative improvement of this result, by establishing a Hölder estimate for the support measures in terms of the bounded Lipschitz metric, which metrizes the weak convergence. Specializing the result to area measures yields a reverse counterpart to earlier stability estimates, concerning Minkowski's existence theorem for convex bodies with given area measure.
This paper presents bounds for the best approximation, with respect to the Hausdorff metric, of a convex body $K$ by a circumscribed polytope $P$ with a given number of facets. These bounds are of particular interest if $K$ is elongated. To measure the elongation of the convex set, its isoperimetric ratio $ V_j(K)^{1/j} V_i(K)^{-1/i} $ is used.
For a compact convex set F in R^n, with the origin in its interior, we present a formula to compute the curvature at a fixed point on its boundary, in the direction of any tangent vector. This formula is equivalent to the existing ones, but it is easier to apply.
We prove sharp inequalities for the average number of affine diameters through the points of a convex body $K$ in ${\mathbb R}^n$. These inequalities hold if $K$ is either a polytope or of dimension two. An example shows that the proof given in the latter case does not extend to higher dimensions.
