On the existence of \(U\)-polygons of class \(c\geq 4\) in planar point sets (Q1044967): Difference between revisions

Unique results for the reconstruction of convex lattice sets in discrete tomography hinge on the non-existence of special convex polygons called \(U\)-polygons. For a finite set \(U\) of directions in the Euclidean plane, a convex non-degenerate polygon \(P\) is a \(U\)-polygon if every line parallel to a direction of \(U\) that meets a vertex of \(P\) also meets another vertex of \(P\), distinct from the previous one. With tools from \(p\)-adic number theory, \textit{R. J. Gardner} and \textit{P. Gritzmann} [Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 349, 2271--2295 (1997; Zbl 0873.52015)] proved that \(U\)-polygons with vertices in the integer lattice do not exist for certain sets of four lattice directions and any set of at least seven lattice directions, but can exist for certain sets of six lattice directions. In [Discrete Math. 307, No.~19--20, 2330--2340 (2007; Zbl 1123.52008)], \textit{P. Dulio} and the reviewer introduced the notion of class of a \(U\)-polygon and proved that lattice \(U\)-polygons of class \(c\geq 4\) have precisely \(8\) and \(12\) edges. The author extends this result to more general tilings of the plane, including algebraic Delone sets and cyclotomic model sets, which form an important class of planar mathematical quasicrystals. In this special case, the characterization of numbers of edges of \(U\)-polygons can be expressed in algebraic terms by a simple divisibility condition.