The kissing number in four dimensions (Q2389110): Difference between revisions

For each \(n \geq 1\), the kissing number \(k(n)\) is defined to be the largest number of equal non-overlapping spheres in \(\mathbb R^n\) that can touch another sphere of the same size. The value of \(k(n)\) has been known for \(n=1,2,3\) and (somewhat surprisingly, due to unique features of \(E_8\) and the Leech lattice) for \(n=8,24\): \[ k(1)=2,\;k(2)=6,\;k(3)=12,\;k(8)=240,\;k(24)=196560. \] In fact, the value \(k(3)\) was the subject of a famous discussion between Isaac Newton and David Gregory, and was known under the name of the \textit{problem of 13 spheres} until its resolution by Schütte and van der Waerden in 1953. In four dimensions, it has long been known that the kissing number of the lattice \(D_4\) is 24, while the upper bound obtained by \textit{A. M. Odlyzko} and \textit{N. J. A. Sloane} [J. Comb. Theory, Ser. A 26, 210--214 (1979; Zbl 0408.52007)] by an application of Delsarte's method guaranteed that \(k(4) \leq 25\). In the paper under review, the author presents a powerful extension of Delsarte's linear programming method, obtaining a bound \(k(24) < 25\). This shows that \(k(4)=24\), solving a long-standing open problem. It is well-known that the kissing number problem in \(\mathbb R^n\) can be reformulated to ask how many points can be placed on the surface of the sphere \(\mathbb S^{n-1}\) so that the angular separation between any two of these points is at least \(\pi/3\). To approach this question, the author uses the linear programming method, obtaining a certain polynomial \(f_4(t)\) of degree 9, which has the following remarkable property: for each set of \(M\) points \(\{ x_1,\dots,x_M \}\) on the sphere \(\mathbb S^3\) such that the angular separation between any two of these points is \(\pi/3\), \[ M^2 \leq \sum_{i=1}^M \sum_{j=1}^M f_4(x_i \cdot x_j) < 25 M. \] Clearly this inequality cannot be satisfied for any \(M \geq 25\), which completes the proof. This important paper is very well written and provides a nice survey of the area.