Ellipsoid coverings with minimal volumina. (Q1179578)

Let \(K\) be a non-empty compact set of the Euclidean vector space \(\mathbb{R}^n\) not lying in a hyperplane. Among all ellipsoid coverings \(K\) there exists uniquely one with minimal volume. This is called Löwner's ellipsoid. The existence is a consequence of continuity and compactness. The uniqueness was shown for \(n=2\) by \textit{F. Behrend} [Math. Ann. 115, 379--411 (1938; Zbl 0018.17502)] and for \(n\geq 2\) by \textit{L. Danzer, D. Laugwitz}, and \textit{H. Lenz} [Arch. Math. 8, 214--219 (1957; Zbl 0078.35803)], using geometrical methods. -- The author gives further proofs for the uniqueness. One proof using certain concavity properties for determinants of positive definite matrices is announced [Wiss. Z. Tech. Univ. Otto von Guericke 33, No. 6, 67--69 (1989; Zbl 0719.52012)]. In the present paper the author gives a uniqueness proof (for his theorem 1) reading the problem as an optimization problem (this is semiinfinite in general here). He states necessary conditions for optimality of John type and shows the sufficiency of them. From this the uniqueness of the minimal ellipsoid follows. Further his proof has the following Theorem 2 as a consequence: The minimal ellipsoid of \(K\) is even the minimal ellipsoid of a certain polyhedral set with at most \(n(n+3)/2\) vertices which lies in the convex hull of \(K\). In special cases the given conditions for optimality allow an explicitly analytical computation of those ellipsoids. As an example he demonstrates this for an arbitrary \(n\)-dimensional simplex.