A theorem in the geometry of numbers (Q1375760)

In the present paper the following theorem is proved: Let \(\alpha_i, \beta_i\) \((i=1,\dots, m)\), \(\gamma_j, \delta_j\) \((j=1,\dots, n)\), \(e,f\) be real numbers with \(\alpha_i \beta_k- \beta_i \alpha_k\neq 0\) \((i\neq k)\), \(\gamma_j \delta_l- \delta_j \gamma_l\neq 0\) \((j\neq l)\), \(e>0\), \(f>0\). If for all non-zero \((x,y)\in \mathbb{Z}^2\), \(\sum_{i=1}^m | \alpha_ix- \beta_i y|\geq e\) and \(\sum_{j=1}^n | \gamma_jx- \delta_jy |\geq f\), then \[ \sum_{i=1}^m \sum_{j=1}^n | \alpha_i \delta_j- \beta_i \gamma_j |\geq ef. \] Moreover, equality holds only when \(m=n=2\) and \(| \alpha_1 \beta_2- \beta_1 \alpha_2|= e^2/2\), \(| \gamma_1 \delta_2- \delta_1 \gamma_2 |= f^2/2\). In particular, under the above assumption, for all non-zero \((u,v)\in \mathbb{Z}^2\) we have \[ \sum_{i=1}^m \sum_{j=1}^n | \alpha_i \gamma_ju- (\alpha_i \delta_j+ \beta_i \gamma_j) v|\geq ef, \] where equality holds only when either \(u=\pm 1\), \(v=0\), or \(m=n=2\). In the proof of this result, Minkowski's convex body theorem is used, and the notion of \(C\)-system introduced by the author is an important tool. This result has a background from the topology of 3-manifolds and will be applied to the study of the Poincaré conjecture by the author.