The Steiner formula for Minkowski valuations (Q438177)

In this paper the authors deal with the famous Steiner formula, dating back to the 19th century, which expresses the volume of the parallel set of a convex body \(K\) at distance \(r\geq 0\) as a polynomial in \(r\). A first fundamental extension of the classical Steiner formula is Minkowski's theorem on the polynomial expansion of the volume of a Minkowski sum of several convex bodies, leading to the theory of mixed volumes. The existence of a similar polynomial expansion has been later established also for continuous translation invariant (real valued) valuations, by \textit{P. McMullen} [Proc. Lond. Math. Soc. III. Ser. 35, 113--135 (1977; Zbl 0353.52001)] and, independently, by \textit{C. Meier} [Arch. Math. 29, 210--217 (1977; Zbl 0359.52006)] and \textit{W. Spiegel} [Geom. Dedicata 7, 9--19 (1978; Zbl 0376.52002)]. While classical results on valuations were mainly concerned with real and tensor valued valuations, a very recent development explores the strong connections between convex body valued valuations and isoperimetric and related inequalities. In this article the authors establish a Steiner type formula for continuous translation invariant Minkowski valuations (i.e. valuations taking values in the topological semigroup of convex bodies endowed with Minkowski addition). In fact, a more general polynomial expansion formula is obtained for translation invariant Minkowski valuations, when the arguments are Minkowski sums of zonoids. The new Steiner type formula gives rise to a Lefschetz operator on Minkowski valuations which is employed to obtain a family of Brunn-Minkowski type inequalities for intrinsic volumes of rigid motion intertwining Minkowski valuations