How many cages midscribe an egg

Abstract: The Midscribability Theorem, which was first proved by O. Schramm, states that: given a strictly convex body

K s u b s e t m a t h b b R^{3}

with smooth boundary and a convex polyhedron

P

, there exists a polyhedron

Q s u b s e t m a t h b b {R P}^{3}

combinatorially equivalent to

P

which midscribes

K

. Here the word "midscribe" means that all it's edges are tangent to the boundary surface of

K

. By using of the intersection number technique, together with the Teichm"{u}ller theory of packings, this paper provides an alternative approach to this theorem. Furthermore, combining Schramm's method with the above ones, the authors prove a rigidity result concerning this theorem as well. Namely, such a polyhedron is unique under certain normalization conditions.

Review text

A general form of the midscribability theorem reads as follows [\textit{O. Schramm}, Invent. Math. 107, No. 3, 543--560 (1992; Zbl 0726.52003)]: Given a strictly convex body \(K\subset\mathbb{R}^3\) with smooth boundary and a convex polyhedron \(P\), there exists a convex polyhedron \(Q\) combinatorially equivalent to \(P\) which is \(K\)-midscribing, that is, all the edges of \(Q\) are tangent to the boundary surface of \(K\). This paper aims to provide a refinement of the midscribability theorem, in particular adding a rigidity aspect. More precisely, the main result of the paper is: Let \(K\subset \mathbb{R}^3\) be a given strictly convex body with smooth boundary. Given a convex polyhedron \(P\) with a combinatorial frame \(\mathcal{O}\), for any triple \((p_1,p_2,p_3)\) of distinct points on \(\partial K\), then there exists a unique convex \(K\)-midscribing polyhedron \(Q\subset \mathbb{R}\mathbb{P}^3\) which is combinatorially equivalent to \(P\) and has mark \(\{\mathcal{O},p_1,p_2,p_3\}\). Here, a combinatorial frame \(\mathcal{O}\) of \(P\) is a quadruple of the form \(\{f_0,e_1,e_2,e_3\}\), where \(f_0\) is a face of \(P\) and \(e_1,e_2,e_3\) are three ordered sequential edges of \(f_0\). Moreover, saying that the \(K\)-midscribable polyhedron \(Q\) has mark \(\{\mathcal{O},p_1,p_2,p_3\}\) means that \(p_1\), \(p_2\), \(p_3\) are the tangency points corresponding to the edges \(e_1\), \(e_2\), \(e_3\) of the combinatorial frame \(\mathcal{O}\). This approach allows the authors to give an alternative proof of the midscribability theorem, using differential topology, in particular transversality, as well as Teichmüller theory of packings. Finally, the authors discuss a couple of interesting further properties related to hyperbolic 3-polyhedra. An appendix provides more details on a proof of a rigidity lemma, using further topological results of He-Schramm and Hopf-Poincaré, stated in [\textit{Z.-X. He} and \textit{O. Schramm}, Ann. Math. (2) 137, No. 2, 369--406 (1993; Zbl 0777.30002)].

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