Minkowski normals for polycircles (Q1290870)

Let \(K,B\subset {\mathbb R}^2\) be compact convex sets with non-empty interiors, and assume that \(0\) is an interior point of \(B\). A \(B\)-normal of \(K\) is any ray \(\{x-tb:t\geq 0\}\) such that \(x\) and \(b\) lie in parallel and equally oriented support lines of \(K\) and \(B\), respectively. Further, let \(n(K,B,p)\) denote the number of \(B\)-normals of \(K\) passing through \(p\in {\mathbb R}^2\), let \(DK:=K+(-K)\) be the difference body of \(K\), and let \(\lambda^2\) denote a translation invariant Haar measure on \({\mathbb R}^2\). The main result of the paper is the estimate \[ 2\lambda^2(K)\leq \int_Kn(K,B,p)\lambda^2(dp)\leq \lambda^2(K+DK)-\lambda^2(K) , \] which is proved in the following two cases: (a) \(K\) and \(B\) are polygons without parallel edges and \(B=-B\); (b) \(K\) is strictly convex and of class \(C^2\) and \(B\) is a polygon with \(B=-B\). Thus this result extends the investigation of the average number of normals through a point in a convex body from Euclidean spaces [see \textit{D. Hug}, Geom. Dedicata 55, No. 3, 319-340 (1995; Zbl 0835.52011)] to the setting of Minkowski geometry [see \textit{K. Hann}, Geom. Dedicata 64, No. 3, 355-364 (1997; Zbl 0886.52009); Am. Math. Mon. 103, No. 10, 897-900 (1996; Zbl 0882.52003)]. Reviewer's remark: The reviewer has extended this and related results to arbitrary pairs of planar convex bodies \(K\), \(B\) not containing parallel and equally oriented segments in their boundaries [see \textit{D. Hug}, ``Measures, curvatures and currents in convex geometry'', thesis submitted for the certificate of habilitation, Univ. Freiburg, December (1999), \S 2.3-2.4]; there extensions to the case of dimension \(d\geq 3\) are also provided.