Illuminating a convex lateral surface by horizontal directions. (Q1865871)

Let \(E^d\) be the \(d\)-dimensional Euclidean space. By a convex body we mean a compact convex body with non-empty interior. Let \(C\subset E^d\) be a convex body. A direction (i.e. unit vector) \(u\) illuminates a boundary point \(x\) of \(C\) if there exists a positive number \(s\) such that \(x+ s u\) is an interior point of \(C\). A set of directions \(U\) illuminates a subset \(A\) of the boundary of \(C\) if for every \(x\in A\) there exists \(u\in U\) such that \(u\) illuminates \(x\). \(C\) is illuminated by \(U\) if \(U\) illuminates the whole boundary of \(C\). The paper deals with results connected to the Hadwiger conjecture, which states that any convex body \(C\subset E^d\) can be illuminated by a set of directions of cardinality not exceeding \(2^d\). Fix a pair of parallel supporting hyperplanes \(P\) and \(Q\), which will be called horizontal. Any to \(P\) parallel direction is also called horizontal. The lateral surface of \(C\), \(L(C)\), is the boundary of \(C\) without points lying either in \(P\) or in \(Q\). The author proves that for \(d>2\): (a) there exists a convex body such that \(C\cap P\) is a singleton and any set \(U\) of horizontal directions illuminating \(L(C)\) is dense in the sphere \(S^{d-2}\) of all horizontal directions, (b) for every \(0\leq k \leq d-3\) there exists a convex body \(C\) such that the dimension of \(C\cap P\) is equal to \(k\) and no finite number of horizontal directions can illuminate \(L(C)\). The author proves also a more general result which implies in particular that if both \(C\cap P\) and \(C\cap Q\) are \((d-1)\)-dimensional then \(L(C)\) can be illuminated by a finite number of horizontal directions. The estimates involve an upper bound for the maximal number of small spherical caps needed to cover the unit sphere.