The incidence algebra of polyhedra over the Minkowski algebra (Q1915390)

The intrinsic \(r\)-volume (normalized quermassintegral) of a compact convex set measures its \(r\)-dimensional size in some sense; the importance of the intrinsic volumes is illustrated by Hadwiger's characterization of them [see \textit{H. Hadwiger}, `Vorlesungen über Inhalt, Oberfläche und Isoperimetrie', Springer (1957; Zbl 0078.35703)]. Because they are valuations, they extend naturally to polytopal cell complexes, and in this context give the density formulae of \textit{J. Cheeger}, \textit{W. Müller} and \textit{R. Schrader} [Commun. Math. Phys. 92, 405-454 (1984; Zbl 0559.53028)], which were more simply explicated by \textit{L. Budach} [Adv. Math. 78, No. 2, 140-167 (1989; Zbl 0702.52008)]. But the intrinsic volumes themselves admit extensions on the level of equidissectability. In this paper, the author further extends these concepts, to provide generalized density formulae for polyhedral cell complexes, possibly possessing unbounded cells. Moreover, the theory is developed over a general ordered field. Minkowski addition plays an important rôle; the author prefers to work with relatively open polyhedra, which to the reviewer's mind complicates some of the initial definitions. Also central is the incidence algebra developed by \textit{G.-C. Rota} [Z. Wahrscheinlichkeitstheorie Verw. Geb. 2, 340-368 (1964; Zbl 0121.02406)], which encapsulates the essentials of the algebraic manipulations needed.