Formula for the Penot subdifferential of the distance function (Q1964474)

The distance function (DF) from a point to a boundary set \( \Omega \in {\mathbb R}^p\) in an Euclidean norm \(n(.)\): \[ {\varrho}_{\Omega} (x) =\min_{y\in \Omega} n(x-y) \] has vast applications in the nonsmooth analysis and other branches of mathematics. The Penot subdifferential of DF in a point \(x\) is called the set \[ \partial \leq \varrho_{\Omega}(x) =\{v\in {\mathbb R}^p \mid (v,g)\leq {\varrho}_ {\Omega}^{\downarrow}(x,g), \quad \forall g\in{\mathbb R}^p\} \] where \({\varrho}_{\Omega}^{\downarrow}(x,g) ={ \liminf_{a\downarrow 0 }} \alpha^{-1} [{\varrho}_{\Omega}(x+\alpha g)-{\varrho}_{\Omega}(x)].\) This set (it can be an empty set) can be used to find the directions of increase of DF and to formulate a necessary condition for reaching the maximal value of DF on a set. A formula of the Penot subdifferential for DF is presented.