Orthogonal almost locally minimal projections on \(\ell_1^n\) (Q1972833)

The paper is a continuation of the author's work on one of the fundamental open problems of the asymptotic theory of finite-dimensional normed spaces. Problem. Does there exist a function \(f(\lambda)\) defined for \(\lambda\geq 1\) such that for every \(n\), \(1\leq k\leq n\) if \(P\) is a projection of rank \(k\) on \(\ell_1^n\) satisfying \(\|P\|=\lambda\), then the Banach-Mazur distance \(d(P(\ell_1^n),\ell_1^k)\) is bounded by \(f(\lambda)\)? In [Isr. J. Math. 39, 349-358 (1981; Zbl 0545.46014), ibid. 39, 359-364 (1981; Zbl 0501.46019), and ibid. 48, 255-256 (1984; Zbl 0559.46009)] the author proved that such function exists when \(\lambda\) is sufficiently close to \(1\). In [Isr. J. Math. 110, 253-268 (1999; Zbl 0931.46013)] the author started to develop an approach that may eventually lead to a solution of the problem. The approach can be described in the following way. Consider two subclasses of projections on \(\ell_1^n\): 1) projections whose neighbourhoods contain projections with much smaller norm. 2) projections for which it is not the case. For the first class the author suggested to use an iterative procedure to answer the problem in the positive. On the other hand there is a hope to describe projections of the second type. If it will be done the problem is reduced to a collection of more concrete problems (and a negative answer to any of them solves the main problem), and for some of them the author suggests an inductive approach. The present paper contains further steps in the development of the second part of this program, it is devoted to classes of projections on \(\ell_1^n\) that have some minimality properties. The paper contains many interesting ideas and results related to the above mentioned problem.