On the \(L^p\) Aleksandrov problem for negative \(p\) (Q2172214)

For \(K\in{\mathcal K}^n_o\), the set of convex bodies in \({\mathbb R}^n\) containing the origin \(o\) in the interior, let \(\rho_K\) denote the radial function. For a Borel set \(\omega\subseteq S^{n-1}\), the unit sphere of \({\mathbb R}^n\) centered at \(o\), let \(r_K(\omega)=\{\rho_K(u)u:u\in\omega\}\), and let \(J(K,\omega)\) be the total curvature of \(K\) at \(r_K(\omega)\), that is, the \((n-1)\)-dimensional Hausdorff measure of the spherical image of \(r_K(\omega)\). Then \(J(K,\cdot)\) is a finite measure on \(S^{n-1}\), known as Aleksandrov's integral curvature of \(K\). \textit{A. D. Aleksandrov} [C. R. (Dokl.) Acad. Sci. URSS, n. Ser. 35, 131--134 (1942; Zbl 0061.37604)] found necessary and sufficient conditions for a Borel measure on the unit sphere to be the integral curvature of some convex body; he proved also uniqueness up to a dilatation. In the \(L^p\) Brunn-Minkowski theory, there is a natural extension of the integral curvature, which can be represented by \(dJ_p(K,\cdot)=\rho_K^p\,dJ(K,\cdot)\) for \(p\in{\mathbb R}\). For the corresponding \(L_p\) Aleksandrov problem, \textit{Y. Huang} et al. [J. Differ. Geom. 110, No. 1, 1--29 (2018; Zbl 1404.35139)] gave a necessary and sufficient condition for \(p>0\), and a sufficient condition for \(p<0\) and even measures. For \(p\in (-1,0)\), the case of even discrete measures was settled by \textit{Y. Zhao} [Proc. Am. Math. Soc. 147, No. 10, 4477--4492 (2019; Zbl 1423.52012)]. In the present paper, this result is completed as follows. Let \(p\in(-1,0)\), and let \(\mu\) be a nonzero even finite Borel measure on \(S^{n-1}\). Then there exists an origin symmetric convex body \(K\in{\mathcal K}^n_o\) such that \(\mu=J_p(K,\cdot)\) if and only if \(\mu\) is not concentrated on a lower dimensional subspace. The author also provides some sufficient condition, in the form of a measure concentration property, for \(p\le -1\) and even measures. The technically demanding proofs are based on variational arguments and solutions of extremal problems. Questions of uniqueness are not touched.