Moser's shadow problem (Q2327756)

Summary: Moser's shadow problem asks to estimate the shadow function \(\mathfrak{s}_b(n)\), which is the largest number such that for each bounded convex polyhedron \(P\) with \(n\) vertices in 3-space there is some direction \(\mathbf v\) (depending on \(P)\) such that, when illuminated by parallel light rays from infinity in direction \(\mathbf v\), the polyhedron casts a shadow having at least \(\mathfrak{s}_b(n)\) vertices. A general version of the problem allows unbounded polyhedra as well, and has associated shadow function \(\mathfrak{s}_u(n)\). This paper presents correct order of magnitude asymptotic bounds on these functions. The bounded shadow problem has answer \(\mathfrak{s}_b(n) = \Theta \big( \log (n)/ (\log(\log (n)))\big).\) The unbounded shadow problem is shown to have the different asymptotic growth rate \(\mathfrak{s}_u(n) = \Theta(1)\). Results on the bounded shadow problem follow from the work of \textit{B. Chazelle} et al. [Discrete Comput. Geom. 4, No. 2, 139--181 (1989; Zbl 0663.68055)] on the (bounded) silhouette span number \(\mathfrak{s}^\ast_b(n)\), defined analogously but with arbitrary light sources. We complete the picture by showing that the unbounded silhouette span number \(\mathfrak{s}^\ast_u(n)\) grows as \(\Theta \big( \log (n)/ (\log(\log (n)))\big)\).