On perimeters and volumes of fattened sets (Q2330290)

Summary: In this paper we analyze the shape of fattened sets; given a compact set \(C \subset \mathbb{R}^N\) let \(C_r\) be its \(r\)-fattened set; we prove a general bound \(r P(C_r) \leq N \mathcal{L}(\{C_r \setminus C \})\) between the perimeter of \(C_r\) and the Lebesgue measure of \(C_r \setminus C\). We provide two proofs: one elementary and one based on Geometric Measure Theory. Note that, by the Flemin-Rishel coarea formula, \(P(C_r)\) is integrable for \(r \in(0, a)\). We further show that for any integrable continuous decreasing function \(\psi :(0,1 / 2) \longrightarrow (0,\infty)\) there exists a compact set \(C \subset \mathbb{R}^N\) such that \(P(C_r) \geq \psi(r)\). These results solve a conjecture left open in [the author and \textit{A. Duci}, SIAM J. Imaging Sci. 8, No. 1, 19--66 (2015; Zbl 1418.94016)] and provide new insight in applications where the fattened set plays an important role.