More on the potential for the farthest-point distance function (Q2345897)

Let \(E\subset \mathbb{R}^{n}\) be compact. The farthest point distance function of \(E\) is defined by \(d_{E}(x)=\max \{\left| x-y\right| :y\in E\}\) for \(x\in \mathbb{R}^{n}\). It is known that \(\log d_{E}\) is the logarithmic potential of a probability measure when \(n=2\), and \(d_{E}^{2-n}\) is the Newtonian potential of a probability measure when \(n\geq 3\). The associated measure is denoted by \(\sigma _{E}\). In the case where \(E\) is a ball (or disc) it is easy to compute that \(\sigma _{E}(E)=2^{1-n}\). \textit{R. S. Laugesen} and \textit{I. E. Pritsker} [Can. Math. Bull. 46, No. 3, 373--387 (2003; Zbl 1052.31002)] made the tantalizing conjecture that \(\sigma _{E}(E)\leq 2^{1-n}\) whenever \(E\) has more than one point. When \(n=2\) this was verified by the reviewer and \textit{I. Netuka} [J. Anal. Math. 101, 163--177 (2007; Zbl 1134.31001)], who also described the cases of equality. \textit{W. Wise} [Potential Anal. 39, No. 4, 341--353 (2013; Zbl 1279.31005)] provided evidence in support of the higher-dimensional conjecture, which remains open. The authors of the present paper establish a new formula for estimating \(\sigma _{E}\). This allows them to verify the higher-dimensional conjecture in the particular cases where \(E\) has constant width or is centrally symmetric. Their methods also yield another approach to proving the two-dimensional case.