Rendezvous numbers of metric spaces -- a potential theoretic approach (Q2490664)

It has been proved by \textit{O. Gross} [Ann. Math. Stud. 52, 49--53 (1964; Zbl 0126.16401)] that for a compact, connected metric space \((X,d)\) there exists a unique number \(r=r(X)\) such that for every finite point system \(x_1 ,\ldots,x_n\in X\) \((n\in\mathbb N)\) one always finds an \(x\in X\) with \(r=\frac{1}{n} \sum_{i=1}^n d(x,x_n)\). Such a number is called the rendezvous number of the metric space \(X\). The aim of this work is to put the investigation on the existence and uniqueness of rendezvous numbers in the framework of abstract potential theory as has been set up, e.g., by Fuglede in the 1960s. In this setting, the notion of rendezvous numbers reveals connections with invariant measures and maximal energy measures. The authors generalize, for instance, the following result of \textit{K. Wolf} [Ark. Mat. 35, No. 2, 387--400 (1997; Zbl 0929.51011)]: If \((X,d)\) is a compact metric space and \(E(X)\) stands for the maximal energy of \(X\) (that is the supremum of \(\int_X \int_X d(x,y)\,d\mu(y)\,d\mu(x)\), where \(\mu\) runs over all probability measures on \(X\)), then \(r(X)\leq E(X)\), and in case of equality, there exists a \(d\)-invariant probability measure.