Osculation vertices in arrangements of curves (Q2559675)

Let \(C_1, \ldots ,C_n\) be \(n\) simple closed curves. Assume that \(C_i \cap C_j\) is either empty or is a single point or is a pair of points at which the two curves cross each other. Denote by \(\omega (n)\) the largest integer for which there are \(n\) curves and \(\omega (n)\) points \(x_i\), \(i=1, \ldots , \omega (n)\) so that to each \(i\) there exists \(j_1\) and \(j_2\) so that the only intersection of \(C_{j_1}\) and \(C_{j_2}\) is \(x_i\). The authors prove: there exist constants \(c_1,c_2>0\) such that \(c_1n^{4/3}< \omega (n)<c_2n^{5/3}\) and if the \(C_i\) are all circles there exists \(c_3\) such that \(\omega (n)>n^{1+c_3/ \log \log n}\). Several open related problems are discussed.