Isotropic bodies and Bourgain's problem (Q2574697)

Let \(K\) be a convex body in \(n\)-dimensional Euclidean space whose barycenter is at the origin. Let \(L_K\) denote its isotropic constant. Bourgain's problem, which is a well-known problem in the local theory of Banach spaces, asks for finding the least upper bound on the isotropic constant \(L_K\). The best known upper estimate is \(L_K<cn^{1/4}\log n\), which was recently proved by Bourgain. This bound holds for any convex body in any finite dimension. In this article, the authors use the spherical section function to prove the following statement. Let \(K\) be a convex body with volume \(1\), \(B_2^n\) the Euclidean unit ball centred at the origin, and let \(r_1B_2^n\subset K\subset r_2B_2^n\) such that \(r_1\geq 1/2\) and \(r_2\leq \sqrt{n}/2\). Then \(\frac{1}{\sqrt{2\pi e}}\leq L_K\leq \frac{1}{2\sqrt{3}}\). Furthermore, the authors also find the bodies for which equality holds, and they investigate the geometric characteristics of isotropic bodies as well.