The traveling salesman theorem for Jordan curves (Q2671903)

Peter Jones' traveling salesman theorem [\textit{P. W. Jones}, Invent. Math. 102, No. 1, 1--15 (1990; Zbl 0731.30018)], says that given a set \(E\subset \mathbb{R}^2\), \(E\) can be covered by a curve \(\Gamma\) with length \[ \ell(\Gamma) \simeq \mathrm{diam}(E) + \sum_Q \beta_E(Q)^2\mathrm{diam}(Q), \] where the sum is over dyadic cubes in \( \mathbb{R}^2\) and \(\beta_E(Q)\mathrm{diam}(Q)\) is the minimum of the distances from \(E\cap 3Q\) to affine lines in \( \mathbb{R}^2\). This result has since been generalized to higher dimension by \textit{K. Okikiolu} [J. Lond. Math. Soc., II. Ser. (1991; Zbl 0723.57026)] and to many other contexts (see the references from the introduction of the paper). In the paper under review, the author strenghtens the conclusion provided \(E=\Gamma\) is a Jordan curve with endpoints \(z\) and \(w\) and obtains \[ \ell(\Gamma) + |z-w| \simeq \sum_Q \beta_\Gamma(Q)^2\mathrm{diam}(Q). \] The first half of the paper contains a detailed proof of this result. Note that the second term above is zero if \(\Gamma\) is a closed curve. In the second half of the paper this is used to characterize closed Jordan curves in \( \mathbb{R}^n\) with finite Möbius energy as precisely those whose \(\beta\)-numbers are square summable (\(\sum_Q \beta_\Gamma(Q)^2<\infty\)). The Möbius energy of a closed curve is defined as \[ \text{Möb}(\Gamma) = \int_\Gamma \int_\Gamma \Big(\dfrac{1}{|x-y|^2}- \dfrac{1}{\ell(x-y)^2}\Big) \mathrm{d}x \mathrm{d}y, \] with \(\ell(x,y)\) the length of \(\Gamma\) between the points \(x\) and \(y\). It was defined by \textit{J. O'Hara} [Topology 30, No. 2, 241--247 (1991; Zbl 0733.57005)] as an invariant to study knots, see for instance the review [\textit{N. Takeyuki}, in: New directions in geometric and applied knot theory. Berlin: De Gruyter. 36--76 (2018; Zbl 1417.57009)].