No label defined (Q4237147)

Let \(A\) and \(C\) be convex and compact subsets of \(\mathbb{R}^d\). One says that \(C\) rolls freely in \(A\) if for each boundary point \(a\in \partial A\) and each rotation \(\rho\) there exists \(x\in\mathbb{R}^d\) such that \(a\in x+\rho (C) \subset A\). If \(A\) is only closed, one requires in addition that \((A^c+(-1)C)^c\) be path-connected, where \(^c\) and \(+\) denote complement and Minkowski addition, respectively, and \((-1)C:= \{-c:c\in C\}\). The main result in this paper states that a ball of radius \(r\) rolls freely inside a nonempty, compact and path-connected set \(S\) and inside the \(S^c\), the closure of \(\overline{S^c}\), for all \(0\leq r\leq r_0\) if and only if \(S\) and \(\overline{S^c}\) are intersections of complements of open balls with radius \(r_0\) and \(S\) has a nonempty interior. Another equivalent condition is \(S\) to belong to the regular model of \textit{J. Serra} [Image analysis and mathematical morphology. Academic Press (1982; Zbl 0565.92001)]. Applications to the analysis and smoothing of images are discussed.