Density bounds for outer parallel domains of unit ball packings (Q492221)

Let \(B^d\) denote the closed unit ball centered at the origin of \(\mathbb{E}^d\). Let \(\mathcal{P}^n=\{c_i+B^d:1\leq i\leq n\}\) be an arbitrary packing of \(n\) unit balls in \(\mathbb{E}^d\). Let \(P^n=\bigcup_{i=1}^n (c_i+B^d)\) be a part of \(\mathbb{E}^d\) covered by unit balls of the packing, and \(P^n_{\lambda}=\bigcup_{x\in\mathcal{P}^n} (x+\lambda B_d)\) be its outer parallel domain. Consider the corresponding packing density \[ \delta_d(\lambda)=\limsup_{n\to +\infty}\max_{\mathcal{P}^n} \frac{n\omega_d}{vol_d P^n_{\lambda}}. \] Then the upper bounds for \(\delta_d(\lambda)\) in the cases \(\sqrt[d]{d}-1\leq\lambda\leq\sqrt{2}-1\), and \(d=3,0<\lambda<2/\sqrt{3}-1\) are established. In the case \(d=2,0<\lambda<2/\sqrt{3}-1\) the exact formula for \(\delta_d(\lambda)\) is given. Similarly, let \(\mathcal{P}=\{c_i+B^d\}\) be an arbitrary infinite packing of unit balls. Consider \(P_{\lambda}=\bigcup_{i=1}^{+\infty} (c_i+(1+\lambda) B_d)\), and \[ \overline{\delta}_d(\lambda)=\sup_{\mathcal{P}}\limsup_{R\to +\infty}\frac{vol_d(P_{\lambda}\cap RB^d)}{vol_d RB^d}. \] Then for \(d=3,0<\lambda<2/\sqrt{3}-1\) upper bound for \(\overline{\delta}_d(\lambda)\) is given. Also in the case \(d=2,0<\lambda<2/\sqrt{3}-1\) the exact formula for \(\overline{\delta}_d(\lambda)\) is proved.