Two-sided bounds for the logarithmic capacity of multiple intervals (Q542040)

Let \(E\) be the disjoint union of finitely many closed subintervals of \([-1,1]\). This paper gives sharp upper and lower bounds for the logarithmic capacity, \(\text{cap\,}E\), of \(E\) that improve several known estimates. For example, if \[ E=\bigcup _{1}^{n}[a_{k},b_{k}],\quad\text{where}\quad -1=a_{1}<b_{1}<a_{2}<...<b_{n}=1\quad\text{and}\quad n\geq 2, \] then \(\text{cap\,}E\) is at most \[ \frac{1}{2}\left\{ \cos \left[ 2^{-1}\sum_{1}^{n-1}\left( \cos^{-1}(a_{k+1})-\cos^{-1}(b_{k})\right) \right] \right\} ^{1/(n-1)}, \] and examples are provided where equality occurs. One of the lower estimates established for \(\text{cap\,}E\) is valid even for arbitrary closed subsets \(E\) of \([-1,1]\). The bounds provided are compared graphically with the results of numerical computations.