Polychromatic Euclidean-Ramsey theorems (Q794649)

The Euclidean Ramsey Property (ERP) for a set S in Euclidean space \(E^n\) is that for every integer \(r>0\) there exists a sufficiently large integer \(N\) such that for all \(m\geq N\) and every \(r\)-coloring of \(E^m\) there exists a monochromatic set \(S'\) in \(E^m\) congruent to \(S\). In earlier papers the first author proved that a necessary condition for ERP is that \(S\) be a finite subset of a sphere and, more generally, that if \(S\) has a \(k\)-chromatic congruent copy in all \(r\)-colorings of sufficiently high dimensional Euclidean spaces (called \(k\)-ERP), then \(S\) must be embeddable in \(k\) concentric spheres. The authors investigate sets which are exactly \(k\)-ERP (possess the \(k\)-ERP property but not \((k-1)\)-ERP). The key to the construction of such sets is the existence of a highly transitive group of isometries (i.e., either the alternating or the symmetric group) acting on a family of subsets of a large set, and the concept of simplicial ERP introduced in the paper. The result from which essentially all other results and examples follow is: Let \(0\leq i_1\leq i_2\leq...\leq i_k\leq n-1\) and let \(P_i\) denote the set of centroids of the \(i\)-sub-simplices of a regular simplex \(S_n\). Then the set \(S=P_{i_1}\cup P_{i_2}\cup...\cup P_{i_k}\) has the exact \(k\)-ERP. An example of a set having the 3-ERP but not the 2-ERP is that consisting of the vertices of a non-obtuse, non-equilateral isosceles triangle and the trisecting points of its sides. A number of unsolved problems and conjectures are stated.