Dual mixed volumes and the slicing problem (Q855504)

Suppose \(K \subset \mathbb{R}^n\) is a convex set of volume one. Does there exist at least one affine \((n-1)\)-dimensional hyperplane \(H \subset \mathbb{R}^n\), such that \[ \text{Vol}_{n-1}(K \cap H) > c, \] where \(c > 0\) is a universal constant? Surprisingly, the answer to this seemingly innocuous question is currently unknown. The main point, of course, is the requirement that the constant \(c\) be independent of the dimension. An affirmative answer to this basic question, which is usually referred to as the slicing problem, is known for some large classes of convex sets. The paper under discussion is an addition to the literature on the slicing problem. It explains, unifies and extends the results of \textit{K. Ball} [Lect. Notes Math. 1470, 36-47 (1991; Zbl 0762.46004)] and of \textit{M. Junge} [Forum Math. 6, No. 5, 617--635 (1994; Zbl 0809.52009)] regarding convex sets that are close to unit balls of subspaces or quotients of \(L^p\) spaces. The main method consists of certain computations involving radial functions of convex bodies and of star bodies, in spirit of Lutwak's dual mixed volumes. The paper contains a plenty of results and developments, and explores a broad range of related topics.