On compact packings of Euclidean space with spheres of finitely many sizes

arXiv2305.00758MaRDI QIDQ6434897FDOQ6434897

Authors: Eder Kikianty, Miek Messerschmidt 

Publication date: 1 May 2023

Abstract: For $dinmathbbN$, a compact sphere packing of Euclidean space $mathbb{R}^d$ is a set of spheres in $mathbb{R}^d$ with disjoint interiors so that the contact hypergraph of the packing is the vertex scheme of a homogeneous simplicial $d$-complex that covers all of $mathbb{R}^d$. We are motivated by the question: For $d,ninmathbbN$ with $d,ngeq2$, how many configurations of numbers $0<r_0<r_1<ldots<r_{n-1}=1$ can occur as the radii of spheres in a compact sphere packing of $mathbb{R}^d$ wherein there occur exactly $n$ sizes of sphere? We introduce what we call `heteroperturbative sets' of labeled triangulations of unit spheres and we discuss the existence of non-trivial examples of heteroperturbative sets. For a fixed heteroperturbative set, we discuss how a compact sphere packing may be associated to the heteroperturbative set or not. We proceed to show, for $d,ninmathbbN$ with $d,ngeq2$ and for a fixed heteroperturbative set, that the collection of all configurations of $n$ distinct positive numbers that can occur as the radii of spheres in a compact packing is finite, when taken over all compact sphere packings of $mathbb{R}^d$ which have exactly $n$ sizes of sphere and which are associated to the fixed heteroperturbative set.

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

General topology of complexes (57Q05) Packing and covering in (n) dimensions (aspects of discrete geometry) (52C17) Combinatorial aspects of packing and covering (05B40) Circle packings and discrete conformal geometry (52C26)

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