On Properties of a Regular Simplex Inscribed into a Ball

Let $B$ be a Euclidean ball in ${\mathbb R}^n$ and let $C(B)$ be a space of continuos functions $f:B\to{\mathbb R}$ with the uniform norm $\|f\|_{C(B)}:=\max_{x\in B}|f(x)|.$ By $\Pi_1\left({\mathbb R}^n\right)$ we mean a set of polynomials of degree $\leq 1$, i.e., a set of linear functions upon ${\mathbb R}^n$. The interpolation projector $P:C(B)\to \Pi_1({\mathbb R}^n)$ with the nodes $x^{(j)}\in B$ is defined by the equalities $Pf\left(x^{(j)}\right)=f\left(x^{(j)}\right)$, $j=1,\ldots, n+1$.The norm of $P$ as an operator from $C(B)$ to $C(B)$ can be calculated by the formula $\|P\|_B=\max_{x\in B}\sum |\lambda_j(x)|.$ Here $\lambda_j$ are the basic Lagrange polynomials corresponding to the $n$-dimensional nondegenerate simplex $S$ with the vertices $x^{(j)}$. Let $P^\prime$ be a projector having the nodes in the vertices of a regular simplex inscribed into the ball. We describe the points $y\in B$ with the property $\|P^\prime\|_B=\sum |\lambda_j(y)|$. Also we formulate some geometric conjecture which implies that $\|P^\prime\|_B$ is equal to the minimal norm of an interpolation projector with nodes in $B$. We prove that this conjecture holds true at least for $n=1,2,3,4$.

Nonnegative forms with sublevel sets of minimal volume

We show that the Euclidean ball has the smallest volume among sublevel sets of nonnegative forms of bounded Bombieri norm as well as among sublevel sets of sum of squares forms whose Gram matrix has bounded Frobenius or nuclear (or, more generally, p-Schatten) norm. These volume-minimizing properties of the Euclidean ball with respect to its representation (as a sublevel set of a form of fixed even degree) complement its numerous intrinsic geometric properties. We also provide a probabilistic interpretation of the results.

Optimal Estimates for Steklov Eigenvalue Gaps and Ratios on Warped Product Manifolds

We consider an $n$-dimensional smooth Riemannian manifold $M^n=[0,R)\times \mathbb{S}^{n-1}$ endowed with a warped product metric $g=dr^2+h^2(r)g_{\mathbb{S}^{n-1}}$ and diffeomorphic to a Euclidean ball. Suppose that $M$ has strictly convex boundary. First, for the classical Steklov eigenvalue problem, we derive an optimal lower (upper, respectively) bound for its eigenvalue gaps in terms of $h^{\prime}(R)/h(R)$ when $n\geq 2$ and $Ric_g\geq 0$ ($\leq 0$, respectively). Second, in the same spirit, for two 4th-order Steklov eigenvalue problems studied by Kuttler and Sigillito in 1968, we deduce an optimal lower bound for their eigenvalue gaps in terms of either $h^{\prime}(R)/h^3(R)$ or $h^{\prime}(R)/h(R)$ when $n=2$ and the Gaussian curvature is nonnegative. We also consider optimal estimates on the eigenvalue ratios for these eigenvalue problems.

Linear Interpolation on a Euclidean Ball in Rⁿ

For \(x^{(0)}\in{\mathbb R}^n, R>0\), by \(B=B(x^{(0)};R)\) we denote a Euclidean ball in \({\mathbb R}^n\) given by~the inequality \(\|x-x^{(0)}\|\leq R\), \(\|x\|:=\left(\sum_{i=1}^n x_i^2\right)^{1/2}\). Put \(B_n:=B(0,1)\). We mean by \(C(B)\) the space of~continuous functions \(f:B\to{\mathbb R}\) with the norm \(\|f\|_{C(B)}:=\max_{x\in B}|f(x)|\) and by \(\Pi_1\left({\mathbb R}^n\right)\) the set of polynomials in \(n\) variables of degree \(\leq 1\), i.e. linear functions on \({\mathbb R}^n\). Let \(x^{(1)}, \ldots, x^{(n+1)}\) be the~vertices of \(n\)-dimensional nondegenerate simplex \(S\subset B\). The interpolation projector \(P:C(B)\to \Pi_1({\mathbb R}^n)\) corresponding to \(S\) is defined by the equalities \(Pf\left(x^{(j)}\right)=%f_j:=f\left(x^{(j)}\right).\) Denote by \(\|P\|_B\) the norm of \(P\) as an operator from \(C(B)\) into \(C(B)\). Let us define \(\theta_n(B)\) as minimal value of \(\|P\|\) under the condition \(x^{(j)}\in B\). In the paper, we obtain the formula to compute \(\|P\|_B\) making use of \(x^{(0)}\), \(R\), and coefficients of basic Lagrange polynomials of \(S\). In more details we study the case when \(S\) is a regular simplex inscribed into \(B_n\). In this situation, we prove that \(\|P\|_{B_n}=\max\{\psi(a),\psi(a+1)\},\) where \(\psi(t)=\frac{2\sqrt{n}}{n+1}\bigl(t(n+1-t)\bigr)^{1/2}+\bigl|1-\frac{2t}{n+1}\bigr|\) \((0\leq t\leq n+1)\) and integer \(a\) has the form \(a=\bigl\lfloor\frac{n+1}{2}-\frac{\sqrt{n+1}}{2}\bigr\rfloor.\) For this projector, \(\sqrt{n}\leq\|P\|_{B_n}\leq\sqrt{n+1}\). The equality \(\|P\|_{B_n}=\sqrt{n+1}\) takes place if and only if \(\sqrt{n+1}\) is an integer number. We give the precise values of \(\theta_n(B_n)\) for \(1\leq n\leq 4\). To supplement theoretical results we present computational data. We also discuss some other questions concerning interpolation on a Euclidean ball.