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Gruber P. Convex and Discrete Geometry

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10 Problems of Minkowski <strong>and</strong> Weyl <strong>and</strong> Some Dynamics 197<br />

for convex bodies which may be described as follows. Given λ ≥ 0 <strong>and</strong> two convex<br />

bodies C, D ∈ Cp, theBlaschke product λ · B C of λ <strong>and</strong> C <strong>and</strong> the Blaschke sum<br />

C + B D of C <strong>and</strong> D are defined by the equalities<br />

λ · B C = λ 1<br />

d−1 C, σC+ B D = σC + σD.<br />

Here a convex body is considered only up to translation. For more information <strong>and</strong><br />

references to applications, see Grünbaum [453], Schneider [908] <strong>and</strong> A. Thompson<br />

[994]. Two recent articles dealing with Blaschke sums are Campi, Colesanti <strong>and</strong><br />

Gronchi [188] <strong>and</strong> Goodey, Kiderlen <strong>and</strong> Weil [383].<br />

Christoffel’s Problem<br />

If, instead of Gauss curvature, respectively, the corresponding area measure, the<br />

mean curvature or other elementary symmetric functions of the principal curvatures,<br />

respectively, the corresponding measures are considered, the analogous problem is<br />

called Christoffel’s problem, see Su [976] <strong>and</strong> Schneider [908].<br />

10.2 Intrinsic Metric, Weyl’s Problem <strong>and</strong> Rigidity of <strong>Convex</strong> Surfaces<br />

In a metric space where any two points can be connected with a continuous curve of<br />

finite length, besides the given metric a second metric can be defined, the intrinsic<br />

or geodesic metric. The systematic study of the intrinsic metric of the boundary of a<br />

convex body in E 3 was initiated by Alex<strong>and</strong>rov. The Weyl problem in this setting is to<br />

specify necessary <strong>and</strong> sufficient conditions such that a given metric space, endowed<br />

with its intrinsic metric, is isometric to the boundary of a suitable convex body in E 3 ,<br />

if the latter is also endowed with its intrinsic metric. A solution of this problem is<br />

due to Alex<strong>and</strong>rov, <strong>and</strong> Pogorelov proved that the convex body is unique up to rigid<br />

motions.<br />

In this section we first define the notion of intrinsic metric of a metric space, describe<br />

Weyl’s problem <strong>and</strong> state Alex<strong>and</strong>rov’s solution of it. Then rigidity of convex<br />

surfaces is considered <strong>and</strong> Pogorelov’s uniqueness or rigidity result stated. No proofs<br />

are given.<br />

For more information, see Alex<strong>and</strong>rov [15, 19], Busemann [182], Alex<strong>and</strong>rov<br />

<strong>and</strong> Zalgaller [20] <strong>and</strong> Pogorelov [805].<br />

Intrinsic Metric of a Metric Space<br />

We follow Alex<strong>and</strong>rov [15]. Let 〈M,δ〉 be a metric space. Given a curve K in M by<br />

means of a parametrization x :[a, b] →M, its length is defined by<br />

�<br />

n�<br />

sup δ � x(ti−1), x(ti ) � �<br />

: n = 1, 2,..., a = t0 ≤ t1 ≤···≤tn = b .<br />

i=1

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