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Gruber P. Convex and Discrete Geometry

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450 <strong>Geometry</strong> of Numbers<br />

Let A be the set of all lattices in L(1) which contain a point �= o in the convex body<br />

2C of volume 2 −ψ(d) = o(1). Then Siegel’s mean value theorem shows that<br />

µ(A) ≤<br />

�<br />

L(1)<br />

Thus, we have the following:<br />

# ∗ (L ∩ 2C) dµ(L) = V (2C) = o(1).<br />

All lattices L ∈ L(1), with a set of exceptions of measure o(1), provide a<br />

packing of the convex body C with density 2 −d−ψ(d) .<br />

Supposing that, for the Minkowski–Hlawka theorem, there is no essential improvement<br />

possible for certain o-symmetric convex bodies, this shows the following:<br />

a large majority of lattices of determinant 1 provide lattice packings of such bodies<br />

with density close to the maximum lattice packing density.<br />

30.4 Lattice Packing Versus Packing of Translates<br />

Roughly speaking, the geometry of numbers deals with regular configurations, in<br />

particular with lattice packing, covering <strong>and</strong> tiling of convex <strong>and</strong>, possibly, nonconvex<br />

bodies. <strong>Discrete</strong> geometry investigates the irregular case, in particular packing,<br />

covering <strong>and</strong> tiling of translates <strong>and</strong> congruent copies of convex <strong>and</strong> non-convex<br />

bodies.<br />

Classical results in E 2 say that, in several cases, general extremal configurations<br />

are no better than the corresponding extremal lattice configurations. An example<br />

is a result of Fejes Tóth <strong>and</strong> Rogers. It says that densest lattice packings of convex<br />

discs have maximum density among all packings by translates. For more information<br />

see the books of Fejes Tóth [327, 329] <strong>and</strong> Pach <strong>and</strong> Agarwal [783]. A stability<br />

result of the author [436] gives information on the geometric appearance of general<br />

packings of circular discs of maximum density. Such packings are asymptotically<br />

regular hexagonal. For other results of this type see Sects. 31.4 <strong>and</strong> 33.4 <strong>and</strong> the<br />

author’s survey [438].<br />

For d ≥ 3 the only pertinent result for convex bodies is due to Hales. It says that<br />

δL(B 3 ) = δT (B 3 ), see Sect. 29.2. (An earlier result of Bezdek <strong>and</strong> Kuperberg [109]<br />

deals with unbounded circular cylinders.) So far there is no example known of a<br />

convex body in E d , d ≥ 3, with the property that the maximum lattice packing density<br />

is smaller than the maximum density of a packing by translates. If non-convex<br />

bodies are admitted, examples for this phenomenon are known, see Szabó [980].<br />

Compare also the discussion in Sect. 32.3. Bezdek <strong>and</strong> Kuperberg [110] specified,<br />

for each d ≥ 3, packings of congruent ellipsoids in E d which have density larger<br />

than δL(B d ).<br />

In the following we give a proof of the result of Fejes Tóth [328,329] <strong>and</strong> Rogers<br />

[846]. The special case of solid circular discs is due to Thue [996,997] <strong>and</strong> Fejes Tóth<br />

[327]. For a direct proof of the latter, see also Sect. 33.4.

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