English

Compact convex sets of the plane and probability theory

Probability 2014-04-03 v2 Metric Geometry

Abstract

The Gauss-Minkowski correspondence in R2\mathbb{R}^2 states the existence of a homeomorphism between the probability measures μ\mu on [0,2π][0,2\pi] such that 02πeixdμ(x)=0\int_0^{2\pi} e^{ix}d\mu(x)=0 and the compact convex sets (CCS) of the plane with perimeter~1. In this article, we bring out explicit formulas relating the border of a CCS to its probability measure. As a consequence, we show that some natural operations on CCS -- for example, the Minkowski sum -- have natural translations in terms of probability measure operations, and reciprocally, the convolution of measures translates into a new notion of convolution of CCS. Additionally, we give a proof that a polygonal curve associated with a sample of nn random variables (satisfying 02πeixdμ(x)=0\int_0^{2\pi} e^{ix}d\mu(x)=0) converges to a CCS associated with μ\mu at speed n\sqrt{n}, a result much similar to the convergence of the empirical process in statistics. Finally, we employ this correspondence to present models of smooth random CCS and simulations.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1208.5408,
  title  = {Compact convex sets of the plane and probability theory},
  author = {Jean-François Marckert and David Renault},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1208.5408},
  year   = {2014}
}