Variance Asymptotics and Scaling Limits for Random Polytopes

Let K be a convex set in R d and let K $\lambda$ be the convex hull of a homogeneous Poisson point process P $\lambda$ of intensity $\lambda$ on K. When K is a simple polytope, we establish scaling limits as $\lambda$ $\rightarrow$ $\infty$ for the boundary of K $\lambda$ in a vicinity of a vertex of K and we give variance asymptotics for the volume and k-face functional of K $\lambda$, k $\in$ {0, 1, ..., d -- 1}, resolving an open question posed in [18]. The scaling limit of the boundary of K $\lambda$ and the variance asymptotics are described in terms of a germ-grain model consisting of cone-like grains pinned to the extreme points of a Poisson point process on R d--1 $\times$ R having intensity \sqrt de dh dhdv.