When is the ball a local pessimum for covering?
arXiv:1301.5895 · doi:10.1007/s00454-015-9690-1
Abstract
We consider the problem of identifying the worst point-symmetric shape for covering n-dimensional Euclidean space with lattice translates. Here we focus on the dimensions where the thinnest lattice covering with balls is known and ask whether the ball is a pessimum for covering in these dimensions compared to all point-symmetric convex shapes. We find that the ball is a local pessimum in 3 dimensions, but not so for 4 and 5 dimensions.