On the Log-submodularity for zonoids: from Mixed Volume inequalities to the Hypercube

Abstract

We prove a log-submodularity-type inequality for zonoids in ${\mathbb{R}}^4$, extending the three-dimensional result of Fradelizi, Madiman, Meyer, and Zvavitch. More generally, we conjecture a log-submodularity-type inequality for zonoids in arbitrary dimension. This inequality admits several equivalent formulations in terms of volumes of coordinate projections as well as in terms of mixed volumes, thereby unifying several geometric perspectives. We reduce the conjectured inequality to a polynomial inequality whose variables are associated with the vertices of a hypercube and whose coefficients encode the volumes of 0/1 simplices. This reduction reveals unexpected connections between mixed volumes of zonoids, matroid theory, and real algebraic geometry.

24 pages