arXiv subjects

Samuel P. Ferguson

Publications and source records attributed to Samuel P. Ferguson.

2 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2002

A formulation of the Kepler conjecture

This is the second in a series of papers giving a proof of the Kepler conjecture, which asserts that the density of a packing of congruent spheres in three dimensions is never greater than $π/\sqrt{18}\approx 0.74048...$. This is the oldest problem in discrete geometry and is an important part of Hilbert's 18th problem. An example of a packing achieving this density is the face-centered cubic packing. This paper defines a local formulation of the conjecture which is used in the proof.

math.MG↗

arXiv1998

Sphere packings V

The Hales program to prove the Kepler conjecture on sphere packings consists of five steps, which if completed, will jointly comprise a proof of the conjecture. We carry out step five of the program [outlined in math.MG/9811073], a proof that the local density of a certain combinatorial arrangement, the pentahedral prism, is less than that of the face-centered cubic lattice packing. We prove various relations on the local density using computer-based interval arithmetic methods. Together, these relations imply the local density bound.

math.MG↗