The Problem of Two Sticks

TL;DR

This paper investigates geometric constraints on pairs of line segments satisfying a 'two sticks' condition, with implications for eikonal equations, by analyzing how intermediate points influence the relative positions of the segments.

Contribution

It introduces new geometric bounds and conditions for the relative positions of two segments under the 'two sticks' condition, especially involving intermediate points and specific norm properties.

Findings

Parallel planes constrain the difference of segment endpoints.

Lipschitz and Hölder estimates relate endpoint differences to intermediate points.

Results apply to the theory of eikonal equations.

Abstract

Let $ l =[l_0,l_1]$ be the directed line segment from $l_0\in {\mathbb R}^n$ to $l_1\in{\mathbb R}^n.$ Suppose $\bar l=[\bar l_0,\bar l_1]$ is a second segment of equal length such that $l, \bar l$ satisfy the "two sticks condition": $\| l_1-\bar l_0\| \ge \| l_1-l_0\|, \| \bar l_1-l_0\| \ge \| \bar l_1-\bar l_0\|.$ Here $\| \cdot\| $ is a norm on ${\mathbb R}^n.$ We explore the manner in which $l_1-\bar l_1$ is then constrained when assumptions are made about "intermediate points" $l_* \in l$, $\bar l_* \in \bar l.$ Roughly speaking, our most subtle result constructs parallel planes separated by a distance comparable to $\| l_* -\bar l_*\| $ such that $l_1-\bar l_1$ must lie between these planes, provided that $\| \cdot\| $ is "geometrically convex" and "balanced", as defined herein. The standard $p$-norms are shown to be geometrically convex and balanced. Other results estimate $\| l_1-\bar l_1 \|$ in a Lipschitz or H\"older manner by $\| l_* -\bar l_* \| $. All these results have implications in the theory of eikonal equations, from which this "problem of two sticks" arose.