Text 13.0.4: Let C ⊆ ℝ^n be a nonempty convex set. The barrier cone of C, equivalently the
effective domain of the support function δ^*(· | C), is
bar C = dom (δ^*(· | C)) = {x^* | sup {⟪x, x^*⟫ | x ∈ C} < +∞ }.
Equations
Instances For
For a point x ∈ C, being a maximizer of dotProduct · xStar is equivalent to equality with deltaStar.
If -deltaStar (-xStar) ≠ deltaStar xStar, then a maximizer of dotProduct · xStar is not a minimizer.
Theorem 13.1: Let C be a convex set. Then x ∈ cl C if and only if
⟪x, x^*⟫ ≤ δ^*(x^* | C) for every x^*. Moreover, x ∈ ri C if and only if the same condition
holds, but with strict inequality for each x^* such that -δ^*(-x^* | C) ≠ δ^*(x^* | C). One has
x ∈ int C if and only if ⟪x, x^*⟫ < δ^*(x^* | C) for every x^*.
Theorem 13.1 (relative interior characterization): for convex C, membership in the relative
(intrinsic) interior is equivalent to the supporting-inequality condition,
with strict inequality for each x^* such that -δ^*(-x^* | C) ≠ δ^*(x^* | C).
Theorem 13.1 (interior characterization): for convex C, membership in the (topological)
interior is equivalent to strict supporting inequalities ⟪x, x^*⟫ < δ^*(x^* | C) for all x^*.
Corollary 13.1.1. For convex sets C₁ and C₂ in ℝ^n, one has cl C₁ ⊆ cl C₂ if and
only if δ^*(· | C₁) ≤ δ^*(· | C₂).
For a convex set C with well-defined support function, the set of points satisfying all
supporting inequalities is the closure of C.
Text 13.1.2: Let C ⊆ ℝ^n be a closed convex set. Define
D := { x | ∀ x^*, ⟪x, x^*⟫ ≤ δ^*(x^* | C) }.
Then D = C. In particular, C is completely determined by its support function.
Text 13.1.2 (support function determines a closed convex set): if two closed convex sets have the same (finite) support function, then they are equal.
If both dot-product image-sets are bounded above, then the supremum over their sum splits.
Boundedness in direction xStar makes the Real-valued support function additive under sums.
Text 13.1.3: The support function of the sum of two non-empty convex sets C₁ and C₂ is
given by
δ^*(x^* | C₁ + C₂) = δ^*(x^* | C₁) + δ^*(x^* | C₂).
Text 13.1.4: Let C ⊆ ℝ^n be a convex set, and let δ(· | C) be its indicator function,
δ(x | C) = 0 for x ∈ C and δ(x | C) = +∞ for x ∉ C.
Then the convex conjugate of δ(· | C) is the support function of C. More precisely, for every
xStar,
δ*(xStar | C) = sup_x (⟪x, xStar⟫ - δ(x | C)) = sup_{x ∈ C} ⟪x, xStar⟫.
Under directional boundedness, the Fenchel conjugate of the indicator function equals the
Real-valued support function (coerced to EReal).