For a probability vector x (nonnegative with total mass 1), dotProduct x xStar is bounded
above by the supremum of the coordinates of xStar.
Text 13.2.6: As further examples, the support functions of the sets
C₁ = {x = (ξ₁, …, ξₙ) | (∀ j, 0 ≤ ξⱼ) ∧ (ξ₁ + ⋯ + ξₙ = 1)},
C₂ = {x = (ξ₁, …, ξₙ) | |ξ₁| + ⋯ + |ξₙ| ≤ 1},
C₃ = {x = (ξ₁, ξ₂) | ξ₁ < 0 ∧ ξ₂ ≤ ξ₁⁻¹},
C₄ = {x = (ξ₁, ξ₂) | 2 ξ₁ + ξ₂² ≤ 0},
are given by the following formulas. (Here we use supportFunctionEReal so that ⊤ represents
+∞.)
For x in the ℓ¹ unit ball, dotProduct x xStar is bounded above by the ℓ∞ norm of
xStar, expressed as sSup (range fun j ↦ |xStar j|).
Text 13.2.6 (support function of C₂): for the ℓ¹ unit ball
C₂ = {x | ∑ j, |xⱼ| ≤ 1}, the support function is max_j |xStarⱼ|.
When xStar 0, xStar 1 > 0, the bound -2 * sqrt (xStar 0 * xStar 1) is attained on C₃.
Text 13.2.6 (support function of C₃): for
C₃ = {x = (ξ₁, ξ₂) | ξ₁ < 0 ∧ ξ₂ ≤ ξ₁⁻¹}, one has
δ^*(xStar | C₃) = -2 * sqrt (ξ₁^* ξ₂^*) if xStar ≥ 0, and +∞ otherwise.
For 0 < xStar 0, there exists a point of C₄ attaining the bound
(xStar 1)^2 / (2 * xStar 0) in the dot product.
If xStar 0 = 0 and xStar 1 ≠ 0, then the support function of C₄ is ⊤.
Text 13.2.6 (support function of C₄): for
C₄ = {x = (ξ₁, ξ₂) | 2 ξ₁ + ξ₂² ≤ 0}, one has
δ^*(xStar | C₄) = (ξ₂^*)² / (2 * ξ₁^*) if ξ₁^* > 0, 0 if xStar = 0, and +∞
otherwise.
For the EReal-valued support function, an upper bound by a real μ is equivalent to a
pointwise upper bound on all dot products defining the supremum.
For the sSup-of-differences recession formula, bounding by a real μ is equivalent to a
uniform pointwise bound on each difference term.
If all dot products ⟪x,y⟫ over x ∈ dom f are bounded by μ, then every difference
f*(xStar+y) - f*(xStar) with xStar ∈ dom f* is bounded by μ.
Theorem 13.3: Let f be a proper convex function. The support function of dom f is the
recession function (f^*)0+ of the conjugate f^*. If f is closed, the support function of
dom f^* is the recession function f0+ of f.
Theorem 13.3 (closed case): if f is closed, then the support function of dom f^* is the
recession function f0+ of f.