Kugellagerungen und Konvexgeometrie. (Sphere packings and convex geometry) (Q1263815)

The author gives an interesting survey on connections between sphere packings/coverings and the classical geometry of numbers. Besides well- known applications of both areas (e.g. in the fields of discrete optimization, crystallography etc.), the interaction of discrete and convex geometry within them deserves a large interest. From this viewpoint, on the base of an extensive list of references the following subjects are briefly discussed: finite and infinite packings/coverings and their connections to lattice point problems, especially finite sphere packings/coverings with the famous sausage phenomena (eventually yielding explanations for the growth of crystals, because sausage phenomena not only occur in the case of spheres), lattice polytopes, estimates for lattice point numbers by means of Minkowski's quermass-integrals and linear functionals (diameter, thickness). Finally, the author underlines some interesting relations to current research areas, as computational geometry and theoretical information science.