The book is devoted to the theory of pairs of compact convex sets and in particular to the problem of finding different types of minimal representants of a pair of nonempty compact convex subsets of a locally convex vector space in the sense of the Rådström-Hörmander Theory. Minimal pairs of compact convex sets arise naturally in different fields of mathematics, as for instance in non-smooth analysis, set-valued analysis and in the field of combinatorial convexity. In the first three chapters of the book the basic facts about convexity, mixed volumes and the Rådström-Hörmander lattice are presented. Then, a comprehensive theory on inclusion-minimal representants of pairs of compact convex sets is given. Special attention is given to the two-dimensional case, where the minimal pairs are uniquely determined up to translations. This fact is not true in higher dimensional spaces and leads to a beautiful theory on the mutual interactions between minimality under constraints, separation and decomposition of convex sets, convexificators and invariants of minimal pairs.

Suitable for advanced undergraduates and graduate students, this text introduces the broad scope of convexity. It leads students to open questions and unsolved problems, and it highlights diverse applications. Author Steven R. Lay, Professor of Mathematics at Lee University in Tennessee, reinforces his teachings with numerous examples, plus exercises with hints and answers. The first three chapters form the foundation for all that follows, starting with a review of the fundamentals of linear algebra and topology. They also survey the development and applications of relationships between hyperplanes and convex sets. Subsequent chapters are relatively self-contained, each focusing on a particular aspect or application of convex sets. Topics include characterizations of convex sets, polytopes, duality, optimization, and convex functions. Hints, solutions, and references for the exercises appear at the back of the book.

2 Radiant sets 236 3 Co-radiant sets 239 4 Radiative and co-radiative sets 241 5 Radiant sets with Lipschitz continuous Minkowski gauges 245 6 Star-shaped sets and their kernels 249 7 Separation 251 8 Abstract convex star-shaped sets 255 References 260 11 DIFFERENCES OF CONVEX COMPACTA AND METRIC SPACES OF CON- 263 VEX COMPACTA WITH APPLICATIONS: A SURVEY A. M. Rubinov, A. A. Vladimirov 1 Introduction 264 2 Preliminaries 264 3 Differences of convex compact sets: general approach 266 4 Metric projections and corresponding differences (one-dimensional case) 267 5 The *-difference 269 6 The Demyanov difference 271 7 Geometric and inductive definitions of the D-difference 273 8 Applications to DC and quasidifferentiable functions 276 9 Differences of pairs of set-valued mappings with applications to quasidiff- entiability 278 10 Applications to approximate subdifferentials 280 11 Applications to the approximation of linear set-valued mappings 281 12 The Demyanov metric 282 13 The Bartels-Pallaschke metric 284 14 Hierarchy of the three norms on Qn 285 15 Derivatives 287 16 Distances from convex polyhedra and convergence of convex polyhedra 289 17 Normality of convex sets 290 18 D-regular sets 291 19 Variable D-regular sets 292 20 Optimization 293 References 294 12 CONVEX APPROXIMATORS.

This Volume contains the (refereed) papers presented at the 38th Conference of the School of Mathematics "G.Stampacchia" of the "E.Majorana" Centre for Scientific Culture of Erice (Sicily), held in Memory ofG. Stampacchia and J.-L. Lions in the period June 20 - July 2003. The presence of participants from Countries has greatly contributed to the success of the meeting. The School of Mathematics was dedicated to Stampacchia, not only for his great mathematical achievements, but also because He founded it. The core of the Conference has been the various features of the Variational Analysis and their motivations and applications to concrete problems. Variational Analysis encompasses a large area of modem Mathematics, such as the classical Calculus of Variations, the theories of perturbation, approximation, subgradient, subderivates, set convergence and Variational Inequalities, and all these topics have been deeply and intensely dealt during the Conference. In particular, Variational Inequalities, which have been initiated by Stampacchia, inspired by Signorini Problem and the related work of G. Fichera, have offered a very great possibility of applications to several fundamental problems of Mathematical Physics, Engineering, Statistics and Economics. The pioneer work of Stampacchia and Lions can be considered as the basic kernel around which Variational Analysis is going to be outlined and constructed. The Conference has dealt with both finite and infinite dimensional analysis, showing that to carry on these two aspects disjointly is unsuitable for both.