The logarithmic mean conjecture for the multivariate osculating mean

Let n2n\geq 2 and let a1,,ana_1,\ldots,a_n be positive, pairwise distinct real numbers. For the functions x1(t)=t,x2(t)=t2,,xn1(t)=tn1,xn(t)=logtx_1(t)=t,x_2(t)=t^2,\ldots,x_{n-1}(t)=t^{n-1},x_n(t)=\log t, let Mn(a1,,an)M_n(a_1,\ldots,a_n) denote the associated mean, and let IZ(a1,,an)I_Z(a_1,\ldots,a_n) be the multivariate Identric mean defined by

IZ(a1,,an)=exp[1V(a)i=1n(1)n+iain1Vi(a)logaim].I_Z(a_1,\ldots,a_n)=\exp\left[\frac{1}{V(a)}\sum_{i=1}^n(-1)^{n+i}a_i^{n-1}V_i(a)\log a_i-m\right].

Here V(a)=1j<in(aiaj)V(a)=\prod_{1\leq j<i\leq n}(a_i-a_j), Vi(a)V_i(a) is the Vandermonde determinant obtained by deleting aia_i, and m=k=1n11km=\sum_{k=1}^{n-1}\frac{1}{k}.

Logarithmic mean conjecture. If x1(t)=tx_1(t)=t, x2(t)=t2x_2(t)=t^2, \ldots, xn1(t)=tn1x_{n-1}(t)=t^{n-1}, and xn(t)=logtx_n(t)=\log t, then

Mn(a1,,an)=IZ(a1,,an).M_n(a_1,\ldots,a_n)=I_Z(a_1,\ldots,a_n).

The assertion extends the verified three-variable identity M3(a,b,c)=IZ(a,b,c)M_3(a,b,c)=I_Z(a,b,c) and would identify the osculating mean associated with these functions with the multivariate Identric mean in every dimension. The source provides no resolution beyond this formulation.

Sources & referencesView supporting material

Primary source

Alan Horwitz, “A logarithmic mean and intersections of osculating hyperplanes”, arXiv:1404.1489 (2014).

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