Closed-ball characterization via distance sets in ultrametric spaces

Let (X,d)(X,d)) be an ultrametric space. For each pXp\to X, define

Dp(X):={d(p,x):xX}.D_p(X):=\{d(p,x):x\in X\}.

Let BX\overline{\bf B}_X denote the set of all closed balls of (X,d)(X,d), and let CsX\bf Cs_X denote the family of centered spheres of (X,d)(X,d). The closed-ball characterization conjecture. If

BXCsX,\overline{\bf B}_X\subseteq\bf Cs_X,

then Dp(X)[0,r]D_p(X)\cap[0,r] has a greatest element for every pXp\in X and rR+r\in\mathbb R^+. Conversely, if (X,d)UT(X,d)\in\bf UT and Dp(X)[0,r]D_p(X)\cap[0,r] has a greatest element for every pXp\in X and rR+r\in\mathbb R^+, then

BXCsX.\overline{\bf B}_X\subseteq\bf Cs_X.

This conjecture seeks an intrinsic distance-set criterion for all closed balls to be centered spheres; the source gives no resolution status.

Sources & referencesView supporting material

Primary source

Oleksiy Dovgoshey and Olga Rovenska, “Center of distances of ultrametric spaces generated by labeled trees”, arXiv:2601.13363 (2026).

Progress summary

Never refreshed

Nothing recorded yet. Refresh searches the literature and the public web for attempts on this problem, and writes the first summary here.

Solutions 0

No solutions have been posted yet.