Two-body flat-shadow characterization of concentric homothetic ellipsoids

Let K,LRnK,L\subset\mathbb R^n, n3n\geq 3, be convex bodies with LKL\subseteq K. Two-body flat-shadow conjecture. If for every pKp\in\partial K there are at least L(n)L(n) point light sources on the supporting cone of LL with apex at pp such that LL casts a shadow with flat boundary on KK, then KK and LL are concentric, homothetic ellipsoids. This generalizes a theorem for light sources at boundary points and parallel shadow hyperplanes; the stated generalization remains open.

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Primary source

Bartłomiej Zawalski, “On flat shadow boundaries from point light sources and the characterization of ellipsoids”, arXiv:2603.29130 (2026).

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