A heuristic proof of a long-standing conjecture of D. G. Kendall concerning the shapes of certain large random polygons

Authors
Citation
E. Miles, R., A heuristic proof of a long-standing conjecture of D. G. Kendall concerning the shapes of certain large random polygons, Advances in applied probability , 27(2), 1995, pp. 397-417
ISSN journal
00018678
Volume
27
Issue
2
Year of publication
1995
Pages
397 - 417
Database
ACNP
SICI code
Abstract
In the early 1940s David Kendall conjectured that the shapes of the .large' (i.e. large area A) convex polygons determined by a standard Poisson line process in the plane tend to circularity (as A increases). Subject only to one heuristic argument, this conjecture and the corresponding two results with A replaced in turn by number of sides N and perimeter S, are proved. Two further similar limiting distributions are considered and, finally, corresponding limiting non-deterministic shape distributions for the small polygons are determined.