Reflexive midpoint convexity and diamond distortion
Constructs a real reflexive Banach space with an asymptotically midpoint uniformly convex norm but no equivalent asymptotically uniformly convex norm, extending Baudier's separation to reflexive spaces. In the same space, depth-k countably branching diamonds require distortion at least 1+k/12, so midpoint uniform convexity does not force uniformly bounded diamond distortion even under reflexivity.
Controlling midpoints in an infinite-dimensional space does not necessarily control its broader convex geometry. The manuscript reports this separation even in reflexive spaces, where bounded sequences retain a useful form of compactness.
What changes?
The construction is a separable real Banach space, a complete normed vector space with a countable dense subset. Its norm has asymptotic midpoint uniform convexity: a quantitative inward pull for midpoints beyond finite-dimensional constraints. Yet no equivalent norm, meaning one that changes lengths by at most fixed factors, has the stronger asymptotic uniform convexity property, which controls one-sided displacements. The space is reflexive: bounded sequences have subsequences converging under every continuous linear measurement.
What does that help mathematicians do?
Its reported averaged midpoint modulus is at least the square root of (1 + t squared/12), minus 1, for displacement scale t. Yet depth-k countably branching diamonds, graphs formed by repeated parallel path replacements, require distortion at least the square root of (1 + k/12). Distortion measures multiplicative distance error. Researchers therefore cannot infer a depth-independent embedding bound from midpoint convexity, even with reflexivity.
Are there practical applications?
Its immediate value is foundational for Banach-space geometry and metric embeddings. The example provides a test case for proposed links between midpoint estimates, changes of norm, and graph distances. Any characterization connecting these features must accommodate a reflexive space with quantitatively controlled midpoints but increasingly distorted diamonds.
This section was generated by GPT-6 Astra Medium. This explanation is based on the result summary and manuscript abstracts below. This context is separate from OpenAI's source text.
September 27, 202612 pagesMain result formalized in Lean
We construct a separable reflexive real Banach space whose given norm is asymptotically midpoint uniformly convex but which admits no asymptotically uniformly convex equivalent norm. Its averaged midpoint modulus is at least 1+t2/12−1, and the countably branching diamond of depth k has distortion at least 1+k/12 in this space. This gives a negative answer to the reflexive diamond converse for asymptotic uniform convexifiability.
@misc{OAI:Asymptotic-midpoint-uniform-convexity-and-unbounded-diamond-distortion-in-a-reflexive-tree-space-September-27-2026,
author = {{OpenAI}},
title = {{Asymptotic midpoint uniform convexity and unbounded diamond distortion in a reflexive tree space}},
howpublished = {OpenAI Math Release preprint
\href{https://github.com/openai/math/blob/main/preprints/Asymptotic-midpoint-uniform-convexity-and-unbounded-diamond-distortion-in-a-reflexive-tree-space-September-27-2026/manuscript.pdf}{OAI:Asymptotic-midpoint-uniform-convexity-and-unbounded-diamond-distortion-in-a-reflexive-tree-space-September-27-2026}},
year = {2026}
}
September 27, 202674 pagesMain result formalized in Lean
For a real segment-forest dual with unbounded finite component heights and the real infinite-height coordinate predual, we bound the tail of an arbitrary displacement in a symmetric lens by 2R2−∥x∥2, where R is the lens radius and x is its finitely supported center. Both given norms are asymptotically midpoint uniformly convex, although neither space admits an equivalent asymptotically uniformly convex norm. The finite-height forest dual is reflexive.
September 27, 202639 pagesMain result formalized in Lean
We derive quantitative distortion bounds for countably branching diamond graphs from midpoint estimates and direct tree energies. In the dual of a finite-height segment forest, every distortion-D embedding of the depth-k diamond satisfies D2≥1+k/4. The same bound holds in the infinite-height coordinate predual. We also obtain power-type distortion bounds for path-cost and recursive tree norms.
@misc{OAI:Diamond-distortion-from-midpoint-and-tree-energies-September-27-2026,
author = {{OpenAI}},
title = {{Distortion of countably branching diamonds from midpoint and tree energies}},
howpublished = {OpenAI Math Release preprint
\href{https://github.com/openai/math/blob/main/preprints/Diamond-distortion-from-midpoint-and-tree-energies-September-27-2026/manuscript.pdf}{OAI:Diamond-distortion-from-midpoint-and-tree-energies-September-27-2026}},
year = {2026}
}
September 27, 202613 pagesMain result formalized in Lean
For an infinite-dimensional real subspace of L1 whose unit ball is totally bounded in measure and whose norm has the Daugavet property, we compute the averaged midpoint and one-sided asymptotic moduli at every unit center. They are max{t/2,t−1} and max{0,t−2}, respectively. The same weak-neighborhood geometry excludes every equivalent asymptotically uniformly convex norm. A quantitative realization of the Kadets–Werner construction supplies a space with both hypotheses.
@misc{OAI:Exact-asymptotic-moduli-in-a-Daugavet-subspace-of-L1-September-27-2026,
author = {{OpenAI}},
title = {{Exact asymptotic moduli in a Daugavet subspace of $L^1$}},
howpublished = {OpenAI Math Release preprint
\href{https://github.com/openai/math/blob/main/preprints/Exact-asymptotic-moduli-in-a-Daugavet-subspace-of-L1-September-27-2026/manuscript.pdf}{OAI:Exact-asymptotic-moduli-in-a-Daugavet-subspace-of-L1-September-27-2026}},
year = {2026}
}
September 27, 202653 pagesMain result formalized in Lean
Four real Banach spaces defined by bounded tree potentials satisfy the averaged asymptotic midpoint bound δ(t)≥1+t2/4−1 for 0<t<1, while none admits an asymptotically uniformly convex (AUC) renorming. On finite-height trees, the globally constrained norm equals the least additive cost of a Hilbert vector and root paths. The quadratic path and segment-start outer Hilbert sums are reflexive and asymptotically midpoint uniformly convex, and admit no equivalent AUC norm.
@misc{OAI:Midpoint-convexity-from-bounded-tree-potentials-and-path-costs-September-27-2026,
author = {{OpenAI}},
title = {{Midpoint convexity from bounded tree potentials and path costs}},
howpublished = {OpenAI Math Release preprint
\href{https://github.com/openai/math/blob/main/preprints/Midpoint-convexity-from-bounded-tree-potentials-and-path-costs-September-27-2026/manuscript.pdf}{OAI:Midpoint-convexity-from-bounded-tree-potentials-and-path-costs-September-27-2026}},
year = {2026}
}
September 27, 202611 pagesMain result formalized in Lean
For a countably branching tree, the closed real L1 spans of products of independent exponential or Gaussian-square multipliers along its paths have positive averaged asymptotic midpoint moduli and admit no equivalent asymptotically uniformly convex norm. The renorming obstruction holds for every positive nonconstant mean-one multiplier with finite second moment.
@misc{OAI:Independent-products-in-real-L1-asymptotic-midpoint-convexity-without-AUC-renormings-September-27-2026,
author = {{OpenAI}},
title = {{Independent products in real $L^1$: asymptotic midpoint convexity without AUC renormings}},
howpublished = {OpenAI Math Release preprint
\href{https://github.com/openai/math/blob/main/preprints/Independent-products-in-real-L1-asymptotic-midpoint-convexity-without-AUC-renormings-September-27-2026/manuscript.pdf}{OAI:Independent-products-in-real-L1-asymptotic-midpoint-convexity-without-AUC-renormings-September-27-2026}},
year = {2026}
}
September 27, 202623 pagesMain result formalized in Lean
We study tree norms computed by two least nonnegative fields whose difference is the vector. For Euclidean child aggregation, two root-sum spaces have an averaged asymptotic midpoint modulus of at least t3/128 for 0<t<1, including a reflexive joining-root space. A reflexive construction with a fixed zero root also satisfies a homogeneous cubic estimate. These spaces admit no equivalent asymptotically uniformly convex norm. We also obtain sixth-power and cubic estimates when the aggregation exponent depends on the height of a finite component.
@misc{OAI:Midpoint-convexity-from-two-recursive-potentials-September-27-2026,
author = {{OpenAI}},
title = {{Midpoint convexity from two recursive potentials}},
howpublished = {OpenAI Math Release preprint
\href{https://github.com/openai/math/blob/main/preprints/Midpoint-convexity-from-two-recursive-potentials-September-27-2026/manuscript.pdf}{OAI:Midpoint-convexity-from-two-recursive-potentials-September-27-2026}},
year = {2026}
}
Lean formalization
OpenAI's note on what the formalization covers, from lean/docs/331.md.
Reflexive midpoint convexity and diamond distortion
The following describes the scope of the Lean formalization related to the following accompanying paper(s):
The paper constructs a Banach space whose midpoint geometry is asymptotically uniformly convex even though no equivalent norm is asymptotically uniformly convex in the usual one-sided sense. The formalization proves that the full dual of the specified segment-norm completion is infinite-dimensional, separable, and reflexive; its averaged midpoint modulus is at least 1+t2/12−1 for every t>0, while every equivalent norm fails asymptotic uniform convexity. It also proves that an embedding of a depth-k countably branching diamond has distortion at least 1+k/12.
The general-forest and word-forest results use the closed span of the coordinate functionals. Their conclusions retain the finite-ancestor and equivalent-norm hypotheses, including the scale α/(2β) when 0<α≤β and the new norm lies between α and β times the original norm; they do not identify that span with the full dual or assert reflexivity for every forest.
The paper controls midpoint lenses in Banach spaces defined by tree-segment norms. The formalization proves the following estimate in both the full dual of the finite-height forest space and the coordinate predual of the infinite-tree space. If x is supported on a finite ancestral set H, R≥0, and ∥x+y∥,∥x−y∥≤R, then the part of y outside H has norm at most 2R2−∥x∥2.
The formalization also covers selected consequences for averaged midpoint moduli and separated families of vectors, together with reflexivity and renorming obstructions. This scope concerns the segment-space results; the companion results on diamond energies remain separate.
The paper studies embeddings of countably branching diamond graphs into Banach spaces built from tree segments. The formalization proves that every embedding of the depth-k diamond with distortion D, at any positive scale, satisfies 1+k/4≤D2 in either of two spaces: the full dual of the completed finite-height forest space and the closed coordinate span in the dual of the infinite-tree space. The bound applies to all pairs of vertices and is unconditional.
The formalization also contains selected graph deductions under explicit companion assumptions. Twenty-two of those companion inputs are assumed in these deductions; the diamond distortion bound above does not require them.
The paper exhibits a real L1 subspace with positive averaged midpoint convexity but no equivalent asymptotically uniformly convex norm. For every closed infinite-dimensional subspace whose unit ball is precompact in measure and which has the Daugavet property, the formalization computes the moduli at every unit vector: the averaged midpoint modulus is max(t/2,t−1) and the usual one-sided asymptotic modulus is max(0,t−2) for every t>0. The same formulas hold after taking the infimum over unit vectors, and every equivalent norm fails asymptotic uniform convexity.
The formalization also constructs such a subspace on a countable product of unit intervals and proves that it has the stated measure-precompactness and Daugavet properties, so the modulus formulas apply to an actual example.
The paper constructs Banach spaces from bounded tree potentials and path costs to separate averaged midpoint convexity from asymptotic uniform convexity. For the specified tree-potential completions, the formalization proves completeness, separability, infinite dimension, and an averaged midpoint modulus of at least 1+t2/4−1 for 0<t<1. No space linearly isomorphic to one of these completions is asymptotically uniformly convex.
The formalization also covers selected path-cost duality and comparison results, clipping and energy estimates, and further renorming obstructions. These retain their stated support, head, and tail hypotheses; the remaining auxiliary assertions of the paper are outside this scope.
The paper forms a real L1 space from the closed span of products of independent multipliers along tree paths. For a positive, nonconstant multiplier of mean one and finite second moment, the formalization proves that this space is infinite-dimensional and has no equivalent asymptotically uniformly convex norm.
For every t>0, the averaged midpoint modulus nevertheless has explicit positive lower bounds. If G is a standard real Gaussian, the exponential-multiplier bound is 4807tE[(∣G∣−20/t)+], where u+=max(u,0). For squared-Gaussian multipliers, the bounds are 81Pr(∣G∣≥42(2+2)/t) and 41Pr(∣G∣≥86/t).
The paper constructs three Banach spaces from recursive tree potentials: a root-sum space, a zero-root space, and a joined space. The formalization proves that all three are infinite-dimensional and have no equivalent asymptotically uniformly convex norm. The root-sum and joined spaces have averaged midpoint modulus at least t3/128 for 0<t<1, and the root-sum modulus is positive for every t>0. The zero-root estimate retains its finite ancestral support and tail hypotheses, and the zero-root and joined spaces are reflexive.
The formalization also covers a separated-midpoint result for the joined space and a variable-exponent model with its recursive norm, duality, projections, renorming obstruction, and sixth- and third-order stability estimates. The separation, sequence, support, and head assumptions in these results are essential parts of their statements.
Comparator links
Result
Comparator statement
Reflexive tree space, midpoint modulus, and diamond distortion