The geometry of magnitude for finite metric spaces

Abstract: The main result of this article is a geometric interpretation of magnitude, a real-valued invariant of metric spaces. We introduce a Euclidean embedding of a (suitable) finite metric space $X$ such that the magnitude of $X$ can be expressed in terms of the `circumradius' of its embedding $S$. The circumradius is the smallest $r$ for which the $r$-thickening of $S$ is contractible. We give three applications: First, we describe the asymptotic behaviour of the magnitude of $tX$ as $t\rightarrow \infty$, in terms of the circumradius. Second, we develop a matrix theory for magnitude that leads to explicit relations between the magnitude of $X$ and the magnitude of its subspaces. Third, we identify a new regime in the limiting behaviour of $tX$, and use this to show submodularity-type results for magnitude as a function on subspaces.