Problem packetWorkR781
[#R781] Global optimality for fifteen points remains open
claim. With \(\alpha\) the isolated root near \(0.5926059029250737\) of \(13x^5-x^4+6x^3+2x^2-3x-1\), the checked bounds are \(\arccos(\alpha)\le\theta_{15}\le2\arccos(13/15)\), or \(53.65785012993268\ldots^\circ\) through \(59.85286973322849\ldots^\circ\); global optimality of the lower construction remains open.
1Summary
The current spherical-code table marks proved optima with an asterisk. Its 15-point row has no asterisk. Kottwitz's primary paper describes its solutions for 15 through 90 circles as conjectured solutions. Musin and Tarasov later proved the 14-point case by enumerating irreducible contact graphs, and their proof makes no claim for 15 points.
The strongest construction checked here and the elementary cap-area bound give \[ \arccos(\alpha)\leq\theta_{15}\leq2\arccos(13/15), \] or numerically \[ 53.65785012993268\ldots^\circ \leq\theta_{15}\leq 59.85286973322849\ldots^\circ. \] For the upper bound, place disjoint caps of angular radius \(\theta_{15}/2\) around the points. Each cap has area \(2\pi(1-\cos(\theta_{15}/2))\). Their total area is at most \(4\pi\), so \(15(1-\cos(\theta_{15}/2))\leq2\).
Supported evidence. Recorded scope: the global Tammes optimum for exactly 15 points on S^2.
2Evidence
A verification source is cited. This record has no executable replay attached.
Verification source: doi.org ↗, D. A. Kottwitz, The densest packing of equal circles on a sphere, Acta Crystallographica A 47 (1991), 158-165. The abstract calls the reported solutions conjectured. See also O. R. Musin and A. S. Tarasov, The Tammes problem for N=14, Experimental Mathematics 24 (2015), 460-468, arXiv:1410.2536.
3What was measured
- Lower bound degrees
- 53.65785012993268...
- Upper bound exact
- 2*acos(13/15)
- Upper bound degrees
- 59.85286973322849...
- Global status checked
- open
- Audit date
- 2026-07-25
4How it connects
Bounds (incoming)
- claim
Recorded for
- problem
5Agent packet
A compact handoff with the evidence boundary, replay manifest, and relation pointers.
View structured packet
{
"schema": "theoremdb-agent-record-v1",
"ref": "R781",
"content_hash": null,
"slug": "tfs-claim-open-interval",
"type": "claim",
"title": "Global optimality for fifteen points remains open",
"summary": "With \\(\\alpha\\) the isolated root near \\(0.5926059029250737\\) of \\(13x^5-x^4+6x^3+2x^2-3x-1\\), the checked bounds are \\(\\arccos(\\alpha)\\le\\theta_{15}\\le2\\arccos(13/15)\\), or \\(53.65785012993268\\ldots^\\circ\\) through \\(59.85286973322849\\ldots^\\circ\\); global optimality of the lower construction remains open.",
"relevance": "For Tammes separation for fifteen points on the sphere, record tfs-claim-open-interval (“Global optimality for fifteen points remains open”) records a bound, answer, status fact, or structural consequence. The record states: With \\(\\alpha\\) the isolated root near \\(0.5926059029250737\\) of \\(13x^5-x^4+6x^3+2x^2-3x-1\\), the checked bounds are \\(\\arccos(\\alpha)\\le\\theta_{15}\\le2\\arccos(13/15)\\), or \\(53.65785012993268\\ldots^\\circ\\) through \\(59.85286973322849\\ldots^\\circ\\); global optimality of the lower construction remains open.",
"relevance_source": "recorded",
"body": "The current spherical-code table marks proved optima with an asterisk. Its 15-point row has no asterisk. Kottwitz's primary paper describes its solutions for 15 through 90 circles as conjectured solutions. Musin and Tarasov later proved the 14-point case by enumerating irreducible contact graphs, and their proof makes no claim for 15 points.\n\nThe strongest construction checked here and the elementary cap-area bound give\n\\[\n\\arccos(\\alpha)\\leq\\theta_{15}\\leq2\\arccos(13/15),\n\\]\nor numerically\n\\[\n53.65785012993268\\ldots^\\circ\n\\leq\\theta_{15}\\leq\n59.85286973322849\\ldots^\\circ.\n\\]\nFor the upper bound, place disjoint caps of angular radius \\(\\theta_{15}/2\\) around the points. Each cap has area \\(2\\pi(1-\\cos(\\theta_{15}/2))\\). Their total area is at most \\(4\\pi\\), so \\(15(1-\\cos(\\theta_{15}/2))\\leq2\\).",
"status": "open",
"evidence_grade": "literature_audit",
"scope": {
"kind": "bounded",
"statement": "the global Tammes optimum for exactly 15 points on S^2",
"bounds": {
"points": {
"min": 15,
"max": 15
}
},
"exhaustive": false
},
"reproduction": {
"schema": "theoremdb-reproduction-v1",
"readiness": "source_only",
"kind": "claim",
"citation": {
"url": "https://doi.org/10.1107/S0108767390011370",
"locator": "D. A. Kottwitz, The densest packing of equal circles on a sphere, Acta Crystallographica A 47 (1991), 158-165. The abstract calls the reported solutions conjectured. See also O. R. Musin and A. S. Tarasov, The Tammes problem for N=14, Experimental Mathematics 24 (2015), 460-468, arXiv:1410.2536."
},
"missing": [
"source",
"command",
"runtime",
"expected_output"
]
},
"formal_statement": null,
"source": {
"url": "https://doi.org/10.1107/S0108767390011370",
"locator": "D. A. Kottwitz, The densest packing of equal circles on a sphere, Acta Crystallographica A 47 (1991), 158-165. The abstract calls the reported solutions conjectured. See also O. R. Musin and A. S. Tarasov, The Tammes problem for N=14, Experimental Mathematics 24 (2015), 460-468, arXiv:1410.2536."
},
"models": [],
"relations": [
{
"slug": "R780",
"title": "The best published construction has an exact algebraic separation",
"object_type": "claim",
"relation": "bounds",
"direction": "incoming"
},
{
"slug": "tammes-fifteen-separation",
"title": "tammes fifteen separation",
"object_type": "problem",
"relation": "recorded_for",
"direction": "outgoing"
}
]
}6Provenance
View source, identifiers, and projection details
- Project
- tammes-fifteen-separation
- Locator
- D. A. Kottwitz, The densest packing of equal circles on a sphere, Acta Crystallographica A 47 (1991), 158-165. The abstract calls the reported solutions conjectured. See also O. R. Musin and A. S. Tarasov, The Tammes problem for N=14, Experimental Mathematics 24 (2015), 460-468, arXiv:1410.2536.
- License
- CC0-1.0
- Contributors
- TheoremDB entry research, 2026-07-25
- Source
- doi.org ↗
- Public record
- R781
- Stable alias
- tfs-claim-open-interval
- Projection
- Reproduction fields are derived from the immutable record.
A statement this project treats as settled at the recorded evidence grade, with the work that backs it.