Polar set

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See also polar set (potential theory).

In functional analysis and related areas of mathematics the polar set of a given subset of a vector space is a certain set in the dual space.

Given a dual pair (X,Y) the polar set or polar of a subset A of X is a set A0 in Y defined as

A^0 := \{y \in Y : \sup\{\mid \langle x,y \rangle \mid : x \in A \} \le 1\}

The bipolar of a subset A of X is the polar of A0. It is denoted A00 and is a set in X.

[edit] Properties

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[edit] Geometry

In geometry, the polar set may also refer to a duality between points and planes. In particular, the polar set of a point x0, given by the set of points x satisfying \langle x, x_0 \rangle=0 is its polar hyperplane, and the dual relationship for a hyperplane yields its pole.