The Tammes problem in geometry asks how to pack a given number of points on the surface of a sphere so that the minimum distance between any two of them is as large as possible. It is named after the Dutch botanist Pieter Merkus Lambertus Tammes, who posed the question in his 1930 doctoral dissertation while studying the distribution of pores on pollen grains.
Facts
StatementThe Tammes problem is a problem in packing a given number of points on the surface of a sphere such that the minimum distance between points is maximized. 1 Proposed Year Progress Toward ResolutionSolutions to the Tammes problem have been proven only for small numbers of points: 3 through 14, and 24. 1 Classification
Resolution Status Prize Status
Prize Status (category) Sources
1. Tammes Problem, Wikipedia
Introduction section, first sentence
the Tammes problem is a problem in packing a given number of points on the surface of a sphere such that the minimum distance between points is maximized
Introduction section, second sentence
It is named after the Dutch botanist Pieter Merkus Lambertus Tammes (the nephew of pioneering botanist Jantina Tammes) who posed the problem in his 1930 doctoral dissertation on the distribution of pores on pollen grains.
References section
Solutions have been proven only for small numbers of circles: 3 through 14, and 24.
- Lead section
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