[Math] Voronoi Diagrams Proof

computational geometrydiscrete geometrygeometry

I am having a real problem with this proof about voronoi diagrams:

Prove that $V(p_i)$ (i.e., the cell of $\operatorname{Vor}(P)$ which corresponds to $p_i$) is unbounded if and only if $p_i$ is on the convex hull of the point set, $P = \{p_1,p_2,\ldots,p_n\}$.

Can anyone offer some assistance?

Best Answer

Take a supporting line $s$ of $\text{conv}(P)$ running through $p_i$. Then consider the ray $r$ emanating from $p_i$ that is orthogonal to $s$ and points away from $\text{conv}(P)$. Every point $x$ on this ray has $p_i$ as closest point of $P$. To see this consider the circle around $x$ that touches $p_i$, this circle is tangent to $s$ and therefore intersects $\text{conv}(P)$ only in $p_i$.

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Since $r$ is unbounded and contained in $V(p_i)$, $V(p_i)$ is unbounded.

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