Convex Transference for Degree Powers in Extremal Set Systems

Abstract

For a family $\mathcal{F}\subseteq\binom{[n]}k$ and $R\in\binom{[n]}r$, let $d_{\mathcal{F}}(R)=|\{F\in\mathcal{F}:R\subseteq F\}|$ and $\ell_{r,p}(\mathcal{F})=\sum_{R\in\binom{[n]}r}d_{\mathcal{F}}(R)^p$; at the codegree level, write $co_p(\mathcal{F})=\ell_{k-1,p}(\mathcal{F})$. We introduce a new convex-transference method for degree-power extremal problems and develop it into a reusable input--transfer--rigidity framework independent of any particular set-system problem. We give three exact applications. First, a full $t$-star maximizes $co_p$ among $t$-intersecting families for every real $p\geq2$ in the sharp range $n\geq(t+1)(k-t+1)$, with all equality cases determined. This extends the Wu--Zhang quadratic theorem to real exponents and answers a problem of Zhou--Yuan throughout the sharp Erd\H{o}s--Ko--Rado range. Second, if $n\geq2k$, a full point-star maximizes $\ell_{r,p}$ for every $1\leq r\leq k-1$ and real $p\geq2$, again with complete equality classification; thus the framework is not confined to codegrees. Third, if $\nu(\mathcal{F})\leq s$ and $n\geq(2s+1)k-s$, then for every real $p\geq1$, $co_p(\mathcal{F})$ is uniquely maximized, up to isomorphism, by all $k$-sets meeting a fixed $s$-set. This removes the integrality restriction on $p$ and replaces previous cubic thresholds or nonexplicit sufficiently-large assumptions with an explicit linear range valid for arbitrary uniformity.