Local antithetic sampling with scrambled nets

Abstract: We consider the problem of computing an approximation to the integral $I=\int_{[0,1]^d}f(x) dx$. Monte Carlo (MC) sampling typically attains a root mean squared error (RMSE) of $O(n^{-1/2})$ from $n$ independent random function evaluations. By contrast, quasi-Monte Carlo (QMC) sampling using carefully equispaced evaluation points can attain the rate $O(n^{-1+\varepsilon})$ for any $\varepsilon>0$ and randomized QMC (RQMC) can attain the RMSE $O(n^{-3/2+\varepsilon})$, both under mild conditions on $f$. Classical variance reduction methods for MC can be adapted to QMC. Published results combining QMC with importance sampling and with control variates have found worthwhile improvements, but no change in the error rate. This paper extends the classical variance reduction method of antithetic sampling and combines it with RQMC. One such method is shown to bring a modest improvement in the RMSE rate, attaining $O(n^{-3/2-1/d+\varepsilon})$ for any $\varepsilon>0$, for smooth enough $f$.


Asymptotic Behavior of Individual Orbits of Discrete Systems

Abstract: We consider the asymptotic behavior of bounded solutions of the difference equations of the form $x(n+1)=Bx(n) + y(n)$ in a Banach space $\X$, where $n=1,2,...$, $B$ is a linear continuous operator in $\X$, and $(y(n))$ is a sequence in $\X$ converging to 0 as $n\to\infty$. An obtained result with an elementary proof says that if $\sigma (B) \cap \{|z|=1\} \subset \{1\}$, then every bounded solution $x(n)$ has the property that $\lim_{n\to\infty} (x(n+1)-x(n)) =0$. This result extends a theorem due to Katznelson-Tzafriri. Moreover, the techniques of the proof are furthered to study the individual stability of solutions of the discrete system. A discussion on further extensions is also given.


Proper isometric actions

Abstract: We prove the following to results: (1) A subgroup G of the isometry group of a Riemannian manifold M acts properly on M if and only if G is closed in the isometry group of M. (2) The orbits of an isometric action are closed if and only if the action is orbit equivalent to a proper isometric action.


On $\omega_3$-chains in P($\omega_1$) mod finite

Abstract: We prove that if there exists a simplified $(\omega_1,2)$-morass, then there is a ccc forcing which adds an $\omega_3$-chain in P($\omega_1$) mod finite and a ccc forcing which adds a family of $\omega_3$-many strongly almost disjoint functions from $\omega_1$ to $\omega$. The idea is to use a finite support iteration of countable forcings which is not linear but three-dimensional.


Initial-boundary value problems for conservation laws with source terms and the Degasperis-Procesi equation

Abstract: We consider conservation laws with source terms in a bounded domain with Dirichlet boundary conditions. We first prove the existence of a strong trace at the boundary in order to provide a simple formulation of the entropy boundary condition. Equipped with this formulation, we go on to establish the well-posedness of entropy solutions to the initial-boundary value problem. The proof utilizes the kinetic formulation and the compensated compactness method. Finally, we make use of these results to demonstrate the well-posedness in a class of discontinuous solutions to the initial-boundary value problem for the Degasperis-Procesi shallow water equation, which is a third order nonlinear dispersive equation that can be rewritten in the form of a nonlinear conservation law with a nonlocal source term.


Topological Hochschild homology of Thom spectra and the free loop space

Abstract: We describe the topological Hochschild homology of ring spectra that arise as Thom spectra for loop maps f: X->BF, where BF denotes the classifying space for stable spherical fibrations. To do this, we consider symmetric monoidal models of the category of spaces over BF and corresponding strong symmetric monoidal Thom spectrum functors. Our main result identifies the topological Hochschild homology as the Thom spectrum of a certain stable bundle over the free loop space L(BX). This leads to explicit calculations of the topological Hochschild homology for a large class of ring spectra, including all of the classical cobordism spectra MO, MSO, MU, etc., and the Eilenberg-Mac Lane spectra HZ/p and HZ.


The evaluation of Tornheim double sums. Part2

Abstract: We provide an explicit formula for the Tornheim double series T(a,0,c) in terms of an integral involving the Hurwitz zeta function. For integer values of the parameters, a=m, c=n, we show that in the most interesting case of even weight N:=m+n the Tornheim sum T(m,0,n) can be expressed in terms of zeta values and the family of integrals % \int_0^1 loggamma(q) B_{k}(q) Cl_{j+1} (2 \pi q) dq, % with k+j = N, where B_{k}(q) is a Bernoulli polynomial and \Cl_{j+1}(x) is a Clausen function.


Auslander-Reiten sequences for homotopists and arithmeticians

Abstract: We introduce Auslander-Reiten sequences for group algebras and give several recent applications. The first part of the paper is devoted to some fundamental problems in Tate cohomology which are motivated by homotopy theory. In the second part of the paper we interpret Auslander-Reiten sequences in the context of Galois theory and connect them to some important arithmetic objects.


Extremely non-complex C(K) spaces

Abstract: We show that there exist infinite-dimensional extremely non-complex Banach spaces, i.e. spaces $X$ such that the norm equality $\|Id + T^2\|=1 + \|T^2\|$ holds for every bounded linear operator $T:X\longrightarrow X$. This answers in the positive Question 4.11 of [Kadets, Martin, Meri, Norm equalities for operators, \emph{Indiana U. Math. J.} \textbf{56} (2007), 2385--2411]. More concretely, we show that this is the case of some $C(K)$ spaces with few operators constructed in [Koszmider, Banach spaces of continuous functions with few operators, \emph{Math. Ann.} \textbf{330} (2004), 151--183] and [Plebanek, A construction of a Banach space $C(K)$ with few operators, \emph{Topology Appl.} \textbf{143} (2004), 217--239]. We also construct compact spaces $K_1$ and $K_2$ such that $C(K_1)$ and $C(K_2)$ are extremely non-complex, $C(K_1)$ contains a complemented copy of $C(2^\omega)$ and $C(K_2)$ contains a (1-complemented) isometric copy of $\ell_\infty$.


Stochastic Cahn-Hilliard equation with singular nonlinearity and reflection

Abstract: We consider a stochastic partial differential equation with logarithmic (or negative power) nonlinearity, with one reflection at 0 and with a constraint of conservation of the space average. The equation, driven by the derivative in space of a space-time white noise, contains a bi-Laplacian in the drift. The lack of the maximum principle for the bi-Laplacian generates difficulties for the classical penalization method, which uses a crucial monotonicity property. Being inspired by the works of Debussche and Zambotti, we use a method based on infinite dimensional equations, approximation by regular equations and convergence of the approximated semi-group. We obtain existence and uniqueness of solution for nonnegative intial conditions, results on the invariant measures, and on the reflection measures.


Thom spectra that are symmetric spectra

Abstract: We analyze the functorial and multiplicative properties of the Thom spectrum functor in the setting of symmetric spectra, and we establish the relevant homotopy invariance.


Higher topological Hochschild homology of Thom spectra

Abstract: In this paper we analyze the higher topological Hochschild homology of commutative Thom S-algebras. This includes the case of the classical cobordism spectra MO, MSO, MU, etc. We consider the homotopy orbits of the torus action on iterated topological Hochschild homology and we describe the relationship to topological Andre-Quillen homology.


A simple formula for the Casson-Walker invariant

Abstract: Gauss diagram formulas are extensively used to study Vassiliev link invariants. Now we apply this approach to invariants of 3-manifolds, considering manifolds given by surgery on framed links in the 3-sphere. We study the lowest degree case - the celebrated Casson-Walker invariant of rational homology spheres. This paper is dedicated to a detailed treatment of 2-component links; a general case will be considered in a forthcoming paper. We present simple Gauss diagram formulas for the Casson-Walker invariant. This enables us to understand/separate its dependence on the unframed link and on the framings. We also obtain skein relations for the Casson-Walker invariant under crossing changes, and study its asymptotic behavior when framings tend to infinity. Finally, we present results of extensive computer calculations.


Moser stability for locally conformally symplectic structures

Abstract: We formulate and prove the analogue of Moser's stability theorem for locally conformally symplectic structures. As special cases we recover some results previously proved by Banyaga.


Closeness of convolutions of probability measures

Abstract: We derive new explicit bounds for the total variation distance between two convolution products of $n$ probability distributions, one of which having identical convolution factors. Approximations by finite signed measures of arbitrary order are considered as well. We are interested in bounds with magic factors, i.e. roughly speaking $n$ also appears in the denominator. Special emphasis is given to the approximation by the $n$-fold convolution of the arithmetic mean of the distributions under consideration. As an application, we consider the multinomial approximation of the generalized multinomial distribution. It turns out that here the order of some bounds given in Roos (2001) and Loh (1992) can significantly be improved. In particular, it follows that a dimension factor can be dropped. Moreover, better accuracy is achieved in the context of symmetric distributions with finite support. In the course of proof, we use a basic Banach algebra technique for measures on a measurable Abelian group. Though this method was already used by Le Cam (1960), our central arguments seem to be new. We also derive new smoothness bounds for convolutions of probability distributions, which might be of independent interest.


Canonical divisors on T-varieties

Abstract: Generalising toric geometry we study compact varieties admitting lower dimensional torus actions. In particular we describe divisors on them in terms of convex geometry and give a criterion for their ampleness. These results may be used to study Fano varieties with small torus actions. As a first result we classify log del Pezzo C*-surfaces of Picard number 1 and Gorenstein index less than 4. In further examples we show how classification might work in higher dimensions and we give explicit descriptions of some equivariant smoothings of Fano threefolds.


The Corona Theorem for the Drury-Arveson Hardy space and other holomorphic Besov-Sobolev spaces on the unit ball in $\mathbb{C}^{n}$

Abstract: We prove that the multiplier algebra of the Drury-Arveson Hardy space $H_{n}^{2}$ on the unit ball in $\mathbb{C}^{n}$ has no corona in its maximal ideal space, thus generalizing the famous Corona Theorem of L. Carleson to higher dimensions. This result is obtained as a corollary of the Toeplitz corona theorem and a new Banach space result: the Besov-Sobolev space $B_{p}^{\sigma}$ has the "baby corona property" for all $\sigma \geq 0$ and $1<p<\infty $. In addition we obtain infinite generator and semi-infinite matrix versions of these theorems.


On Bochner-Martinelli residue currents and their annihilator ideals

Abstract: We study the residue current R^f of Bochner-Martinelli type associated with a tuple f=(f_1,...,f_m) of holomorphic germs at the origin in C^n, whose common zero set equals the origin. Our main results are a geometric description of R^f in terms of the Rees valuations associated with the ideal (f) generated by f and a characterization of when the annihilator ideal of R^f equals (f).


Hyperkahler SYZ conjecture and semipositive line bundles

Abstract: Let $M$ be a compact, holomorphic symplectic Kaehler manifold, and $L$ a non-trivial line bundle admitting a metric of semi-positive curvature. We show that some power of $L$ is effective. This result is related to the hyperkaehler SYZ conjecture, which states that such a manifold admits a holomorphic Lagrangian fibration, if $L$ is not big.


Giroux correspondence, confoliations, and symplectic structures on S^1 x M

Abstract: Let M be a closed oriented 3-manifold such that S^1 x M admits a symplectic structure w. The goal of this paper is to show that M is a fiber bundle over S^1. The basic idea is to use the obvious S^1-action on S^1 x M by rotating the first factor, and one of the key steps is to show that the S^1-action on S^1 x M is actually symplectic with respect to a symplectic form cohomologous to w. We achieve it by crucially using the recent result or its relative version of Giroux about one-to-one correspondence between open book decompositions of M up to positive stabilization and co-oriented contact structures on M up to contact isotopy.


An asymptotic theory for randomly forced discrete nonlinear heat equations

Abstract: We study discrete nonlinear parabolic stochastic heat equations of the form, $u_{n+1}(x)-u_n(x)=(\mathcal {L}u_n)(x)+\sigma(u_n(x))\xi_n(x)$, for $n\in {\mathbf{Z}}_+$ and $x\in {\mathbf{Z}}^d$, where $\boldsymbol \xi:=\{\xi_n(x)\}_{n\ge 0,x\in {\mathbf{Z}}^d}$ denotes random forcing and $\mathcal {L}$ the generator of a random walk on ${\mathbf{Z}}^d$. Under mild conditions, we prove that the preceding stochastic PDE has a unique solution that grows at most exponentially in time. And that, under natural conditions, it is "weakly intermittent." Along the way, we establish a comparison principle as well as a finite support property.


Floer homology for 2-torsion instanton invariants

Abstract: We construct a variant of Floer homology groups and prove a gluing formula for a variant of Donaldson invariants. As a corollary, the variant of Donaldson invariants is non-trivial for connected sums of 4-manifolds which satisfy a condition for Donaldson invariants. We also show a non-existence result of compact, spin 4-manifolds with boundary some homology 3-spheres and with certain intersection forms.


Expander graphs based on GRH with an application to elliptic curve cryptography

Abstract: We present a construction of expander graphs obtained from Cayley graphs of narrow ray class groups, whose eigenvalue bounds follow from the Generalized Riemann Hypothesis. Our result implies that the Cayley graph of (Z/qZ)* with respect to small prime generators is an expander. As another application, we show that the graph of small prime degree isogenies between ordinary elliptic curves achieves non-negligible eigenvalue separation, and explain the relationship between the expansion properties of these graphs and the security of the elliptic curve discrete logarithm problem.


Springer representations on the Khovanov Springer varieties

Abstract: Springer varieties are studied because their cohomology carries a natural action of the symmetric group $S_n$ and their top-dimensional cohomology is irreducible. In his work on tangle invariants, Khovanov constructed a family of Springer varieties $X_n$ as subvarieties of the product of spheres $(S^2)^n$. We show that if $X_n$ is embedded antipodally in $(S^2)^n$ then the natural $S_n$-action on $(S^2)^n$ induces an $S_n$-representation on the image of $H_*(X_n)$. This representation is the Springer representation. Our construction admits an elementary (and geometrically natural) combinatorial description, which we use to prove that the Springer representation on $H_*(X_n)$ is irreducible in each degree. We explicitly identify the Kazhdan-Lusztig basis for the irreducible representation of $S_n$ corresponding to the partition $(n/2,n/2)$.


On the vanishing of negative K-groups

Abstract: Let k be an infinite perfect field of positive characteristic p and assume that strong resolution of singularities holds over k. We prove that, if X is a d-dimensional noetherian scheme whose underlying reduced scheme is essentially of finite type over the field k, then the negative K-group K_q(X) vanishes for every q < -d. This partially affirms a conjecture of Weibel.


Mahlburg's work on Crank Functions returns to Ramanujan's work and inspiration

Abstract: Mahlburg (2005) brilliantly showed the importance of crank functions in partition congruences that were originally guessed by Dyson (1944). Ramanujan's partition functions are the centre of these works. Not only for the theory on cranks, but for many other researchers' in India Ramanujan's work inspired for their career in mathematics. This is an undergraduate expository article.


Estimation of missing data by using the filtering process in a time series modeling

Abstract: This paper proposed a new method to estimate the missing data by using the filtering process. We used datasets without missing data and randomly missing data to evaluate the new method of estimation by using the Box - Jenkins modeling technique to predict monthly average rainfall for site 5504035 Lahar Ikan Mati at Kepala Batas, P. Pinang station in Malaysia. The rainfall data was collected from the $1^{st}$ January 1969 to $31^{st}$ December 1997 in the station. The data used in the development of the model to predict rainfall were represented by an autoregressive integrated moving - average (ARIMA) model. The model for both datasets was ARIMA$(1,0,0)(0,1,1)_s$. The result checked with the Naive test, which is the Thiel's statistic and was found to be equal to $U=0.72086$ for the complete data and $U=0.726352$ for the missing data, which mean they were good models.


Asymptotics for Kotz Type III Elliptical Distributions

Abstract: In this paper we derive the tail asymptotics of a Kotz Type III elliptical random vector. As an application of our asymptotic expansion we derive an approximation for the conditional excess distribution. Furthermore, we discuss the asymptotic dependence of Kotz Type III triangular arrays and provide some details on the estimation of conditional excess distribution and survivor function.


On the Behrens--Fisher problem: A globally convergent algorithm and a finite-sample study of the Wald, LR and LM Tests

Abstract: In this paper we provide a provably convergent algorithm for the multivariate Gaussian Maximum Likelihood version of the Behrens--Fisher Problem. Our work builds upon a formulation of the log-likelihood function proposed by Buot and Richards \citeBR. Instead of focusing on the first order optimality conditions, the algorithm aims directly for the maximization of the log-likelihood function itself to achieve a global solution. Convergence proof and complexity estimates are provided for the algorithm. Computational experiments illustrate the applicability of such methods to high-dimensional data. We also discuss how to extend the proposed methodology to a broader class of problems. We establish a systematic algebraic relation between the Wald, Likelihood Ratio and Lagrangian Multiplier Test ($W\geq \mathit{LR}\geq \mathit{LM}$) in the context of the Behrens--Fisher Problem. Moreover, we use our algorithm to computationally investigate the finite-sample size and power of the Wald, Likelihood Ratio and Lagrange Multiplier Tests, which previously were only available through asymptotic results. The methods developed here are applicable to much higher dimensional settings than the ones available in the literature. This allows us to better capture the role of high dimensionality on the actual size and power of the tests for finite samples.


Kaehler-Einstein submanifolds of the infinite dimensional projective space

Abstract: This paper consists of two main results. In the first one we describe all Kaehler immersions of a bounded symmetric domain into the infinite dimensional complex projective space in terms of the Wallach set of the domain. In the second one we exhibit an example of complete and non-homogeneous Kaehler-Einstein metric with negative scalar curvature which admits a Kaehler immersion into the infinite dimensional complex projective space.


Probability measures, L\'{e}vy measures and analyticity in time

Abstract: We investigate the relation of the semigroup probability density of an infinite activity L\'{e}vy process to the corresponding L\'{e}vy density. For subordinators, we provide three methods to compute the former from the latter. The first method is based on approximating compound Poisson distributions, the second method uses convolution integrals of the upper tail integral of the L\'{e}vy measure and the third method uses the analytic continuation of the L\'{e}vy density to a complex cone and contour integration. As a by-product, we investigate the smoothness of the semigroup density in time. Several concrete examples illustrate the three methods and our results.


An Algorithmic and a geometric characterization of coarsening at random

Abstract: We show that the class of conditional distributions satisfying the coarsening at random (CAR) property for discrete data has a simple and robust algorithmic description based on randomized uniform multicovers: combinatorial objects generalizing the notion of partition of a set. However, the complexity of a given CAR mechanism can be large: the maximal "height" of the needed multicovers can be exponential in the number of points in the sample space. The results stem from a geometric interpretation of the set of CAR distributions as a convex polytope and a characterization of its extreme points. The hierarchy of CAR models defined in this way could be useful in parsimonious statistical modeling of CAR mechanisms, though the results also raise doubts in applied work as to the meaningfulness of the CAR assumption in its full generality.


$L$-approximation of $B$-splines by trigonometric polynomials

Abstract: This note is a continuation of our papers [1,2], devoted to $L$-approximation of characteristic function of $(-h, h)$ by trigonometric polynomials. In the paper [1] the sharp values of the best approximation for the special values of $h$ were found. In [2] we gave the complete solution of the problem for arbitrary values of $h$. In general case [2] the situation is more deep and results are not so simple as in [1]. For applications to the problem of optimal constants in the Jackson-type inequalities we need, however, results on $L$-approximation of $B$-splines and linear combinations of $B$-splines. Here we present some simple results about $L$-approximation of $B$-splines as well as give the the proof of its sharpness for the special values of $h$.


The Brauer Group of a Smooth Orbifold

Abstract: Let $k$ be a field and $X/k$ be a smooth quasiprojective orbifold. Let $X\to \underline{X}$ be its coarse moduli space. In this paper we study the Brauer group of $X$ and compare it with the Brauer group of the smooth locus of $\underline{X}$.


Deformation of a smooth Deligne-Mumford stack via differential graded Lie algebra

Abstract: For a smooth Deligne-Mumford stack over $\CC$, we define its associated Kodaira-Spencer differential graded Lie algebra and show that the deformation functor of the stack is isomorphic to the deformation functor of the Kodaira-Spencer algebra if the stack is proper over $\CC$.


Residual empirical processes for long and short memory time series

Abstract: This paper studies the residual empirical process of long- and short-memory time series regression models and establishes its uniform expansion under a general framework. The results are applied to the stochastic regression models and unstable autoregressive models. For the long-memory noise, it is shown that the limit distribution of the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test statistic studied in Ho and Hsing [Ann. Statist. 24 (1996) 992-1024] does not hold when the stochastic regression model includes an unknown intercept or when the characteristic polynomial of the unstable autoregressive model has a unit root. To this end, two new statistics are proposed to test for the distribution of the long-memory noises of stochastic regression models and unstable autoregressive models. (With Correction.)


On a Lomonaco-Kauffman conjecture

Abstract: Samuel J. Lomonaco Jr and Louis H. Kauffman conjectured that tame knot theory and knot mosaic theory are equivalent. We give a proof of the Lomonaco-Kauffman conjecture.


On Virtual Crossing Number Estimates For Virtual Links

Abstract: We address the question of detecting minimal virtual diagrams with respect to the number of virtual crossings. This problem is closely connected to the problem of detecting the minimal number of additional intersection points for a generic immersion of a singular link in $R^{2}$. We tackle this problem by the so-called $\xi$-polynomial whose leading (lowest) degree naturally estimates the virtual crossing number. Several sufficient conditions for minimality together with infinite series of new examples are given. We also state several open questions about $M$-diagrams, which are minimal according to our sufficient conditions.


Infinite genus surfaces and irrational polygonal billiards

Abstract: We prove that the natural invariant surface associated with the billiard game on an irrational polygonal table is homeomorphic to the Loch Ness monster, that is, the only orientable infinite genus topological real surface with exactly one end.


The Average Number of Block Interchanges Needed to Sort A Permutation and a recent result of Stanley

Abstract: We use an interesting result of probabilistic flavor concerning the product of two permutations consisting of one cycle each to find an explicit formula for the average number of block interchanges needed to sort a permutation of length $n$.


On the dimension of the minimal vertex covers semigroup ring of an unmixed bipartite graph

Abstract: In a paper in 2008, Herzog, Hibi and Ohsugi introduced and studied the semigroup ring associated to the set of minimal vertex covers of an unmixed bipartite graph. In this paper we relate the dimension of this semigroup ring to the rank of the Boolean lattice associated to the graph.


Parabolic subgroups of Garside groups II: ribbons

Abstract: We introduce and investigate the ribbon groupoid associated with a Garside group. Under a technical hypothesis, we prove that this category is a Garside groupoid. We decompose this groupoid into a semi-direct product of two of its parabolic subgroupoids and provide a groupoid presentation. In order to established the latter result, we describe quasi-centralizers in Garside groups. All results hold in the particular case of Artin-Tits groups of spherical type.


An elementary approach to extreme values theory

Abstract: This note presents a rather intuitive approach to extreme value theory. This approach was devised mostly for pedagogical reason.


Images of the Polar maps for Hypersurfaces

Abstract: For a projective hypersurface $X \subset \P^n$, the images of the polar maps of degree $k$ are studied. The cohomology class defined by these maps is calculated and classical results on dual varieties are presented as applications.


Tilted Euler characteristic densities for Central Limit random fields, with application to "bubbles"

Abstract: Local increases in the mean of a random field are detected (conservatively) by thresholding a field of test statistics at a level $u$ chosen to control the tail probability or $p$-value of its maximum. This $p$-value is approximated by the expected Euler characteristic (EC) of the excursion set of the test statistic field above $u$, denoted $\mathbb{E}\varphi(A_u)$. Under isotropy, one can use the expansion $\mathbb{E}\varphi(A_u)=\sum_k\mathcal{V}_k\rho_k(u)$, where $\mathcal{V}_k$ is an intrinsic volume of the parameter space and $\rho_k$ is an EC density of the field. EC densities are available for a number of processes, mainly those constructed from (multivariate) Gaussian fields via smooth functions. Using saddlepoint methods, we derive an expansion for $\rho_k(u)$ for fields which are only approximately Gaussian, but for which higher-order cumulants are available. We focus on linear combinations of $n$ independent non-Gaussian fields, whence a Central Limit theorem is in force. The threshold $u$ is allowed to grow with the sample size $n$, in which case our expression has a smaller relative asymptotic error than the Gaussian EC density. Several illustrative examples including an application to "bubbles" data accompany the theory.


On the non-existence of Tensor Products of Algebraic Cycles

Abstract: Let $\otimes$ be the map which classifies the tensor product of two line bundles, an extension of this map to the space of all codimension 1 algebraic cycles is constructed. It is proved that this extension cannot exist in codimension greater than 1.


Compactified Picard stacks over the moduli stack of stable curves with marked points

Abstract: In this paper we give a construction of algebraic (Artin) stacks endowed with a modular map onto the moduli stack of n-pointed stable curves of genus g, for g greater than 2. These stacks are smooth, irreducible and have dimension 4g-3+n, yielding a geometrically meaningful compactification of the degree d universal Picard stack over the moduli stack of smooth curves with marked points.


Improved Error Bounds for Dirichlet-to-Neumann Absorbing Boundaries

Abstract: It has long been known how to construct radiation boundary conditions for the time dependent wave equation. Although arguments suggesting that they are accurate have been given, it is only recently that rigorous error bounds have been proved. Previous estimates show that the error caused by these methods behaves like epsilon C exp(gamma t) for any gamma > 0. We improve these results and show that the error behaves like epsilon t^2.


Continuous trace C*-algebras, gauge groups and rationalization

Abstract: Let \zeta be an n-dimensional complex matrix bundle over a compact metric space X and let A_\zeta denote the C*-algebra of sections of this bundle. We determine the rational homotopy type as an H-space of UA_\zeta, the group of unitaries of A_\zeta. The answer turns out to be independent of the bundle \zeta and depends only upon n and the rational cohomology of X. We prove analogous results for the gauge group and the projective gauge group of a principal bundle over a compact metric space X.


An isospectral deformation on an orbifold quotient of a nilmanifold

Abstract: We construct a Laplace isospectral deformation of metrics on an orbifold quotient of a nilmanifold. Each orbifold in the deformation contains singular points with order two isotropy. Isospectrality is obtained by modifying a generalization of Sunada's Theorem due to DeTurck and Gordon.


Algebra in superextensions of twinic groups

Abstract: Given a group $X$ we study the algebraic structure of the compact right-topological semigroup $\lambda(X)$ consisting of maximal linked systems on $X$. This semigroup contains the semigroup $\beta(X)$ of ultrafilters as a closed subsemigroup. We construct a faithful representation of the semigroup $\lambda(X)$ in the semigroup of all self-maps of the power-set of $X$ and using this representation describe the structure of minimal ideal and minimal left ideals of $\lambda(X)$ for each twinic group $X$. The class of twinic groups includes all amenable groups and all groups with periodic commutators but does not include the free group with two generators.


Spectral and geometric bounds on 2-orbifold diffeomorphism type

Abstract: We show that a Laplace isospectral family of two dimensional Riemannian orbifolds, sharing a lower bound on sectional curvature, contains orbifolds of only a finite number of orbifold category diffeomorphism types. We also show that orbifolds of only finitely many orbifold diffeomorphism types may arise in any collection of 2-orbifolds satisfying lower bounds on sectional curvature and volume, and an upper bound on diameter. An argument converting spectral data to geometric bounds shows that the first result is a consequence of the second.


Grid graphs and lattice surfaces

Abstract: First, we apply Thurston's construction of pseudo-Anosov homeomorphisms to grid graphs and obtain translation surfaces whose Veech groups are commensurable to $(m,n,\infty)$ triangle groups. These surfaces were first discovered by Bouw and M\"oller, however our treatment of the surfaces differs. We construct these surfaces by gluing together polygons in two ways. We use these elementary descriptions to compute the Veech groups, resolve primitivity questions, and describe the surfaces algebraically. Second, we show that some $(m,n, \infty)$ triangle groups can not arise as Veech groups. This generalizes work of Hubert and Schmidt.


Optimal cross-validation in density estimation with the $L^2$-loss

Abstract: We analyze the performance of cross-validation (CV) in the density estimation framework with two purposes: (i) risk estimation and (ii) model selection. The main focus is given to the so-called leave-$p$-out CV procedure (Lpo), where $p$ denotes the cardinality of the test set. Closed-form expressions are settled for the Lpo estimator of the risk of projection estimators. These expressions provide a great improvement upon $V$-fold cross-validation in terms of variability and computational complexity. From a theoretical point of view, closed-form expressions also enable to study the Lpo performance in terms of risk estimation. The optimality of leave-one-out (Loo), that is Lpo with $p=1$, is proved among CV procedures used for risk estimation. Two model selection frameworks are also considered: estimation, as opposed to identification. For estimation with finite sample size $n$, optimality is achieved for $p$ large enough [with $p/n=o(1)$] to balance the overfitting resulting from the structure of the model collection. For identification, model selection consistency is settled for Lpo as long as $p/n$ is conveniently related to the rate of convergence of the best estimator in the collection: (i) $p/n\to1$ as $n\to+\infty$ with a parametric rate, and (ii) $p/n=o(1)$ with some nonparametric estimators. These theoretical results are validated by simulation experiments.


THH of Thom spectra that are E_\infty ring spectra

Abstract: We identify the topological Hochschild homology (THH) of the Thom spectrum associated to an E_\infty classifying map X -> BG, for G an appropriate group or monoid (e.g. U, O, and F). We deduce the comparison from the observation of McClure, Schwanzl, and Vogt that THH of a cofibrant commutative S-algebra (E_\infty ring spectrum) R can be described as an indexed colimit together with a verification that the Lewis-May operadic Thom spectrum functor preserves indexed colimits. We prove a splitting result THH(Mf) \htp Mf \sma BX_+ which yields a convenient description of THH(MU). This splitting holds even when the classifying map f: X -> BG is only a homotopy commutative A_\infty map, provided that the induced multiplication on Mf extends to an E_\infty ring structure; this permits us to recover Bokstedt's calculation of THH(HZ).


Floer homology on the extended moduli space

Abstract: Starting from a Heegaard splitting of a three-manifold, we use Lagrangian Floer homology to construct a three-manifold invariant, in the form of a relatively Z/8-graded abelian group. Our motivation is to have a well-defined symplectic side of the Atiyah-Floer Conjecture, for arbitrary three-manifolds. The symplectic manifold used in the construction is the extended moduli space of flat SU(2)-connections on the Heegaard surface. An open subset of this moduli space carries a symplectic form, and each of the two handlebodies in the decomposition gives rise to a Lagrangian inside the open set. In order to define their Floer homology, we compactify the open subset by symplectic cutting; the resulting manifold is only semipositive, but we show that one can still develop a version of Floer homology in this setting.


Convexity and smoothness of Banach spaces with numerical index one

Abstract: We show that a Banach space with numerical index one cannot enjoy good convexity or smoothness properties unless it is one-dimensional. For instance, it has no WLUR points in its unit ball, its norm is not Frechet smooth and its dual norm is neither smooth nor strictly convex. Actually, these results also hold if the space has the (strictly weaker) alternative Daugavet property. We construct a (non-complete) strictly convex predual of an infinite-dimensional $L_1$ space (which satisfies a property called lushness which implies numerical index~1). On the other hand, we show that a lush real Banach space is neither strictly convex nor smooth, unless it is one-dimensional. In particular, if a subspace $X$ of the real space $C[0,1]$ is smooth or strictly convex, then $C[0,1]/X$ contains a copy of $C[0,1]$. Finally, we prove that the dual of any lush infinite-dimensional real space contains a copy of $\ell_1$.


Classical metric Diophantine approximation revisited: the Khintchine-Groshev theorem

Abstract: Under the assumption that the approximating function $\psi$ is monotonic, the classical Khintchine-Groshev theorem provides an elegant probabilistic criterion for the Lebesgue measure of the set of $\psi$-approximable matrices in $\R^{mn}$. The famous Duffin-Schaeffer counterexample shows that the monotonicity assumption on $\psi$ is absolutely necessary when $m=n=1$. On the other hand, it is known that monotonicity is not necessary when $n > 2$ (Sprindzuk) or when $n=1$ and $m>1$ (Gallagher). Surprisingly, when $n=2$ the situation is unresolved. We deal with this remaining case and thereby remove all unnecessary conditions from the classical Khintchine-Groshev theorem. This settles a multi-dimensional analogue of Catlin's Conjecture.


Sharp Estimates for the $\bar{\partial}$-Neumann Problem on Regular Coordinate Domains

Abstract: This paper treats subelliptic estimates for the $\bar{\partial}$-Neumann problem on a class of domains known as regular coordinate domains. Our main result is that the largest subelliptic gain for a regular coordinate domain is bounded below by a purely algebraic number, the inverse of twice the multiplicity of the ideal associated to a given boundary point.


The Gelfand-Zeitlin integrable system and its action on generic elements of gl(n) and so(n)

Abstract: In recent work Bertram Kostant and Nolan Wallach ([KW1], [KW2]) have defined an interesting action of a simply connected Lie group $A$ isomorphic to \mathbb{C}^{{n\choose 2}} on gl(n) using a completely integrable system derived from Gelfand-Zeitlin theory. In this paper we show that an analogous action of \mathbb{C}^{d} exists on the complex orthogonal Lie algebra so(n), where d is half the dimension of a regular adjoint orbit in so(n). In [KW1], Kostant and Wallach describe the orbits of $A$ on a certain Zariski open subset of regular semisimple elements in gl(n). We extend these results to the case of so(n). We also make brief mention of the author's results in [Col1], which describe all $A$-orbits of dimension {n\choose 2} in gl(n).


A note on the $\hat A$-genus for $\pi_2$-finite manifolds with $S^1$-symmetry

Abstract: We construct examples of $S^1$-manifolds with finite second homotopy group and non-vanishing $\hat A$-genus. This is related to the classification of positive quaternionic Kaehler manifolds.


Injections of mapping class groups

Abstract: We construct new monomorphisms between mapping class groups of surfaces. The first family of examples injects the mapping class group of a closed surface into that of a different closed surface. The second family of examples are defined on mapping class groups of once-punctured surfaces and have quite curious behaviour. For instance, some pseudo-Anosov elements are mapped to multi-twists. Neither of these two types of phenomena were previously known to be possible although the constructions are elementary.


On the global well-posedness of the one-dimensional Schrodinger map flow

Abstract: We establish the global well-posedness of the initial value problem for the Schrodinger map flow for maps from the real line into Kahler manifolds and for maps from the circle into Riemann surfaces. This partially resolves a conjecture of W.-Y. Ding.


Boundary behavior of special cohomology classes arising from the Weil representation

Abstract: In our previous paper [math.NT/0408050], we established a correspondence between vector-valued holomorphic Siegel modular forms and cohomology with local coefficients for local symmetric spaces $X$ attached to real orthogonal groups of type $(p,q)$. This correspondence is realized using theta functions associated to explicitly constructed "special" Schwartz forms. Furthermore, the theta functions give rise to generating series of certain "special cycles" in $X$ with coefficients. In this paper, we study the boundary behaviour of these theta functions in the non-compact case and show that the theta functions extend to the Borel-Sere compactification $\bar{X}$ of $X$. However, for the $\Q$-split case for signature $(p,p)$, we have to construct and consider a slightly larger compactification, the "big" Borel-Serre compactification. The restriction to each face of $\bar{X}$ is again a theta series as in [math.NT/0408050], now for a smaller orthogonal group and a larger coefficient system. As application we establish the cohomological nonvanishing of the special (co)cycles when passing to an appropriate finite cover of $X$. In particular, the (co)homology groups in question do not vanish.


Automorphisms of hyperelliptic modular curves $X_0(N)$ in positive characteristic

Abstract: We study the automorphism groups of the reduction $X_0(N) \times \bar{\mathbb{F}}_p$ of a modular curve $X_0(N)$ over primes $ p\nmid N$.


Gram's Law Fails a Positive Proportion of the Time

Abstract: This paper extends the work done by Titchmarsh on Gram's Law (an attempt to locate the zeroes of the zeta-function on the critical line). Herewith it is shown that a positive proportion of Gram intervals violate Gram's Law; and also that a weaker notion of Gram's Law is valid over a positive proportion of intervals.


The Bing-Borsuk and the Busemann Conjectures

Abstract: We present two classical conjectures concerning the characterization of manifolds: the Bing Borsuk Conjecture asserts that every $n$-dimensional homogeneous ANR is a topological $n$-manifold, whereas the Busemann Conjecture asserts that every $n$-dimensional $G$-space is a topological $n$-manifold. The key object in both cases are so-called {\it generalized manifolds}, i.e. ENR homology manifolds. We look at the history, from the early beginnings to the present day. We also list several open problems and related conjectures.


Zeta Functions of Projective Toric Hypersurfaces over Finite Fields

Abstract: I give a formula for the zeta function of a projective toric hypersurface over a finite field and estimate its Newton polygon. As an application this formula allows us to compute the exact number of rational points on the families of Calabi-Yau manifolds in Mirror Symmetry.


The non-symmetric operad pre-Lie is free

Abstract: We prove that the pre-Lie operad is a free non-symmetric operad.


Higher-dimensional forcing

Abstract: This is an overview about a method of constructing ccc forcings: Suppose first that a continuous, commutative system of complete embeddings between countable forcings indexed along $\omega_1$ is given. Then its direct limit satisfies ccc by a well-known theorem on finite support iterations. However, this limit has size at most $\omega_1$. To get larger forcings, we do not consider linear systems but higher-dimensional systems which are indexed along simplified morasses.


Derivations in algebras of operator-valued functions

Abstract: In this paper we study derivations in subalgebras of $L_{0}^{wo}(\nu ;% \mathcal{L}(X)) $, the algebra of all weak operator measurable funtions $f:S\to \mathcal{L}(X) $, where $% \mathcal{L}(X) $ is the Banach algebra of all bounded linear operators on a Banach space $X$. It is shown, in particular, that all derivations on $L_{0}^{wo}(\nu ;\mathcal{L}(X)) $ are inner whenever $X$ is separable and infinite dimensional. This contrasts strongly with the fact that $L_{0}^{wo}(\nu ;\mathcal{L}(X)) $ admits non-trivial non-inner derivations whenever $X$ is finite dimensional and the measure $\nu $ is non-atomic. As an application of our approach, we study derivations in various algebras of measurable operators affiliated with von Neumann algebras.


Distribution of the Brownian motion on its way to hitting zero

Abstract: For the one-dimensional Brownian motion $B=(B_t)_{t\ge 0}$, started at $x>0$, and the first hitting time $\tau=\inf\{t\ge 0:B_t=0\}$, we find the probability density of $B_{u\tau}$ for a $u\in(0,1)$, i.e. of the Brownian motion on its way to hitting zero.


Minimal pseudocompact group topologies on free abelian groups

Abstract: A Hausdorff topological group G is minimal if every continuous isomorphism f: G --> H between G and a Hausdorff topological group H is open. Significantly strengthening a 1981 result of Stoyanov, we prove the following theorem: For every infinite minimal abelian group G there exists a sequence {\sigma_n : n\in N} of cardinals such that w(G) = sup {\sigma_n : n \in N} and sup {2^{\sigma_n} : n \in N} \leq |G| \leq 2^{w(G)}, where w(G) is the weight of G. If G is an infinite minimal abelian group, then either |G| = 2^\sigma for some cardinal \sigma, or w(G) = min {\sigma: |G| \leq 2^\sigma}; moreover, the equality |G| = 2^{w(G)} holds whenever cf (w(G)) > \omega. For a cardinal \kappa, we denote by F_\kappa the free abelian group with \kappa many generators. If F_\kappa admits a pseudocompact group topology, then \kappa \geq c, where c is the cardinality of the continuum. We show that the existence of a minimal pseudocompact group topology on F_c is equivalent to the Lusin's Hypothesis 2^{\omega_1} = c. For \kappa > c, we prove that F_\kappa admits a (zero-dimensional) minimal pseudocompact group topology if and only if F_\kappa has both a minimal group topology and a pseudocompact group topology. If \kappa > c, then F_\kappa admits a connected minimal pseudocompact group topology of weight \sigma if and only if \kappa = 2^\sigma. Finally, we establish that no infinite torsion-free abelian group can be equipped with a locally connected minimal group topology.


On iterated almost $\nu$-stable derived equivalences

Abstract: In a recent paper \cite{HuXi3}, we introduced a classes of derived equivalences called almost $\nu$-stable derived equivalences. The most important property is that an almost $\nu$-stable derived equivalence always induces a stable equivalence of Morita type, which generalizes a well-known result of Rickard: derived-equivalent self-injective algebras are stably equivalent of Morita type. In this paper, we shall consider the compositions of almost $\nu$-stable derived equivalences and their quasi-inverses, which is called iterated almost $\nu$-stable derived equivalences. We give a sufficient and necessary condition for a derived equivalence to be an iterated almost $\nu$-stable derived equivalence, and give an explicit construction of the stable equivalence functor induced by an iterated almost $\nu$-stable derived equivalence. As a consequence, we get some new sufficient conditions for a derived finite-dimensional algebras to induce a stable equivalence of Morita type.


Biharmonic curves on \textit{LP}-Sasakian manifolds

Abstract: In this paper we give necessary and sufficient conditions for spacelike and timelike curves in a conformally flat, quasi conformally flat and conformally symmetric 4-dimensional \textit{LP}-Sasakian manifold to be proper biharmonic. Also, we investigate proper biharmonic curves in the Lorentzian sphere $S^{4}_{1}$.


Uniqueness of positive solutions to semilinear elliptic equations with double power nonlinearities

Abstract: We consider semilinear elliptic equations with double power nonlineaities. The condition to assure the existence of positive solutions is well-known. In the present paper, we remark that the additional condition to assure uniqueness proposed by Ouyang and Shi is unnecessary.


Identifying quadric bundle structures on complex projective varieties

Abstract: In this paper we characterize smooth complex projective varieties that admit a quadric bundle structure on some dense open subset in terms of the geometry of certain families of rational curves.


Boundary Value Problem for an Oblique Paraxial Model of Light Propagation

Abstract: We study the Schr\"odinger equation which comes from the paraxial approximation of the Helmholtz equation in the case where the direction of propagation is tilted with respect to the boundary of the domain. This model has been proposed in (Doumic, Golse, Sentis, CRAS, 2003). Our primary interest here is in the boundary conditions successively in a half-plane, then in a quadrant of R2. The half-plane problem has been used in (Doumic, Duboc, Golse, Sentis, JCP, to appear) to build a numerical method, which has been introduced in the HERA plateform of CEA.


Existence and uniqueness conditions of positive solutions to semilinear elliptic equations with double power nonlinearities

Abstract: In this article we find the equivalent conditions to assure the existence and uniqueness of positive solutions to semilinear elliptic equations wih double power nonlinearities. As a bonus, we give a simpler proof of our former result that the uniqueness condition comes from the existence condition.


Multiple local whittle estimation in stationary systems

Abstract: Moving from univariate to bivariate jointly dependent long-memory time series introduces a phase parameter $(\gamma)$, at the frequency of principal interest, zero; for short-memory series $\gamma=0$ automatically. The latter case has also been stressed under long memory, along with the ``fractional differencing'' case $\gamma=(\delta_2-\delta_1)\pi /2$, where $\delta_1$, $\delta_2$ are the memory parameters of the two series. We develop time domain conditions under which these are and are not relevant, and relate the consequent properties of cross-autocovariances to ones of the (possibly bilateral) moving average representation which, with martingale difference innovations of arbitrary dimension, is used in asymptotic theory for local Whittle parameter estimates depending on a single smoothing number. Incorporating also a regression parameter $(\beta)$ which, when nonzero, indicates cointegration, the consistency proof of these implicitly defined estimates is nonstandard due to the $\beta$ estimate converging faster than the others. We also establish joint asymptotic normality of the estimates, and indicate how this outcome can apply in statistical inference on several questions of interest. Issues of implemention are discussed, along with implications of knowing $\beta$ and of correct or incorrect specification of $\gamma$, and possible extensions to higher-dimensional systems and nonstationary series.


On percolation and the bunkbed conjecture

Abstract: We study a problem on edge percolation on product graphs $G\times K_2$. Here $G$ is any finite graph and $K_2$ consists of two vertices $\{0,1\}$ connected by an edge. Every edge in $G\times K_2$ is present with probability $p$ independent of other edges. The Bunkbed conjecture states that for all $G$ and $p$ the probability that $(u,0)$ is in the same component as $(v,0)$ is greater than or equal to the probability that $(u,0)$ is in the same component as $(v,1)$ for every pair of vertices $u,v\in G$. We generalize this conjecture and formulate and prove similar statements for randomly directed graphs. The methods lead to a proof of the original conjecture for special classes of graphs $G$, in particular outerplanar graphs.


Classification of double power nonlinear functions

Abstract: In this article we investigate the nature of the functions, including important double power terms which arise naturally in considering typical nonlinear Schroedinger equations.


Isomorphism of Hilbert modules over stably finite C*-algebras

Abstract: It is shown that if A is a stably finite C*-algebra and E is a countably generated Hilbert A-module, then E gives rise to a compact element of the Cuntz semigroup if and only if E is algebraically finitely generated and projective. It follows that if E and F are equivalent in the sense of Coward, Elliott and Ivanescu (CEI) and E is algebraically finitely generated and projective, then E and F are isomorphic. In contrast to this, we exhibit two CEI-equivalent Hilbert modules over a stably finite C*-algebra that are not isomorphic.


Liouville Theorem for Dunkl Polyharmonic Functions

Abstract: Assume that $f$ is Dunkl polyharmonic in $\mathbb{R}^n$ (i.e. $(\Delta_h)^p f=0$ for some integer $p$, where $\Delta_h$ is the Dunkl Laplacian associated to a root system $R$ and to a multiplicity function $\kappa$, defined on $R$ and invariant with respect to the finite Coxeter group). Necessary and successful condition that $f$ is a polynomial of degree $\le s$ for $s\ge 2p-2$ is proved. As a direct corollary, a Dunkl harmonic function bounded above or below is constant.


Regular Moebius transformations of the space of quaternions

Abstract: Let H be the real algebra of quaternions. The notion of regular function of a quaternionic variable recently presented by G. Gentili and D. C. Struppa developed into a quite rich theory. Several properties of regular quaternionic functions are analogous to those of holomorphic functions of one complex variable, although the diversity of the quaternionic setting introduces new phenomena. This paper studies regular quaternionic transformations. We first find a quaternionic analog to the Casorati-Weierstrass theorem and prove that all regular injective functions from H to itself are affine. In particular, the group Aut(H) of biregular functions on H coincides with the group of regular affine transformations. Inspired by the classical quaternionic linear fractional transformations, we define the regular fractional transformations. We then show that each regular injective function from the Alexandroff compactification of H to itself is a regular fractional transformation. Finally, we study regular Moebius transformations, which map the unit ball B onto itself. All regular bijections from B to itself prove to be regular Moebius transformations.


A Refinement of the Function $g(m)$ on Grimm Conjecture

Abstract: In this paper, we refine the function $g(x)$ on Grimm's conjecture and improve a result of Erd\"{o}s and Selfridge without using Hall's theorem.


A note on compact K\"ahler-Ricci flow with positive bisectional curvature

Abstract: We show that for any solution to the K\"ahler-Ricci flow with positive bisectional curvature on a compact K\"ahler manifold $M^n$, the bisectional curvature has a uniform positive lower bound. As a consequence, the solution converges exponentially fast to an K\"ahler-Einstein metric with positive bisectional curvature as t tends to the infinity, provided we assume the Futaki-invariant of $M^n$ is zero. This improves a result of D. Phong, J. Song, J. Sturm and B. Weinkove in which they assumed the stronger condition that Mabuchi K-energy is bounded from below.


A stochastic epidemiological model and a deterministic limit for BitTorrent-like peer-to-peer file-sharing networks

Abstract: In this paper, we propose a stochastic model for a file-sharing peer-to-peer network which resembles the popular BitTorrent system: large files are split into chunks and a peer can download or swap from another peer only one chunk at a time. We prove that the fluid limits of a scaled Markov model of this system are of the coagulation form, special cases of which are well-known epidemiological (SIR) models. In addition, Lyapunov stability and settling-time results are explored. We derive conditions under which the BitTorrent incentives under consideration result in shorter mean file-acquisition times for peers compared to client-server (single chunk) systems. Finally, a diffusion approximation is given and some open questions are discussed.


(n-1)-st Koszul homology and the structure of monomial ideals

Abstract: Koszul homology of monomial ideals provides a description of the structure of such ideals, not only from a homological point of view (free resolutions, Betti numbers, Hilbert series) but also from an algebraic viewpoint. In this paper we show that, in particular, the homology at degree (n-1), with n the number of indeterminates of the ring, plays an important role for this algebraic description in terms of Stanley and irreducible decompositions.


Discontinuity growth of interval exchange maps

Abstract: For an interval exchange map, the number of discontinuities of its iterates either exhibits linear growth or is bounded. This dichotomy is used to prove that the group of interval exchanges does not contain distortion elements, giving examples of groups that do not act faithfully via interval exchanges. As a further application of this dichotomy, a classification of centralizers in the group of interval exchanges is given. This classification of centralizers is used to compute the automorphism group of the interval exchange group.


Partition relations for Hurewicz-type selection hypotheses

Abstract: We give a general method to reduce Hurewicz-type selection hypotheses into standard ones. The method covers the known results of this kind and gives some new ones. Building on that, we show how to derive Ramsey theoretic characterizations for these selection hypotheses.


Monomial ideals, almost complete intersections and the Weak Lefschetz Property

Abstract: Many algebras are expected to have the Weak Lefschetz property though this is often very difficult to establish. We illustrate the subtlety of the problem by studying monomial and some closely related ideals. Our results exemplify the intriguing dependence of the property on the characteristic of the ground field, and on arithmetic properties of the exponent vectors of the monomials.


Characterizing compact Clifford semigroups that embed into convolution and functor-semigroups

Abstract: We study algebraic and topological properties of the convolution semigroups of probability measures on a topological groups and show that a compact Clifford topological semigroup $S$ embeds into the convolution semigroup $P(G)$ over some topological group $G$ if and only if $S$ embeds into the semigroup $\exp(G)$ of compact subsets of $G$ if and only if $S$ is an inverse semigroup and has zero-dimensional maximal semilattice. We also show that such a Clifford semigroup $S$ embeds into the functor-semigroup $F(G)$ over a suitable compact topological group $G$ for each weakly normal monadic functor $F$ in the category of compacta such that $F(G)$ contains a $G$-invariant element (which is an analogue of the Haar measure on $G$).


Topology of positively curved 8-dimensional manifolds with symmetry

Abstract: In this paper we show that a simply connected 8-dimensional manifold M of positive sectional curvature and symmetry rank $\geq 2$ resembles a rank one symmetric space in several ways. For example, the Euler characteristic of M is equal to the Euler characteristic of S^8, H P^2 or C P^4. And if M is rationally elliptic then M is rationally isomorphic to a rank one symmetric space. For torsion-free manifolds we derive a much stronger classification. We also study the bordism type of 8-dimensional manifolds of positive sectional curvature and symmetry rank $\geq 2$. As an illustration we apply our results to various families of 8-manifolds.


A Free Boundary Isoperimetric Problem in the Hyperbolic Space between parallel horospheres

Abstract: In this work we investigate the following isoperimetric problem: to find the regions of prescribed volume with minimal boundary area between two parallel horospheres in hyperbolic 3-space (the area of the part of the boundary contained in the horospheres is not included). We reduce the problem to the study of rotationally invariant regions and obtain the possible isoperimetric solutions by studying the behaviour of the profile curves of the rotational surfaces with constant mean curvature in the hyperbolic space.


Introduction to the Minimal Model Program and the existence of flips

Abstract: The first aim of this note is to give a concise, but complete and self-contained, presentation of the fundamental theorems of Mori theory - the nonvanishing, base point free, rationality and cone theorems - using modern methods of multiplier ideals, Nadel vanishing, and the subadjunction theorem of Kawamata. The second aim is to write up a complete, detailed proof of existence of flips in dimension n assuming the minimal model program with scaling in dimension n-1.


Improved lower bound on an Euclidean Ramsey problem

Abstract: It was previously shown that any two-colour colouring of K(C_n) must contain a monochromatic planar K_4 subgraph for n >= N^*, where 6 <= N^* <= N and N is Graham's number. The bound was later improved to 11 <= N^* <= N. In this article, it is improved to 13 <= N^* <= N.


Subnormal subalgebras of Leibniz algebras

Abstract: Zassenhaus has proved that if U is a subnormal subalgebra of a finite-dimensional Lie algebra L and V is a finite-dimensional irreducible L-module, then all U-module composition factors of V are isomorphic. Schenkman has proved that if U is a subnormal subalgebra of a finite-dimensional Lie algebra L, then the nilpotent residual of U is an ideal of L. These useful results generalise to Leibniz algebras.


Divisors on Rational Normal Scrolls

Abstract: Let $A$ be the homogeneous coordinate ring of a rational normal scroll. The ring $A$ is equal to the quotient of a polynomial ring $S$ by the ideal generated by the two by two minors of a scroll matrix $\psi$ with two rows and $\ell$ catalecticant blocks. The class group of $A$ is cyclic, and is infinite provided $\ell$ is at least two. One generator of the class group is $[J]$, where $J$ is the ideal of $A$ generated by the entries of the first column of $\psi$. The positive powers of $J$ are well-understood, in the sense that the $n^{\text{th}}$ ordinary power, the $n^{th}$ symmetric power, and the $n^{th}$ symbolic power all coincide and therefore all three $n^{th}$ powers are resolved by a generalized Eagon-Northcott complex. The inverse of $[J]$ in the class group of $A$ is $[K]$, where $K$ is the ideal generated by the entries of the first row of $\psi$. We study the positive powers of $[K]$. We obtain a minimal generating set and a Groebner basis for the preimage in $S$ of the symbolic power $K^{(n)}$. We describe a filtration of $K^{(n)}$ in which all of the factors are Cohen-Macaulay $S$-modules resolved by generalized Eagon-Northcott complexes. We use this filtration to describe the modules in a finely graded resolution of $K^{(n)}$ by free $S$-modules. We calculate the regularity of the graded $S$-module $K^{(n)}$ and we show that the symbolic Rees ring of $K$ is Noetherian.


Cesaro summation and multiplicative functions on a symmetric group

Abstract: We investigate the summability in sense of Cesaro and its applications to investigation of the mean values of multiplicative functions on permutations.


The planar algebra of diagonal subfactors

Abstract: There is a natural construction which associates to a finitely generated, countable, discrete group $G$ and a 3-cocycle $\omega$ of $G$ an inclusion of II$_1$ factors, the so-called diagonal subfactors (with cocycle). In the case when the cocycle is trivial these subfactors are well studied and their standard invariant (or planar algebra) is known. We give a description of the planar algebra of these subfactors when a cocycle is present. The action of Jones' planar operad involves the 3-cocycle $\omega$ explicitly and some interesting identities for 3-cocycles appear when naturality of the action is verified.


Invariants, cohomology, and automorphic forms of higher order

Abstract: A general structure theorem on higher order invariants is proven. For an arithmetic group, the structure of the corresponding Hecke module is determined. It is shown that the module does not contain any irreducible submodule. This explains the fact that L-functions of higher order forms have no Euler-product. Higher order cohomology is introduced, classical results of Borel are generalized and a higher order version of Borel's conjecture is stated.


On the Closing Lemma problem for vector fields of bounded type on the torus

Abstract: We investigate the open Closing Lemma problem for vector fields on the 2-dimensional torus. Under the assumption of bounded type rotation number, the $C^r$ Closing Lemma is verified for smooth vector fields that are area-preserving at all saddle points. Namely, given such a $C^r$ vector field $X$, $r\geq 4$, with a non-trivially recurrent point $p$, there exists a vector field $Y$ arbitrarily near to $X$ in the $C^r$ topology and obtained from $X$ by a twist perturbation, such that $p$ is a periodic point of $Y$. The proof relies on a new result in 1-dimensional dynamics on the non-existence of semi-wandering intervals of smooth maps of the circle.


Functions holomorphic along holomorphic vector fields

Abstract: The main result of the paper is the following generalization of Forelli's theorem: Suppose F is a holomorphic vector field with singular point at p, such that F is linearizable at p and the matrix is diagonalizable with the eigenvalues whose ratios are positive reals. Then any function $\phi$ that has an asymptotic Taylor expansion at p and is holomorphic along the complex integral curves of F is holomorphic in a neighborhood of p. We also present an example to show that the requirement for ratios of the eigenvalues to be positive reals is necessary.


Does a billiard orbit determine its (polygonal) table?

Abstract: We introduce a new equivalence relation on the set of all polygonal billiards. We say that two billiards (or polygons) are order equivalent if each of the billiards has an orbit whose footpoints are dense in the boundary and the two sequences of footpoints of these orbits have the same combinatorial order. We study this equivalence relation with additional regularity conditions on the orbit.


Spectrum of large random reversible Markov chains: two examples

Abstract: We take on a Random Matrix theory viewpoint to study the spectrum of certain reversible Markov chains in random environment. As the number of states tends to infinity, we consider the global behavior of the spectrum, and the local behavior at the edge, including the so called spectral gap. Results are obtained for two simple models with distinct limiting features. The first model is built on the complete graph while the second is a birth-and-death dynamics. Both models give rise to random matrices with non independent entries.


Isotropic Ornstein-Uhlenbeck flows

Abstract: Isotropic Brownian flows (IBFs) are a fairly natural class of stochastic flows which has been studied extensively by various authors. Their rich structure allows for explicit calculations in several situations and makes them a natural object to start with if one wants to study more general stochastic flows. Often the intuition gained by understanding the problem in the context of IBFs transfers to more general situations. However, the obvious link between stochastic flows, random dynamical systems and ergodic theory cannot be exploited in its full strength as the IBF does not have an invariant probability measure but rather an infinite one. Isotropic Ornstein-Uhlenbeck flows are in a sense localized IBFs and do have an invariant probability measure. The imposed linear drift destroys the translation invariance of the IBF, but many other important structure properties like the Markov property of the distance process remain valid and allow for explicit calculations in certain situations. The fact that isotropic Ornstein-Uhlenbeck flows have invariant probability measures allows one to apply techniques from random dynamical systems theory. We demonstrate this by applying the results of Ledrappier and Young to calculate the Hausdorff dimension of the statistical equilibrium of an isotropic Ornstein-Uhlenbeck flow.


Selection of variables and dimension reduction in high-dimensional non-parametric regression

Abstract: We consider a $l_1$-penalization procedure in the non-parametric Gaussian regression model. In many concrete examples, the dimension $d$ of the input variable $X$ is very large (sometimes depending on the number of observations). Estimation of a $\beta$-regular regression function $f$ cannot be faster than the slow rate $n^{-2\beta/(2\beta+d)}$. Hopefully, in some situations, $f$ depends only on a few numbers of the coordinates of $X$. In this paper, we construct two procedures. The first one selects, with high probability, these coordinates. Then, using this subset selection method, we run a local polynomial estimator (on the set of interesting coordinates) to estimate the regression function at the rate $n^{-2\beta/(2\beta+d^*)}$, where $d^*$, the "real" dimension of the problem (exact number of variables whom $f$ depends on), has replaced the dimension $d$ of the design. To achieve this result, we used a $l_1$ penalization method in this non-parametric setup.


On the limit of large girth graph sequences

Abstract: We prove that any involution-invariant probability measure on the space of trees with maximum degrees at most d arises as the local limit of a convergent large girth graph sequence. This answers a question of Bollobas and Riordan.


Long-time existence for semi-linear Klein-Gordon equations with quadratic potential

Abstract: We prove that small smooth solutions of semi-linear Klein-Gordon equations with quadratic potential exist over a longer interval than the one given by local existence theory, for almost every value of mass. We use normal form for the Sobolev energy. The difficulty in comparison with some similar results on the sphere comes from the fact that two successive eigenvalues $\lambda, \lambda'$ of $\sqrt{-\Delta+|x|^2}$ may be separated by a distance as small as $\frac{1}{\sqrt{\lambda}}$.


Stein estimation for the drift of Gaussian processes using the Malliavin calculus

Abstract: We consider the nonparametric functional estimation of the drift of a Gaussian process via minimax and Bayes estimators. In this context, we construct superefficient estimators of Stein type for such drifts using the Malliavin integration by parts formula and superharmonic functionals on Gaussian space. Our results are illustrated by numerical simulations and extend the construction of James--Stein type estimators for Gaussian processes by Berger and Wolpert [J. Multivariate Anal. 13 (1983) 401--424].


The skew-torsion holonomy theorem and naturally reductive spaces

Abstract: We prove a Simons-type holonomy theorem for totally skew 1-forms with values in a Lie algebra of linear isometries. The only transitive case, for this theorem, is the full orthogonal group. We only use geometric methods and we do not use any classification (not even that of transitive isometric actions on the sphere or the list of rank one symmetric spaces). This result was independently proved, by using an algebraic approach, by Paul-Andy Nagy. We apply this theorem to prove that the canonical connection of a compact naturally reductive space is unique, provided the space does not split off, locally, a sphere or a compact Lie group with a bi-invariant metric. From this it follows easily how to obtain the full isometry group of a naturally reductive space. This generalizes known classification results of Onishchick, for normal homogeneous spaces with simple group of isometries, and Shankar, for homogeneous spaces of positive curvature. This also answers a question posed by J. Wolf and Wang-Ziller. Namely, to explain why the presentation group of an isotropy irreducible space, strongly or not, cannot be enlarged (unless for spheres, or for compact simple Lie groups with a bi-invariant metric).


On $D$-spaces and Discrete Families of Sets

Abstract: We prove several reflection theorems on $D$-spaces, which are Hausdorff topological spaces $X$ in which for every open neighbourhood assignment $U$ there is a closed discrete subspace $D$ such that \[ \bigcup\{U(x): x\in D\}=X. \] The upwards reflection theorems are obtained in the presence of a forcing axiom, while most of the downwards reflection results use large cardinal assumptions. The combinatorial content of arguments showing that a given space is a $D$-space, can be formulated using the concept of discrete families. We note the connection between non-reflection arguments involving discrete families and the well known question of the existence of families allowing partial transversals without having a transversal themselves, and use it to give non-trivial instances of the incompactness phenomenon in the context of discretisations.


A Simpson correspondence in positive characteristic

Abstract: We define the $p^m$-curvature map on the sheaf of differential operators of level $m$ on a scheme of positive characteristic $p$ as dual to some divided power map on infinitesimal neighborhhods. This leads to the notion of $p^m$-curvature on differential modules of level $m$. We use this construction to recover Kaneda's description of a semi-linear Azumaya splitting of the sheaf of differential operators of level $m$. Then, using a lifting modulo $p^2$ of Frobenius, we are able to define a Frobenius map on differential operators of level $m$ as dual to some divided Frobenius on infinitesimal neighborhhods. We use this map to build a true Azumaya splitting of the completed sheaf of differential operators of level $m$ (up to an automorphism of the center). From this, we derive the fact that Frobenius pull back gives, when restricted to quasi-nilpotent objects, an equivalence between Higgs-modules and differential modules of level $m$. We end by explaining the relation with related work of Ogus-Vologodski and van der Put in level zero as well as Berthelot's Frobenius descent.


Rate of convergence to self-similarity for Smoluchowski's coagulation equation with constant coefficients

Abstract: We show that solutions to Smoluchowski's equation with a constant coagulation kernel and an initial datum with some regularity and exponentially decaying tail converge exponentially fast to a self-similar profile. This convergence holds in a weighted Sobolev norm which implies the L\^2 convergence of derivatives up to a certain order k depending on the regularity of the initial condition. We prove these results through the study of the linearized coagulation equation in self-similar variables, for which we show a spectral gap in a scale of weighted Sobolev spaces. We also take advantage of the fact that the Laplace or Fourier transforms of this equation can be explicitly solved in this case.


Phi-modules and coefficient spaces

Abstract: We define and study certain moduli stacks of modules equipped with a Frobenius semi-linear endomorphism. These stacks can be thought of as parametrizing the coefficients of a variable Galois representation and are global variants of the spaces of Kisin-Breuil $\Phi$-modules used by Kisin in his study of deformation spaces of local Galois representations. We also define a version of a rigid analytic period map for these spaces, we show how their local structure can be described in terms of "local models", and we show how Bruhat-Tits buildings can be used to study their special fibers.


An algorithm to obtain global solutions of the double confluent Heun equation

Abstract: A procedure is proposed to construct solutions of the double confluent Heun equation with a determinate behaviour at the singular points. The connection factors are expressed as quotients of Wronskians of the involved solutions. Asymptotic expansions are used in the computation of those Wronskians. The feasibility of the method is shown in an example, namely, the Schroedinger equation with a quasi-exactly-solvable potential.


On the centralizer of diffeomorphisms of the half-line

Abstract: Let f be a smooth diffeomorphism of the half-line fixing only the origin and Z^r its centralizer in the group of C^r diffeomorphisms. According to well-known results of Szekeres and Kopell, Z^1 is a one-parameter group. On the other hand, Sergeraert constructed an f whose centralizer Z^r, $2\le r\le \infty$, reduces to the group generated by f. We show that Z^r can actually be a proper dense and uncountable subgroup of Z^1 and that this phenomenon is not scarce.


Discrete extrinsic curvatures based on polar polyhedra concept

Abstract: Duality principle for approximation of geometrical objects (also known as Eudoxus exhaustion method) was extended and perfected by Archimedes in his famous tractate "Measurement of circle". The main idea of the approximation method by Archimedes is to construct a sequence of pairs of inscribed and circumscribed polygons (polyhedra) which approximate curvilinear convex body. This sequence allows to approximate length of curve, as well as area and volume of the bodies and to obtain error estimates for approximation. In this work it is shown that a sequence of pairs of locally polar polyhedra allows to construct piecewise-affine approximation to scherical Gauss map, to construct convergent point-wise approximations to mean and Gauss curvature, as well as to obtain natural discretizations of bending energies.


Asymptotic stability of the wave equation on compact surfaces and locally distributed damping - A sharp result

Abstract: This paper is concerned with the study of the wave equation on compact surfaces and locally distributed damping. We study the case where the damping is effective in a well-chosen subset of arbitrarily small measure.


Conditional stability of unstable viscous shocks

Abstract: Continuing a line of investigation initiated by Texier and Zumbrun on dynamics of viscous shock and detonation waves, we show that a linearly unstable Lax-type viscous shock solution of a semilinear strictly parabolic system of conservation laws possesses a translation-invariant center stable manifold within which it is nonlinearly orbitally stable with respect to small $L^1\cap H^2$ perturbatoins, converging time-asymptotically to a translate of the unperturbed wave. That is, for a shock with $p$ unstable eigenvalues, we establish conditional stability on a codimension-$p$ manifold of initial data, with sharp rates of decay in all $L^p$. For $p=0$, we recover the result of unconditional stability obtained by Howard, Mascia, and Zumbrun.


The Poisson equation on complete manifolds with positive spectrum and applications

Abstract: In this paper we investigate the existence of a solution to the Poisson equation on complete manifolds with positive spectrum and Ricci curvature bounded from below. We show that if a function $f$ has decay $f=O(r^{-1-\varepsilon}) $ for some $\varepsilon >0,$ where $r$ is the distance function to a fixed point, then the Poisson equation $\Delta u=f$ has a solution $u$ with at most exponential growth. We apply this result on the Poisson equation to study the existence of harmonic maps between complete manifolds and also existence of Hermitian Einstein metrics on holomorphic vector bundles over complete manifolds, thus extending some results of Li-Tam and Ni. Assuming that the manifold is simply connected and of Ricci curvature between two negative constants, we can prove that in fact the Poisson equation has a bounded solution and we apply this result to the Ricci flow on complete surfaces.


Uniform Stabilization of the wave equation on compact surfaces and locally distributed damping

Abstract: This paper is concerned with the study of the wave equation on compact surfaces and locally distributed damping. We study the case where the damping is effective on the complement of visible umbilical sets.


Techniques for the Analytic Proof of the Finite Generation of the Canonical Ring

Abstract: This article is written for the Proceedings of the Conference on Current Developments in Mathematics in Harvard University, November 16-17, 2007. It is an exposition of the analytic proof of the finite generation of the canonical ring for a compact complex algebraic manifold of general type. It lists and discusses the main techniques and explains how they are put together in the proof. Of the various main techniques some special attention is given to (i) the technique of discrepancy subspaces and (ii) the technique of subspaces of minimum additional vanishing.


Properties of sums of some elementary functions and modeling of transitional and other processes

Abstract: The article presents mathematical generalization of results which originated as solutions of practical problems, in particular, the modeling of transitional processes in electrical circuits and problems of resource allocation. However, the presented findings have broader meaning and can be used for approximation of transitional and other processes in different areas of science and technology. We present discovered properties of sums of polynomial, power, and exponential functions of one variable. It is shown that for an equation composed of one type of function there is a corresponding equation composed of functions of the other type. The number of real solutions of such equations and the number of characteristic points of certain appropriate corresponding functions are closely related. In particular, we introduce a method similar to Descartes Rule of Signs that allows finding the maximum number of real solutions for the power equation and equation composed of sums of exponential functions. The discovered properties of these functions allow us to improve the adequacy of mathematical models of real phenomena.


A Generalization of the Circumcenter of a Set

Abstract: Let (X, d) be a Cat(k) space and P a bounded subset of X . If k > 0 then it is required that the diameter of P be less than Pi/(4 sqrt(k)) . Let u: P to R be a bounded non-negative function from P to R. The existence of a unique point in X called the barycenter of P relative to u is established. When u=1, the barycenter is simply the circumcenter of P. The barycenter has a number of properties including a scaling, continuity and limit property. Under suitable conditions, the barycenter is a fixed point of an isometry or group of isometries. Barycenters are used to show that a complete Cat(k) space X is an absolute retract if k is less than or equal to 0, and an absolute neighborhood retract if X is complete and of curvature less than or equal to k.


T-Duality and Homological Mirror Symmetry of Toric Varieties

Abstract: Let $X_\Sigma$ be a complete toric variety. The coherent-constructible correspondence $\kappa$ of \cite{FLTZ} equates $\Perf_T(X_\Sigma)$ with a subcategory $Sh_{cc}(M_\bR;\LS)$ of constructible sheaves on a vector space $M_\bR.$ The microlocalization equivalence $\mu$ of \cite{NZ,N} relates these sheaves to a subcategory $Fuk(T^*M_\bR;\LS)$ of the Fukaya category of the cotangent $T^*M_\bR$. When $X_\Si$ is nonsingular, taking the derived category yields an equivariant version of homological mirror symmetry, $DCoh_T(X_\Si)\cong DFuk(T^*M_\bR;\LS)$, which is an equivalence of triangulated tensor categories. The nonequivariant coherent-constructible correspondence $\bar{\kappa}$ of \cite{T} embeds $\Perf(X_\Si)$ into a subcategory $Sh_c(T_\bR^\vee;\bar{\Lambda}_\Si)$ of constructible sheaves on a compact torus $T_\bR^\vee$. When $X_\Si$ is nonsingular, the composition of $\bar{\kappa}$ and microlocalization yields a version of homological mirror symmetry, $DCoh(X_\Sigma)\hookrightarrow DFuk(T^*T_\bR;\bar{\Lambda}_\Si)$, which is a full embedding of triangulated tensor categories. When $X_\Si$ is nonsingular and projective, the composition $\tau=\mu\circ \kappa$ is compatible with T-duality, in the following sense. An equivariant ample line bundle $\cL$ has a hermitian metric invariant under the real torus, whose connection defines a family of flat line bundles over the real torus orbits. This data produces a T-dual Lagrangian brane $\mathbb L$ on the universal cover $T^*M_\bR$ of the dual real torus fibration. We prove $\mathbb L\cong \tau(\cL)$ in $Fuk(T^*M_\bR;\LS).$ Thus, equivariant homological mirror symmetry is determined by T-duality.


The number of constant mean curvature isometric immersions of a surface

Abstract: In classical surface theory there are but few known examples of surfaces admitting nontrivial isometric deformations and fewer still non-simply-connected ones. We consider the isometric deformability question for an immersion x: M \to R^3 of an oriented non-simply-connected surface with constant mean curvature H. We prove that the space of all isometric immersions of M with constant mean curvature H is, modulo congruences of R^3, either finite or a circle. When it is a circle then, for the immersion x, every cycle in M has vanishing force and, when H is not 0, also vanishing torque. Our work generalizes a rigidity result for minimal surfaces to constant mean curvature surfaces. Moreover, we identify closed vector-valued 1-forms whose periods give the force and torque.


The Duffin-Schaeffer Conjecture with extra divergence

Abstract: Given a nonnegative function $\psi : \N \to \R $, let $W(\psi)$ denote the set of real numbers $x$ such that $|nx -a| < \psi(n) $ for infinitely many reduced rationals $a/n (n>0) $. A consequence of our main result is that $W(\psi)$ is of full Lebesgue measure if there exists an $\epsilon > 0 $ such that $$ \textstyle \sum_{n\in\N}(\frac{\psi(n)}{n})^{1+\epsilon}\varphi (n)=\infty . $$ The Duffin-Schaeffer Conjecture is the corresponding statement with $\epsilon = 0$ and represents a fundamental unsolved problem in metric number theory. Another consequence is that $W(\psi)$ is of full Hausdorff dimension if the above sum with $\epsilon = 0$ diverges; i.e. the dimension analogue of the Duffin-Schaeffer Conjecture is true.


Integration of H\"older forms and currents in snowflake spaces

Abstract: For an oriented $n$-dimensional Lipschitz manifold $M$ we give meaning to the integral $\int_M f dg_1 \wedge ... \wedge dg_n$ in case the functions $f, g_1, >..., g_n$ are merely H\"older continuous of a certain order by extending the construction of the Riemann-Stieltjes integral to higher dimensions. More generally, we show that for $\alpha \in (\frac{n}{n+1},1]$ the $n$-dimensional locally normal currents in a locally compact metric space $(X,d)$ represent a subspace of the $n$-dimensional currents in $(X,d^\alpha)$. On the other hand, for $n \geq 1$ and $\alpha \leq \frac{n}{n+1}$ the latter space consists of the zero functional only.


Improved Estimation of High-dimensional Ising Models

Abstract: We consider the problem of jointly estimating the parameters as well as the structure of binary valued Markov Random Fields, in contrast to earlier work that focus on one of the two problems. We formulate the problem as a maximization of $\ell_1$-regularized surrogate likelihood that allows us to find a sparse solution. Our optimization technique efficiently incorporates the cutting-plane algorithm in order to obtain a tighter outer bound on the marginal polytope, which results in improvement of both parameter estimates and approximation to marginals. On synthetic data, we compare our algorithm on the two estimation tasks to the other existing methods. We analyze the method in the high-dimensional setting, where the number of dimensions $p$ is allowed to grow with the number of observations $n$. The rate of convergence of the estimate is demonstrated to depend explicitly on the sparsity of the underlying graph.


Metrics of positive scalar curvature and generalised Morse functions, part 1

Abstract: It is well known that isotopic metrics of positive scalar curvature are concordant. Whether or not the converse holds is an open question, at least in dimensions greater than four. We show that for a particular type of concordance, constructed using the surgery techniques of Gromov and Lawson, this converse holds in the case of closed simply connected manifolds of dimension at least five.


A Cauchy-Kowalevsky theorem for overdetermined systems of nonlinear partial differential equations and geometric applications

Abstract: We consider a Cauchy problem for an overdetermined system of PDEs, and give necessary and sufficient conditions for solvability of this Cauchy problem for all data. As an application, we find all real tube hypersurfaces in complex space whose Levi number is maximal.


Three spheres inequalities and unique continuation for a three-dimensional Lam\'e system of elasticity with C^1 coefficients

Abstract: Assuming that the Lam\'{e} moduli $\mu$, $\lambda$ are $C^{\tiny{1}}$ and $n\geq2$, we prove quantitative estimates of a weak sense of strong unique continuation for thesolutions of the n-dimensional Lam\'{e} system of the form of three spheres inequalities.


Group-type subfactors and Hadamard matrices

Abstract: A hyperfinite $II_1$ subfactor may be obtained from a symmetric commuting square via iteration of the basic construction. For certain commuting squares constructed from Hadamard matrices, we describe this subfactor as a group-type inclusion $R^H \subset R \rtimes K$, where $H$ and $K$ are finite groups with outer actions on the hyperfinite $II_1$ factor $R$. We find the group of outer automorphisms generated by $H$ and $K$, and use the method of Bisch and Haagerup to determine the principal and dual principal graphs. In some cases a complete classification is obtained by examining the element of $H^3(H \ast K / Int R)$ associated with the action.


A Combinatorial Property of Ideals in Free Profinite Monoids

Abstract: We prove every regular element of a free profinite monoid generates a prime ideal; in particular the minimal ideal is prime. The latter result was first proved by Almeida and Volkov using techniques from symbolic dynamics; our proof is elementary.


A self-regulating and patch subdivided population

Abstract: We consider an interacting particle process on a graph which, from a macroscopic point of view, looks like $\Z^d$ and, at a microscopic level, is a complete graph of degree $N$ (called a patch). There are two birth rates: an inter-patch one $\lambda$ and an intra-patch one $\phi$. Once a site is occupied, there is no breeding from outside the patch and the probability $c(i)$ of success of an intra-patch breeding decreases with the size $i$ of the population in the site. We prove the existence of a critical value $\lambda_{cr}(\phi, c, N)$ and a critical value $\phi_{cr}(\lambda, c, N)$. We consider a sequence of processes generated by the families of control functions $\{c_i\}_{i \in \N}$ and degrees $\{N_i\}_{i \in \N}$; we prove, under mild assumptions, the existence of a critical value $i_{cr}$. Roughly speaking we show that, in the limit, these processes behave as the branching random walk on $\Z^d$ with external birth rate $\lambda$ and internal birth rate $\phi$. Some examples of models that can be seen as particular cases are given.


Cluster fans, stability conditions, and domains of semi-invariants

Abstract: We show that the cone of finite stability conditions of a quiver Q without oriented cycles has a fan covering given by (the dual of) the cluster fan of Q. Along the way, we give new proofs of Schofield's results on perpendicular categories. We also study domains of semi-invariants of quivers via quiver exceptional sequences. In particular, we recover Igusa-Orr-Todorov-Weyman's theorem on cluster complexes and domains of semi-invariants for Dynkin quivers.


Optimal sequential multiple hypothesis tests

Abstract: This work deals with a general problem of testing multiple hypotheses about the distribution of a discrete-time stochastic process. Both the Bayesian and the conditional settings are considered. The structure of optimal sequential tests is characterized.


Subspaces of 7 x 7 skew-symmetric matrices related to the group G_2

Abstract: Let $K$ be a field of characteristic different from 2 and let $C$ be an octonion algebra over $K$. We show that there is a seven-dimensional subspace of $7\times 7$ skew-symmetric matrices over $K$ which is invariant under the automorphism group of $C$. This subspace consists of elements of rank 6 when $C$ is a division algebra, and elements of rank 4 and 6 when $C$ is a split algebra. In the latter case, the automorphism group is the exceptional group $G_2(K)$.


On Quadratic Fields Generated by Discriminants of Irreducible Trinomials

Abstract: A. Mukhopadhyay, M. R. Murty and K. Srinivas (http://arxiv.org/abs/0808.0418) have recently studied various arithmetic properties of the discriminant $\Delta_n(a,b)$ of the trinomial $f_{n,a,b}(t) = t^n + at + b$, where $n \ge 5$ is a fixed integer. In particular, it is shown that, under the $abc$-conjecture, for every $n \equiv 1 \pmod 4$, the quadratic fields $\Q(\sqrt{\Delta_n(a,b)})$ are pairwise distinct for a positive proportion of such discriminants with integers $a$ and $b$ such that $f_{n,a,b}$ is irreducible over $\Q$ and $|\Delta_n(a,b)|\le X$, as $X\to \infty$. We use the square-sieve and bounds of character sums to obtain a weaker but unconditional version of this result.


Estimates from below of the Buffon noodle probability for undercooked noodles

Abstract: Let $\Cant_n$ be the $n$-th generation in the construction of the middle-half Cantor set. The Cartesian square $\K_n$ of $\Cant_n$ consists of $4^n$ squares of side-length $4^{-n}$. The chance that a long needle thrown at random in the unit square will meet $\K_n$ is essentially the average length of the projections of $\K_n$, also known as the Favard length of $\K_n$. A result due to Bateman and Volberg \cite{BV} shows that a lower estimate for this Favard length is $c \frac{\log n}{n}$. We may bend the needle at each stage, giving us what we will call a noodle, and ask whether the uniform lower estimate $c \frac{\log n}{n}$ still holds for these so-called Buffon noodle probabilities. If so, we call the sequence of noodles undercooked. We will define a few classes of noodles and prove that they are undercooked. In particular, we are interested in the case when the noodles are circular arcs of radius $r_n$. We will show that if $r_n \geq 4^{\frac{n}{5}}$, then the circular arcs are undercooked noodles.


Vertex operators and sporadic groups

Abstract: In the 1980's, the work of Frenkel, Lepowsky and Meurman, along with that of Borcherds, culminated in the notion of vertex operator algebra, and an example whose full symmetry group is the largest sporadic simple group: the Monster. Thus it was shown that the vertex operators of mathematical physics play a role in finite group theory. In this article we describe an extension of this phenomenon by introducing the notion of enhanced vertex operator algebra, and constructing examples that realize other sporadic simple groups, including one that is not involved in the Monster.


Classification theorems for sumsets modulo a prime

Abstract: Let $\Z/pZ$ be the finite field of prime order $p$ and $A$ be a subsequence of $\Z/pZ$. We prove several classification results about the following questions: (1) When can one represent zero as a sum of some elements of $A$ ? (2) When can one represent every element of $\Z/pZ$ as a sum of some elements of $A$ ? (3) When can one represent every element of $\Z/pZ$ as a sum of $l$ elements of $A$ ?


Squares in sumsets

Abstract: A finite set $A$ of integers is square-sum-free if there is no subset of $A$ sums up to a square. In 1986, Erd\H os posed the problem of determining the largest cardinality of a square-sum-free subset of $\{1, ..., n \}$. Answering this question, we show that this maximum cardinality is of order $n^{1/3+o(1)}$.


On two-point configurations in random set

Abstract: We show that with high probability a random set of size $\Theta(n^{1-1/k})$ of $\{1,...,n\}$ contains two elements $a$ and $a+d^k$, where $d$ is a positive integer. As a consequence, we prove an analogue of S\'ark\"ozy-F\"urstenberg's theorem for random set.


RO(S^1)-graded TR-groups of F_p, Z and \ell

Abstract: We give an algorithm for calculating the RO(S^1)-graded TR-groups of F_p, completing the calculation started by the second author. We also calculate the RO(S^1)-graded TR-groups of Z with mod p coefficients and of the Adams summand \ell of connective complex K-theory with V(1)-coefficients. Some of these calculations are used elsewhere to compute the algebraic K-theory of certain Z-algebras.


Emile Borel's difficult days in 1941

Abstract: The German forces occupying Paris arrested Emile Borel and three other members of the Acad\'emie des Sciences in October 1941 and released them about five weeks later. Why? We examine some relevant German and French archives and other sources and propose some hypotheses. In the process, we review how the Occupation was structured and how it dealt with French higher education and some French mathematicians.


1-Saturating Sets, Caps and Round Sets in Binary Spaces

Abstract: We show that, for a positive integer $r$, every minimal 1-saturating set in ${\rm PG}(r-1,2)$ of size at least ${11/36} 2^r+3$ is either a complete cap or can be obtained from a complete cap $S$ by fixing some $s\in S$ and replacing every point $s'\in S\setminus\{s\}$ by the third point on the line through $s$ and $s'$. Stated algebraically: if $G$ is an elementary abelian 2-group and a set $A\subseteq G\setminus\{0\}$ with $|A|>{11/36} |G|+3$ satisfies $A\cup 2A=G$ and is minimal subject to this condition, then either $A$ is a maximal sum-free set, or there are a maximal sum-free set $S\subseteq G$ and an element $s\in S$ such that $A=\{s\}\cup\big(s+(S\setminus\{s\})\big)$. Since, conversely, every set obtained in this way is a minimal 1-saturating set, and the structure of large sum-free sets in an elementary 2-group is known, this provides a complete description of large minimal 1-saturating sets. Our approach is based on characterizing those large sets $A$ in elementary abelian 2-groups such that, for every proper subset $B$ of $A$, the sumset 2B is a proper subset of 2A.


Asymptotic dimension of proper CAT(0) spaces which are homeomorphic to the plane

Abstract: In this paper, we investigate a proper CAT(0) space $(X,d)$ which is homeomorphic to $R^2$ and we show that the asymptotic dimension $asdim (X,d)$ is equal to 2.


From iterated tilted algebras to cluster-tilted algebras

Abstract: In this paper the relationship between iterated tilted algebras and cluster-tilted algebras and relation-extensions is studied. In the Dynkin case, it is shown that the relationship is very strong and combinatorial.