On low-dimensional cancellation problems

A well-known cancellation problem of Zariski asks when, for two given domains (fields) $K_1$ and $K_2$ over a field k, a k-isomorphism of $K_1[t]$ ($K_1(t)$) and $K_2[t]$ ($K_2(t)$) implies a k-isomorphism of $K_1$ and $K_2$. The main results of this article give affirmative answer to the two low-dimensional cases of this problem:1. Let K be an affine field over an algebraically closed field k of any characteristic. Suppose $K(t)?k(t_1,t_2,t_3)$, then $K?k(t_1,t_2)$.2. Let M be a 3-dimensional affine algebraic variety over an algebraically closed field k of any characteristic. Let $A=K[x,y,z,w]/M$ be the coordinate ring of M. Suppose $A[t]?k[x_1,x_2,x_3,x_4]$, then $\mathrm{frac}(A)?k(x_1,x_2,x_3)$, where $\mathrm{frac}(A)$ is the field of fractions of A.In the case of zero characteristic these results were obtained by Kang in [Ming-chang Kang, A note on the birational cancellation problem, J. Pure Appl. Algebra 77 (1992) 141–154; Ming-chang Kang, The cancellation problem, J. Pure Appl. Algebra 47 (1987) 165–171]. However, the case of finite characteristic is first settled in this article, that answered the questions proposed by Kang in [Ming-chang Kang, A note on the birational cancellation problem, J. Pure Appl. Algebra 77 (1992) 141–154; Ming-chang Kang, The cancellation problem, J. Pure Appl. Algebra 47 (1987) 165–171].     

The coloring complex and cyclic coloring complex of a complete k-uniform hypergraph

In this paper, we study the homology of the coloring complex and the cyclic coloring complex of a complete k-uniform hypergraph. We show that the coloring complex of a complete k-uniform hypergraph is shellable, and we determine the rank of its unique nontrivial homology group in terms of its chromatic polynomial. We also show that the dimension of the $(n?k?1)\text{st}$ homology group of the cyclic coloring complex of a complete k-uniform hypergraph is given by a binomial coefficient. Further, we discuss a complex whose r-faces consist of all ordered set partitions $[B_1,\dots ,B_{r+2}]$ where none of the $B_i$ contain a hyperedge of the complete k-uniform hypergraph H and where $1\in B_1$. It is shown that the dimensions of the homology groups of this complex are given by binomial coefficients. As a consequence, this result gives the dimensions of the multilinear parts of the cyclic homology groups of $\mathbb{C}[x_1,\dots ,x_n]/\{x_{i_1}\dots x_{i_k}|i_1\dots i_k\text{is a hyperedge of}H\}$.     

Measurable sets with excluded distances

For a set of distances $D=\{d_1,\dots ,d_k\}$ a set A in the plane is called D-avoiding if no pair of points of A is at distance $d_i$ for some i. We show that the density of A is exponentially small in k provided the ratios $d_1/d_2,d_2/d_3,\dots ,d_{k-1}/d_k$ are all small enough. We also show that there exists a largest D-avoiding set, and give an algorithm to compute the maximum density of a D-avoiding set for any D.     

La forme seconde trace d'une algèbre simple centrale de degré 4 de caractéristique 2

Let A be a central simple algebra of degree 4 over a field k of characteristic 2 and let $q_A$ be the quadratic form on A given by the second coefficient of the reduced characteristic polynomial. We show that A uniquely determines a 2-fold Pfister form $q_2$ and a 4-fold Pfister form $q_4$ such that $q_A=[1,1]+q_2+q_4$ in the Witt group of k, where $[1,1]$ is the form $x^2+xy+y^2$. The form $q_2$ is the norm form of the quaternion algebra Brauer-equivalent to $A{?}_{k}A$, and $q_4$ is hyperbolic if and only if A is cyclic. To cite this article: J.-P. Tignol, C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris, Ser. I 342 (2006).     

Solvable PST-groups,strong Sylow bases and mutually permutable products

A subgroup H of a group G is said to permute with the subgroup K of G if $HK=KH$. Subgroups H and K are mutually permutable (totally permutable) in G if every subgroup of H permutes with K and every subgroup of K permutes with H (if every subgroup of H permutes with every subgroup of K). If H and K are mutually permutable and $H\cap K=1$, then H and K are totally permutable. A subgroup H of G is S-permutable in G if H permutes with every Sylow subgroup of G. A group G is called a PST-group if S-permutability is a transitive relation in G. Let $\{p_1,\dots ,p_n,p_{n+1},\dots ,p_k\}$ be the set of prime divisors of the order of a finite group G with $\{p_1,\dots ,p_n\}$ the set of prime divisors of the order of the normal subgroup N of G. A set of Sylow subgroups $\{P_1,\dots ,P_n,P_{n+1},\dots ,P_k\}$, $P_i\in {\mathrm{Syl}}_{p_i}(G)$, form a strong Sylow system with respect to N if $P_i{P}_j$ is a mutually permutable product for all $i\in \{1,2,\dots ,n\}$ and $j\in \{1,2,\dots ,k\}$. We show that a finite group G is a solvable PST-group if and only if it has a normal subgroup N such that $G/N$ is nilpotent and G has a strong Sylow system with respect to N. It is also shown that G is a solvable PST-group if and only if G has a normal solvable PST-subgroup N and $G/N^{″}$ is a solvable PST-group.     

On a tree-partition problem

If $T=(V,E)$ is a tree then – T denotes the additive hereditary property consisting of all graphs that does not contain T as a subgraph. For an arbitrary vertex v of T we deal with a partition of T into two trees $T_1$, $T_2$, so that $V(T_1)\cap V(T_2)=\{v\}$, $V(T_1)\cup (T_2)=V(T)$, $E(T_1)\cap E(T_2)=\varnothing$, $E(T_1)\cup E(T_2)=E(T)$, $T[V(T_1)\backslash \{v\}]\subseteq E(T_1)$ and $T[V(T_2)\backslash \{v\}]\subseteq E(T_2)$. We call such a partition a $T_v-partition$ of T. We study the following em: Given a graph G belonging to –T. Is it true that for any $T_v$-partition $T_1$, $T_2$ of T there exists a partition $\{V_1,V_2\}$ of the vertices of G such that $G[V_1]\in -T_1$ and $G[V_2]\in -T_2$? This problem provides a natural generalization of Δ-partition problem studied by L. Lovász ([L. Lovász, On decomposition of graphs. Studia Sci. Math. Hungar. 1 (1966) 237–238]) and Path Partition Conjecture formulated by P. Mihók ([P. Mihók, Problem 4, in: M. Borowiecki, Z. Skupien (Eds.), Graphs, Hypergraphs and Matroids, Zielona Góra, 1985, p. 86]). We present some partial results and a contribution to the Path Kernel Conjecture that was formulated with connection to Path Partition Conjecture.     

Le problème des diviseurs de zéro pour les groupes de Lie nilpotents

Let G be a non-Abelian, connected, nilpotent Lie group. Then there exist $0\ne \alpha \in C_c(G)$ and $0\ne \xi \in L^2(G)$ such that $\alpha 1\xi =0$, contrary to what happens for the group ${\mathbb{R}}^n$. Moreover, the set of zero divisors is a total subset of $L^2(G)$. This result is first proven for the Heisenberg group $H_n$ where it is based on the existence of non-trivial Schwartz functions f satisfying $f1(X_k+\mathrm{i}{Y}_k)=0$ for $1?k?n$. To cite this article: J. Ludwig et al., C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris, Ser. I 342 (2006).     

On sub-harmonic bifurcations

Under fairly general hypotheses, we investigate by elementary methods the structure of the p-periodic orbits of a family $h_u$ of transformations near $(u_0,x_0)$ when $h_{u_0}(x_0)=x_0$ and $\mathrm{d}{h}_{u_0}(x_0)$ has a simple eigenvalue which is a primitive p-th root of unity. To cite this article: M. Chaperon et al., C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris, Ser. I 340 (2005).