Projective Modules over the Non-Commutative Sphere

The positive cone of the K₀-group of the non-commutative sphereB is explicitly determined by means of the four basic unboundedtrace functionals discovered by Bratteli, Elliott, Evans andKishimoto. The C*-algebra B is the crossed product A x Z₂ ofthe irrational rotation algebra A by the flip automorphism defined on the canonical unitary generators U, V by (U) = U*,(V) = V*, where VU = e²ⁱ UV and is an irrational real number.This result combined with Rieffel's cancellation techniquesis used to show that cancellation holds for all finitely generatedprojective modules over B. Subsequently, these modules are determinedup to isomorphism as finite direct sums of basic modules. Italso follows that two projections p and q in a matrix algebraover B are unitarily equivalent if, and only if, their vectortraces are equal: [p] = [q]. These results will have the following ramifications. They areused (elsewhere) to show that the flip automorphism on A isan inductive limit automorphism with respect to the basic buildingblock construction of Elliott and Evans for the irrational rotationalgebra. This will, in turn, yield a two-tower proof of thefact that B is approximately finite dimensional, first provedby Bratteli and Kishimoto.     

Stability and Asymptotic Stability of Functional-Differential Equations

We investigate asymptotic behaviour of solutions of the functional-differentialequation where f and g arelocally Lipschitz functions, C is a continuous matrix and thesmooth lag function obeys 0 (t) t for t 0. We transformthe equation into a delay equation with an infinity of delaysand use a theorem of Söderlind to derive sufficient conditionsfor stability and for asymptotic stability in the case lim_t (t) = . The situation is qualitatively different when lim_t (t) = * < and we outline stability conditions for thatcase by employing direct techniques.     

Some Remarks on the Cone of Completely Positive Maps between Von Neumann Algebras

The close relationship between the notions of positive formsand representations for a C*-algebra A is one of the most basicfacts in the subject. In particular the weak containment ofrepresentations is well understood in terms of positive forms:given a representation of A in a Hilbert space H and a positiveform on A, its associated representation is weakly containedin (that is, ker ker ) if and only if belongs to the weak*closure of the cone of all finite sums of coefficients of .Among the results on the subject, let us recall the followingones. Suppose that A is concretely represented in H. Then everypositive form on A is the weak* limit of forms of the typex ^k_{i=1 i}, x_i with the _i in H; moreover if A is a von Neumannsubalgebra of (H) and is normal, there exists a sequence (_i)_{i 1} in H such that (x) = _{i 1 i}, x_i for all x.     

Extremal Subgroups in Chevalley Groups

Throughout this paper G(k) denotes a Chevalley group of rankn defined over the field k, where n3. Let be the root systemassociated with G(k) and let ={₁, ₂, ..., _n} be a set of fundamentalroots of , with ⁺ being the set of positive roots of with respectto . For and ⁺, let n() be the coefficient of in the expressionof as a sum of fundamental roots; so =n(). Also we recall thatht(), the height of , is given by ht()=n(). The highest rootin ⁺ will be denoted by . We additionally assume that the Dynkindiagram of G(k) is connected.     

Immanant Inequalities, Induced Characters, and Rank Two Partitions

If = {₁, ₂, ..., _s}, where _{1 2} ... _s > 0, is a partitionof n then denotes the associated irreducible character of S_n,the symmetric group on {1, 2, ..., n}, and, if cCS_n, the groupalgebra generated by C and S_n, then d_c(·) denotes thegeneralized matrix function associated with c. If c₁, c₂ CS_nthen we write c₁ c₂ in case (A) (A) for each n x n positivesemi-definite Hermitian matrix A. If cCS_n and c(e) 0, wheree denotes the identity in S_n, then or denotes (c(e))^–1 c. The main result, an estimate for the norms of tensors of a certainanti-symmetry type, implies that if = {₁, ₂, ..., _s, 1^t} isa partition of n such that s > 1 and _s = 2, and ' denotes{₁, ₂, ..., _s-1, 1^t} then (, _{2}) where denotes characterinduction from S_n–2 x S₂ to S_n. This in turn implies thatif = {₁, ₂, ..., _s, 1^t} with s > 1, _s = 2, and ßdenotes {₁ + 2, ₂, ..., _s-1, 1^t} then _ß which,in conjunction with other known results, provides many new inequalitiesamong immanants. In particular it implies that the permanentfunction dominates all normalized immanants whose associatedpartitions are of rank 2, a result which has proved elusivefor some years. We also consider the non-relationship problem for immanants– that is the problem of identifying pairs, (,ß)such that _ß and _ß are both false.     

Concavity and B-Concavity of Solutions of Quasilinear Filtration Equations

Spatial concavity properties of non-negative weak solutionsof the filtration equations with absorption u_t = ((u))_xx–(u)in Q = Rx(0, ), '0, 0 are studied. Under certain assumptionson the coefficients , it is proved that concavity of the pressurefunction is a consequence of a ‘weak’ convexityof travelling-wave solutions of the form V(x, t) = (x–t+a).It is established that the global structure of a so-called properset B = {V} of such particular solutions determines a propertyof B-concavity for more general solutions which is preservedin time. For the filtration equation u_t = ((u))_xx a semiconcavityestimate for the pressure, v_xx(t+)^–1'(), due to the B-concavityof the solution to the subset B of the explicit self-similarsolutions (x/t+)) is proved. The analysis is based on the intersection comparison based onthe Sturmian argument of the general solution u(x, t) with subsetsB of particular solutions. Also studied are other aspects ofthe B-concavity/convexity with respect to different subsetsof explicit solutions.     

Generators and defining relations for ring of invariants of commuting locally nilpotent derivations or automorphisms

Let A be an algebra over a field K of characteristic zero andlet ₁, ..., _sDer _K(A) be commuting locally nilpotent K-derivationssuch that _i(x_j) equals _ij, the Kronecker delta, for some elementsx₁, ..., x_sA. A set of generators for the algebra is found explicitly and a set of defining relationsfor the algebra A is described. Similarly, let ₁, ..., _s Aut_K(A)be commuting K-automorphisms of the algebra A is given suchthat the maps _i – id_A are locally nilpotent and _i (x_j)= x_j + _ij, for some elements x₁, ..., x_s A. A set of generatorsfor the algebra A: = {a A | ₁(a) = ... = _s(a) = a} is foundexplicitly and a set of defining relations for the algebra Ais described. In general, even for a finitely generated non-commutativealgebra A the algebras of invariants A and A are not finitelygenerated, not (left or right) Noetherian and a minimal numberof defining relations is infinite. However, for a finitely generatedcommutative algebra A the opposite is always true. The derivations(or automorphisms) just described appear often in many differentsituations (possibly) after localization of the algebra A.     

Asymptotics for Fractional Nonlinear Heat Equations

The Cauchy problem is studied for the nonlinear equations withfractional power of the negative Laplacian where (0,2), with critical = /n and sub-critical (0,/n)powers of the nonlinearity. Let u₀ L^1,a L C, u₀(x) 0 in Rⁿ, = . The case of not small initial data is of interest. It is proved that the Cauchy problemhas a unique global solution u C([0,); L L^1,a C) and the largetime asymptotics are obtained.     

Calderon-Zygmund Operators on Mixed Lebesgue Spaces and Applications to Null Forms

The boundedness of Calderón–Zygmund operators isproved in the scale of the mixed Lebesgue spaces. As a consequence,the boundedness of the bilinear null forms Q_{i j} (u,) =_i u_j - _j u_i , Q₀(u,)=u_{t t} -_x u· _x on various space–timemixed Sobolev–Lebesgue spaces is shown.     

BOUNDARY CONCENTRATION IN RADIAL SOLUTIONS TO A SYSTEM OF SEMILINEAR ELLIPTIC EQUATIONS

We study concentration phenomena for the system in the unit ball B₁ of ³ with Dirichlet boundaryconditions. Here , , > 0 and p > 1. We prove the existenceof positive radial solutions (, ) such that concentrates ata distance (/2)|log | away from the boundary B₁ as the parameter tends to 0. The approach is based on a combination of Lyapunov–Schmidtreduction procedure together with a variational method.     

The Isolated Points of G{rho} and the w*-Strongly Exposed Points of P{rho}(G)0

Let G be a separable locally compact group and let be its dualspace with Fell's topology. It is well known that the set P(G)of continuous positive-definite functions on G can be identifiedwith the set of positive linear functionals on the group C^*-algebraC^*(G). We show that if is discrete in , then there exists anonzero positive-definite function associated with such that is a w^*-strongly exposed point of P(G)₀, where P(G)₀={f P(G):f(e)1. Conversely, if some nonzero positive-definite function associatedwith is a w^*-strongly exposed point of P(G)₀, then is isolatedin . Consequently, G is compact if and only if, for every ,there exists a nonzero positive-definite function associatedwith that is a w^*-strongly exposed point of P(G)₀. If, in addition,G is unimodular and , then is isolated in if and only if somenonzero positive-definite function associated with is a w^*-stronglyexposed point of P(G)₀, where is the left regular representationof G and is the reduced dual space of G. We prove that if B(G)has the Radon–Nikodym property, then the set of isolatedpoints of (so square-integrable if G is unimodular) is densein . It is also proved that if G is a separable SIN-group, thenG is amenable if and only if there exists a closed point in. In particular, for a countable discrete non-amenable groupG (for example the free group F₂ on two generators), there isno closed point in its reduced dual space .     

Herman Rings and Arnold Disks

For (,a) C* x C, let f_,a be the rational map defined by f_,a(z)= z² (az+1)/(z+a). If R/Z is a Brjuno number, we let D bethe set of parameters (,a) such that f_,a has a fixed Hermanring with rotation number (we consider that (e²ⁱ,0) D). Resultsobtained by McMullen and Sullivan imply that, for any g D, theconnected component of D(C* x (C/{0,1})) that contains g isisomorphic to a punctured disk. We show that there is a holomorphic injection F:DD such thatF(0) = (e²ⁱ ,0) and , where r is the conformal radius at 0 of the Siegel disk of the quadraticpolynomial z e²ⁱ z(1+z). As a consequence, we show that for a (0,1/3), if f_l,a has afixed Herman ring with rotation number and if m_a is the modulusof the Herman ring, then, as a0, we have e m_a=(r/a) + O(a). We finally explain how to adapt the results to the complex standardfamily z e^(a/2)(z-1/z).     

Recurrence, Dimension and Entropy

Let (_A, T) be a topologically mixing subshift of finite typeon an alphabet consisting of m symbols and let :_A R^d be a continuousfunction. Denote by (x) the ergodic limit when the limit exists. Possible ergodic limits arejust mean values dµ for all T-invariant measures. Forany possible ergodic limit , the following variational formulais proved: where h_µ denotes the entropy of µ and h_top denotestopological entropy. It is also proved that unless all pointshave the same ergodic limit, then the set of points whose ergodiclimit does not exist has the same topological entropy as thewhole space _A     

Geometry of Critical Loci

Let :(Z,z)(U,0) be the germ of a finite (that is, proper with finite fibres)complex analytic morphism from a complex analytic normal surfaceonto an open neighbourhood U of the origin 0 in the complexplane C². Let u and v be coordinates of C² defined on U. Weshall call the triple (, u, v) the initial data. Let stand for the discriminant locus of the germ , that is,the image by of the critical locus of . Let ()_A be the branches of the discriminant locus at O whichare not the coordinate axes. For each A, we define a rational number d by where I(–, –) denotes the intersection number at0 of complex analytic curves in C². The set of rational numbersd, for A, is a finite subset D of the set of rational numbersQ. We shall call D the set of discriminantal ratios of the initialdata (, u, v). The interesting situation is when one of thetwo coordinates (u, v) is tangent to some branch of , otherwiseD = {1}. The definition of D depends not only on the choiceof the two coordinates, but also on their ordering. In this paper we prove that the set D is a topological invariantof the initial data (, u, v) (in a sense that we shall definebelow) and we give several ways to compute it. These resultsare first steps in the understanding of the geometry of thediscriminant locus. We shall also see the relation with thegeometry of the critical locus.     

Tensor Products of C*-Algebras Over Abelian Subalgebras

Suppose that A is a C*-algebra and C is a unital abelian C*-subalgebrawhich is isomorphic to a unital subalgebra of the centre ofM(A), the multiplier algebra of A. Letting = , so that we maywrite C = C(), we call A a C()-algebra (following Blanchard[7]). Suppose that B is another C()-algebra, then we form A_CB, the algebraic tensor product of A with B over C as follows:A B is the algebraic tensor product over C, I_C = {ⁿ_i–1(f_i 1–1f_i)x|f_iC, xAB} is the ideal in AB generated by f1–1f|fC,and A _CB = AB/I_C. Then A_CB is an involutive algebra over C,and we shall be interested in deciding when A_CB is a pre-C*-algebra;that is, when is there a C*-norm on A_C B? There is a C*-semi-norm,which we denote by ||·||_C-min, which is minimal in thesense that it is dominated by any semi-norm whose kernel containsthe kernel of ||·||_C-min. Moreover, if A _C B has a C*-norm,then ||·||_C-min is a C*-norm on A_C B. The problem isto decide when ||·||_C-min is a norm. It was shown byBlanchard [7, Proposition 3.1] that when A and B are continuousfields and C is separable, then ||·||_C-min is a norm.In this paper we show that ||·||_C-min is a norm whenC is a von Neumann algebra, and then we examine some consequences.     

Faithful Representations of Free Products

In 1940 Nisnevi published the following theorem [3]. Let (G) be a family of groups indexed by some set and (F) a family of fields of the same characteristic p0. Iffor each the group G has a faithful representation of degreen over F then the free product* G has a faithful representationof degree n+1 over some field of characteristic p. In [6] Wehrfritzextended this idea. If (G) GL(n, F) is a family of subgroupsfor which there exists ZGL(n, F) such that for all the intersectionGF.1_n=Z, then the free product of the groups *_ZG with Z amalgamatedvia the identity map is isomorphic to a linear group of degreen over some purely transcendental extension of F. Initially, the purpose of this paper was to generalize theseresults from the linear to the skew-linear case, that is, togroups isomorphic to subgroups of GL(n, D) where the D are divisionrings. In fact, many of the results can be generalized to ringswhich, although not necessarily commutative, contain no zero-divisors.We have the following.     

Contractions et Hyperdistributions a Spectre de Carleson

Let =(_n)_n1 be a log concave sequence such that lim inf_n+n/n^c>0for some c>0 and ((log _n)/n)_n1 is nonincreasing for some<1/2. We show that, if T is a contraction on the Hilbertspace with spectrum a Carleson set, and if ||T^–n||=O(_n)as n tends to + with _n11/(n log _n)=+, then T is unitary. Onthe other hand, if _n11/(n log _n)<+, then there exists a (non-unitary)contraction T on the Hilbert space such that the spectrum ofT is a Carleson set, ||T^–n||=O(_n) as n tends to +, andlim sup_n+||T^–n||=+.     

Lp Lq Estimates for Parabolic Systems in Non-Divergence Form with VMO Coefficients

Consider a parabolic NxN-system of order m on ⁿ with top-ordercoefficients a VMOL. Let 1 < p, q < and let be a Muckenhouptweight. It is proved that systems of this kind possess a uniquesolution u satisfying whereAu = _||m a Du and J = [0,). In particular, choosing = 1, therealization of A in L^p(ⁿ)^N has maximal L^p – L^q regularity.     

Constructing {kappa}-like Models of Arithmetic

A model (M, <, ...) is -like if M has cardinality but, forall M, the cardinality of {x M : x < a} is strictly lessthan . In this paper we shall give constructions of -like modelsof arithmetic satisfying an arbitrarily large finite part ofPA but not PA itself, for various singular cardinals . The mainresults are: (1) for each countable nonstandard M ₂–Th(PA)with arbitrarily large initial segments satisfying PA and eachuncountable of cofinality there is a cofinal extension K ofM which is -like; also hierarchical variants of this resultfor _n–Th(PA); and (2) for every n 1, every singular and every M B_n+exp+¬ I_n there is a -like model K elementarilyequivalent to M.     

Random Series in Powers of Algebraic Integers: Hausdorff Dimension of the Limit Distribution

We study the distributions F_,p of the random sums where ₁, ₂, ... are i.i.d. Bernoulli-p and is theinverse of a Pisot number (an algebraic integer ßwhose conjugates all have moduli less than 1) between 1 and2. It is known that, when p=.5, F_,p is a singular measure withexact Hausdorff dimension less than 1. We show that in all casesthe Hausdorff dimension can be expressed as the top Lyapunovexponent of a sequence of random matrices, and provide an algorithmfor the construction of these matrices. We show that for certainß of small degree, simulation gives the Hausdorffdimension to several decimal places.