Peak point theorems for uniform algebras on smooth manifolds

It was once conjectured that if A is a uniform algebra on its maximal ideal space X, and if each point of X is a peak point for A, then A = C(X). This peak point conjecture was disproved by Brian Cole in 1968. However, Anderson and Izzo showed that the peak point conjecture does hold for uniform algebras generated by smooth functions on smooth two-manifolds with boundary. The corresponding assertion for smooth three-manifolds is false, but Anderson, Izzo, and Wermer established a peak point theorem for polynomial approximation on real-analytic three-manifolds with boundary. Here we establish a more general peak point theorem for real-analytic three-manifolds with boundary analogous to the two-dimensional result. We also show that if A is a counterexample to the peak point conjecture generated by smooth functions on a manifold of arbitrary dimension, then the essential set for A has empty interior.     

Hardy and BMO spaces associated to divergence form elliptic operators

Consider a second order divergence form elliptic operator L with complex bounded measurable coefficients. In general, operators based on L, such as the Riesz transform or square function, may lie beyond the scope of the Calderón–Zygmund theory. They need not be bounded in the classical Hardy, BMO and even some L ^p spaces. In this work we develop a theory of Hardy and BMO spaces associated to L, which includes, in particular, a molecular decomposition, maximal and square function characterizations, duality of Hardy and BMO spaces, and a John–Nirenberg inequality. S. Hofmann was supported by the National Science Foundation.     

On approximate solutions to the first initial boundary value problem for the m-Hessian evolution equations

We adapt to degenerate m-Hessian evolution equations the notion of m-approximate solutions introduced by N. Trudinger for m-Hessian elliptic equations, and we present close to necessary and sufficient conditions guaranteeing the existence and uniqueness of such solutions for the first initial boundary value problem. Dedicated to Professor Felix Browder     

On the gluing problem for Dirac operators on manifolds with cylindrical ends

Combining elements of the b-calculus and the theory of elliptic boundary value problems, we solve the gluing problem for b-determinants of Dirac type operators on manifolds with cylindrical ends. As a corollary of our proof, we derive a gluing formula for the b-eta invariant and also a relative invariant formula relating the b-spectral invariants on a manifold with cylindrical end to the spectral invariants with the augmented APS boundary condition on the corresponding compact manifold with boundary.     

Blow-up and critical exponents for parabolic equations with non-divergent operators: dual porous medium and thin film operators

Our first basic model is the fully nonlinear dual porous medium equation with source

The role of the scalar curvature in a nonlinear elliptic problem on Riemannian manifolds

Given (M, g) a smooth compact Riemannian N-manifold, N ≥ 2, we show that positive solutions to the problem

Multipeak solutions for some singularly perturbed nonlinear elliptic problems on Riemannian manifolds

Given (M, g) a smooth compact Riemannian N-manifold, we prove that for any fixed positive integer K the problem

Tautness for riemannian foliations on non-compact manifolds

For a riemannian foliation on a closed manifold M, it is known that is taut (i.e. the leaves are minimal submanifolds) if and only if the (tautness) class defined by the mean curvature form (relatively to a suitable riemannian metric μ) is zero (cf. álvarez in Ann Global Anal Geom 10:179–194, 1992). In the transversally orientable case, tautness is equivalent to the non-vanishing of the top basic cohomology group , where (cf. Masa in Comment Math Helv 67:17–27, 1992). By the Poincaré Duality (cf. Kamber et and Tondeur in Astérisque 18:458–471, 1984) this last condition is equivalent to the non-vanishing of the basic twisted cohomology group , when M is oriented. When M is not compact, the tautness class is not even defined in general. In this work, we recover the previous study and results for a particular case of riemannian foliations on non compact manifolds: the regular part of a singular riemannian foliation on a compact manifold (CERF). J. I. Royo Prieto was partially supported by EHU06/05, by a PostGrant from the Basque Government and by the MCyT of the Spanish Government. R. Wolak was partially supported by the KBN grant 2PO3A 021 25.     

Asymptotic in Sobolev spaces for symmetric Paneitz-type equations on Riemannian manifolds

We describe the asymptotic behaviour in Sobolev spaces of sequences of solutions of Paneitz-type equations [Eq. (E _α ) below] on a compact Riemannian manifold (M, g) which are invariant by a subgroup of the group of isometries of (M, g). We also prove pointwise estimates.     

Applications of differential calculus to quasilinear elliptic boundary value problems with non-smooth data

This paper concerns boundary value problems for quasilinear second order elliptic systems which are, for example, of the type

A Faber-Krahn inequality for the Laplacian with Generalised Wentzell boundary conditions

We give an extension of the Faber-Krahn inequality to the Laplacian Δ on bounded Lipschitz domains , with generalised Wentzell boundary conditions on ∂Ω, where β, γ are nonzero real constants. We prove that when β, γ > 0, the ball B minimises the first eigenvalue with respect to all Lipschitz domains Ω of the same volume as B, and that B is the unique minimiser amongst C ²-domains. We also consider β, γ not both positive, and slightly extend what is known about the associated Wentzell operator and its resolvent in addition to considering an analogue of the Faber-Krahn inequality. This is based on the recent extension of the Faber-Krahn inequality to the Robin Laplacian. We also give a version of Cheeger’s inequality for the Wentzell Laplacian when β, γ > 0.      

Nash and log-Sobolev inequalities for hypoelliptic operators

By estimating the intrinsic distance and using known heat kernel upper bounds, the global Nash inequality with exact dimension is established for a class of square fields with algebraic growth induced by vector fields satisfying the Hörmander condition. As an application, a sufficient condition is presented for the log-Sobolev inequality to hold. Typical examples for Gruschin type operators and generalized Kohn-Lapacians on Heisenberg groups are provided.     

Positive solutions for second-order superlinear repulsive singular Neumann boundary value problems

In this paper we establish the multiplicity of positive solutions to second-order superlinear repulsive singular Neumann boundary value problems. It is proved that such a problem has at least two positive solutions under reasonable conditions. Our nonlinearity may be repulsive singular in its dependent variable and superlinear at infinity. The proof relies on a nonlinear alternative of Leray-Schauder type and on Krasnoselskii fixed point theorem on compression and expansion of cones.      

Stabilized boundary element methods for exterior Helmholtz problems

In this paper we describe and analyze some modified boundary element methods to solve the exterior Dirichlet boundary value problem for the Helmholtz equation. As in classical combined field integral equations also the proposed approach avoids spurious modes. Moreover, the stability of related modified boundary element methods can be shown even in the case of Lipschitz boundaries. The proposed regularization is done based on boundary integral operators which are already included in standard boundary element formulations. Numerical examples are given to compare the proposed approach with other already existing regularized formulations.     

Properties of generalized Toeplitz operators

An operatorX: is said to be a generalized Toeplitz operator with respect to given contractionsT ₁ andT ₂ ifX=T ₂XT₁ ^*. The purpose of this line of research, started by Douglas, Sz.-Nagy and Foia, and Pták and Vrbová, is to study which properties of classical Toeplitz operators depend on their characteristic relation. Following this spirit, we give appropriate extensions of a number of results about Toeplitz operators. Namely, Wintner's theorem of invertibility of analytic Toeplitz operators, Widom and Devinatz's invertibility criteria for Toeplitz operators with unitary symbols, Hartman and Wintner's theorem about Toeplitz operator having a Fredholm symbol, Hartman and Wintner's estimate of the norm of a compactly perturbed Toeplitz operator, and the non-existence of compact classical Toeplitz operators due to Brown and Halmos.Dedicated to our friend Cora Sadosky on the occasion of her sixtieth birthday     

Minoration conforme du spectre du laplacien de Hodge-de Rham

Let M ⁿ be an n-dimensional compact manifold, with n ≥ 3. For any conformal class C of riemannian metrics on M, we set , where μ _p,k (M,g) is the kth eigenvalue of the Hodge laplacian acting on coexact p-forms. We prove that . We also prove that if g is a smooth metric such that , and n = 0,2,3 mod 4, then there is a non-zero corresponding eigenform of degree with constant length. As a corollary, on a four-manifold with non vanishing Euler characteristic, there is no such smooth extremal metric.     

Strong density results in trace spaces of maps between manifolds

We deal with strong density results of smooth maps between two manifolds and in the fractional spaces given by the traces of Sobolev maps in W ^1,p .     

Eigenvalue asymptotics for randomly perturbed non-selfadjoint operators

We consider quite general h-pseudodifferential operators on R ⁿ with small random perturbations and show that in the limit h → 0 the eigenvalues are distributed according to a Weyl law with a probabality that tends to 1. The first author has previously obtained a similar result in dimension 1. Our class of perturbations is different.     

Bounds and monotonicity for the generalized Robin problem

We consider the principal eigenvalue λ ₁^Ω(α) corresponding to Δu = λ (α) u in on ∂Ω, with α a fixed real, and a C ^0,1 bounded domain. If α > 0 and small, we derive bounds for λ ₁^Ω(α) in terms of a Stekloff-type eigenvalue; while for α > 0 large we study the behavior of its growth in terms of maximum curvature. We analyze how domain monotonicity of the principal eigenvalue depends on the geometry of the domain, and prove that domains which exhibit domain monotonicity for every α are calibrable. We conjecture that a domain has the domain monotonicity property for some α if and only if it is calibrable. Robert Smits: This author was partially supported by a grant of the National Security Agency, grant #H98230-05-1-0060.