Local Lipschitz continuity of graphs with prescribed Levi mean curvature

We prove interior gradient estimates of viscosity solutions of the prescribed Levi mean curvature equation. The second author was partially supported by Indam, within the interdisciplinary project “Nonlinear subelliptic equations of variational origin in contact geometry”.     

Multilevel decompositions of functional spaces

A unified abstract framework for the multilevel decomposition of both Banach and quasi-Banach spaces is presented. The characterization of intermediate spaces and their duals is derived from general Bernstein and Jackson inequalities. Applications to compactly supported biorthogonal wavelet decompositions of families of Besov spaces are also given. The first author was partially supported by grants from MURST (40% Analisi Numerica) and ASI (Contract ASI-92-RS-89), whereas the second author was partially supported by grants from MURST (40% Analisi Funzionale) and CNR (Progetto Strategico “Applicazioni della Matematica per la Tecnologia e la Società”).     

On the interaction of δ-shocks and contact vacuum states

We study the pressureless gas equations, with piecewise constant initial data. In the immediate solution, δ-shocks and contact vacuum states arise and even meet (interact) eventually. A solution beyond the “interaction” is constructed. It shows that the δ-shock will continue with the velocity it attained instantaneously before the time of interaction, and similarly, the contact vacuum state will move past the δ-shock with a velocity value prior to the interaction. We call this the “no-effect-from-interaction” solution. We prove that this solution satisfies a family of convex entropies (in the Lax’s sense). Next, we construct an infinitely large family of weak solutions to the “interaction”. Suppose further that any of these solutions satisfy a convex entropy, it is necessary and suffcient that these solutions reduce to only the “no-effect-from-interaction” solution. In [1], Bouchut constructed another entropy satisfying solution. As with other previous papers, it is obvious that it will not be sufficient that a “correct” solution satisfies a convex entropy, in a non-strictly hyperbolic conservation laws system. Research done in the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, submission from Temasek Laboratories, National University of Singapore.     

The Poisson Kernel for Hardy Algebras

This note contributes to a circle of ideas that we have been developing recently in which we view certain abstract operator algebras H^∞(E), which we call Hardy algebras, and which are noncommutative generalizations of classical H^∞, as spaces of functions defined on their spaces of representations. We define a generalization of the Poisson kernel, which “reproduces” the values, on , of the “functions” coming from H^∞(E). We present results that are natural generalizations of the Poisson integral formula. They also are easily seen to be generalizations of formulas that Popescu developed. We relate our Poisson kernel to the idea of a characteristic operator function and show how the Poisson kernel identifies the “model space” for the canonical model that can be attached to a point in the disc . We also connect our Poisson kernel to various “point evaluations” and to the idea of curvature. The first named author was supported in part by grants from the National Science Foundation and from the U.S.-Israel Binational Science Foundation. The second named author was supported in part by the U.S.-Israel Binational Science Foundation and by the B. and G. Greenberg Research Fund (Ottawa).     

Weighted norm inequalities,off-diagonal estimates and elliptic operators Part II: Off-diagonal estimates on spaces of homogeneous type

This is the second part of a series of four articles on weighted norm inequalities, off-diagonal estimates and elliptic operators. We consider a substitute to the notion of pointwise bounds for kernels of operators which usually is a measure of decay. This substitute is that of off-diagonal estimates expressed in terms of local and scale invariant L^p − L^q estimates. We propose a definition in spaces of homogeneous type that is stable under composition. It is particularly well suited to semigroups. We study the case of semigroups generated by elliptic operators. This work was partially supported by the European Union (IHP Network “Harmonic Analysis and Related Problems” 2002-2006, Contract HPRN-CT-2001-00273-HARP). The second author was also supported by MEC “Programa Ramón y Cajal, 2005” and by MEC Grant MTM2004-00678.     

Hyperbolic balance laws: Riemann invariants and the generalized Riemann problem

The Generalized Riemann Problem (GRP) for a nonlinear hyperbolic system of m balance laws (or alternatively “quasi-conservative” laws) in one space dimension is now well-known and can be formulated as follows: Given initial-data which are analytic on two sides of a discontinuity, determine the time evolution of the solution at the discontinuity. In particular, the GRP numerical scheme (second-order high resolution) is based on an analytical evaluation of the first time derivative. It turns out that this derivative depends only on the first-order spatial derivatives, hence the initial data can be taken as piecewise linear. The analytical solution is readily obtained for a single equation (m = 1) and, more generally, if the system is endowed with a complete (coordinate) set of Riemann invariants. In this case it can be “diagonalized” and reduced to the scalar case. However, most systems with m > 2 do not admit such a set of Riemann invariants. This paper introduces a generalization of this concept: weakly coupled systems (WCS). Such systems have only “partial set” of Riemann invariants, but these sets are weakly coupled in a way which enables a “diagonalized” treatment of the GRP. An important example of a WCS is the Euler system of compressible, nonisentropic fluid flow (m = 3). The solution of the GRP discussed here is based on a careful analysis of rarefaction waves. A “propagation of singularities” argument is applied to appropriate Riemann invariants across the rarefaction fan. It serves to “rotate” initial spatial slopes into “time derivative”. In particular, the case of a “sonic point” is incorporated easily into the general treatment. A GRP scheme based on this solution is derived, and several numerical examples are presented. Special attention is given to the “acoustic approximation” of the analytical solution. It can be viewed as a proper linearization (different from the approach of Roe) of the nonlinear system. The resulting numerical scheme is the simplest (second-order, high-resolution) generalization of the Godunov scheme.     

Sparse second moment analysis for elliptic problems in stochastic domains

We consider the numerical solution of elliptic boundary value problems in domains with random boundary perturbations. Assuming normal perturbations with small amplitude and known mean field and two-point correlation function, we derive, using a second order shape calculus, deterministic equations for the mean field and the two-point correlation function of the random solution for a model Dirichlet problem which are 3rd order accurate in the boundary perturbation size. Using a variational boundary integral equation formulation on the unperturbed, “nominal” boundary and a wavelet discretization, we present and analyze an algorithm to approximate the random solution’s mean and its two-point correlation function at essentially optimal order in essentially work and memory, where N denotes the number of unknowns required for consistent discretization of the boundary of the nominal domain. This work was supported by the EEC Human Potential Programme under contract HPRN-CT-2002-00286, “Breaking Complexity.” Work initiated while HH visited the Seminar for Applied Mathematics at ETH Zürich in the Wintersemester 2005/06 and completed during the summer programme CEMRACS2006 “Modélisation de l’aléatoire et propagation d’incertitudes” in July and August 2006 at the C.I.R.M., Marseille, France.     

An algebraic foundation for factoring linear boundary problems

Motivated by boundary problems for linear differential equations, we define an abstract boundary problem as a pair consisting of a surjective linear map (“differential operator”) and an orthogonally closed subspace of the dual space (“boundary conditions”). Defining the composition of boundary problems corresponding to their Green’s operators in reverse order, we characterize and construct all factorizations of a boundary problem from a given factorization of the defining operator. For the case of ordinary differential equations, the main results can be made algorithmic. We conclude with a factorization of a boundary problem for the wave equation. This work was supported by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF) under the SFB grant F1322.     

On Hardy spaces associated with Bessel operators

In this paper, we study Hardy spaces associated with two Bessel operators. Two different kind of Hardy spaces appear. These differences are transparent in the corresponding atomic decompositions. The first author was partially supported by MTM2004/05878. The second author was supported by the European Commission Marie Curie Host Fellowship for the Transfer of Knowledge “Harmonic Analysis, Nonlinear Analysis and Probability” MTKD-CT-2004-013389 and by Polish funds for science in years 2005–2008 (research project 1P03A03029).     

Periodic solutions of second order differential equations in Banach spaces

We use operator-valued Fourier multiplier theorems to study second order differential equations in Banach spaces. We establish maximal regularity results in L^p and C^s for strong solutions of a complete second order equation. In the second part, we study mild solutions for the second order problem. Two types of mild solutions are considered. When the operator A involved is the generator of a strongly continuous cosine function, we give characterizations in terms of Fourier multipliers and spectral properties of the cosine function. The results obtained are applied to elliptic partial differential operators. The first author is supported in part by Convenio de Cooperación Internacional (CONICYT) Grant # 7010675 and the second author is partially financed by FONDECYT Grant # 1010675     

Logics with disjunction and proof by cases

This paper is a contribution to the general study of consequence relations which contain (definable) connective of “disjunction”. Our work is centered around the “proof by cases property”, we present several of its equivalent definitions, and show some interesting applications, namely in constructing axiomatic systems for intersections of logics and recognizing weakly implicative fuzzy logics among the weakly implicative ones. The work of the first author was supported by the National Foundation of Natural Sciences of China (Grant no. 60663002) and by the Grant Project of science and technology of The Education Department of Jiangxi Province under Grant no. 200618. The work of the second author was supported by grant A100300503 of the Grant Agency of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic and by Institutional Research Plan AVOZ10300504.     

The multiplicity of solutions in non-homogeneous boundary value problems

We use a method recently devised by Bolle to establish the existence of an infinite number of solutions for various non-homogeneous boundary value problems. In particular, we consider second order systems, Hamiltonian systems as well as semi-linear partial differential equations. The non-homogeneity can originate in the equation but also from the boundary conditions. The results are more satisfactory than those obtained by the standard “Perturbation from Symmetry” method that was developed – in various forms – in the early eighties by Bahri–Berestycki, Struwe and Rabinowitz. Received: 13 August 1998 / Revised version: 6 July 1999     

A note on the representation of positive polynomials with structured sparsity

We consider real polynomials in finitely many variables. Let the variables consist of finitely many blocks that are allowed to overlap in a certain way. Let the solution set of a finite system of polynomial inequalities be given, where each inequality involves only variables of one block. We investigate polynomials that are positive on such a set and sparse in the sense that each monomial involves only variables of one block. In particular, we derive a short and direct proof for Lasserre’s theorem on the existence of sums of squares certificates respecting the block structure. The motivation for the results can be found in the literature on numerical methods for global optimization of polynomials that exploit sparsity. The first and the third author were supported by the DFG grant “Barrieren”. The second author was supported by “Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes”.     

Lebesgue numbers and Atsuji spaces in subsystems of second-order arithmetic

We study Lebesgue and Atsuji spaces within subsystems of second order arithmetic. The former spaces are those such that every open covering has a Lebesgue number, while the latter are those such that every continuous function defined on them is uniformly continuous. The main results we obtain are the following: the statement “every compact space is Lebesgue” is equivalent to ; the statements “every perfect Lebesgue space is compact” and “every perfect Atsuji space is compact” are equivalent to ; the statement “every Lebesgue space is Atsuji” is provable in ; the statement “every Atsuji space is Lebesgue” is provable in . We also prove that the statement “the distance from a closed set is a continuous function” is equivalent to . Received: February 2, 1996     

Patchworking singular algebraic curves I

In this paper we present a general patchworking procedure for the construction of reduced singular curves having prescribed singularities and belonging to a given linear system on algebraic surfaces. It originates in the Viro “gluing” method for the construction of real non-singular algebraic hypersurfaces. The general procedure includes almost all known particular modifications, and goes far beyond. Some applications and examples illustrate the construction. Both authors were partially supported by the Herman Minkowsky-Minerva Center for Geometry at Tel Aviv University, and by grant no. G-616-15.6/99 from the German-Israeli Foundation for Research and Development. The first author was also supported by the Bessel Research Award from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation. The second author was also partially supported by the EC-network ‘Algebraic Lie Representations” contract no. ERB-FMRX-CT97-0100.     

An Identification Problem for First-Order Degenerate Differential Equations

We study a first-order identification problem in a Banach space. We discuss the nondegenerate and mainly the degenerate case. As a first step, suitable hypotheses on the involved closed linear operators are made in order to obtain unique solvability after reduction to a nondegenerate case; the general case is then handled with the help of new results on convolutions. Some applications to partial differential equations motivate this abstract approach.Communicated by I. GalliganiWork partially supported by MIUR (Ministero dell’ Istruzione, dell’ Università e dalla Ricerca), Project PRIN 2004011204 “Analisi Matematica nei Problemi Inversi,” and by the University of Bologna Funds for Selected Research Topics.     

The number of rooted Eulerian planar maps

In this paper we provide a solution of the functional equation unsolved in the paper, by the second author, "On functional equations arising from map enumerations" that appeared in Discrete Math, 123: 93-109 (1993). It is also the number of combinatorial distinct rooted general eulerian planar maps with the valency of root-vertex, the number of non-root vertices and non-root faces of the maps as three parameters. In particular, a result in the paper, by the same author, "On the number of eulerian planar map...     

Hankel and Toeplitz Transforms on H 1: Continuity, Compactness and Fredholm Properties

We revisit the boundedness of Hankel and Toeplitz operators acting on the Hardy space H ¹ and give a new proof of the old result stating that the Hankel operator H _a is bounded if and only if a has bounded logarithmic mean oscillation. We also establish a sufficient and necessary condition for H _a to be compact on H ¹. The Fredholm properties of Toeplitz operators on H ¹ are studied for symbols in a Banach algebra similar to C + H ^∞ under mild additional conditions caused by the differences in the boundedness of Toeplitz operators acting on H ¹ and H ². The first author was partially supported by the European Commission IHP Network “Harmonic Analysis and Related Problems” (Contract Number: HPRN-CT-2001-00273-HARP) and by the Greek Research Program “Pythagoras 2” (75% European funds and 25 National funds). The second author was fully supported by the European Commission IHP Network “Harmonic Analysis and Related Problems” (Contract Number: HPRN-CT-2001-00273-HARP) while he visited the first author at the University of Crete and later by the Academy of Finland Project 207048.     

Hamiltonian systems of PDEs with selfdual boundary conditions

Selfdual variational calculus is developed further and used to address questions of existence of local and global solutions for various parabolic semi-linear equations, and Hamiltonian systems of PDEs. This allows for the resolution of such equations under general time boundary conditions which include the more traditional ones such as initial value problems, periodic and anti-periodic orbits, but also yield new ones such as “periodic orbits up to an isometry” for evolution equations that may not have periodic solutions. In the process, we introduce a method for perturbing selfdual functionals in order to induce coercivity and compactness, without destroying the selfdual character of the system. N. Ghoussoub was partially supported by a grant from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada. A. Moameni’s research was supported by a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of British Columbia.