Freeness of orthogonal modules

A finitely generated module M over a commutative ring with unit R is said to be orthogonal stably free of type (n, m) if M is isomorphic to the solution space of a mxn matrix α such that αα^t=I_m. Geramita and Pullman have defined “generic” orthogonal stably free modules for each possible type and have obtained results on the freeness of these modules and on the supremum of the ranks of their free direct summands. We obtain further results of this type, concerning the generic modules of Geramita and Pullman as well as their sums with free modules and, in a few cases, their iterated sums. The last results are related to a theorem of T.Y. Lam stating that the iterated sum r · M of a stably free module M is free if r is greater than some lower bound. This lower bound is shown to be best possible in some cases.     

Generic hypersurface singularities

The problem considered here can be viewed as the analogue in higher dimensions of the one variable polynomial interpolation of Lagrange and Newton. Let x₁,...,x_r be closed points in general position in projective spacePn, then the linear subspaceV ofH⁰ (?ⁿ,O(d)) (the space of homogeneous polynomials of degreed on ?ⁿ) formed by those polynomials which are singular at eachx_i, is given by r(n + 1) linear equations in the coefficients, expressing the fact that the polynomial vanishes with its first derivatives at x₁,...,x_r. As such, the “expected” value for the dimension ofV is max(0,h⁰(O(d))?r(n+1)). We prove thatV has the “expected” dimension for d≥5 (theorem A). This theorem was first proven in [A] using a very complicated induction with many initial cases. Here we give a greatly simplified proof using techniques developed by the authors while treating the corresponding problem in lower degrees.     

Polynomials over ordered fields

In this paper we determine which polynomials over ordered fields have multiples with nonnegative coefficients and also which polynomials can be written as quotients of two polynomials with nonnegative coefficients. This problem is related to a result given by Pólya in [G.H. Hardy, J.E. Littlewood, G. Pólya, Inequalities, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, England, 1952] (as a companion of Artin’s theorem) that asserts that if F(X₁,…,X_n)∈R[X₁,…,X_n] is a form (i.e., a homogeneous polynomial) s.t.  with ∑x_j>0, then F=G/H, where G,H are forms with all coefficients positive (i.e., every monomial of degree degG or degH appears in G or H, resp., with a coefficient that is strictly positive). In Pólya’s proof H is chosen to be H=(X₁+?+X_n)^m for some m.At the end we give some applications, including a generalization of Pólya’s result to arbitrary ordered fields.     

A proof of the montague-plemmons-schein theorem on maximal subgroups of the semigroup of binary relations

The theorem in question is that the group of automorphisms of a partially ordered set (X,π), π denoting the order relation on the set X, is isomorphic to the maximal subgroup of ℬ_x containing π, where ℬ_x is the semigroup of all binary relations on X. This theorem is due to Montague and Plemmons [1] for the case X finite or countably infinite, and was extended by Schein to the general case, using a theorem due to Zaretsky [4]. A proof of the general case, based on [1] and results due to Plemmons and West [3], is also given in the preceding note by Plemmons and Schein [2]. The purpose of this note is to give an entirely self-contained proof of this intersesting theorem.     

Free subgroups of small cancellation groups

In this paper we give a simple proof of Collin’s theorem concerning free subgroups ofC(4),T(4) groups. Our proof actually shows that a slenderT(4) presentation 〈x ₁,x ₂, …,x _n ;r〉 has a free subgroup of rank 2 provided there is a subset {a, b, c} of {x ₁,x ₂, …,x _n } with the property that any non-empty freely reduced word ina, b, c equal to 1 inG has a subword of length 2 contained in an element ofr*.     

Diophantine equations for classical continuous orthogonal polynomials

Let A, B, C denote rational numbers with AB ≠ 0 and m > n ≥ 3 arbitrary rational integers. We study the Diophantine equation AP_m(x) + Bp_n(y) = C, in x, y ? , where {Pk(x)}I is one of the three classical continuous orthogonal polynomial families, i.e. Laguerre polynomials, Jacobi polynomials (including Gegenbauer, Legendre or Chebyshev polynomials) and Hermite polynomials. We prove that with exception of the Chebyshev polynomials for all such polynomial families there are at most finitely many solutions (x, y) ? ² provided n > 4. The tools are besides the criterion [3], a theorem of Szeg— [14] on monotonicity of stationary points of polynomials which satisfy a second order Sturm-Liouville differential equation,

     

On a class of equilibrium problems in the real axis

In a series of seminal papers, Thomas J. Stieltjes (1856-1894) gave an elegant electrostatic interpretation for the zeros of classical families of orthogonal polynomials, such as Jacobi, Hermite and Laguerre polynomials. More generally, he extended this approach to the zeros of polynomial solutions of certain second-order linear differential equations (Lamé equations), the so-called Heine-Stieltjes polynomials.In this paper, a class of electrostatic equilibrium problems in R, where the free unit charges x₁,…,x_n∈R are in presence of a finite family of “attractors” (i.e., negative charges) z₁,…,z_m∈C?R, is considered and its connection with certain class of Lamé-type equations is shown. In addition, we study the situation when both n→∞ and m→∞, by analyzing the corresponding (continuous) equilibrium problem in presence of a certain class of external fields.     

A new form of trigonometric orthogonality and Gaussian-type quadrature

Gauss's (2n+1)-point trigonometric interpolation formula, based upon f(x_i), i = 1(1)2n+1, gives a trigonometric sum of the n^th order, S_2n+1(x = a₀ + ∑_jⁿ = 1^(a_jcos jx + b_jsin jx), which may be integrated to provide formulas for either direct quadrature or stepwise integration of differential equations having periodic (or near-periodic) solutions. An “orthogonal” trigonometric sum S_2r+1(x) is one that satisfies

$\text{∫}{}_{\mathrm{a}}{}^{\mathrm{b}}\text{S}{}_{\mathrm{2r+1}}\text{(x)S}{}_{\mathrm{2r\prime +1}}\text{(x)dx=0, r′<r}$

and two other arbitrarily imposable conditions needed to make S_2r1(x) unique. Two proofs are given of a fundamental factor theorem for any S_2n+1(x) (somewhat different from that for polynomials) from which we derive 2r-point Gaussian-type quadrature formulas, r = [n/2] + 1, which are exact for any S_4r?1(x). We have

$\text{∫}{}_{\mathrm{a}}{}^{\mathrm{b}}\text{S}{}_{\mathrm{4r?1(x)}}\text{dx=∑}{}_{\mathrm{j=1}}{}^{\mathrm{2r}}\text{A}{}_{\mathrm{j}}\text{S}{}_{\mathrm{4r?1}}\text{(x}{}_{\mathrm{j}}\text{)}$

where the nodes x_j, j = 1(1)2r, are the zeros of the orthogonal S_2r+1(x). It is proven that A_j > 0 and that 2r-1 of the nodes must lie within the interval [a,b], and the remaining node (which may or may not be in [a,b]) must be real. Unlike Legendre polynomials, any [a′,b′] other than a translation of [a,b], requires different and unrelated sets of nodes and weights. Gaussian-type quadrature formulas are applicable to the numerical integration of the Gauss (2n+1)-point interpolation formulas, with extra efficiency when the latter are expressed in barycentric form. S_2r+1(x), x_jandA_j, j = 1(1)2r, were calculated for [a,b] = [0, π/4], 2r = 2 and 4, to single-precision accuracy.     

Presentations of the amalgamated free product of two infinite cycles

LetH=〈a,b;a ^k =b ^l 〉, wherek,l≧2 andk+l>4. McCool and Pietrowski have proved that any pair of generators forH is Nielsen equivalent to a pairx=a ^r andy=b ^s where $$(a){\text{ }}gcd(r, s) = gcd(r, k) = gcd(s, l) = 1,$$ $$(b){\text{ }}0< 2r \leqq ks{\text{ }}and{\text{ }}0< 2s \leqq lr.$$ In terms ofx andy,H can be presented as $$G = \left\langle {x,{\text{ }}y;{\text{ }}x^{ks} = y^{lr} ,\left[ {x,{\text{ }}y^l } \right] = \left[ {x^k ,{\text{ }}y} \right] = 1} \right\rangle$$ and Zieschang has shown that ifr=1 ors=1, thenH can be defined by a single relation inx andy. We establish the exact converse of Zieschang's result, namely thatH is not defined by a single relation inx andy unlessr=1 ors=1. The proof is based on an observation of Magnus which associates polynomials with relators and some elementary facts about cyclotomic polynomials.     

Schrödinger operators with singular potentials

Recently B. Simon proved a remarkable theorem to the effect that the Schrödinger operatorT=?Δ+q(x) is essentially selfadjoint onC ₀ ^∞ (R ^m if 0≦q ∈L ²(R ^m). Here we extend the theorem to a more general case,T=?Σ _j ^=1/m (?/?x _j ?ib _j(x))² +q ₁(x) +q ₂(x), whereb _j, q₁,q ₂ are real-valued,b _j ∈C(R ^m),q ₁ ∈L _loc ² (R ^m),q ₁(x)≧?q*(|x|) withq*(r) monotone nondecreasing inr ando(r ²) asr → ∞, andq ₂ satisfies a mild Stummel-type condition. The point is that the assumption on the local behavior ofq ₁ is the weakest possible. The proof, unlike Simon’s original one, is of local nature and depends on a distributional inequality and elliptic estimates.     

Harmonic manifolds with some specific volume densities

We show that a noncompact, complete, simply connected harmonic manifold (M ^d, g) with volume densityθ _m(r)=sinh^d-1 r is isometric to the real hyperbolic space and a noncompact, complete, simply connected Kähler harmonic manifold (M ^2d, g) with volume densityθ _m(r)=sinh^2d-1 r coshr is isometric to the complex hyperbolic space. A similar result is also proved for quaternionic Kähler manifolds. Using our methods we get an alternative proof, without appealing to the powerful Cheeger-Gromoll splitting theorem, of the fact that every Ricci flat harmonic manifold is flat. Finally a rigidity result for real hyperbolic space is presented.     

A new short proof of a theorem of Ahlswede and Khachatrian

Ahlswede and Khachatrian [R. Ahlswede, L.H. Khachatrian, The complete nontrivial-intersection theorem for systems of finite sets, J. Combin. Theory Ser. A 76 (1996) 121-138] proved the following theorem, which answered a question of Frankl and Füredi [P. Frankl, Z. Füredi, Nontrivial intersecting families, J. Combin. Theory Ser. A 41 (1986) 150-153]. Let 2?t+1?k?2t+1 and n?(t+1)(k−t+1). Suppose that F is a family of k-subsets of an n-set, every two of which have at least t common elements. If |_?F∈FF|<t, then , and this is best possible. We give a new, short proof of this result. The proof in [R. Ahlswede, L.H. Khachatrian, The complete nontrivial-intersection theorem for systems of finite sets, J. Combin. Theory Ser. A 76 (1996) 121-138] requires the entire machinery of the proof of the complete intersection theorem, while our proof uses only ordinary compression and an earlier result of Wilson [R.M. Wilson, The exact bound in the Erd?s-Ko-Rado theorem, Combinatorica 4 (1984) 247-257].     

Superpositions of elementary arithmetic functions

A new concise proof of the following theorem is found: the system of four functions {x + y, x ? y, [x/y, 2 ^x } induces the class of Kalmar elementary functions. An elimination mode of bounded summation is used in the proof.     

Four applications of majorization to convexity in the calculus of variations

The resemblance between the Horn-Thompson theorem and a recent theorem by Dacorogna-Marcellini-Tanteri indicates that Schur-convexity and the majorization relation are relevant for applications in the calculus of variations and its related notions of convexity, such as rank one convexity or quasiconvexity. In Theorem 6.6, we give simple necessary and sufficient conditions for an isotropic objective function to be rank one convex on the set of matrices with positive determinant.Majorization is used in order to give a very short proof of a theorem of Thompson and Freede [R.C. Thompson, L.J. Freede, Eigenvalues of sums of Hermitian matrices III, J. Res. Nat. Bur. Standards B 75B (1971) 115-120], Ball [J.M. Ball, Constitutive inequalities and existence theorems in nonlinear elastostatics, in: R.J. Knops (Ed.), Nonlinear Analysis and Mechanics: Heriot-Watt Symposium, vol. 1, Res. Notes Math., 17, Pitman, 1977, pp. 187-241], or Le Dret [H. Le Dret, Sur les fonctions de matrices convexes et isotropes, CR Acad. Sci. Paris, Série I 310 (1990) 617-620], concerning the convexity of a class of isotropic functions which appear in nonlinear elasticity.Next we prove (Theorem 7.3) a lower semicontinuity result for functionals with the form _∫Ωw(D?(x))dx, with w(F)=h(lnV_F). Here F=R_FU_F=V_FR_F is the usual polar decomposition of F∈gl(n,R), and lnV_F is Hencky’s logarithmic strain.We close this paper with a compact proof of Dacorogna-Marcellini-Tanteri theorem, based only on classical results about majorization. The mentioned resemblance of this theorem with the Horn-Thompson theorem is thus explained.     

On diophantine equations of the form {({\boldsymbol x}-{\boldsymbol a}_{\bf 1})({\boldsymbol x}-{\boldsymbol a}_{\bf 2}) \ldots ({\boldsymbol x}-{\boldsymbol a}_{\boldsymbol k}) + {\boldsymbol r} = {\boldsymbol y}^{ \boldsymbol n}}

Erd?s and Selfridge [3] proved that a product of consecutive integers can never be a perfect power. That is, the equation x(x?+?1)(x?+?2)...(x?+?(m???1))?=?y ⁿ has no solutions in positive integers x,m,n where m, n?>?1 and y?∈?Q. We consider the equation $$ (x-a_1)(x-a_2) \ldots (x-a_k) + r = y^n $$ where 0?≤?a ₁?<?a ₂?<???<?a _k are integers and, with r?∈?Q, n?≥?3 and we prove a finiteness theorem for the number of solutions x in Z, y in Q. Following that, we show that, more interestingly, for every nonzero integer n?>?2 and for any nonzero integer r which is not a perfect n-th power for which the equation admits solutions, k is bounded by an effective bound.     

Cauchy problem for equations with multiple characteristics

This paper contains a proof of γ^n(χ) correctness of the noncharacteristic Cauchy problem for nonstrictly hyperbolic equations with analytic coefficients under the condition that its characteristic roots are smooth and under some additional assumptions on the lower-order terms. There are two extreme cases: (1) $\text{χ <}\text{r}\text{r}\text{? 1}$. In this case condition (0.6) is “void,” and we do not require conditions on P_s for s < m. For this case, see [3, 8]. (2) Case of constant multiplicity of characteristic roots and χ = +∞. In this case condition (0.6) implies conditions on P_s, where s = m, m ? 1,…, m ? r + 1, i.e., up to the same order as the necessary condition for C^∞-correctness [2]. Recall that in the case of equations with characteristics of constant multiplicity condition (0.6) (Levi's condition in this case) for χ = ∞ is necessary [2, 4] and sufficient [1] for C^∞-correctness.     

Compactified Jacobians and q,t-Catalan numbers, II

We continue the study of the rational-slope generalized q,t-Catalan numbers c _m,n (q,t). We describe generalizations of the bijective constructions of J. Haglund and N. Loehr and use them to prove a weak symmetry property c _m,n (q,1)=c _m,n (1,q) for m=kn±1. We give a bijective proof of the full symmetry c _m,n (q,t)=c _m,n (t,q) for min(m,n)≤3. As a corollary of these combinatorial constructions, we give a simple formula for the Poincaré polynomials of compactified Jacobians of plane curve singularities x ^kn±1=y ⁿ . We also give a geometric interpretation of a relation between rational-slope Catalan numbers and the theory of (m,n)-cores discovered by J. Anderson.     

New necessary and sufficient conditions on (ai,mi) in order that x ≡ ai (mod mi) be a covering system

A covering system is a set of congruences x ≡ a_i (mod m_i), i = 1, … k, such that every integer satisfies at least one of them.A new necessary and sufficient condition in order that a given set of congruences x ≡ a_i (mod m_i) be a covering system is established.We show that (4) are such conditions.For exact covering systems they are reduced to (5).The connection of these conditions to known ones such as those [3] based on Bernoulli polynomials and those [8] based on cosets of Z_m1 × Z_m2 × … × Z_mk are studied.     

Tight sets and m-ovoids of finite polar spaces

An intriguing set of points of a generalised quadrangle was introduced in [J. Bamberg, M. Law, T. Penttila, Tight sets and m-ovoids of generalised quadrangles, Combinatorica, in press] as a unification of the pre-existing notions of tight set and m-ovoid. It was shown in [J. Bamberg, M. Law, T. Penttila, Tight sets and m-ovoids of generalised quadrangles, Combinatorica, in press] that every intriguing set of points in a finite generalised quadrangle is a tight set or an m-ovoid (for some m). Moreover, it was shown that an m-ovoid and an i-tight set of a common generalised quadrangle intersect in mi points. These results yielded new proofs of old results, and in this paper, we study the natural analogue of intriguing sets in finite polar spaces of higher rank. In particular, we use the techniques developed in this paper to give an alternative proof of a result of Thas [J.A. Thas, Ovoids and spreads of finite classical polar spaces, Geom. Dedicata 10 (1-4) (1981) 135-143] that there are no ovoids of H(2r,q²), Q⁻(2r+1,q), and W(2r−1,q) for r>2. We also strengthen a result of Drudge on the non-existence of tight sets in W(2r−1,q), H(2r+1,q²), and Q⁺(2r+1,q), and we give a new proof of a result of De Winter, Luyckx, and Thas [S. De Winter, J.A. Thas, SPG-reguli satisfying the polar property and a new semipartial geometry, Des. Codes Cryptogr. 32 (1-3) (2004) 153-166; D. Luyckx, m-Systems of finite classical polar spaces, PhD thesis, The University of Ghent, 2002] that an m-system of W(4m+3,q) or Q⁻(4m+3,q) is a pseudo-ovoid of the ambient projective space.     

A new analytical method for the linearization of dynamic equation on measure chains

In this paper, by introducing the concept of topological equivalence on measure chain, we investigate the relationship between the linear system xΔ=A(t)x and the nonlinear system xΔ=A(t)x+f(t,x). Some sufficient conditions are obtained to guarantee the existence of a equivalent function H(t,x) sending the (c,d)-quasibounded solutions of nonlinear system xΔ=A(t)x+f(t,x) onto those of linear system xΔ=A(t)x. Our results generalize the Palmer's linearization theorem in [K.J. Palmer, A generalization of Hartman's linearization theorem, J. Math. Anal. Appl. 41 (1973) 753-758] to dynamic equation measure chains. In the present paper, we give a new analytical method to study the topological equivalence problem on measure chains. As we will see, due to the completely different method to investigate the topological equivalence problem, we have a considerably different result from that in the pioneering work of Hilger [S. Hilger, Generalized theorem of Hartman-Grobman on measure chains, J. Aust. Math. Soc. Ser. A 60 (2) (1996) 157-191]. Moreover, we prove that equivalent function H(t,x) is also ω-periodic when the systems are ω-periodic. Hilger [S. Hilger, Generalized theorem of Hartman-Grobman on measure chains, J. Aust. Math. Soc. Ser. A 60 (2) (1996) 157-191] never considered this important property of the equivalent function H(t,x).