Markov type and threshold embeddings

For two metric spaces X and Y, say that X threshold-embeds into Y if there exist a number K > 0 and a family of Lipschitz maps ${\{\varphi_{\tau} : X \to Y : \tau > 0\}}$ such that for every ${x,y \in X}$ , $$d_X(x, y) \geq \tau \implies d_Y(\varphi_\tau (x),\varphi_\tau (y)) \geq \|{\varphi}_\tau\|_{\rm Lip}\tau/K,$$ where ${\|{\varphi}_{\tau}\|_{\rm Lip}}$ denotes the Lipschitz constant of ${\varphi_{\tau}}$ . We show that if a metric space X threshold-embeds into a Hilbert space, then X has Markov type 2. As a consequence, planar graph metrics and doubling metrics have Markov type 2, answering questions of Naor, Peres, Schramm, and Sheffield. More generally, if a metric space X threshold-embeds into a p-uniformly smooth Banach space, then X has Markov type p. Our results suggest some non-linear analogs of Kwapien’s theorem. For instance, a subset ${X \subseteq L_1}$ threshold-embeds into Hilbert space if and only if X has Markov type 2.     

Local probabilities for random walks conditioned to stay positive

Let S ₀ = 0, {S _n , n ≥ 1} be a random walk generated by a sequence of i.i.d. random variables X ₁, X ₂, . . . and let $\tau ^{-}={\rm min} \{ n \geq 1:S_{n}\leq 0 \}$ and $\tau ^{+}={\rm min}\{n\geq1:S_{n} > 0\} $ . Assuming that the distribution of X ₁ belongs to the domain of attraction of an α-stable law we study the asymptotic behavior, as ${n\rightarrow \infty }$ , of the local probabilities ${\bf P}{(\tau ^{\pm }=n)}$ and prove the Gnedenko and Stone type conditional local limit theorems for the probabilities ${\bf P}{(S_{n} \in [x,x+\Delta )|\tau^{-} > n)}$ with fixed Δ and ${x=x(n)\in (0,\infty )}$ .     

A priori estimates for a class of degenerate elliptic equations

In this paper we investigate the regularity of solutions for the following degenerate partial differential equation $$\left \{\begin{array}{ll} -\Delta_p u + u = f \qquad {\rm in} \,\Omega,\\ \frac{\partial u}{\partial \nu} = 0 \qquad \qquad \,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\, {\rm on} \,\partial \Omega, \end{array}\right.$$ when ${f \in L^q(\Omega), p > 2}$ and q ≥ 2. If u is a weak solution in ${W^{1, p}(\Omega)}$ , we obtain estimates for u in the Nikolskii space ${\mathcal{N}^{1+2/r,r}(\Omega)}$ , where r = q(p ? 2) + 2, in terms of the L ^q norm of f. In particular, due to imbedding theorems of Nikolskii spaces into Sobolev spaces, we conclude that ${\|u\|^r_{W^{1 + 2/r - \epsilon, r}(\Omega)} \leq C(\|f\|_{L^q(\Omega)}^q + \| f\|^{r}_{L^q(\Omega)} + \|f\|^{2r/p}_{L^q(\Omega)})}$ for every ${\epsilon > 0}$ sufficiently small. Moreover, we prove that the resolvent operator is continuous and compact in ${W^{1,r}(\Omega)}$ .     

Difference Inequalities for the Groups and Semigroups of Operators on Banach Spaces

Let ${\mathbf{T}=\{T(t)\} _{t\in\mathbb{R}}}$ be a ??(X, F)-continuous group of isometries on a Banach space X with generator A, where ??(X, F) is an appropriate local convex topology on X induced by functionals from ${ F\subset X^{\ast}}$ . Let ?? _A (x) be the local spectrum of A at ${x\in X}$ and ${r_{A}(x):=\sup\{\vert\lambda\vert :\lambda \in \sigma_{A}(x)\},}$ the local spectral radius of A at x. It is shown that for every ${x\in X}$ and ${\tau\in\mathbb{R},}$ $$\left\Vert T(\tau) x-x\right\Vert \leq \left\vert \tau \right\vert r_{A}(x)\left\Vert x\right\Vert.$$ Moreover if ${0\leq \tau r_{A}(x)\leq \frac{\pi}{2},}$ then it holds that $$\left\Vert T(\tau) x-T(-\tau)x\right\Vert \leq 2\sin \left(\tau r_{A}(x)\right)\left\Vert x\right\Vert.$$ Asymptotic versions of these results for C ₀-semigroup of contractions are also obtained. If ${\mathbf{T}=\{T(t)\}_{t\geq 0}}$ is a C ₀-semigroup of contractions, then for every ${x\in X}$ and ????? 0, $$\underset{t\rightarrow \infty }{\lim } \left\Vert T( t+\tau) x-T(t) x\right\Vert\leq\tau\sup\left\{ \left\vert \lambda \right\vert :\lambda \in\sigma_{A}(x)\cap i \mathbb{R} \right\} \left\Vert x\right\Vert. $$ Several applications are given.     

Generalised Gagliardo–Nirenberg Inequalities Using Weak Lebesgue Spaces and BMO

Using elementary arguments based on the Fourier transform we prove that for ${1 \leq q < p < \infty}$ and ${s \geq 0}$ with s > n(1/2 ? 1/p), if ${f \in L^{q,\infty} (\mathbb{R}^n) \cap \dot{H}^s (\mathbb{R}^n)}$ , then ${f \in L^p(\mathbb{R}^n)}$ and there exists a constant c _p,q,s such that $$\| f \|_{L^{p}} \leq c_{p,q,s} \| f \|^\theta _{L^{q,\infty}} \| f \|^{1-\theta}_{\dot{H}^s},$$ where 1/p = θ/q + (1?θ)(1/2?s/n). In particular, in ${\mathbb{R}^2}$ we obtain the generalised Ladyzhenskaya inequality ${\| f \| _{L^4} \leq c \| f \|^{1/2}_{L^{2,\infty}} \| f \|^{1/2}_{\dot{H}^1}}$ .We also show that for s = n/2 and q > 1 the norm in ${\| f \|_{\dot{H}^{n/2}}}$ can be replaced by the norm in BMO. As well as giving relatively simple proofs of these inequalities, this paper provides a brief primer of some basic concepts in harmonic analysis, including weak spaces, the Fourier transform, the Lebesgue Differentiation Theorem, and Calderon–Zygmund decompositions.     

On the pullback of an arithmetic theta function

In this paper, we describe a relationship between the simplest examples of arithmetic theta series. The first of these are the weight 1 theta series ${\widehat{\phi}_{\mathcal C}(\tau)}$ defined using arithmetic 0-cycles on the moduli space ${\mathcal C}$ of elliptic curves with CM by the ring of integers ${O_{\kappa}}$ of an imaginary quadratic field. The second such series ${\widehat{\phi}_{\mathcal M}(\tau)}$ has weight 3/2 and takes values in the arithmetic Chow group ${\widehat{{\rm CH}}^1(\mathcal{M})}$ of the arithmetic surface associated to an indefinite quaternion algebra ${B/\mathbb{Q}}$ . For an embedding ${O_\kappa \rightarrow O_B}$ , a maximal order in B, and a two sided O _B -ideal Λ, there is a morphism ${j_\Lambda:{\mathcal C} \rightarrow {\mathcal M}}$ and a pullback ${j_\Lambda^*: \widehat{{\rm CH}}^1(\mathcal{M}) \rightarrow \widehat{{\rm CH}}^1(\mathcal C)}$ . Our main result is an expression for the pullback ${j^*_\Lambda \widehat{\phi}_{\mathcal M}(\tau)}$ as a linear combination of products of ${\widehat{\phi}_{\mathcal C}(\tau)}$ ’s and classical weight ${\frac{1}{2}}$ theta series.     

Regularity lifting of weak solutions for nonlinear sub-Laplace equations on homogeneous groups

Let G be a homogeneous group, and let X ₁, X ₂, … , X _m be left invariant real vector fields being homogeneous of degree one on G. We consider the following Dirichlet boundary value problem of the sub-Laplace equation involving the critical exponent and singular term: $$\left\{\begin{array}{ll}-\sum_{j=1}^{m}X_j^2u(x)-\frac{a}{\|x\|^\nu}u(x)=u^{\frac{Q+2}{Q-2}}(x), x\in\Omega,\\ u(x)=0, \quad\quad\quad\quad\quad\quad\quad\quad\quad\quad\quad\quad\,\,\,\, x\in \partial\Omega,\end{array}\right.$$ where ${\Omega\subset G}$ is a bounded domain with smooth boundary and ${\mathbf{0}\in\Omega}$ , Q is the homogeneous dimension of G, ${a\in \mathbb{R},\ \nu <2 }$ . We boost u to ${L^p(\Omega)}$ for any ${1\leq p < \infty}$ if ${u\in S^{1,2}_0(\Omega)}$ is a weak solution of the problem above.     

Necessary and sufficient conditions for local strong solvability of the Navier–Stokes equations in exterior domains

We consider the instationary Navier–Stokes equations in a smooth exterior domain \({\Omega \subseteq \mathbb{R}^3}\) with initial value u ₀, external force f = div  F and viscosity ν. It is an important question to characterize the class of initial values \({u_0\in L^2_{\sigma}(\Omega)}\) that allow a strong solution \({u \in L^s(0,T; L^q(\Omega))}\) in some interval \({[0,T[ \, , 0 < T \leq \infty}\) where s, q with 3 < q < ∞ and \({\frac{2}{s} + \frac{3}{q} =1}\) are so-called Serrin exponents. In Farwig and Komo (Analysis (Munich) 33:101–119, 2013) it is proved that \({\int_0^{\infty} \| e^{-\nu t A} u_0 \|_q^{s} \, {d}t < \infty}\) is necessary and sufficient for the existence of a strong solution \({u \in L^s(0,T ; L^q(\Omega)) \, , 0 < T \leq \infty}\) , if additionally 3 < q ≤ 8; here, A denotes the Stokes operator. In this paper, we will show that this result remains true if q > 8, and consequently, \({\int_0^{\infty} \| e^{-\nu t A} u_0 \|_q^{s} \, {d}t < \infty}\) is the optimal initial value condition to obtain such a strong solution for all possible Serrin exponents s, q.     

Notes on von Neumann–Jordan and James Constants for Absolute Norms on {\mathbb{R}^2}

Let ${\|\cdot\|_{\psi}}$ be the absolute norm on ${\mathbb{R}^2}$ corresponding to a convex function ${\psi}$ on [0, 1] and ${C_{\text{NJ}}(\|\cdot\|_{\psi})}$ its von Neumann–Jordan constant. It is known that ${\max \{M_1^2, M_2^2\} \leq C_{\text{NJ}}(\| \cdot \|_{\psi}) \leq M_1^2 M_2^2}$ , where ${M_1 = \max_{0 \leq t \leq 1} \psi(t)/ \psi_2(t)}$ , ${M_2 = \max_{0\leq t \leq 1} \psi_2(t)/ \psi(t)}$ and ${\psi_2}$ is the corresponding function to the ? ₂-norm. In this paper, we shall present a necessary and sufficient condition for the above right side inequality to attain equality. A corollary, which is valid for the complex case, will cover a couple of previous results. Similar results for the James constant will be presented.     

On the Generality of Assuming that a Family of Continuous Functions Separates Points

For an algebra ${\mathcal{A}}$ of complex-valued, continuous functions on a compact Hausdorff space (X, τ), it is standard practice to assume that ${\mathcal{A}}$ separates points in the sense that for each distinct pair ${x, y \in X}$ , there exists an ${f \in \mathcal{A}}$ such that ${f(x) \neq f(y)}$ . If ${\mathcal{A}}$ does not separate points, it is known that there exists an algebra ${\widehat{\mathcal{A}}}$ on a compact Hausdorff space ${(\widehat{X}, \widehat{\tau})}$ that does separate points such that the map ${\mathcal{A} \mapsto \widehat{\mathcal{A}}}$ is a uniform norm isometric algebra isomorphism. So it is, to a degree, without loss of generality that we assume ${\mathcal{A}}$ separates points. The construction of ${{\widehat{\mathcal{A}}}}$ and ${(\widehat{X}, \widehat{\tau})}$ does not require that ${\mathcal{A}}$ has any algebraic structure nor that ${(X, \tau)}$ has any properties, other than being a topological space. In this work we develop a framework for determining the degree to which separation of points may be assumed without loss of generality for any family ${\mathcal{A}}$ of bounded, complex-valued, continuous functions on any topological space ${(X, \tau)}$ . We also demonstrate that further structures may be preserved by the mapping ${\mathcal{A} \mapsto \widehat{\mathcal{A}}}$ , such as boundaries of weak peak points, the Lipschitz constant when the functions are Lipschitz on a compact metric space, and the involutive structure of real function algebras on compact Hausdorff spaces.     

Multiple positive solutions of singular and critical elliptic problem in {\mathbb{R}^2} with discontinuous nonlinearities

Let Ω be a bounded domain in ${\mathbb{R}^2}$ with smooth boundary. We consider the following singular and critical elliptic problem with discontinuous nonlinearity: $$(P_\lambda)\left \{\begin{array}{ll} - \Delta u = \lambda \left(\frac{m(x, u) e^{\alpha{u}^2}}{|x|^{\beta}} + u^{q}g(u - a)\right),\quad{u} > 0 \quad {\rm in} \quad \Omega\\u \quad \quad = 0\quad {\rm on} \quad \partial \Omega \end{array}\right.$$ where ${0\leq q < 1 ,0< \alpha\leq4\pi}$ and ${\beta \in [0, 2)}$ such that ${\frac{\beta}{2} + \frac{\alpha}{4\pi} \leq 1}$ and ${{g(t - a) = \left\{\begin{array}{ll}1, t \leq a\\ 0, t > a.\end{array}\right.}}$ Under the suitable assumptions on m(x, t) we show the existence and multiplicity of solutions for maximal interval for λ.     

{W^{1,1}_0} -solutions for elliptic problems having gradient quadratic lower order terms

In this paper we deal with solutions of problems of the type $$\left\{\begin{array}{ll}-{\rm div} \Big(\frac{a(x)Du}{(1+|u|)^2} \Big)+u = \frac{b(x)|Du|^2}{(1+|u|)^3} +f \quad &{\rm in} \, \Omega,\\ u=0 &{\rm on} \partial \, \Omega, \end{array} \right.$$ where ${0 < \alpha \leq a(x) \leq \beta, |b(x)| \leq \gamma, \gamma > 0, f \in L^2 (\Omega)}$ and Ω is a bounded subset of ${\mathbb{R}^N}$ with N ≥ 3. We prove the existence of at least one solution for such a problem in the space ${W_{0}^{1, 1}(\Omega) \cap L^{2}(\Omega)}$ if the size of the lower order term satisfies a smallness condition when compared with the principal part of the operator. This kind of problems naturally appears when one looks for positive minima of a functional whose model is: $$J (v) = \frac{\alpha}{2} \int_{\Omega}\frac{|D v|^2}{(1 + |v|)^{2}} + \frac{12}{\int_{\Omega}|v|^2} - \int_{\Omega}f\,v , \quad f \in L^2(\Omega),$$ where in this case a(x) ≡ b(x) = α > 0.     

Necessary and sufficient conditions for the asymptotic distribution of the largest entry of a sample correlation matrix

Let {X _k,i ; i ≥ 1, k ≥ 1} be a double array of nondegenerate i.i.d. random variables and let {p _n ; n ≥ 1} be a sequence of positive integers such that n/p _n is bounded away from 0 and ∞. In this paper we give the necessary and sufficient conditions for the asymptotic distribution of the largest entry ${L_{n}={\rm max}_{1\leq i < j\leq p_{n}}|\hat{\rho}^{(n)}_{i,j}|}$ of the sample correlation matrix ${{\bf {\Gamma}}_{n}=(\hat{\rho}_{i,j}^{(n)})_{1\leq i,j\leq p_{n}}}$ where ${\hat{\rho}^{(n)}_{i,j}}$ denotes the Pearson correlation coefficient between (X _1,i , ..., X _n,i )′ and (X _1,j ,...,X _n,j )′. Write ${F(x)= \mathbb{P}(|X_{1,1}|\leq x), x\geq0}$ , ${W_{c,n}={\rm max}_{1\leq i < j\leq p_{n}}|\sum_{k=1}^{n}(X_{k,i}-c)(X_{k,j}-c)|}$ , and ${W_{n}=W_{0,n},n\geq1,c\in(-\infty,\infty)}$ . Under the assumption that ${\mathbb{E}|X_{1,1}|^{2+\delta} < \infty}$ for some δ > 0, we show that the following six statements are equivalent: $$ {\bf (i)} \quad \lim_{n \to \infty} n^{2}\int\limits_{(n \log n)^{1/4}}^{\infty}\left( F^{n-1}(x) - F^{n-1}\left(\frac{\sqrt{n \log n}}{x}\right) \right) dF(x) = 0,$$ $$ {\bf (ii)}\quad n \mathbb{P}\left ( \max_{1 \leq i < j \leq n}|X_{1,i}X_{1,j} | \geq \sqrt{n \log n}\right ) \to 0 \quad{\rm as}\,n \to \infty,$$ $$ {\bf (iii)}\quad \frac{W_{\mu, n}}{\sqrt {n \log n}}\stackrel{\mathbb{P}}{\rightarrow} 2\sigma^{2},$$ $$ {\bf (iv)}\quad \left ( \frac{n}{\log n}\right )^{1/2} L_{n} \stackrel{\mathbb{P}}{\rightarrow} 2,$$ $$ {\bf (v)}\quad \lim_{n \rightarrow \infty}\mathbb{P}\left (\frac{W_{\mu, n}^{2}}{n \sigma^{4}} - a_{n}\leq t \right ) = \exp \left \{ - \frac{1}{\sqrt{8\pi}} e^{-t/2}\right \}, - \infty < t < \infty,$$ $$ {\bf (vi)}\quad \lim_{n \rightarrow \infty}\mathbb{P}\left (n L_{n}^{2} - a_{n}\leq t \right ) = \exp \left \{ - \frac{1}{\sqrt{8 \pi}} e^{-t/2}\right \}, - \infty < t < \infty$$ where ${\mu=\mathbb{E}X_{1,1}, \sigma^{2}=\mathbb{E}(X_{1,1} - \mu)^{2}}$ , and a _n  = 4 log p _n ? log log p _n . The equivalences between (i), (ii), (iii), and (v) assume that only ${\mathbb{E}X_{1,1}^{2} < \infty}$ . Weak laws of large numbers for W _n and L _n , n ≥  1, are also established and these are of the form ${W_{n}/n^{\alpha}\stackrel{\mathbb{P}}{\rightarrow} 0}\,(\alpha > 1/2)$ and ${n^{1-\alpha}L_{n}\stackrel{\mathbb{P}}{\rightarrow} 0}\,(1/2 < \alpha \leq 1)$ , respectively. The current work thus provides weak limit analogues of the strong limit theorems of Li and Rosalsky as well as a necessary and sufficient condition for the asymptotic distribution of L _n obtained by Jiang. Some open problems are also posed.     

A Bernstein Property of a Class of Fourth Order Complex Partial Differential Equations

Let ${f:\Omega \rightarrow \mathbb{R}}$ be a smooth function on a domain   ${\Omega \subset \mathbb{C}^n}$ with its Hessian matrix ${\left( \frac{\partial^2 f}{\partial z^i \partial\bar{z}^j}\right)}$ positive Hermitian. In this paper, we investigate a class of partial differential equations $$\Delta \ln \det (f_{i\bar{j}}) = \beta \;\| \text{grad} \ln \det (f_{i\bar{j}}) \|^2, $$ where Δ and ${\| \cdot \|}$ are the Laplacian and tensor norm, respectively, with respect to the metric ${G = \sum f_{i\bar{j}} \,dz^i \otimes d\bar{z}^j}$ , and β > 1 is some real constant depending on the dimension n. We prove that the above PDEs have a Bernstein property when the metric G is complete, provided that ${\det (f_{i\bar{j}})}$ and the Ricci curvature are bounded.     

Stability and slicing inequalities for intersection bodies

We prove a generalization of the hyperplane inequality for intersection bodies, where volume is replaced by an arbitrary measure μ with even continuous density and sections are of arbitrary dimension n ? k, 1 ≤ k < n. If K is a generalized k-intersection body, then $$\mu(K)\,\leq\,\frac{n}{n-k}c_{n,k} \max_{H} \mu(K\cap H) {\rm Vol}_n(K)^{k/n}.$$ Here ${c_{n,k} = |B_2^n|^{(n-k)/n}/|B_2^{n-k}| <1 ,{ }|B_2^n|}$ is the volume of the unit Euclidean ball, and maximum is taken over all (n ? k)-dimensional subspaces of ${\mathbb{R}^{n}}$ . The constant is optimal, and for each intersection body the inequality holds for every k. We also prove a stronger “difference” inequality. The proof is based on stability in the lower dimensional Busemann–Petty problem for arbitrary measures in the following sense. Let ${\varepsilon >0 ,\ 1\le k < n}$ . Suppose that K and L are origin-symmetric star bodies in ${\mathbb{R}^{n}}$ , and K is a generalized k-intersection body. If for every (n ? k)-dimensional subspace H of ${\mathbb{R}^{n}}$ $$\mu(K\cap H)\leq \mu(L\cap H)+\varepsilon,$$ then $$\mu(K)\leq \mu(L) +\frac{n}{n-k}c_{n,k} {\rm Vol}_n(K)^{k/n} \varepsilon.$$      

A sharp equivalence between H ∞ functional calculus and square function estimates

Let (T _t ) _{t?≥ 0} be a bounded analytic semigroup on L ^p (Ω), with 1?<?p?<?∞. Let ?A denote its infinitesimal generator. It is known that if A and A ^* both satisfy square function estimates ${\bigl\|\bigl(\int_{0}^{\infty} \vert A^{\frac{1}{2}} T_t(x)\vert^2 {\rm d}t \bigr)^{\frac{1}{2}}\bigr\|_{L^p} \lesssim \|x\|_{L^p}}$ and ${\bigl\|\bigl(\int_{0}^{\infty} \vert A^{*\frac{1}{2}} T_t^*(y) \vert^2 {\rm d}t \bigr)^{\frac{1}{2}}\bigr\|_{L^{p^\prime}} \lesssim \|y\|_{L^{p^\prime}}}$ for ${x\in L^p(\Omega)}$ and ${y\in L^{p^\prime}(\Omega)}$ , then A admits a bounded ${H^{\infty}(\Sigma_\theta)}$ functional calculus for any ${\theta>\frac{\pi}{2}}$ . We show that this actually holds true for some ${\theta<\frac{\pi}{2}}$ .     

The Left Hilbert BVP for h-Regular Functions in Clifford Analysis

Consider the real Clifford algebra ${\mathbb{R}_{0,n}}$ generated by e ₁, e ₂, . . . , e _n satisfying ${e_{i}e_{j} + e_{j}e_{i} = -2\delta_{ij} , i, j = 1, 2, . . . , n, e_{0}}$ is the unit element. Let ${\Omega}$ be an open set in ${\mathbb{R}^{n+1}}$ . u(x) is called an h-regular function in ${\Omega}$ if $$D_{x}u(x) + \widehat{u}(x)h = 0, \quad\quad (0.1)$$ where ${D_x = \sum\limits_{i=0}^{n} e_{i}\partial_{xi}}$ is the Dirac operator in ${\mathbb{R}^{n+1}}$ , and ${\widehat{u}(x) = \sum \limits_{A} (-1)^{\#A}u_{A}(x)e_{A}, \#A}$ denotes the cardinality of A and ${h = \sum\limits_{k=0}^{n} h_{k}e_{k}}$ is a constant paravector. In this paper, we mainly consider the Hilbert boundary value problem (BVP) for h-regular functions in ${\mathbb{R}_{+}^{n+1}}$ .     

New upper bounds on the smallest size of a complete arc in a finite Desarguesian projective plane

In the projective planes PG(2, q), more than 1230 new small complete arcs are obtained for ${q \leq 13627}$ and ${q \in G}$ where G is a set of 38 values in the range 13687,..., 45893; also, ${2^{18} \in G}$ . This implies new upper bounds on the smallest size t ₂(2, q) of a complete arc in PG(2, q). From the new bounds it follows that $$t_{2}(2, q) < 4.5\sqrt{q} \, {\rm for} \, q \leq 2647$$ and q = 2659,2663,2683,2693,2753,2801. Also, $$t_{2}(2, q) < 4.8\sqrt{q} \, {\rm for} \, q \leq 5419$$ and q = 5441,5443,5449,5471,5477,5479,5483,5501,5521. Moreover, $$t_{2}(2, q) < 5\sqrt{q} \, {\rm for} \, q \leq 9497$$ and q = 9539,9587,9613,9623,9649,9689,9923,9973. Finally, $$t_{2}(2, q) <5 .15\sqrt{q} \, {\rm for} \, q \leq 13627$$ and q = 13687,13697,13711,14009. Using the new arcs it is shown that $$t_{2}(2, q) < \sqrt{q}\ln^{0.73}q {\rm for} 109 \leq q \leq 13627\, {\rm and}\, q \in G.$$ Also, as q grows, the positive difference ${\sqrt{q}\ln^{0.73} q-\overline{t}_{2}(2, q)}$ has a tendency to increase whereas the ratio ${\overline{t}_{2}(2, q)/(\sqrt{q}\ln^{0.73} q)}$ tends to decrease. Here ${\overline{t}_{2}(2, q)}$ is the smallest known size of a complete arc in PG(2,q). These properties allow us to conjecture that the estimate ${t_{2}(2,q) < \sqrt{q}\ln ^{0.73}q}$ holds for all ${q \geq 109.}$ The new upper bounds are obtained by finding new small complete arcs in PG(2,q) with the help of a computer search using randomized greedy algorithms. Finally, new forms of the upper bound on t ₂(2,q) are proposed.