An interior–exterior Schwarz algorithm and its convergenceUn algorithme de Schwarz intérieur–extérieur et sa convergence

In this work we study the solution of Laplace's equation in a domain with holes by an iteration consisting of splitting the problem in an exterior one, around the holes, plus an interior problem in the unholed domain. We show the existence of a decomposition of the solution when the exterior problem is represented by means of a single-layer protential. Also, for the three-dimensional case and with some adjustments for the two-dimensional case, we prove convergence of the method by writing the iteration as a Jacobi iteration for an operator equation and studying the spectrum of the iteration operator. To cite this article: R. Celorrio et al., C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris, Ser. I 334 (2002) 923–926.     

Spectrofluorimetric Method for the Determination of Aluminum with Alizarin Red PS

 A simple and direct spectrofluorimetric method has been developed for the determination of aluminum using alizarin red PS (1,2,4-trihydroxy 9,10-anthraquinone-3-sulfonic acid). The method is based on the strong fluorescence (480/564 nm) of Al³⁺ and alizarin red. Experimental parameters such as pH, concentration of the ligand, ionic strength of the solution, reaction time and temperature were optimized in order to maximize the analytical signal. Interferences of several ions (anions and cations) were studied and evaluated. The linear range of the method extends from 3 to 100 μg L⁻¹. Limit of detection (3s_b) was 0.9 μg L⁻¹. The method was tested with a silicate certified reference material. Interferences were eliminated by a liquid extraction with cupferron. Author for correspondence. E-mail: aucelior@rdc.puc-rio.br Received September 10, 2002; accepted January 15, 2003 Published online May 5, 2003     

Lagrangian flows: The dynamics of globally minimizing orbits

The objective of this note is to present some results, to be proved in a forthcoming paper, about certain special solutions of the Euler-Lagrange equations on closed manifolds. Our main results extend to time dependent periodic Lagrangians with minor modifications.We have chosen the autonomous case because this formally simpler framework allows to reach more easily the core of our concepts and results. Moreover the autonomous case exhibits certain special features involving the energy as a first integral that deserve special attention. They are closely related to the link found by Carneiro [C] between the energy and Mather's action function [Ma].Reprinted by permission of Addison Wesley Longman Ltd.     

A branching process model for sand avalanches

An analytically solvable model for sand avalanches of noninteracting grains of sand, based on the Chapman-Kolmogorov equations, is presented. For a single avalanche, distributions of lifetimes, sizes of overflows and avalanches, and correlation functions are calculated. Some of these are exponentials, some are power laws. Spatially homogeneous distributions of avalanches are also studied. Computer simulations of avalanches of interacting grains of sand are compared to the solutions to the Chapman-Kolmogorov equations. We find that within the range of parameters explored in the simulation, the approximation of noninteracting grains of sand is a good one.     

Spectral Properties of Four-Dimensional Compact Flat Manifolds

We study the spectral properties of a large class of compact flat Riemannian manifolds of dimension 4, namely, those whose corresponding Bieberbach groups have the canonical lattice as translation lattice. By using the explicit expression of the heat trace of the Laplacian acting on p-forms, we determine all p-isospectral and L-isospectral pairs and we show that in this class of manifolds, isospectrality on functions and isospectrality on p-forms for all values of p are equivalent to each other. The list shows for any p, 1 ≤ p ≤ 3, many p-isospectral pairs that are not isospectral on functions and have different lengths of closed geodesics. We also determine all length isospectral pairs (i.e. with the same length multiplicities), showing that there are two weak length isospectral pairs that are not length isospectral, and many pairs, p-isospectral for all p and not length isospectral. Mathematics Subject Classifications (2000): 58J53, 58C22, 20H15.     

Mass‐lumping or not mass‐lumping for eigenvalue problems

In this article we analyze the effect of mass‐lumping in the linear triangular finite element approximation of second‐order elliptic eigenvalue problems. We prove that the eigenvalue obtained by using mass‐lumping is always below the one obtained with exact integration. For singular eigenfunctions, as those arising in non convex polygons, we prove that the eigenvalue obtained with mass‐lumping is above the exact eigenvalue when the mesh size is small enough. So, we conclude that the use of mass‐lumping is convenient in the singular case. When the eigenfunction is smooth several numerical experiments suggest that the eigenvalue computed with mass‐lumping is below the exact one if the mesh is not too coarse. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Numer Methods Partial Differential Eq 19: 653–664, 2003     

Learning to See: Making Sense of the Mathematics of Change in Middle School

In this article, we will describe the results of a study of 6th grade students learning about the mathematics of change. The students in this study worked with software environments for the computer and the graphing calculator that included a simulation of a moving elevator, linked to a graph of its velocity vs. time. We will describe how the students and their teacher negotiated the mathematical meanings of these representations, in interaction with the software and other representational tools available in the classroom. The class developed ways of selectively attending to specific features of stacks of centimeter cubes, hand-drawn graphs, and graphs (labeled velocity vs. time) on the computer screen. In addition, the class became adept at imagining the motions that corresponded to various velocity vs. time graphs. In this article, we describe this development as a process of learning to see mathematical representations of motion. The main question this article addresses is: How do students learn to see mathematical representations in ways that are consistent with the discipline of mathematics? This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.