Determining a Rotation of a Tetrahedron from a Projection

The following problem, arising from medical imaging, is addressed: Suppose that T is a known tetrahedron in ?³ with centroid at the origin. Also known is the orthogonal projection U of the vertices of the image ?T of T under an unknown rotation ? about the origin. Under what circumstances can ? be determined from T and U?     

Calculating a function of a matrix with a real spectrum

Let T be a square matrix with a real spectrum, and let f be an analytic function. The problem of the approximate calculation of f(T) is discussed. Applying the Schur triangular decomposition and the reordering, one can assume that T is triangular and its diagonal entries t_ii are arranged in increasing order. To avoid calculations using the differences t_ii ? t_jj with close (including equal) t_ii and t_jj, it is proposed to represent T in a block form and calculate the two main block diagonals using interpolating polynomials. The rest of the f(T) entries can be calculated using the Parlett recurrence algorithm. It is also proposed to perform some scalar operations (such as the building of interpolating polynomials) with an enlarged number of significant decimal digits.

     

Factoring a Lie Group into a Compactly Embeddedand a Solvable Subgroup

 Let G be a real connected Lie group. A subgroup K is called compactly embedded if the closure of Ad(K) is compact in Aut(). If K is, in addition, maximal with respect to this property, then there exists a solvable subgroup S containing the nilradical such that and is the one-component of the center of G. (Received 1 June 1999; in revised form 28 December 1999)     

On a mapping of a projective space into a sphere

We obtain an exact estimate for the minimum multiplicity of a continuous finite-to-one mapping of a projective space into a sphere for all dimensions. For finite-to-one mappings of a projective space into a Euclidean space, we obtain an exact estimate for this multiplicity for n = 2, 3. For n ≥ 4, we prove that this estimate does not exceed 4. Several open questions are formulated.     

On a nonlocal problem for a confined plasma in a Tokamak

The paper deals with a nonlocal problem related to the equilibrium of a confined plasma in a Tokamak machine. This problem involves terms u′_* (|u > u(x)|) and |u > u(x)|, which are neither local, nor continuous, nor monotone. By using the Galerkin approximate method and establishing some properties of the decreasing rearrangement, we prove the existence of solutions to such problem.     

Embedding a polytope in a lattice

We present a special similarity ofR ⁴ⁿ which maps lattice points into lattice points. Applying this similarity, we prove that if a (4n−1)-polytope is similar to a lattice polytope (a polytope whose vertices are all lattice points) inR ⁴ⁿ , then it is similar to a lattice polytope inR ⁴ⁿ⁻¹, generalizing a result of Schoenberg [4]. We also prove that ann-polytope is similar to a lattice polytope in someR ^N if and only if it is similar to a lattice polytope inR ²ⁿ⁺¹, and if and only if sin²(<ABC) is rational for any three verticesA, B, C of the polytope.     

Extending a function on a graph

Let G be a graph with vertex set V, and let h be a function mapping a subset U of V into the real numbers R. If ? is a function from V to R, we define δ (?) to be the sum of ∥?(b)? ?(a)∥ over all edges {a, b} of G. A best extension of h is such a function ? with ?(x) = h(x) for X ∈ U and minimum δ (?). We show that such a best extension exists and derive an algorithm for obtaining such an extension. We also show that if instead we minimise the sum of (?(b)??(a))², there is generally a unique best extension, obtainable by solving a system of linear equations.     

Optimally Cutting a Surface into a Disk

We consider the problem of cutting a subset of the edges of a polyhedral manifold surface, possibly with boundary, to obtain a single topological disk, minimizing either the total number of cut edges or their total length. We show that this problem is NP-hard in general, even for manifolds without boundary and for punctured spheres. We also describe an algorithm with running time n ^O(g+k), where n is the combinatorial complexity, g is the genus, and k is the number of boundary components of the input surface. Finally, we describe a greedy algorithm that outputs a O(log² g)-approximation of the minimum cut graph in O(g ² n log n) time.     

Approaching a vertex in a shrinking domain under a nonlinear flow

We consider here the homogeneous Dirichlet problem for the equation , in a noncylindrical domain in space-time given by . By means of matched asymptotic expansion techniques we describe the asymptotics of the maximal solution approaching the vertex x=0, t=T, in the three different cases p>1/2, p=1/2(vertex regular), p<1/2 (vertex irregular).     

Travelling Waves in a Nonlocal Reaction-Diffusion Equation as a Model for a Population Structured by a Space Variable and a Phenotypic Trait

We consider a nonlocal reaction-diffusion equation as a model for a population structured by a space variable and a phenotypic trait. To sustain the possibility of invasion in the case where an underlying principal eigenvalue is negative, we investigate the existence of travelling wave solutions. We identify a minimal speed c* > 0, and prove the existence of waves when c ≥ c* and the nonexistence when 0 ≤ c < c*.     

Two equivalent definitions of a congruence on a finitary model in a quasivariety

LetL be a finitary language and letK be a subcategory of the category of allL-models andL-morphisms. For aK-objectA we consider two definitions of aK-congruence relation onA: that given by Rosenberg and Sturm [2], and that given by Adámek [1]. Both definitions are external definitions in the sense that they depend on the otherK-objects. IfK is a full subcategory, such that theK-objects form a quasivariety, then it is shown that the definitions ofK-congruence are equivalent and a purely internal characterisation is given.Presented by I. Rosenberg.I am indebted to Professor Teo Sturm as this paper originated from his seminar series on Algebraic Structures.     

Folding a surface to a polygon

A concept of folding for compact connected surfaces, involving the partition of the surface into combinatorially identical n-sided topological polygons, is defined. The existence of such foldings for given n and given surfaces is explored, with definitive results for the sphere and the torus. We obtain necessary conditions for the existence of such foldings in all other cases.Supported by Kuwait University Grant SM 043.     

On a smooth solution of a boundary-value problem

We study a periodic boundary-value problem for the quasilinear equation u _tt −u _xx =F[u, u _t , u _x ], u(x, 0)=u(x, π)=0, u(x + ω, t) = u(x, t), x ∈ ℝ t ∈ [0, π], and establish conditions that guarantee the validity of a theorem on unique solvability. Translated from Ukrainskii Matematicheskii Zhurnal, Vol. 50, No. 9, pp. 1293–1296, September, 1998.     

Holding a regular pyramid by a circle

Among other things, we prove the following (1) If a regular pyramid whose base is a regular polygon of circum-radius 1 has height at least 1, then the pyramid can be held by a circle, while for every ${0 < \varepsilon < 1}$ , there is a regular pyramid with height ${1 - \varepsilon}$ and base polygon of circum-radius 1 that cannot be held by any circle. (2) A regular pyramid of height h whose base is an equilateral triangle of circum-radius 1 can be held by a circle if and only if h > 0.479 . . . (which complements a theorem by Tanoue). (3) A regular pyramid with square base of unit circum-radius can be held by a circle if and only if its height is greater than 0.828 . . ..     

Motion of a container as a nonholonomous system in a curved section of a horizontal pipeline

The problem of the motion of a container in a curved section of a horizontal pipeline is solved using second-order Lagrange equations in the presence of nonholonous couplings. The special case of the motion of a container in a circular curve is examined.Translated from Matematicheskie Metody i Fiziko-Mekhanicheskie Polya, No. 25, pp. 90–95, 1987.     

On a Nonstationary Model of a Catalytic Process in a Fluidized Bed

In the half-strip 0 ≤ x ≤ h, t ≤ 0 we consider a mixed problem for an almost linear system of three first order PDEs, one of which does not involve derivatives with respect to t. We prove the existence and uniqueness of a generalized Holder continuous solution and generalized piecewise smooth and smooth solutions. For the piecewise smooth solution we prove the stabilization of some functionals as t → ∞.     

Algorithms for projecting a point onto a level surface of a continuous function on a compact set

Given an equation f(x) = 0, the problem of finding its solution nearest to a given point is considered. In contrast to the authors’ previous works dealing with this problem, exact algorithms are proposed assuming that the function f is continuous on a compact set. The convergence of the algorithms is proved, and their performance is illustrated with test examples.     

Locating a single facility and a high-speed line

In this paper we study a facility location problem in the plane in which a single point (facility) and a rapid transit line (highway) are simultaneously located in order to minimize the total travel time from the clients to the facility, using the _L1$L_1$ or Manhattan metric. The rapid transit line is given by a segment with any length and orientation, and is an alternative transportation line that can be used by the clients to reduce their travel time to the facility. We study the variant of the problem in which clients can enter and exit the highway at any point. We provide an O(n³)$O(n^3)$-time algorithm that solves this variant, where n is the number of clients. We also present a detailed characterization of the solutions, which depends on the speed given along the highway.     

Elliptic equation with a singular potential in a domain with a conic point

This paper deals with the behavior of the nonnegative solutions of the problem $$- \Delta u = V(x)u, \left. u \right|\partial \Omega = \varphi (x)$$ in a conical domain Ω ? ? ⁿ , n ≥ 3, where 0 ≤ V (x) ∈ L₁(Ω), 0 ≤ ?(x) ∈ L₁(?Ω) and ?(x) is continuous on the boundary ?Ω. It is proved that there exists a constant C _*(n) = (n ? 2)²/4 such that if V ₀(x) = (c + λ ₁)|x|^?2, then, for 0 ≤ c ≤ C _*(n) and V(x) ≤ V ₀(x) in the domain Ω, this problem has a nonnegative solution for any nonnegative boundary function ?(x) ∈ L ₁(?Ω); for c > C _*(n) and V(x) ≥ V ₀(x) in Ω, this problem has no nonnegative solutions if ?(x) > 0.