On asymptotic solutions of the renewal equation

Consider the renewal equation in the form (¹) $\text{u(t) = g(t) + ∝}{}_{\mathrm{o}}{}^{\mathrm{t}}\text{u(t ? τ) ?(τ) dτ}$, where $\text{?(t)}$ is a probability density on [0, ∞) and lim_{t → ∞}g(t) = g₀. Asymptotic solutions of (¹) are given in the case when f(t) has no expectation, i.e., $\text{∝}{}_0{}^{\mathrm{\infty }}\text{t?(t)dt = ∞}$. These results complement the classical theorem of Feller under the assumption that f(t) possesses finite expectation.     

Asymptotic evaluation of two families of integrals

In this paper the integrals $\text{f}{}_{\mathrm{mv}}\text{(τ) = ∝}{}_0{}^{\mathrm{\infty }}\text{exp}\text{[?(t + τ)]t}{}^{\mathrm{v}}\text{(}\text{ln}\text{t)}{}^{\mathrm{m}}\text{(t + τ)}{}^{\mathrm{?1}}\text{dt}\text{and}\text{g}{}_{\mathrm{mv}}\text{(τ) = ∝}{}_0{}^{\mathrm{\infty }}\text{exp}\text{[? ¦ ? τ ¦]t}{}^{\mathrm{v}}\text{(}\text{ln}\text{t)}{}^{\mathrm{m}}\text{(t ? τ)}{}^{\mathrm{?1}}\text{dt}$ are investigated for positive real values of the variable τ. Here, m is a nonnegative integer, v is a complex variable with Re(v) > ?1. Both integrals are related to the complex integral Φ_mγ(z) = ∝₀^∞exp[?(t ? z)]t^?γ(ln t)^m(t ? z)^?1dt with 0 ? Re(γ) < 1, the behavior of which is analyzed in detail. The results are applied to obtain asymptotic representations for f_mn(τ) and g_mn(τ), m and n both nonnegative integers, near τ = 0. The latter integrals play a role in the study of the equations of neutron transport and radiative transfer.     

Sublinear perturbations of the differential equation y(n) = 0 and of the analogous difference equation

According to a result of A. Ghizzetti, for any solution y(t) of the differential equation where $\text{y}{}^{\mathrm{(n)}}\text{(t)+}\text{∑}\text{i=0}\text{n?1}\text{g}{}_{\mathrm{i}}\text{(t) y}{}^{\mathrm{i}}\text{(t)=0}\text{(t ? 1)}$, $\text{∝}{}_1{}^{\mathrm{\infty }}\text{¦g}{}_{\mathrm{i}}\text{(x)¦x}{}^{\mathrm{n?I?1}}\text{dx < ∞}$ (0 ?i ? n ?1, either y(t) = 0 for t ? 1 or there is an integer r with 0 ? r ? n ? 1 such that $\text{lim}\text{t → ∞}\text{y(t)}\text{t}{}^{\mathrm{r}}$ exists and ≠0. Related results are obtained for difference and differential inequalities. A special case of the former has interesting applications in the study of orthogonal polynomials.     

The approximation of flows

Let U, V be two strongly continuous one-parameter groups of bounded operators on a Banach space $\text{X}$ with corresponding infinitesimal generators S, T. We prove the following: ∥U_t, ? V_t ∥ = O(t), t → 0, if and only if U = V; ∥U_t ? V_t∥ = O(t^α), t → 0; with 0 ? α ? 1, if and only if $\text{S = Ω(T + P)Ω}{}^{\mathrm{?1}}$, where Ω, P, are bounded operators on $\text{X}$ such that $\text{∥U}{}_{\mathrm{t}}\text{Ω ? ΩU}{}_{\mathrm{t}}\text{∥ = O(t}{}^{\mathrm{\alpha }}\text{), ∥U}{}_{\mathrm{t}}\text{P ? PU}{}_{\mathrm{t}}\text{∥ = ?O(t}{}^{\mathrm{\alpha }}\text{), t → 0; ∥U}{}_{\mathrm{t}}\text{? V}{}_{\mathrm{t}}\text{∥ = O(t)}$ if and only if $\text{S}{}^1\text{? T}{}^1$ has a bounded extension to $\text{X}$¹. Further results of this nature are inferred for semigroups, reflexive spaces, Hilbert spaces, and von Neumann algebras.     

Two strong limit theorems for processes with independent increments

Two related almost sure limit theorems are obtained in connection with a stochastic process {ξ(t), ?∞ < t < ∞} with independent increments. The first result deals with the existence of a simultaneous stabilizing function H(t) such that $\text{(ξ(t) ? ξ(0))}\text{H(t)}\text{→ 0}$ for almost all sample functions of the process. The second result deals with a wide-sense stationary process whose random spectral distributions is ξ. It addresses the question: Under what conditions does $\text{(2T)}{}^{\mathrm{?1}}\text{∫}{}_{\mathrm{?T}}{}^{\mathrm{T}}\text{X(t)}\text{X(t + τ)}\text{dt}$ converge as T → ∞ for all τ for almost all sample functions?     

Numerical solution of a nonlinear integro-differential equation

Galerkin's method with appropriate discretization in time is considered for approximating the solution of the nonlinear integro-differential equation $\text{u}{}_{\mathrm{t}}\text{(x, t) = ∝}{}_0{}^{\mathrm{t}}\text{a(t ? τ)}\text{?}\text{?x}\text{σ(u}{}_{\mathrm{x}}\text{(x, τ)) dτ + f(x, t)}$, 0 < x < 1, 0 < t < T.An error estimate in a suitable norm will be derived for the difference u ? u^h between the exact solution u and the approximant u^h. It turns out that the rate of convergence of u^h to u as h → 0 is optimal. This result was confirmed by the numerical experiments.     

Approximate solutions of functional differential equations

The author discusses the best approximate solution of the functional differential equation x′(t) = F(t, x(t), x(h(t))), 0 < t < l satisfying the initial condition x(0) = x₀, where x(t) is an n-dimensional real vector. He shows that, under certain conditions, the above initial value problem has a unique solution y(t) and a unique best approximate solution $\text{p}\text{?}{}_{\mathrm{k}}\text{(t)}$ of degree k (cf. [1]) for a given positive integer k. Furthermore, $\text{sup}{}_{\mathrm{0?t?l}}\text{¦}\text{p}\text{?}{}_{\mathrm{k}}\text{(t) ? y(t)¦ → 0}\text{as}\text{k → ∞}$, where ¦ · ¦ is any norm in Rⁿ.     

A remark on the tail probability of a distribution

Let {X_n}_n≥1 be a sequence of independent and identically distributed random variables. For each integer n ≥ 1 and positive constants r, t, and ?, let S_n = Σ_j=1ⁿX_j and $\text{E{N}{}_{\mathrm{\infty }}\text{(r, t, ?)} = Σ}{}_{\mathrm{n=1}}{}^{\mathrm{\infty }}\text{n}{}^{\mathrm{r?2}}\text{P{|S}{}_{\mathrm{n}}\text{| > ?n}{}^{\mathrm{<mtext>r</mtext><mtext>t</mtext>}}\text{}}$. In this paper, we prove that (1) lim_?→0+?^α(r?1)E{N_∞(r, t, ?)} = K(r, t) if E(X₁) = 0, Var(X₁) = 1, and E(| X₁ |^t) < ∞, where 2 ≤ t < 2r ≤ 2t, $\text{K(r, t) =}\text{{2}{}^{\mathrm{<mtext>\alpha (r?1)</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}\text{Γ(}\text{(1 + α(r ? 1))}\text{2}\text{)}}\text{{(r ? 1) Γ(}\text{1}\text{2}\text{)}}$, and $\text{α =}\text{2t}\text{(2r ? t)}$; (2) $\text{lim}{}_{\mathrm{?\to 0+}}\text{G(t, ?)}\text{H(t, ?)}\text{= 0}$ if 2 < t < 4, E(X₁) = 0, Var(X₁) > 0, and E(|X₁|^t) < ∞, where G(t, ?) = E{N_∞(t, t, ?)} = Σ_n=1^∞n^t?2P{| S_n | > ?n} → ∞ as ? → 0+ and $\text{H(t, ?) = E{N}{}_{\mathrm{\infty }}\text{(t, t, ?)} = Σ}{}_{\mathrm{n=1}}{}^{\mathrm{\infty }}\text{n}{}^{\mathrm{t?2}}\text{P{| S}{}_{\mathrm{n}}\text{| > ?n}{}^{\mathrm{<mtext>2</mtext><mtext>t</mtext>}}\text{} → ∞}\text{as}\text{? → 0+}$, i.e., H(t, ?) goes to infinity much faster than G(t, ?) as ? → 0+ if 2 < t < 4, E(X₁) = 0, Var(X₁) > 0, and E(| X₁ |^t) < ∞. Our results provide us with a much better and deeper understanding of the tail probability of a distribution.     

A Feynman-Kac gauge for solvability of the Schrödinger equation

Let {X_t, t ≥ 0} be Brownian motion in $\text{R}$^d (d ≥ 1). Let D be a bounded domain in $\text{R}$^d with C² boundary, ?D, and let q be a continuous (if d = 1), Hölder continuous (if d ≥ 2) function in D?. If the Feynman-Kac “gauge” E_x{exp(∝₀^τ_Dq(X_t)dt)1_A(X_τD)}, where τ_D is the first exit time from D, is finite for some non-empty open set A on ?D and some x?D, then for any $\text{? ? C}{}^0\text{(?D}$), is the unique solution in $\text{C}{}^2\text{(D) ∩ C}{}^0\text{(}\text{D}\text{?}\text{)}$ of the Schrödinger boundary value problem $\text{(}\text{1}\text{2}\text{Δ}\text{+ q)φ = 0}\text{in}\text{D, φ = ?}\text{on}\text{?D}$.     

Cogrowth and amenability of discrete groups

Let G be a group and g₁,…, g_t a set of generators. There are approximately (2t ? 1)ⁿ reduced words in g₁,…, g_t, of length ?n. Let $\text{}\text{?}\text{gg}{}_{\mathrm{n}}$ be the number of those which represent 1_G. We show that $\text{γ =}\text{lim}{}_{\mathrm{n\; \to \; \infty }}\text{(}\text{}\text{?}\text{gg}{}_{\mathrm{n}}\text{)}{}^{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext><mtext>n</mtext>}}$ exists. Clearly 1 ? γ ? 2t ? 1. $\text{η =}\text{(}\text{log}\text{γ)}\text{(}\text{log}\text{(2t ? 1))}$ is the cogrowth. 0 ? η ? 1. In fact $\text{η ∈ {0} ∪ (}\text{1}\text{2}\text{, 1¦}$. The entropic dimension of G is shown to be 1 ? η. It is then proved that d(G) = 1 if and only if G is free on g₁,…, g_t and d(G) = 0 if and only if G is amenable.     

Convergence of the Kato approximants for evolution equations involving functional perturbations

The existence of a unique strong solution of the nonlinear abstract functional differential equation $\text{u′(t) + A(t)u(t) = F(t,u}{}_{\mathrm{t}}\text{), u}{}_0\text{= φεC}{}^1\text{(¦?r,0¦,X),tε¦0, T¦}$, (E) is established. X is a Banach space with uniformly convex dual space and, for $\text{t? ¦0, T¦, A(t)}$ is m-accretive and satisfies a time dependence condition suitable for applications to partial differential equations. The function F satisfies a Lipschitz condition. The novelty of the paper is that the solution u(t) of (E) is shown to be the uniform limit (as n → ∞) of the sequence u_n(t), where the functions u_n(t) are continuously differentiate solutions of approximating equations involving the Yosida approximants. Thus, a straightforward approximation scheme is now available for such equations, in parallel with the approach involving the use of nonlinear evolution operator theory.     

Finite differences versus finite elements for solving nonlinear integro-differential equations

Consider the nonlinear integro-differential equation $\text{u}{}_{\mathrm{t}}\text{(x, t) = ∝}{}_0{}^{\mathrm{t}}\text{a(t?τ)}\text{?}\text{?x}\text{σ(u}{}_{\mathrm{x}}\text{(x, τ)) dτ + f(x, t)}$, 0 < x <, 0 < t < T, with appropriate initial and boundary conditions. This problem serves as a model for one-dimensional heat flow in materials with memory. The numerical solution via finite elements was discussed in B. Neta [J. Math. Anal. Appl.89 (1982), 598–611]. In this paper we compare the results obtained there with finite difference approximation from the point of view of accuracy and computer storage. It turns out that the finite difference method yields comparable results for the same mesh spacing using less computer storage.     

On the L2-stability of a class of nonlinear systems

Sufficient conditions are given for the L₂-stability of a class of feedback systems consisting of a linear operator G and a nonlinear gain function, either odd monotone or restricted by a power-law, in cascade, in a negative feedback loop. The criterion takes the form of a frequency-domain inequality, Re[1 + Z(jω)] G(jω) ? δ > 0 ?ω? (?∞, +∞), where Z(jω) is given by, Z(jω) = β[Y₁(jω) + Y₂(jω)] + (1 ? β)[Y₃(jω) ? Y₃(?jω)], with 0 ? β ? 1 and the functions y₁(·), y₂(·) and y₃(·) satisfying the time-domain inequalities, $\text{∝}{}_{\mathrm{?\infty }}{}^{\mathrm{+\infty }}\text{¦y}{}_1\text{(t) + y}{}_2\text{(t)¦ dt ? 1 ? ?, y}{}_1\text{(·) = 0, t < 0}$, y₂(·) = 0, t > 0 and ? > 0, and $\text{∝}{}_0{}^{\mathrm{\infty }}\text{¦y}{}_3\text{(t)¦ dt <}\text{1}\text{2c}{}_2$, c₂ being a constant depending on the order of the power-law restricting the nonlinear function. The criterion is derived using Zames' passive operator theory and is shown to be more general than the existing criteria.     

Point processes of exits by bivariate Gaussian processes and extremal theory for the χ2-process and its concomitants

Let ζ(t), η(t) be continuously differentiable Gaussian processes with mean zero, unit variance, and common covariance function r(t), and such that ζ(t) and η(t) are independent for all t, and consider the movements of a particle with time-varying coordinates (ζ(t), η(t)). The time and location of the exists of the particle across a circle with radius u defines a point process in R³ with its points located on the cylinder {(t, u cos θ, u sin θ); t ≥ 0, 0 ≤ θ < 2π}. It is shown that if r(t) log t → 0 as t → ∞, the time and space-normalized point process of exits converges in distribution to a Poisson process on the unit cylinder. As a consequence one obtains the asymptotic distribution of the maximum of a χ²-process, χ²(t) = ζ²(t) + η²(t), P{sup_0≤t≤Tχ²(t) ≤ u²} → e^?τ if $\text{T(}\text{?r″(0)}\text{2π}\text{)}{}^{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}\text{u ×}\text{exp}\text{(}\text{?u}{}^2\text{2}\text{) → τ}$ as T, u → ∞. Furthermore, it is shown that the points in R³ generated by the local ?-maxima of χ²(t) converges to a Poisson process in R³ with intensity measure (in cylindrical polar coordinates) (2πr²)^?1dtdθdr. As a consequence one obtains the asymptotic extremal distribution for any function g(ζ(t), η(t)) which is “almost quadratic” in the sense that $\text{g}{}^1\text{(r}\text{cos}\text{θ, r}\text{sin}\text{θ) =}\text{1}\text{2}\text{(r}{}^2\text{? g(r}\text{cos}\text{θ, r}\text{sin}\text{θ))}$ has a limit $\text{g}{}^1\text{(θ)}$ as r → ∞. Then if $\text{T(}\text{?r″(0)}\text{2π}\text{)}{}^{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}\text{u}\text{exp}\text{(}\text{?u}{}^2\text{2}\text{) → τ}$ as T, u → ∞.     

Threshold phenomena for a reaction-diffusion system

We consider the pure initial value problem for the system of equations $\text{ν}{}_{\mathrm{t}}\text{= ν}{}_{\mathrm{xx}}\text{+ ?(ν) ? w, w}{}_{\mathrm{t}}\text{= ε(ν ? γw), ε, γ ? 0}$, the initial data being (ν(x, 0), w(x, 0)) = (?(x), 0). Here $\text{?(v) = ?v + H(v ? a)}$, where H is the Heaviside step function and $\text{a ? (0,}\text{1}\text{2}\text{)}$. This system is of the FitzHugh-Nagumo type and has several applications including nerve conduction and distributed chemical/ biochemical systems. It is demonstrated that this system exhibits a threshold phenomenon. This is done by considering the curve s(t) defined by s(t) = sup{x: v(x, t) = a}. The initial datum, ?(x), is said to be superthreshold if lim_{t→∞ s(t) = ∞}. It is proven that the initial datum is superthreshold if ?(x) > a on a sufficiently long interval, ?(x) is sufficiently smooth, and ?(x) decays sufficiently fast to zero as $\text{¦x¦ → ∞}$.     

On the probability that k positive integers are relatively prime II

Given a set S of positive integers let $\text{Z}{}_{\mathrm{k}}{}^{\mathrm{S}}\text{(t)}$ denote the number of k-tuples 〈m₁, …, m_k〉 for which $\text{m}{}_{\mathrm{i}}\text{∈ S ? [1, t]}$ and (m₁, …, m_k) = 1. Also let $\text{P}{}_{\mathrm{k}}{}^{\mathrm{S}}\text{(n)}$ denote the probability that k integers, chosen at random from $\text{S ? [1, n]}$, are relatively prime. It is shown that if P = {p₁, …, p_r} is a finite set of primes and S = {m : (m, p₁ … p_r) = 1}, then $\text{Z}{}_{\mathrm{k}}{}^{\mathrm{S}}\text{(t) = (td(S))}{}^{\mathrm{k}}\text{Π}{}_{\mathrm{\nu ?P}}\text{(1 ?}\text{1}\text{p}{}^{\mathrm{k}}\text{) + O(t}{}^{\mathrm{k?1}}\text{)}$ if k ≥ 3 and $\text{Z}{}_2{}^{\mathrm{S}}\text{(t) = (td(S))}{}^2\text{Π}{}_{\mathrm{p?P}}\text{(1 ?}\text{1}\text{p}{}^2\text{) + O(t}\text{log}\text{t)}$ where d(S) denotes the natural density of S. From this result it follows immediately that $\text{P}{}_{\mathrm{k}}{}^{\mathrm{S}}\text{(n) → Π}{}_{\mathrm{p?P}}\text{(1 ?}\text{1}\text{p}{}^{\mathrm{k}}\text{) = (ζ(k))}{}^{\mathrm{?1}}\text{Π}{}_{\mathrm{p\in P}}\text{(1 ?}\text{1}\text{p}{}^{\mathrm{k}}\text{)}{}^{\mathrm{?1}}$ as n → ∞. This result generalizes an earlier result of the author's where $\text{P = ?}$ and S is then the whole set of positive integers. It is also shown that if S = {p₁^x₁ … p_r^x_r : x_i = 0, 1, 2,…}, then $\text{P}{}_{\mathrm{k}}{}^{\mathrm{S}}\text{(n) → 0}$ as n → ∞.     

Asymptotic behavior of nonoscillatory solutions of nonlinear differential equations with retarded arguments

For nonlinear retarded differential equations $\text{y}{}^{\mathrm{2n}}\text{(t)?}\text{∑}\text{i=1}\text{m}\text{f}{}_{\mathrm{i}}\text{(t,y(t),y(g}{}_{\mathrm{i}}\text{(t)))=0}$ and $\text{y}{}^{\mathrm{n}}\text{(t)?}\text{∑}\text{i=1}\text{m}\text{P}{}_{\mathrm{i}}\text{(t)F}{}_{\mathrm{i}}\text{(y(g}{}_{\mathrm{i}}\text{(t)))=h(t),}$ the sufficient conditions are given on f_i, p_i, F_i, and h under which every bounded nonoscillatory solution of (${}^1$) or (${}^7$) tends to zero as t → ∞.     

On quick oscillations in functional equations with deviating arguments

For the functional equation L_ny(t) + H(t,y(g(t)) = f(t), n ? 2, where $\text{L}{}_{\mathrm{n}}\text{=}\text{1}\text{p}{}_{\mathrm{n}}\text{(t)}\text{d}\text{dt}\text{1}\text{P}{}_{\mathrm{n\; ?\; 1}}\text{(t)}\text{d}\text{dt}\text{…}\text{d}\text{dt}\text{1}\text{P}{}_1\text{(t)}\text{d}\text{dt}\text{·}\text{P}{}_0\text{(t)}$ sufficient conditions have been found to ensure that a solution is either quickly oscillating or else it is nonoscillatory. Both canonical and noncanonical forms of L_n have been studied.