A variational principle for eigenvalues of pencils of Hermitian matrices

LetH=(A, B) be a pair of HermitianN×N matrices. A complex number is an eigenvalue ofH ifdet(A–B)=0 (we include = ifdetB=0). For nonsingularH (i.e., for which some is not an eigenvalue), we show precisely which eigenvalues can be characterized as _k ⁺ =sup{inf{*A:*B=1,S},SS _k},S _k being the set of subspaces of C ^N of codimensionk–1.Dedicated to the memory of our friend and colleague Branko NajmanResearch supported by NSERC of Canada and the I.W.Killam FoundationProfessor Najman died suddenly while this work was at its final stage. His research was supported by the Ministry of Science of CroatiaResearch supported by NSERC of Canada     

Turán's extremal problem in random graphs: Forbidding odd cycles

For 0<1 and graphsG andH, we writeGH if any -proportion of the edges ofG span at least one copy ofH inG. As customary, we writeC ^k for a cycle of lengthk. We show that, for every fixed integerl1 and real >0, there exists a real constantC=C(l, ), such that almost every random graphG _{n, p} withp=p(n)Cn ^–1+1/2l satisfiesG _n,p1/2+ C ^2l+1. In particular, for any fixedl1 and >0, this result implies the existence of very sparse graphsG withG _1/2+ C ^2l+1.The first author was partially supported by NSERC. The second author was partially supported by FAPESP (Proc. 93/0603-1) and by CNP_q (Proc. 300334/93-1). The third author was partially sopported by KBN grant 2 1087 91 01.     

Paley-Wiener type theorems on harmonic extensions ofH-type groups

Letn=vz be anH-type group, and letna be the harmonic semidirect product ofn withaR. LetNA be the corresponding simply connected Lie group. If dimv=m and dimz=k, denoteQ=m/2+k. We prove that the spherical Fourier transform is a topological isomorphism between thep-Schwartz spacel ^p (N,A),(0<p2), (0<p2), and the space of holomorphic rapidly decreasing functions on the strip {sC:|Re(s)|<Q/2} with =2/p–1.     

On elementary equivalence and isomorphism of clone segments

The principal application of a general theorem proved here shows that for any choice 1mnp of integers there exist metric spacesX andY such that the initialk-segments of their clones of continuous maps coincide exactly whenkm, are isomorphic exactly whenkn, and are elementarily equivalent exactly whenkp.Dedicated to Prof. László Fuchs on the occasion of his 70th birthday     

Random graphs and covering graphs of posets

For a graph G, we define c(G) to be the minimal number of edges we must delete in order to make G into a covering graph of some poset. We prove that, if p=n ^-1+(n) ,where (n) is bounded away from 0, then there is a constant k ₀>0 such that, for a.e. G _p , c(G _p )k ₀ n ¹⁺⁽ⁿ⁾ .In other words, to make G _p into a covering graph, we must almost surely delete a positive constant proportion of the edges. On the other hand, if p=n ^-1+(n) , where (n)0, thenc(G _p )=o(n ¹⁺⁽ⁿ⁾ ), almost surely.Partially supported by MCS Grant 8104854.     

Regular (2, 2)-systems

Let (E,I) be an independence system over the finite setE = {e ₁, ,e _n }, whose elements are orderede ₁ e _n . (E,I) is called regular, if the independence of {e _l , ,e _{l k} },l ₁ < <l _k , implies that of {e _{m l} , ,e _{m k} }, wherem _l < ··· <m _k andl ₁ m ₁, ,l _k m _k . (E,I) is called a 2-system, if for anyI I,e E I the setI {e } contains at most 2 distinct circuitsC, C I and the number 2 is minimal with respect to this property. If, in addition, for any two independent setsI andJ the family (C J, C C (J, I)), whereC(J, I) denotes {C C:e J I C {e}}, can be partitioned into 2 subfamilies each of which possesses a transversal, then (E,I) is called a (2, 2)-system. In this paper we characterize regular 2-systems and we show that the classes of regular 2-systems resp. regular (2, 2)-systems are identical.     

Randomly Weighted Sums of Subexponential Random Variables with Application to Ruin Theory

Let {X _k , 1 k n} be n independent and real-valued random variables with common subexponential distribution function, and let {k, 1 k n} be other n random variables independent of {X _k , 1 k n} and satisfying a _k b for some 0 < a b < for all 1 k n. This paper proves that the asymptotic relations P (max_{1 m n k=1} ^m _k X _k > x) P (sum _k=1 ⁿ _k X _k > x) sum _k=1 ⁿ P ( _k X _k > x) hold as x . In doing so, no any assumption is made on the dependence structure of the sequence { _k , 1 k n}. An application to ruin theory is proposed.     

Cross-monotone subsequences

Two finite real sequences (a ₁,...,a _k ) and (b ₁,...,b _k ) are cross-monotone if each is nondecreasing anda _i+1–a _i b _i+1–b _i for alli. A sequence (₁,..., _n ) of nondecreasing reals is in class CM(k) if it has disjointk-term subsequences that are cross-monotone. The paper shows thatf(k), the smallestn such that every nondecreasing (₁,..., _n ) is in CM(k), is bounded between aboutk ²/4 andk ₂/2. It also shows thatg(k), the smallestn for which all (₁,..., _n ) are in CM(k)and eithera _k b ₁ orb _k a ₁, equalsk(k–1)+2, and thath(k), the smallestn for which all (₁,..., _n ) are in CM(_k)and eithera ₁b ₁...a _k b _k orb ₁a ₁...b _k a _k , equals 2(k–1)²+2.The results forf andg rely on new theorems for regular patterns in (0, 1)-matrices that are of interest in their own right. An example is: Every upper-triangulark ²×k ² (0, 1)-matrix has eitherk 1's in consecutive columns, each below its predecessor, ork 0's in consecutive rows, each to the right of its predecessor, and the same conclusion is false whenk ² is replaced byk ²–1.     

On a problem of Erdős and Lovász: Random lines in a projective plane

Letn(k) be the least size of an intersecting family ofk-sets with cover numberk, and let _k denote any projective plane of orderk–1.Theorem There is a constant A such that ifH is a random set ofm Aklogk lines from _k then P_r(H<)0(k).Corollary If there exists a _k thenn(k)=O(klogk). These statements were conjectured by P. Erds and L. Lovász in 1973.Supported in part by NSF-DMS87-83558 and AFOSR grants 89-0066, 89-0512 and 90-0008     

Weak Variation of Gaussian Processes

Let X(t) (tR) be a real-valued centered Gaussian process with stationary increments. We assume that there exist positive constants ₀, C ₁, and c ₂ such that for any tR and hR with |h|₀ and for any 0r<min{|t|, ₀} where is regularly varying at zero of order (0 < < 1). Let be an inverse function of near zero such that (s)=(s) log log(1/s) is increasing near zero. We obtain exact estimates for the weak -variation of X(t) on [0,a].     

k-regular factors and semi-k-regular factors in bipartite graphs

LetG be a graph, andk1 an integer. LetU be a subset ofV(G), and letF be a spanning subgraph ofG such that deg _F (x)=k for allx V(G)–U. If deg _F (x)k for allxU, thenF is called an upper semi-k-regular factor with defect setU, and if deg _F (x)k for allxU, thenF is called a lower semi-k-regular factor with defect setU. Now letG=(X, Y;E(G)) be a bipartite graph with bipartition (X,Y) such that X=Yk+2. We prove the following two results.(1) Suppose that for each subsetU ₁X such that U ₁=max{k+1, X+1/2},G has an upper semi-k-regular factor with defect setU ₁Y, and for each subsetU ₂Y such that U ₂=max{k+1, X+1/2},G has an upper semi-k-regular factor with defect setXU ₂. ThenG has ak-factor.(2) Suppose that for each subsetU ₁X such that U ₁=X–1/k+1,G has a lower semi-k-regular factor with defect setU ₁Y, and for each subsetU ₂Y such that U ₂=X–1/k+1,G has a lower semi-k-regular factor with defect setXU ₂. ThenG has ak-factor.     

On a theorem of lovász on covers inr-partite hypergraphs

A theorem of Lovász asserts that (H)/*(H)r/2 for everyr-partite hypergraphH (where and * denote the covering number and fractional covering number respectively). Here it is shown that the same upper bound is valid for a more general class of hypergraphs: those which admit a partition (V ₁, ...,V _k ) of the vertex set and a partitionp ₁+...+p _k ofr such that |eV _i |p _i r/2 for every edgee and every 1ik. Moreover, strict inequality holds whenr>2, and in this form the bound is tight. The investigation of the ratio /* is extended to some other classes of hypergraphs, defined by conditions of similar flavour. Upper bounds on this ratio are obtained fork-colourable, stronglyk-colourable and (what we call)k-partitionable hypergraphs.Supported by grant HL28438 at MIPG, University of Pennsylvania, and by the fund for the promotion of research at the Technion.This author's research was supported by the fund for the promotion of research at the Technion.     

A characterization of the generalized twisted field planes of characteristic ≥5

Let be a non-Desarguesian semifield plane of orderp ⁿ, p a prime number 5 andn3, and let denote the group induced by the autotopism groupG of on the line at infinity. We prove that is a generalized twisted field plane if, and only if, has an element of order (p ^k–1)((p ⁿ–1)/(p ^m–1)), for some integersk andm, wherek | m, m | n, andm.This work was supported in part by NSF grants RII-9014056, component IV of the EPSCoR of Puerto Rico grant and ARO grant for Cornell MSI     

ApproximatingL 2-invariants by their finite-dimensional analogues

LetX be a finite connectedCW-complex. Suppose that its fundamental group is residually finite, i.e. there is a nested sequence ... _m + 1 _m ... of in normal subgroups of finite index whose intersection is trivial. Then we show that thep-thL ²-Betti number ofX is the limit of the sequenceb _p(X_m)/[: _m ] whereb _p(X_m) is the (ordinary)p-th Betti number of the finite covering ofX associated with _m .     

On the congruence problem in infinite dimensional sesquilinear spaces

If two subspaces V and V of a sesquilinear space E are congruent (i.e., there is an isometry : E E with (V)=V) then their corresponding quadratic lattices V(V, E) and V(V, E) are isomorphic. It is shown that the converse holds for important types of sesquilinear spaces E, provided that dim(E) ₃. However, the converse generally fails if dim(E) ₃.     

On the Embedding of an Affine Space into a Projective Space

Let k, K be fields, and assume that |k| 4 and n, m 2, or |k| = 3 and n 3, m 2. Then, for any embedding of AG(n, k) into PG(m, K), there exists an isomorphism from k into K and an (n+1) × (m+1) matrix B with entries in K such that can be expressed as (x₁,x₂,...,x_n) = [(1,x₁ ,x₂ ,...,x_n )B], where the right-hand side is the equivalence class of (1,x₁ ,x₂ ,...,x_n )B. Moreover, in this expression, is uniquely determined, and B is uniquely determined up to a multiplication of element of K*. Let l 1, and suppose that there exists an embedding of AG(m+l, k) into PG(m, K) which has the above expression. If we put r = dim _k K, then we have r 3 and m > 2 l-1)/(r-2). Conversely, there exists an embedding of AG(l+m, k) into PG(m, K) with the above expression if K is a cyclic extension of k with dim _k K=r 3, and if m 2l/(r-2) with m even or if m 2l/(r-2) +1 with m odd.     

On the divisibility of homogeneous hypergraphs

We denote byK _k ,k, 2, the set of allk-uniform hypergraphsK which have the property that every element subset of the base ofK is a subset of one of the hyperedges ofK. So, the only element inK ₂ ² are the complete graphs. If is a subset ofK _k then there is exactly one homogeneous hypergraphH whose age is the set of all finite hypergraphs which do not embed any element of . We callH -free homogeneous graphsH _n have been shown to be indivisible, that is, for any partition ofH _n into two classes, oue of the classes embeds an isomorphic copy ofH _n . [5]. Here we will investigate this question of indivisibility in the more general context of-free homogeneous hypergraphs. We will derive a general necessary condition for a homogeneous structure to be indivisible and prove that all-free hypergraphs for K _k with 3 are indivisible. The-free hypergraphs with K _k ² satisfy a weaker form of indivisibility which was first shown by Henson [2] to hold forH _n . The general necessary condition for homogeneous structures to be indivisible will then be used to show that not all-free homogeneous hypergraphs are indivisible.This research has been supported by NSERC grant 69–1325.     

On the stability properties of Brown's multistep multiderivative methods

Summary Brown introducedk-step methods usingl derivatives. We investigate for whichk andl the methods are stable or unstable. It is seen that to anyl the method becomes unstable fork large enough. All methods withk2(l+1) are stable. Fork=1,2,..., 18 there exists a _k such that the methods are stable for anyl _k and unstable for anyl < _k . The _k are given.     

Representing posets with k-tournaments

In this paper, we introduce a binary relation on the vertex set of a k-tournament, and using this relation show that every finite poset with cardinality n4 can be represented by a k-tournament for every k satisfying 3kn–1.     

Some Comments on Deviation Inequalities for Infinitely Divisible Random Vectors

In this paper, we consider deviation inequalities for infinitely divisible random vectors in R ^k and infinite-dimensional spaces l _p, 1 p We compare the results obtained using the covariance representation for infinitely divisible random vectors with the well-known Talagrand's result on measure concentration phenomenon.