Singularities of the Green function of a random walk on a discrete group

LetX be a countable discrete group and let be an irreducible probability onX. The radius of convergence of the Green function is finite, and independent ofx. Let 0} \right\}$$ " align="middle" border="0"> be the period of . We show that for eachxX the singularities of the analytic functionzG(x; z) on the circle {z:|z|=} are precisely the points e ^2ik/d k=0, ...,d–1. In particular, is the only singularity on the circle in the aperiodic cased=1 (which occurs, for example, when (e)>0). This affirms a conjecture ofLalley [5]. When is symmetric, i.e., (x ^–1)=(x) for allxX, d is either 1 or 2. As another particular case of our result, we see that- is then a singularity ofzG (x; z) if and only ifd=2, in which caseX is bicolored. This answers a question ofde la Harpe, Robertson andValette [2].     

Note on angle-preserving mappings

Summary Let (V, K, q) be aq-regular metric vector space over a commutative field with quadratic formq and letA(V, K, q) be the corresponding affine-metric space. A metric collineation ofA(V, K, q) is a product of a translation and a semilinear bijection ( ₁, ₂) (where ₂ AutK) such that, for a K\{0}, we haveq ₁ = ₂ q. For linesA + KB, A + KC whereA, B, C V\{X Vq(X) = 0} we define an angle-measure < _q (A +KB, A +KC) f(B, C)² q(B)^–1 q(C)^–1 wheref is the bilinear form corresponding toq. For a point tripleA, B, C we define < _q ABC < _q (K(A – B),K(C – B)) whenever the right-hand side is defined. Now assume |K| > 5. In order to get minimal conditions for metric collineations we prove: If 0, 4 is an occurring angle-measure and if is a permutation of the point set such that exactly the point triples with measure are mapped to point triples with measure 0, 4, then is already a metric collineation.     

Jensen inequalities for functions with higher monotonicities

Summary We investigate generalizations of the classical Jensen and Chebyshev inequalities. On one hand, we restrict the class of functions and on the other we enlarge the class of measures which are allowed. As an example, consider the inequality (J)(f(x) d) A (f(x) d, d d = 1. Iff is an arbitrary nonnegativeL _x function, this holds if 0, is convex andA = 1. Iff is monotone the measure need not be positive for (J) to hold for all convex withA = 1. If has higher monotonicity, e.g., is also convex, then we get a version of (J) withA < 1 and measures that need not be positive.     

A and the vanishing topology of discriminants

Summary Suppose thatf: ⁿ , 0 ^p , 0 is finitely -determined withnp. We define a Milnor fiber for the discriminant off; it is the discriminant of a stabilization off. We prove that this discriminant Milnor fiber has the homotopy type of a wedge of spheres of dimensionp–1, whose number we denote byµ (f). One of the main theorems of the paper is a = type result: if (n, p) is in the range of nice dimensions in the sense of Mather, then -codium,with equality iff is weighted homogeneous. Outside the nice dimensions we obtain analogous formulae with correction terms measuring the presence of unstable but topologically stable germs in the stabilization. These results are further extended to nonlinear sections of free divisors.Oblatum 15-VIII-1990Partially supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation and a Fullbright Fellowship     

Generation of alternating groups by pairs of conjugates

Considering the conjugacy classes of the alternating group of degreen, those classes that contain a pair of generators are in the majority. In fact, the proportion of such classes is 1 –(n), and(n) 0 asn .     

Linear-programming approach to nonconvex variational problems

Summary. In nonconvex optimization problems, in particular in nonconvex variational problems, there usually does not exist any classical solution but only generalized solutions which involve Young measures. In this paper, after reviewing briefly the relaxation theory for such problems, an iterative scheme leading to a sequential linear programming (=SLP) scheme is introduced, and its convergence is proved by a Banach fixed-point technique. Then an approximation scheme is proposed and analyzed, and calculations of an illustrative 2D broken-extremal example are presented.Mathematics Subject Classification (2000): 49M05, 65K10, 65N30Acknowledgement S.B. gratefully acknowledges support by the DFG through the priority program 1095 Analysis, Modeling and Simulation of Multiscale Problems while T.R.s research was partly covered by the grants A 107 5005 (GA AV R), and MSM 11320007 (MMT R).     

Large indecomposables over representation-infinite orders and algebras

Let R be a complete discrete valuation domain with quotient field K, and let be an R-order in a semisimple K-algebra. Butler, Campbell, and Kovács have shown that R-free -modules decompose into -lattices when is representation-finite. Using the theory of ladder functors, we prove the converse by constructing indecomposable R-free -modules of infinite rank if is not representation-finite.Received: 23 March 2004     

Speed of convergence as a function of given accuracy for random search methods

The essence of this article lies in a demonstration of the fact that for some random search methods (r.s.m.) of global optimization, the number of the objective function evaluations required to reach a given accuracy may have very slow (logarithmic) growth to infinity as the accuracy tends to zero. Several inequalities of this kind are derived for some typical Markovian monotone r.s.m. in metric spaces including thed-dimensional Euclidean space ^d and its compact subsets. In the compact case, one of the main results may be briefly outlined as a constructive theorem of existence: if is a first moment of approaching a good subset of-neighbourhood ofx ₀=arg maxf by some random search sequence (r.s.s.), then we may choose parameters of this r.s.s. in such a way that E c(f) In² . Certainly, some restrictions on metric space and functionf are required.     

Local extrema of analytic functions

We give a complete answer to the problem of the finite decidability of the local extremality character of a real analytic function at a given point, a problem that found partial answers in some works by Severi and ojasiewicz. Consider a real analytic functionf defined in a neighbourhood of a pointx ₀R ⁿ . Restrictf to the spherical surface centered inx ₀ and with radiusr0 and take its infimumm(r) and its supremumM(r). We establish some properties ofm(r) andM(r) for smallr>0. In particular, we prove that they have asymptotic expansions of the formf(x ₀)+c·(r +o(r )) asr0 for a realc and a rational 1 (of course the parameters will usually be different form andM).This work was supported by the Brazilian Fundação Carlos Chagas and by the Italian Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche.     

Algorithmes de calcul du maximum des formes quadratiques sur la boule unité de la norme du maximum

Résumé Certaines méthodes directes et indirectes pour le calcul de Max {x ^t Ax, (x)1} sont étudiées.Les méthodes directes sont basées sur les propriétés particulières des normes ₁, ₂ et . Ces méthodes sont très simples mais ne s'appliquent qu'à certaines familles de matrices.La méthode indirecte est la méthode autoduale introduite dans [25, 26] avec = ₁. Dans ce cas, le choix du vecteur initial pour qu'il y ait convergence vers une solution optimale est largement discuté.

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Some methods for computing the maximum of quadratic from on the unit ball of the maximum norm

Summary Some direct and indirect methods are studied for computing Max {x ^t Ax, (x)1} whereA is symmetric definite positive.Direct methods are constructed using particular properties of ₁, ₂, norms. These methods are very simple, but uniquely suitable to certains families of matrices.The indirect method is the autodual method, introduced in [25, 26, 29] with = ₁. In this case the problem of choosing an initial vector so that convergence of the iterative sequence occurs to an optimal solution is largely discussed.

     

Separation of hypersurfaces

We give a generalization of results obtained in [15]. LetK ⁿ denote the set of embedded hypersurfaces in ⁿ⁺¹; for all xSⁿ and MK ⁿ we denote by C _x ^M the apparent contour ofM in the directionx. Then we give a sufficient condition on WSⁿ such that the map _W ^{K n}:K ⁿ P(T Sⁿ) , defined by _W ^{K n} (M)={C _w ^M ¦ wW}, is injective.     

Cohomology of toric bundles

Let p: E B be a principal bundle with fibre and structure group the torus T ( ^*)ⁿ over a topological space B. Let X be a nonsingular projective T-toric variety. One has the X-bundle : E(X) B where E(X) = E × _T X, ([e,x]) = p(e). This is a Zariski locally trivial fibre bundle in case p: E B is algebraic. The purpose of this note is to describe (i) the singular cohomology ring of E(X) as an H ^* (B;)-algebra, (ii) the topological K-ring of K ^* (E(X)) as a K ^* (B)-algebra when B is compact. When p : E B is algebraic over an irreducible, nonsingular, noetherian scheme over , we describe (iii) the Chow ring of A ^* (E(X)) as an A ^* (B)-algebra, and (iv) the Grothendieck ring $\mathcal K$⁰ (E (X)) of algebraic vector bundles on E (X) as a $\mathcal K$⁰(B)-algebra.     

Complete problems withL-samplable distributions

The average case complexity classes P, L-samplable and NL, L-samplable are defined. We show that Deterministic Bounded Halting is complete for P, L-samplable and that Graph Reachability is complete for NL-samplable, both problems with a universal logspace samplable distribution.     

A solution of Hadwiger's covering problem for zonoids

For a convex body M ⁿ byb(M) the least integerp is denoted, such that there are bodiesM ₁, ...,M _p each of which is homothetic toM with a positive ratiok<1 andM ₁...M _p M. H. Martini has proved [7] thatb(M)<-3·2 ^n–2 for every zonotope M ⁿ , which is not a parallelotope.In the paper this Martini's result is extended to zonoids. In the proof some notions and facts of real functions theory are used (points of density, approximative continuity).     

Differentiability properties of the minimal average action

Given aZ ⁿ⁺¹-periodic variational principle onR ⁿ⁺¹ we look for solutionsu:R ⁿ R minimizing the variational integral with respect to compactly supported variations. To every vector R ⁿ we consider a subset of solutions which have an average slope when averaging overR ⁿ. The minimal average action A() is defined by the average value of the variational integral given by a solution with average slope . Our main result is:A is differentiable at if and only if the set is totally ordered (in the natural sense). In case that is not totally ordered,A is differentiable at in some direction R ⁿ{0} if and only if is orthogonal to the subspace defined by the rational dependency of . Assuming that the i^th component of is rational with denominator sⁱ N in lowest terms, we show: The difference of right- and left-sided derivative in the i^th standard unit direction is bounded by const · .     

Strong solution for an elastic-plastic plate

Given a regular bounded open set R ²,, >0 andg L ^q () withq>2, we prove, under compatibility and safe load conditions ong, the existence of a minimizing pair for the functional, over closed setsK ² and functionsu C⁰( ) C²(/K); here ¦[Du]¦ denotes the jump ofDu acrossK and ¹ is the 1-dimensional Hausdorff measure.Dedicated to Enrico Magenes for his 70th birthday     

Families of planar sets having starlike union

Let be a finite family of compact sets in the plane, and letk be a fixed natural number. If every three (not necessarily distinct) members of have a union which is simply connected and starshaped viak-paths, then and is starshaped viak-paths. Analogous results hold for paths of length at most , > 0, and for staircase paths, although not for staircasek-paths.Supported in part by NSF grant DMS-9504249     

Semilinear Perturbations of Harmonic Spaces,Liouville Property and a Boundary Value Problem

Let (X,) be a P-harmonic Bauer space and let be a Borel measurable function on X×R satisfying conditions (A) through (D) of Section 2 (e.g., (x,t)=t|t|^–1 where >1). For every Kato family M of potential kernels on X let ^M U(X) denote the set of all real continuous functions on X such that u+K ^M _D (,u)(D) for every open relatively compact subset D of X. We study the existence of a non-trivial function in ^M U(X) which is dominated by a given positive harmonic function on X. If X is a domain of R ^d , is a positive Kato measure on X and L is a second-order differential operator in R ^d , we apply our study to derive a characterization of finite positive measures on the minimal Martin boundary ^M ₁ X for which the boundary value problem Lu=(,u) in X and u= on ^M ₁ X is solvable.     

Local Recognition Of Non-Incident Point-Hyperplane Graphs

Let be a projective space. By H() we denote the graph whose vertices are the non-incident point-hyperplane pairs of , two vertices (p,H) and (q,I) being adjacent if and only if p I and q H. In this paper we give a characterization of the graph H() (as well as of some related graphs) by its local structure. We apply this result by two characterizations of groups G with PSL _n ( )GPGL _n ( ), by properties of centralizers of some (generalized) reflections. Here is the (skew) field of coordinates of .     

On some functional equations of Goląb-Schinzel type

Summary LetE be a real Hausdorff topological vector space. We consider the following binary law * on ·E:(, ) * (, ) = (, ^k + ) for(, ), (, ) × E where is a nonnegative real number,k andl are integers.In order to find all subgroupoids of ( ·E, *) which depend faithfully on a set of parameters, we have to solve the following functional equation:f(f(y) ^k x +f(x) ^l y) =f(x)f(y) (x, y E). (1)In this paper, all solutionsf: of (1) which are in the Baire class I and have the Darboux property are obtained. We obtain also all continuous solutionsf: E of (1). The subgroupoids of (^* ·E, *) which dapend faithfully and continuously on a set of parameters are then determined in different cases. We also deduce from this that the only subsemigroup ofL _n ¹ of the form {(F(x ₂,x ₃, ,x _n ),x ₂,x ₃, ,x _n ); (x ₂, ,x _n ) ^{n – 1} }, where the mappingF: ^{n – 1 *} has some regularity property, is {1} × ^{n – 1} .We may noitice that the Gob-Schinzel functional equation is a particular case of equation (1)(k = 0, l = 1, = 1). So we can say that (1) is of Gob—Schinzel type. More generally, whenE is a real algebra, we shall say that a functional equation is of Gob—Schinzel type if it is of the form:f(f(y) ^k x +f(x) ^l y) =F(x,y,f(x),f(y),f(xy)) wherek andl are integers andF is a given function in five variables. In this category of functional equations, we study here the equation:f(f(y) ^k x +f(x) ^l y) =f(xy) (x, y f: ). (4)This paper extends the results obtained by N. Brillouët and J. Dhombres in [3] and completes some results obtained by P. Urban in his Ph.D. thesis [11] (this work has not yet been published).Dedicated to the memory of Alexander M. Ostrowski on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of his birth