Binomial Sums and Functions of Exponential Type

Let (a_n)_n0 be a sequence of complex numbers, and, for n0, let A number of results are proved relating the growth of the sequences(b_n) and (c_n) to that of (a_n). For example, given p0, if b_n= O(n^p and for all > 0,then a_n=0 for all n > p. Also, given 0 < p < 1, then for all > 0 if and onlyif . It is further shown that, given rß > 1, if b_n,c_n=O(rßⁿ), then a_n=O(ⁿ),where , thereby proving a conjecture of Chalendar, Kellay and Ransford. The principal ingredientsof the proogs are a Phragmén-Lindelöf theorem forentire functions of exponential type zero, and an estimate forthe expected value of e^(X), where X is a Poisson random variable.2000 Mathematics Subject Classification 05A10 (primary), 30D15,46H05, 60E15 (secondary).     

Moments of Some Stopping Rules

Let X_n for n1 be independent random variables with . Set . Define T_k,c,m=inf{nm:|k!S_k,n|>cn^k/2}.We study critical values c_k,p for k2 and p>0, such that for c<c_k,p and all m, and for c>c_k,p and all sufficientlylarge m. In particular, c_1,1=c_2,1=1, c_3,1=2 and c_4,1=3 undercertain moment conditions on X₁, when X_n are identically distributed.We also investigate perturbed stopping rules of the form T_h,m=inf{nm:h(S_1,n/n^1/2)<_nor >_n} for continuous functions h and random variables _naand _nb with a<b. Related stopping rules of the Wiener processare also considered via the Uhlenbeck process.     

A Strong Law for the Largest Nearest-Neighbour Link between Random Points

Suppose that X₁, X₂, X₃, ... are independent random points inR^d with common density f, having compact support with smoothboundary , with f| continuous. Let Rⁿ_{i, k} denote the distancefrom X_i to its kth nearest neighbour amongst the first n points,and let M_{n, k} = max_in Rⁿ_{i, k}. Let denote the volume of theunit ball. Then as n , , almost surely If instead the points lie in a compact smooth d-dimensionalRiemannian manifold K, then nM^d_{n, k}/log n (min_Kf)^–1,almost surely.     

The quaternion group as a subgroup of the sphere braid groups

Let n 3. We prove that the quaternion group of order 8 is realisedas a subgroup of the sphere braid group B_n(²) if and only ifn is even. If n is divisible by 4, then the commutator subgroupof B_n(²) contains such a subgroup. Further, for all n 3, B_n(²)contains a subgroup isomorphic to the dicyclic group of order4n.     

The Density of Rational Points on Non-Singular Hypersurfaces, I

For any n 3, let F Z[X₀, ..., X_n] be a form of degree d 5that defines a non-singular hypersurface X Pⁿ. The main resultin this paper is a proof of the fact that the number N(F; B)of Q-rational points on X which have height at most B satisfies , for any > 0. The implied constantin this estimate depends at most upon d, and n. New estimatesare also obtained for the number of representations of a positiveinteger as the sum of three dth powers, and for the paucityof integer solutions to equal sums of like polynomials. 2000Mathematics Subject Classification 11G35 (primary), 11P05, 14G05(secondary).     

Hypersurface Singularities with 2-Dimensional Critical Locus

Consider an analytic germ f:(C^m, 0)(C, 0) (m3) whose criticallocus is a 2-dimensional complete intersection with an isolatedsingularity (icis). We prove that the homotopy type of the Milnorfiber of f is a bouquet of spheres, provided that the extendedcodimension of the germ f is finite. This result generalizesthe cases when the dimension of the critical locus is zero [8],respectively one [12]. Notice that if the critical locus isnot an icis, then the Milnor fiber, in general, is not homotopicallyequivalent to a wedge of spheres. For example, the Milnor fiberof the germ f:(C⁴, 0)(C, 0), defined by f(x₁, x₂, x₃, x₄) =x₁x₂x₃x₄ has the homotopy type of S¹xS¹xS¹. On the other hand,the finiteness of the extended codimension seems to be the rightgeneralization of the isolated singularity condition; see forexample [9–12, 17, 18]. In the last few years different types of ‘bouquet theorems’have appeared. Some of them deal with germs f:(X, x)(C, 0) wheref defines an isolated singularity. In some cases, similarlyto the Milnor case [8], F has the homotopy type of a bouquetof (dim X–1)-spheres, for example when X is an icis [2],or X is a complete intersection [5]. Moreover, in [13] Siersmaproved that F has a bouquet decomposition FF₀Sⁿ...Sⁿ (whereF₀ is the complex link of (X, x)), provided that both (X, x)and f have an isolated singularity. Actually, Siersma conjecturedand Tibr proved [16] a more general bouquet theorem for thecase when (X, x) is a stratified space and f defines an isolatedsingularity (in the sense of the stratified spaces). In thiscase F_iF_i, where the F_i are repeated suspensions of complexlinks of strata of X. (If (X, x) has the ‘Milnor property’,then the result has been proved by Lê; for details see[6].) In our situation, the space-germ (X, x) is smooth, but f hasbig singular locus. Surprisingly, for dim Sing f^–1(0)2,the Milnor fiber is again a bouquet (actually, a bouquet ofspheres, maybe of different dimensions). This result is in thespirit of Siersma's paper [12], where dim Sing f^–1(0)= 1. In that case, there is only a rather small topologicalobstruction for the Milnor fiber to be homotopically equivalentto a bouquet of spheres (as explained in Corollary 2.4). Inthe present paper, we attack the dim Sing f^–1(0) = 2 case.In our investigation some results of Zaharia are crucial [17,18].     

A Mean Value Property of Poly-Temperatures on a Strip Domain

We consider the iterates of the heat operator on Rⁿ⁺¹={(X, t); X=(x₁, x₂, ..., x_n)Rⁿ, tR}. Let Rⁿ⁺¹ be a domain,and let m1 be an integer. A lower semi-continuous and locallyintegrable function u on is called a poly-supertemperatureof degree m if (–H)^mu0 on (in the sense of distribution). If u and –u are both poly-supertemperatures of degreem, then u is called a poly-temperature of degree m. Since His hypoelliptic, every poly-temperature belongs to C(), andhence (–H)^m u(X, t)=0 (X, t). For the case m=1, we simply call the functions the supertemperatureand the temperature. In this paper, we characterise a poly-temperature and a poly-supertemperatureon a strip D={(X, t);XRⁿ, 0<t<T} by an integral mean on a hyperplane. To state our result precisely,we define a mean A[·, ·]. This plays an essentialrole in our argument.     

The Coherence of One-Relator Groups with Torsion and the Hanna Neumann Conjecture

A conjecture is proposed, bounding the number of cycles withlabel Wⁿ in a labeled directed graph. Some partial results towardsthis conjecture are established. As a consequence, it is provedthat a₁, a₂,...|Wⁿ is coherent for n 4. Furthermore, it iscoherent for n 2, provided that the strengthened Hanna Neumannconjecture holds. 2000 Mathematics Subject Classification 20F06,05C38.     

Long Snakes in Powers of the Complete Graph with an Odd Number of Vertices

In [5] Abbott and Katchalski ask if there exists a constantc < 0 such that for every d 2 there is a snake (cycle withoutchords) of length at least c3^d in the product of d copies ofthe complete graph K₃. We show that the answer to the abovequestion is positive, and that in general for any odd integern there is a constant c_n such that for every d 2 there is asnake of length at least c_n n^d in the product of d copies ofthe complete graph K_n.     

Isoperimetric Inequalities for Volumes Associated with Decomposable Forms

We give sharp estimates for volumes in Rⁿ defined by decomposableforms. In particular, we show that if F(X₁..., X_n) = (_i1X₁ + ... + _inX_n) is a decomposableform with _ij C, degree d > n, and discriminant D_F 0, andif V_F is the volume of the region {xRⁿ:|F(x)| 1}, then |D_F|^(d–n)!/d!V_F C_n, where C_n is the value of |D_F|^(d–n)!/d! V_F whenF(X₁..., X_n) = X₁... X_n(X₁ +... + X_n); moreover, we show thatthe sequence {C_n} is asymptotic to (2/)e^1–(2n)ⁿ. Theseresults generalize work of the first author on binary formsand will likely find application in the enumeration of solutionsof decomposable form inequalities.     

The Singular Homology of the Hawaiian Earring

The singular homology groups of compact CW-complexes are finitelygenerated, but the groups of compact metric spaces in generalare very easy to generate infinitely and our understanding ofthese groups is far from complete even for the following compactsubset of the plane, called the Hawaiian earring: Griffiths [11] gave a presentation of the fundamental groupof H and the proof was completed by Morgan and Morrison [15].The same group is presented as the free -product of integers Z in [4, Appendix]. Hence the firstintegral singular homology group H₁(H) is the abelianizationof the group . These results have been generalized to non-metrizable counterparts H_I of H(see Section 3). In Section 2 we prove that H₁(X) is torsion-free and H_i(X) =0 for each one-dimensional normal space X and for each i 2.The result for i 2 is a slight generalization of [2, Theorem5]. In Section 3 we provide an explicit presentation of H₁(H)and also H₁(H_I) by using results of [4]. Throughout this paper, a continuum means a compact connectedmetric space and all maps are assumed to be continuous. Allhomology groups have the integers Z as the coefficients. Thebouquet with n circles is denoted by B_n. The base point (0, 0) of B_n is denoted by o forsimplicity.     

POLYNOMIAL NUMERICAL INDEX FOR SOME COMPLEX VECTOR-VALUED FUNCTION SPACES

We study the relation between the polynomial numerical indicesof a complex vector-valued function space and the ones of itsrange space. It is proved that the spaces C(K, X) and L(µ,X) have the same polynomial numerical index as the complex Banachspace X for every compact Hausdorff space K and every -finitemeasure µ, which does not hold any more in the real case.We give an example of a complex Banach space X such that, forevery k 2, the polynomial numerical index of order k of X isthe greatest possible, namely 1, while the one of X** is theleast possible, namely k^k/(1–k). We also give new examplesof Banach spaces with the polynomial Daugavet property, namelyL(µ, X) when µ is atomless, and C_w(K, X), C_w*(K,X*) when K is perfect.     

Contractions et Hyperdistributions a Spectre de Carleson

Let =(_n)_n1 be a log concave sequence such that lim inf_n+n/n^c>0for some c>0 and ((log _n)/n)_n1 is nonincreasing for some<1/2. We show that, if T is a contraction on the Hilbertspace with spectrum a Carleson set, and if ||T^–n||=O(_n)as n tends to + with _n11/(n log _n)=+, then T is unitary. Onthe other hand, if _n11/(n log _n)<+, then there exists a (non-unitary)contraction T on the Hilbert space such that the spectrum ofT is a Carleson set, ||T^–n||=O(_n) as n tends to +, andlim sup_n+||T^–n||=+.     

On the Optimum Criterion of Polynomial Stability

The purpose of this note is to answer the question raised byNie & Xie (1987). Let f(x)=a₀xⁿ+a₁x^n–1+...+a_n be apositive-coefficient polynomial. The numbers ₁=a_i-1a_i+2/a_ia_i+1(i=1, ..., n–2) are called determining coefficients. Theoptimum criterion problem was posed as follows: for n3, findthe maximal number (n) such that the polynomial f(x) is stableif _i < (n) (1in–2). For n6, we show that (n)=ß,where ß is the unique real root of the equation x(x+1)²=1.     

Limits Along Parallel Lines and the Classical Fine Topology

The fine topology on Rⁿ (n2) is the coarsest topology for whichall superharmonic functions on Rⁿ are continuous. We refer toDoob [11, 1.XI] for its basic properties and its relationshipto the notion of thinness. This paper presents several theoremsrelating the fine topology to limits of functions along parallellines. (Results of this nature for the minimal fine topologyhave been given by Doob – see [10, Theorem 3.1] or [11,1.XII.23] – and the second author [15].) In particular,we will establish improvements and generalizations of resultsof Lusin and Privalov [18], Evans [12], Rudin [20], Bagemihland Seidel [6], Schneider [21], Berman [7], and Armitage andNelson [4], and will also solve a problem posed by the latterauthors. An early version of our first result is due to Evans [12, p.234], who proved that, if u is a superharmonic function on R³,then there is a set ER²x{0}, of two-dimensional measure 0, suchthat u(x, y,·) is continuous on R whenever (x, y, 0)E.We denote a typical point of Rⁿ by X=(X' x), where X'R^n–1and xR. Let :RⁿR^n–1x{0} denote the projection map givenby (X', x) = (X', 0). For any function f:Rⁿ[–, +] andpoint X we define the vertical and fine cluster sets of f atX respectively by C_V(f;X)={l[–, +]: there is a sequence (t_m) of numbersin R\{x} such that t_mx and f(X', t_m)l}| and C_F(f;X)={l[–, +]: for each neighbourhood N of l in [–,+], the set f^–1(N) is non-thin at X}. Sets which are open in the fine topology will be called finelyopen, and functions which are continuous with respect to thefine topology will be called finely continuous. Corollary 1(ii)below is an improvement of Evans' result.     

Eigenvectors of Order-Preserving Linear Operators

Suppose that K is a closed, total cone in a real Banach spaceX, that A:XX is a bounded linear operator which maps K intoitself, and that A' denotes the Banach space adjoint of A. Assumethat r, the spectral radius of A, is positive, and that thereexist x₀0 and m1 with A^m(x₀)=r^mx₀ (or, more generally, thatthere exist x₀(–K) and m1 with A^m(x₀)r^mx₀). If, in addition,A satisfies some hypotheses of a type used in mean ergodic theorems,it is proved that there exist uK–{0} and K'–{0}with A(u)=ru, A'()=r and (u)>0. The support boundary of Kis used to discuss the algebraic simplicity of the eigenvaluer. The relation of the support boundary to H. Schaefer's ideasof quasi-interior elements of K and irreducible operators Ais treated, and it is noted that, if dim(X)>1, then thereexists an xK–{0} which is not a quasi-interior point.The motivation for the results is recent work of Toland, whoconsidered the case in which X is a Hilbert space and A is self-adjoint;the theorems in the paper generalize several of Toland's propositions.     

A Necessary and Sufficient Condition for a Linear Differential System to be Strongly Monotone

In order to present the results of this note, we begin withsome definitions. Consider a differential system [formula] where IR is an open interval, and f(t, x), (t, x)IxRⁿ, is acontinuous vector function with continuous first derivativesf_r/x_s, r, s=1, 2, ..., n. Let D_xf(t, x), (t, x)IxRⁿ, denote the Jacobi matrix of f(t,x), with respect to the variables x₁, ..., x_n. Let x(t, t₀,x₀), tI(t₀, x₀) denote the maximal solution of the system (1)through the point (t₀, x₀)IxRⁿ. For two vectors x, yRⁿ, we use the notations x>y and x>>yaccording to the following definitions: [formula] An nxn matrix A=(a_rs) is called reducible if n2 and there existsa partition [formula] (p1, q1, p+q=n) such that [formula] The matrix A is called irreducible if n=1, or if n2 and A isnot reducible. The system (1) is called strongly monotone if for any t₀I, x₁,x₂Rⁿ [formula] holds for all t>t₀ as long as both solutions x(t, t₀, x_i),i=1, 2, are defined. The system is called cooperative if forall (t, x)IxRⁿ the off-diagonal elements of the nxn matrix D_xf(t,x) are nonnegative. 1991 Mathematics Subject Classification34A30, 34C99.     

The eigenvalues of limits of radial Toeplitz operators

Let A² be the Bergman space on the unit disk. A bounded operatorS on A² is called radial if Szⁿ = _n zⁿ for all n 0, where _nis a bounded sequence of complex numbers. We characterize theeigenvalues of radial operators that belong to the Toeplitzalgebra.     

Equivalent birational embeddings

Let X be a projective variety of dimension r over an algebraicallyclosed field. It is proven that two birational embeddings ofX in ⁿ with n r + 2 are equivalent up to Cremona transformationsof ⁿ.