Ends of graphed equivalence relations,I

Given a countable Borel equivalence relation E on a Polish space, we show: (1) E admits an endless graphing if and only if E is smooth; (2) E admits a locally finite single-ended graphing if and only if E is aperiodic; (3) E admits a graphing for which there is a Borel way of selecting two ends from each component if and only if E is hyperfinite; and (4) E admits a graphing for which there is a Borel way of selecting a finite set of at least three ends from each component if and only if E is smooth. The author was supported in part by NSF VIGRE Grant DMS-0502315.     

The low of the iterated logarithm for empirical processes under absolute regularity

The compact law of the iterated logarithm for empirical processes whose underlying sequence satisfies a -mixing condition is considered. In particular, we show a compact law of the iterated logarithm for VC subgraph classes of functions, for classes of functions which satisfy the bracketing condition in Doukhanet al. ⁽⁶⁾ and for some classes of smooth functions.Research partially supported by NSF Grant DMS-93-02583.     

Multiplicative properties of projectively dual varieties

We present a general formula for the dimension of the projectively dual of the product of two projective varietiesX ₁ andX ₂, in terms of dimensions ofX ₁,X ₂ and their projective duals (Theorem 0.1). The proof is based on the formula due to N. Katz expressing the dimension of the dual variety in terms of the rank of certain Hessian matrix. Some consequences and related results are given, including the “Cayley trick” from [3] and its dual version. Partially supported by the NSF (DMS-9102432) Partially supported by the NSF (DMS-9104867) This article was processed by the author using the Springer-Verlag T_EE mamath macro package 1990.     

Algebraic cycles and vector bundles on real affine threefolds

LetX=Spec(B), whereB is a regular ring of Krull dimension 3 which is a finitely generatedR-algebra. We give necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of a vector bundle of rank 3 onX with prescribed Chern classes. 1 Research supported by NSF Grant DMS-8602672     

Shrinkage estimators of the location parameter for certain spherically symmetric distributions

We consider estimation of a location vector for particular subclasses of spherically symmetric distributions in the presence of a known or unknown scale parameter. Specifically, for these spherically symmetric distributions we obtain slightly more general conditions and larger classes of estimators than Brandwein and Strawderman (1991,Ann. Statist.,19, 1639–1650) under which estimators of the formX +ag(X) dominateX for quadratic loss, concave functions of quadratic loss and general quadratic loss.Research supported by NSF grant DMS-88-22622     

Canonical maps to twisted rings

If A is a strongly noetherian graded algebra generated in degree one, then there is a canonically constructed graded ring homomorphism from A to a twisted homogeneous coordinate ring , which is surjective in large degree. This result is a key step in the study of projectively simple rings. The proof relies on some results concerning the growth of graded rings which are of independent interest. D. Rogalski was partially supported by NSF grant DMS-0202479. J. J. Zhang was partially supported by NSF grant DMS-0245420 and Leverhulme Research Interchange Grant F/00158/X (UK).     

Some Remarks on the Simultaneous Chromatic Number

We present several partial results, variants, and consistency results concerning the following (as yet unsolved) conjecture. If X is a graph on the ground set V with then X has an edge coloring F with colors such that if V is decomposed into parts then there is one in which F assumes all values.Due to some unfortunate misunderstandings, this paper appeared much later than we expected.* Research partially supported by NSF grants DMS-9704477 and DMS-0072560. Research partially supported by Hungarian National Research Grant T 032455.     

Model completeness for trivial, uncountably categorical theories of Morley rank 1

We show that if T is a trivial uncountably categorical theory of Morley Rank 1 then T is model complete after naming constants for a model.The second author was partially supported by NSF grant DMS-0300080.     

Rectifiability of Sets of Finite Perimeter in Carnot Groups: Existence of a Tangent Hyperplane

We consider sets of locally finite perimeter in Carnot groups. We show that if E is a set of locally finite perimeter in a Carnot group G then, for almost every x∈G with respect to the perimeter measure of E, some tangent of E at x is a vertical halfspace. This is a partial extension of a theorem of Franchi-Serapioni-Serra Cassano in step 2 Carnot groups: they show in Math. Ann. 321, 479–531, 2001 and J. Geom. Anal. 13, 421–466, 2003 that, for almost every x, E has a unique tangent at x, and this tangent is a vertical halfspace. The second author was partially supported by NSF grant DMS-0701515.     

Approximation of analytic by Borel sets and definable countable chain conditions

LetI be a σ-ideal on a Polish space such that each set fromI is contained in a Borel set fromI. We say thatI fails to fulfil theΣ ₁ ¹ countable chain condition if there is aΣ ₁ ¹ equivalence relation with uncountably many equivalence classes none of which is inI. Assuming definable determinacy, we show that if the family of Borel sets fromI is definable in the codes of Borel sets, then eachΣ ₁ ¹ set is equal to a Borel set modulo a set fromI iffI fulfils theΣ ₁ ¹ countable chain condition. Further we characterize the σ-idealsI generated by closed sets that satisfy the countable chain condition or, equivalently in this case, the approximation property forΣ ₁ ¹ sets mentioned above. It turns out that they are exactly of the formMGR(F)={A : ∀F ∈ F A ∩F is meager inF} for a countable family F of closed sets. In particular, we verify partially a conjecture of Kunen by showing that the σ-ideal of meager sets is the unique σ-ideal onR, or any Polish group, generated by closed sets which is invariant under translations and satisfies the countable chain condition. Research partially supported by NSF grant DMS-9317509.     

Nonamenable products are not treeable

LetX andY be infinite graphs such that the automorphism group ofX is nonamenable and the automorphism group ofY has an infinite orbit. We prove that there is no automorphism-invariant measure on the set of spanning trees in the direct productX×Y. This implies that the minimal spanning forest corresponding to i.i.d. edge-weights in such a product has infinitely many connected components almost surely. Research partially supported by NSF grant DMS-9803597.     

Packing directed circuits

We prove a conjecture of Younger, that for every integern0 there exists an integert0 such that for every digraphG, eitherG hasn vertex-disjoint directed circuits, orG can be made acyclic by deleting at mostt vertices.Research partially supported by DONET ECHM contract CHRXCT930090.Research partially supported by DIMACS, by NSF grant DMS-9401981 and by ONR grant N00014-92-J-1965, and partially performed under a consulting agreement with Bellcore.Research partially supported by DIMACS, by Université de Paris VI, by NSF grant DMS-9303761 and by ONR grant N00014-93-1-0325, and partially performed under a consulting agreement with Bellcore.     

Traps for reflected Brownian motion

Consider an open set , d ≥ 2, and a closed ball . Let denote the expectation of the hitting time of B for reflected Brownian motion in D starting from x ∈ D. We say that D is a trap domain if . A domain D is not a trap domain if and only if the reflecting Brownian motion in D is uniformly ergodic. We fully characterize the simply connected planar trap domains using a geometric condition and give a number of (less complete) results for d > 2. Research partially supported by NSF grant DMS-0303310. Research partially supported by NSF grant DMS-0303310. Research partially supported by NSF grant DMS-0201435.     

On the number of generators needed for free profinite products of finite groups

We provide lower estimates on the minimal number of generators of the profinite completion of free products of finite groups. In particular, we show that if C ₁, ..., C _n are finite cyclic groups then there exists a finite group G which is generated by isomorphic copies of C ₁, ..., C _n and the minimal number of generators of G is n. The first author’s research is partially supported by NSF grant DMS-0701105. The second author’s research is partially supported by OTKA grant T38059 and the Magyary Zoltán Postdoctoral Fellowship.     

A Generalization of a Theorem of Liao

Let X be a metrizable space and let φ：R× X → X be a continuous flow on X. For any given {φt}-invariant Borel probability measure, this paper presents a {φt}-invariant Borel subset of X satisfying the requirements of the classical ergodic theorem for the contiImous flow （X, {φt}）. The set is more restrictive than the ones in the literature, but it might be more useful and convenient, particularly for non-uniformly hyperbolic systems and skew-product flows.     

Reductions of an elliptic curve and their Tate-Shafarevich groups

In this paper we study the Tate-Shafarevich groups III_p of the reductions modulo primes p of an elliptic curve E/ considered as being defined over their function fields. Assuming GRH when E has no CM, we show that III_p is trivial for a positive proportion of primes p, provided E has an irrational point of order two.Research supported in part by an NSERC postdoctoral fellowship.Research supported in part by NSF grant DMS-98-01642.     

Initial segments of the degrees of constructibility

We show that any constructible, constructibly countable, (dual) algebraic lattice is isomorphic to the degrees of constructibility of reals in some generic extension ofL. Research partially supported by NSF grant DMS-8601777. Research partially supported by NSF grant DMS-8601048 and grant 84-00067 from the U.S.-Israel Binational Science Foundation. Thanks are also due to Uri Abraham and Mati Rubin for helpful discussions about initial segments of the degrees of constructibility and to Bill Lampe for information on algebraic lattices.     

Ends of graphed equivalence relations,II

Given a graphing of a countable Borel equivalence relation on a Polish space, we show that if there is a Borel way of selecting a non-empty closed set of countably many ends from each -component, then there is a Borel way of selecting an end or line from each -component. Our method yields also Glimm-Effros style dichotomies which characterize the circumstances under which: (1) there is a Borel way of selecting a point or end from each -component; and (2) there is a Borel way of selecting a point, end or line from each -component. The first author was supported in part by NSF Grant DMS-0140503. The second author was supported in part by NSF VIGRE Grant DMS-0502315.     

An approximation algorithm for the generalized assignment problem

The generalized assignment problem can be viewed as the following problem of scheduling parallel machines with costs. Each job is to be processed by exactly one machine; processing jobj on machinei requires timep _ij and incurs a cost ofc _ij ; each machinei is available forT _i time units, and the objective is to minimize the total cost incurred. Our main result is as follows. There is a polynomial-time algorithm that, given a valueC, either proves that no feasible schedule of costC exists, or else finds a schedule of cost at mostC where each machinei is used for at most 2T _i time units.We also extend this result to a variant of the problem where, instead of a fixed processing timep _ij , there is a range of possible processing times for each machine—job pair, and the cost linearly increases as the processing time decreases. We show that these results imply a polynomial-time 2-approximation algorithm to minimize a weighted sum of the cost and the makespan, i.e., the maximum job completion time. We also consider the objective of minimizing the mean job completion time. We show that there is a polynomial-time algorithm that, given valuesM andT, either proves that no schedule of mean job completion timeM and makespanT exists, or else finds a schedule of mean job completion time at mostM and makespan at most 2T. Research partially supported by an NSF PYI award CCR-89-96272 with matching support from UPS, and Sun Microsystems, and by the National Science Foundation, the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, and the Office of Naval Research, through NSF grant DMS-8920550.Research supported in part by a Packard Fellowship, a Sloan Fellowship, an NSF PYI award, and by the National Science Foundation, the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, and the Office of Naval Research, through NSF grant DMS-8920550.     

On finite Moufang polygons

We show that a finite generalized polygon Γ is Moufang with respect to a groupG if and only if for every flag {x, y} of Γ, the subgroupG ₁(x, y) ofG fixing every element incident with one ofx, y acts transitively on the set of apartments containing the elementsu, x, y, w, whereu≠y (resp.w≠x) is an arbitrary element incident withx (resp.y). Research Associate at the National Fund of Scientific Research of Belgium. Research partially supported by NSF Grant DMS-8901904.