Local indicability and relative presentations of groups

A relative presentation is a triple where A is a group, X is a set, and R is a set of words in the free product A∗F(X) where F(X) is the free group with basis X. Under certain hypotheses on the relative presentation , we show that (1) the group presented by is locally indicable; (2) the pre-aspherical model for is aspherical; (3) the Freiheitssatz holds for . The result has applications in the computation of cohomology of groups and the field of equations over groups.     

Superinjective simplicial maps of complexes of curves and injective homomorphisms of subgroups of mapping class groups II

Let R be a compact, connected, orientable surface of genus g with p boundary components. Let C(R) be the complex of curves on R and be the extended mapping class group of R. Suppose that either g=2 and p?2 or g?3 and p?0. We prove that a simplicial map is superinjective if and only if it is induced by a homeomorphism of R. As a corollary, we prove that if K is a finite index subgroup of and is an injective homomorphism, then f is induced by a homeomorphism of R and f has a unique extension to an automorphism of . This extends the author's previous results about closed connected orientable surfaces of genus at least 3, to the surface R.     

Covering numbers of different points in Dvoretzky covering

Consider the Dvoretzky random covering on the circle T with a decreasing length sequence {?n}_n?1 such that . We study, for a given β?0, the set Fβ of points which are asymptotically covered by a number βLn of the first n randomly placed intervals where . Three typical situations arise, delimited by two “phase transitions”, according to is zero, positive-finite or infinite, where . More precisely, if ?n tends to zero rapidly enough so that then, with probability one, dimHFβ=1 for all β?0; if ?n is moderate so that then, with probability one, we have for and Fβ=∅ for where and is the interval consisting of β's such that ; eventually, if ?n is so slow that then, with probability one, F₁=T. This solves a problem raised by L. Carleson in a rather satisfactory fashion.Analogous results are obtained for the Poisson covering of the line, which is studied as a tool.     

Superinjective simplicial maps of complexes of curves and injective homomorphisms of subgroups of mapping class groups

Let S be a closed, connected, orientable surface of genus at least 3, be the complex of curves on S and be the extended mapping class group of S. We prove that a simplicial map, , preserves nondisjointness (i.e. if α and β are two vertices in and i(α,β)≠0, then i(λ(α),λ(β))≠0) iff it is induced by a homeomorphism of S. As a corollary, we prove that if K is a finite index subgroup of and is an injective homomorphism, then f is induced by a homeomorphism of S and f has a unique extension to an automorphism of .     

A new majorization between functions, polynomials, and operator inequalities

Let P₊ be the set of all non-negative operator monotone functions defined on [0,∞), and put . Then and . For a function and a strictly increasing function h we write if is operator monotone. If and and if and , then . We will apply this result to polynomials and operator inequalities. Let and be non-increasing sequences, and put for t≧a₁ and for t≧b₁. Then v₊?u₊ if m≦n and : in particular, for a sequence of orthonormal polynomials, (p_n-1)₊?(p_n)₊. Suppose 0<r,p and s=0 or 1≦s≦1+p/r. Then 0≦A≦B implies for 0<α≦r/(p+r).     

Differential systems of type (1,1) on Hermitian symmetric spaces and their solutions

This paper concerns G-invariant systems of second-order differential operators on irreducible Hermitian symmetric spaces G/K. The systems of type (1,1) are obtained from K-invariant subspaces of . We show that all such systems can be derived from a decomposition . Here gives the Laplace-Beltrami operator and is the celebrated Hua system, which has been extensively studied elsewhere. Our main result asserts that for G/K of rank at least two, a bounded real-valued function is annihilated by the system if and only if it is the real part of a holomorphic function. In view of previous work, one obtains a complete characterization of the bounded functions that are solutions for any system of type (1,1) which contains the Laplace-Beltrami operator.     

Homology of dihedral quandles

We solve the conjecture by R. Fenn, C. Rourke and B. Sanderson that the rack homology of dihedral quandles satisfies for p odd prime [T. Ohtsuki, Problems on invariants of knots and 3-manifolds, Geom. Topol. Monogr. 4 (2002) 377-572, Conjecture 5.12]. We also show that contains Z_p for n≥3. Furthermore, we show that the torsion of is annihilated by 3. We also prove that the quandle homology contains Z_p for p odd prime. We conjecture that for n>1 quandle homology satisfies: , where f_n are “delayed” Fibonacci numbers, that is, f_n=f_n−1+f_n−3 and f(1)=f(2)=0,f(3)=1. Our paper is the first step in approaching this conjecture.     

Compactness via symmetrization

Consider two types of translation-invariant functionals and on , and a sequence of functions f_n whose corresponding symmetric rearrangements are convergent. We show that f_n themselves converge up to translations if either or . These compactness results lead to applications in variational problems and stability problems in stellar dynamics.