Rhombi inscribed in simple closed curves

We show that given any simple closed curveJ in ² and any lineL, the curveJ contains the four vertices of some rhombusR with two sides parallel toL. Furthermore, the cyclic order of the vertices ofR agrees with their cyclic order onJ. We also show that the diameters of the rhombi so produced (one for each lineL) may be bounded away from zero.     

Veech surfaces and simple closed curves

We study the SL(2, ?)-infimal lengths of simple closed curves on halftranslation surfaces. Our main result is a characterization of Veech surfaces in terms of these lengths.We also revisit the “no small virtual triangles” theorem of Smillie and Weiss and establish the following dichotomy: the virtual triangle area spectrum of a half-translation surface either has a gap above zero or is dense in a neighborhood of zero.These results make use of the auxiliary polygon associated to a curve on a half-translation surface, as introduced by Tang and Webb.     

On equivalence of simple closed curves in flat surfaces

By explicit constructions,we give direct proofs of the following results: for any distinct homotopy classes of simple closed curves α and β in a closed surface of genus g 1,there exist a hyperbolic structure X and a holomorphic quadratic differential q on X such that lX(α) = lX(β),extX(α) = extX(β) and lq(α) = lq(β),where lX(·),extX(·) and lq(·) are the hyperbolic length,the extremal length and the quadratic differential length respectively.These imply that there are no equivalent simple closed curves in hyperbolic surfaces or in flat surfaces.     

Pentagons inscribed in a closed convex curve

Two theorems are proved. Let the points A₁, A₂, A₃, A₄, and A₅ be the vertices of a convex pentagon inscribed in an ellipse, let Κ⊂ℝ² be a convex figure, and let A₀ be a fixed distinguished point of its boundary ϖK. If the sum of any two of the neighboring angles of the pentagon A₁A₂A₃A₄A₅ is greater than π or the boundary ϖK is C⁴-smooth and has positive curvature, then some affine image of the pentagon A₁A₂A₃A₄A₅ is inscribed in K and has A₀ as the image of the vertex A₁. (This is not true for arbitrary pentagons incribed in an ellipse and for arbitrary convex figures.) Bibliography: 4 titles. Translated from Zapiski Nauchnykh Seminarov POMI, Vol. 246, 1997, pp. 184–190. Translated by N. Yu. Netsvetaev.     

Closed polylines inscribed in a closed space curve

Let n be an odd positive integer. It is proved that if n + 2 is a power of a prime number and C is a regular closed non-self-intersecting curve in \mathbbRⁿ {\mathbb{R}^n} ,then C contains vertices of an equilateral (n + 2)-link polyline with n + 1 vertices lying in a hyperplane. It is also proved that if C is a rectifiable closed curve in \mathbbRⁿ {\mathbb{R}^n} ,then C contains n + 1 points that lie in a hyperplane and divide C into parts one of which is twice as long as each of the others. Bibliography: 6 titles.     

Polygons inscribed in a closed curve and a three-dimensional convex body

Here are samples of results obtained in the paper. Let γ be a centrally symmetric closed curve in ℝ ⁿ that does not contain its center of symmetry, O. Then γ is circumscribed about a square (with center O), as well as about a rhombus (also with center O) whose vertices split γ into parts of equal length. If n is odd, then there is a centrally symmetric equilateral 2n-link polyline inscribed in γ and lying in a hyperplane. Let K ⊂ ℝ³ be a convex body, and let x ∈ (0; 1). Then K is circumscribed about an affine-regular pentagonal prism P such that the ratio of the lateral edge l of P to the longest chord of K parallel to l is equal to x. Bibliography: 7 titles.     

Inverse limits of arcs and of simple closed curves with confluent bonding mappings

It is proved that Knaster's type continua and solenoids can be considered as inverse limits of arcs and of circles with confluent bonding mappings. Several other classes of bonding mappings, which are relative to confluent ones, also are discussed.     

On maximally looped closed curves

In this paper, the maximally looped closed curves are discussed and the relation between the number of triple points and the number of loops is presented. Also, the rotation number of maximally looped curves is calculated.     

Expanding convex immersed closed plane curves

We study the evolution driven by curvature of a given convex immersed closed plane curve. We show that it will converge to a self-similar solution eventually. This self-similar solution may or may not contain singularities. In case it does, we also have estimate on the curvature blow-up rate.     

Integral points on strictly convex closed curves

A negative answer is given to Swinnerton-Dyer's question: Is it true that for any > 0 there exists a positive integer n such that for any planar closed strictly convex n-times differentiable curve , when it is blown up a sufficiently large number of times, the number of integral points on the resultant curve will be less than . An example has been constructed when this number for an infinite number is not less than ^1/2, while is infinitely differentiable.Translated from Matematicheskie Zametki, Vol. 21, No. 6, pp. 799–805, June, 1977.The author thanks S. B. Stechkin for attention to the work.     

Covers for closed curves of length two

The least area α ₂ of a convex set in the plane large enough to contain a congruent copy of every closed curve of length two lies between 0.385 and 0.491, as has been known for more than 38 years. We improve these bounds by showing that 0.386 < α ₂ < 0.449.     

On invariant closed curves for one-step methods

Summary We show that a one-step method as applied to a dynamical system with a hyperbolic periodic orbit, exhibits an invariant closed curve for sufficiently small step size. This invariant curve converges to the periodic orbit with the order of the method and it inherits the stability of the periodic orbit. The dynamics of the one-step method on the invariant curve can be described by the rotation number for which we derive an asymptotic expression. Our results complement those of [2, 3] where one-step methods were shown to create invariant curves if the dynamical system has a periodic orbit which is stable in either time direction or if the system undergoes a Hopf bifurcation.     

Absolutely simple prymians of trigonal curves

Using Galois theory, we explicitly construct absolutely simple (principally polarized) Prym varieties that are not isomorphic to jacobians of curves even if we ignore the polarizations. Published in Russian in Trudy Matematicheskogo Instituta imeni V.A. Steklova, 2009, Vol. 264, pp. 212–223. In memory of Vasilii Alekseevich Iskovskikh