On Artin's Conjecture, I: Systems of Diagonal Forms

As a special case of a well-known conjecture of Artin, it isexpected that a system of R additive forms of degree k, say [formula] with integer coefficients a_ij, has a non-trivial solution inQ_p for all primes p whenever [formula] Here we adopt the convention that a solution of (1) is non-trivialif not all the x_i are 0. To date, this has been verified onlywhen R=1, by Davenport and Lewis [4], and for odd k when R=2,by Davenport and Lewis [7]. For larger values of R, and in particularwhen k is even, more severe conditions on N are required toassure the existence of p-adic solutions of (1) for all primesp. In another important contribution, Davenport and Lewis [6]showed that the conditions [formula] are sufficient. There have been a number of refinements of theseresults. Schmidt [13] obtained N>>R²k³ log k, and Low,Pitman and Wolff [10] improved the work of Davenport and Lewisby showing the weaker constraints [formula] to be sufficient for p-adic solubility of (1). A noticeable feature of these results is that for even k, onealways encounters a factor k³ log k, in spite of the expectedk² in (2). In this paper we show that one can reach the expectedorder of magnitude k². 1991 Mathematics Subject Classification11D72, 11D79.     

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.     

A Note on the WKB Method for Difference Equations

We consider the asymptotic solution of the second-order differenceequation y_n + 1 –2y_n + y_n–1 + Q_ny_n = 0, where Q_n= N^–Q(n/N), 0 < < 2, Q(s) being a differentiablefunction of s, and N a large parameter such that Q(n/N) variesby order unity as n varies by order N. A discrete WKB methodis proposed, the form of the asymptotic expansion being similarto that used in the conventional WKB method. A particular Q(s)is studied, for which results of the discrete WKB method arein agreement with the results from the approach due to Bremmer(1951).     

On Irregularities of Distribution II

Let a=(a₁, a₂, a₃, ...) be an arbitrary infinite sequence inU=[0, 1). Let Van der Corput [5] conjectured that d(a, n) (n=1, 2, ...) isunbounded, and this was proved in 1945 by van Aardenne-Ehrenfest[1]. Later she refined this [2], obtaining for infinitely many n. Here and later c₁, c₂, ... denote positiveabsolute constants. In 1954, Roth [8] showed that the quantity is closely related to the discrepancy of a suitable point setin U².     

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.     

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.     

Asymptotically Sharp Bounds in the Hardy-Littlewood Inequalities on Mean Values of Analytic Functions

Let f be analytic in the unit disc, and let it belong to theHardy space H^p, equipped with the usual norm ||f||_p. It is knownfrom the work of Hardy and Littlewood that for q > _p, theconstants [formula] with the usual extension to the case where q = , have C(p,q)< . The authors prove that [formula] and [formula] 2000 Mathematics Subject Classification 30D55, 30A10.     

Strong Weighted Mean Summability and Kuttner's Theorem

In this paper we study sequence spaces that arise from the conceptof strong weighted mean summability. Let q = (q_n) be a sequenceof positive terms and set Q_n = ⁿ_k=1q_k. Then the weighted meanmatrix M_q = (a_nk) is defined by if kn, a_nk=0 if k>n. It is well known that M_q defines a regular summability methodif and only if Q_n. Passing to strong summability, we let 0<p<.Then , are the spaces of all sequences that are strongly M_q-summablewith index p to 0, strongly M_q-summable with index p and stronglyM_q-bounded with index p, respectively. The most important specialcase is obtained by taking M_q = C₁, the Cesàro matrix,which leads to the familiar sequence spaces w₀(p), w(p) and w(p), respectively, see [4, 21]. We remark that strong summabilitywas first studied by Hardy and Littlewood [8] in 1913 when theyapplied strong Cesàro summability of index 1 and 2 toFourier series; orthogonal series have remained the main areaof application for strong summability. See [32, 6] for furtherreferences. When we abstract from the needs of summability theory certainfeatures of the above sequence spaces become irrelevant; forinstance, the q_k simply constitute a diagonal transform. Hence,from a sequence space theoretic point of view we are led tostudy the spaces     

A Matrix Setting for the q-Schur Algebra

The Schur algebra S(n, r) has a basis (described in [6, 2.3])consisting of certain elements _i,j, where i, jI(n, r), the setof all ordered r-tuples of elements from the set n={1, 2, ...,n}. The multiplication of two such basis elements is given bya formula known as Schur's product rule. In recent years, aq-analogue S_q(n, r) of the Schur algebra has been investigatedby a number of authors, particularly Dipper and James [3, 4].The main result of the present paper, Theorem 3.6, shows howto embed the q-Schur algebra in the rth tensor power T^r(M_n)of the nxn matrix ring. This embedding allows products in theq-Schur algebra to be computed in a straightforward manner,and gives a method for generalising results on S(n, r) to S_q(n,r). In particular we shall make use of this embedding in subsequentwork to prove a straightening formula in S_q(n, r) which generalisesthe straightening formula for codeterminants due to Woodcock[12]. We shall be working mainly with three types of algebra: thequantized enveloping algebra U(gl_n) corresponding to the Liealgebra gl_n, the q-Schur algebra S_q(n, r), and the Hecke algebra,H(A_r–1). It is often convenient, in the case of the q-Schuralgebra and the Hecke algebra, to introduce a square root ofthe usual parameter q which will be denoted by v, as in [5].This corresponds to the parameter v in U(gl_n). We shall denotethis ‘extended’ version of the q-Schur algebra byS_v(n, r), and we shall usually refer to it as the v-Schur algebra.All three algebras are associative and have multiplicative identities,and the base field will be the field of rational functions,Q(v), unless otherwise stated. The symbols n and r shall bereserved for the integers given in the definitions of thesethree algebras.     

A remark on the representation of Zolotarev polynomials

Zolotarev polynomials are the polynomials that have minimaldeviation from zero on [–1, 1] with respect to the norm||xⁿ – x^n–1 + a_n–2 x^n–2 + ... + a₁x+ a_n|| for given and for all a_k . This note complements the paper of F. Pehersforfer [J. LondonMath. Soc. (1) 74 (2006) 143–153] with exact (not asymptotic)construction of the Zolotarev polynomials with respect to thenorm L₁ for || < 1 and with respect to the norm L₂ for || 1 in the form of Bernstein–Szegö orthogonal polynomials.For all in L₁ and L₂ norms, the Zolotarev polynomials satisfyexactly (not asymptotically) the triple recurrence relationof the Chebyshev polynomials.     

Regularity of Rees Algebras

Let B = k[x₁, ..., x_n] be a polynomial ring over a field k,and let A be a quotient ring of B by a homogeneous ideal J.Let m denote the maximal graded ideal of A. Then the Rees algebraR = A[m t] also has a presentation as a quotient ring of thepolynomial ring k[x₁, ..., x_n, y₁, ..., y_n] by a homogeneousideal J^*. For instance, if A = k[x₁, ..., x_n], then Rk[x₁,...,x_n,y₁,...,y_n]/(x_iy_j–x_jy_i|i, j=1,...,n). In this paper we want to compare the homological propertiesof the homogeneous ideals J and J^*.     

The n-Fold Central Haagerup Tensor Product

This paper defines the n-fold central Haagerup tensor product of a von Neumann algebra R, and shows that the map given by ([a₁a₂...a_n])(x₁, x₂, ...,x_n–1)=a₁x₁a₂x₂...x_n–1a_n is an isometry.     

Analytic Tridiagonal Reproducing Kernels

The paper characterizes the reproducing kernel Hilbert spaceswith orthonormal bases of the form {(a_n,0+a_n,1z+...+a_n,Jz^J)zⁿ,n 0}. The primary focus is on the tridiagonal case where J= 1, and on how it compares with the diagonal case where J =0. The question of when multiplication by z is a bounded operatoris investigated, and aspects of this operator are discussed.In the diagonal case, M_z is a weighted unilateral shift. Itis shown that in the tridiagonal case, this need not be so,and an example is given in which the commutant of M_z on a tridiagonalspace is strikingly different from that on any diagonal space.     

On the Discreteness and Convergence in n-Dimensional Mobius Groups

Throughout this paper, we adopt the same notations as in [1,6, 8] such as the Möbius group M(Rⁿ), the Clifford algebraC_n–1, the Clifford matrix group SL(2, _n), the Cliffordnorm of ||A||=(|a|²+|b|²+|c|²+|d|²) (1) and the Clifford metric of SL(2, _n) or of the Möbius groupM(Rⁿ) d(A₁,A₂)=||A₁–A₂||(|a₁–a₂|²+|b₁–b₂|²+|c₁–c₂|²+|d₁–d₂|²)(2) where |·| is the norm of a Clifford number and represents f_i M(), i = 1,2, and so on. In addition, we adopt some notions in [6, 12]:the elementary group, the uniformly bounded torsion, and soon. For example, the definition of the uniformly bounded torsionis as follows.     

An Optimal Representation Formula for Carnot-Caratheodory Vector Fields

The simplest example of the sort of representation formula thatwe shall study is the following familiar inequality for a smooth,real-valued function f(x) defined on a ball B in N-dimensionalEuclidean space R^N: [formula] where f denotes the gradient of f, f_B is the average |B|^–1_Bf(y)dy, |B| is the Lebesgue measure of B, and C is a constantwhich is independent of f, x and B. This formula can be found,for example, in [4] and [12]; see also the closely related estimatesin [20, pp. 228{231]. Indeed, such a formula holds in any boundedconvex domain. 1991 Mathematics Subject Classification 31B10,46E35, 35A22.     

Animals, Trees and Renewal Sequences: Corrigendum

IN SECTION 3 of the above we omitted to mention aperiodicity.The period p of the pseudo renewal sequence {a_n: n > 0} isgiven by p = g.c.d. {n > 1: a_n > 0}. We are only concernedwith aperiodic renewal sequences (i.e. where p = 1). As it standsTheorem 3.1 is incorrect and should be restated as: THEOREM 3.1 If a = (a_n: n = 0,1,...) is an aperiodic pseudo-renewalsequence its limit a satisfies g_na^–n > 1 where a^–1 is to be interpreted as; if a = 0.     

A multigrid-type method for thin plate spline interpolation on a circle

We consider the problem of thin plate spline interpolation ton equally spaced points on a circle, where the number of datapoints is sufficiently large for work of O(n³ to be unacceptable.We develop an iterative multigrid-type method, each iterationcomprising ngrid stages, and n being an integer multiple of2^ngrid–1. We let the first grid, V₁ be the full set ofdata points, V say, and each subsequent (coarser) grid, V_k,k=2, 3,...,ngrid, contain exactly half of the data points ofthe preceding (finer) grid, these data points being equallyspaced. At each stage of the iteration, we correct our current approximationto the thin plate spline interpolant by an estimate of the interpolantto the current residuals on V_k, where the correction is constructedfrom Lagrange functions of interpolation on small local subsetsof p data points in V_k. When the coarsest grid is reached, however,then the interpolation problem is solved exactly on its q=n/2^ngrid–1points. The iterative process continues until the maximum residualdoes not exceed a specified tolerance. Each iteration has the effect of premultiplying the vector ofresiduals by an n x n matrix R, and thus convergence will dependupon the spectral radius, (R), of this matrix. We investigatethe dependence of the spectral radius on the values of n, p,and q. In all the cases we have considered, we find (R) <<1, and thus rapid convergence is assured.     

Metrical Theorems on Prime Values of the Integer Parts of Real Sequences II

Let [ ] denote the integer part. Among other results in [3]we gave a complete solution to the following problem. PROBLEM. Given an increasing sequence a_n R⁺, n = 1, 2, ...,where a_n as n , are there infinitely many primes in the sequence[a_n] for almost all ?     

On a question of Sarkozy and Sos for bilinear forms

We prove that, if 2 k₁ k₂, then there is no infinite sequence of positive integers such that the representation functionr(n) = #{(a, a'): n = k₁a + k₂a', a, a' } is constant for nlarge enough. This result completes the previous work of Diracand Moser for the special case k₁ = 1 and answers a questionposed by Sárkozy and Sós.