Symplectic invariants of semitoric systems and the inverse problem for quantum systems

Simple semitoric systems were classified about ten years ago in terms of a collection of invariants, essentially given by a convex polygon with some marked points corresponding to focus-focus singularities. Each marked point is endowed with labels which are symplectic invariants of the system. We will review the construction of these invariants, and explain how they have been generalized or applied in different contexts. One of these applications concerns quantum integrable systems and the corresponding inverse problem, which asks how much information of the associated classical system can be found in the spectrum. An approach to this problem has been to try to compute invariants in the spectrum. We will explain how this has been recently achieved for some of the invariants of semitoric systems, and discuss an open question in this direction.     

On the cotangent cohomology of rational surface singularities with almost reduced fundamental cycle

We prove dimension formulas for the cotangent spaces T ¹ and T ² for a class of rational surface singularities by calculating a correction term in the general dimension formulas. We get that it is zero if the dual graph of the rational surface singularity X does not contain a particular type of configurations, and this generalizes a result of Theo de Jong stating that the correction term c (X ) is zero for rational determinantal surface singularities. In particular our result implies that c (X ) is zero for Riemenschneiders quasi‐determinantal rational surface singularities, and this also generalizes results for quotient singularities. (© 2006 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

On the existence of a stable limit cycle to a piecewise linear system in R2

The present paper is devoted to the existence of limit cycles of planar piecewise linear (PWL) systems with two zones separated by a straight line and singularity of type “focus-focus” and “focus-center.” Our investigation is a supplement to the classification of Freire et al concerning the existence and number of the limit cycles depending on certain parameters. To prove existence of a stable limit cycle in the case “focus-center,” we use a pure geometric approach. In the case “focus-focus,” we prove existence of a special configuration of five parameters leading to the existence of a unique stable limit cycle, whose period can be found by solving a transcendent equation. An estimate of this period is obtained. We apply this theory on a two-dimensional system describing the qualitative behavior of a two-dimensional excitable membrane model.     

Maskit combinations of Poincaré-Einstein metrics

We establish a boundary connected sum theorem for asymptotically hyperbolic Einstein metrics, and also show that if the two metrics have scalar positive conformal infinities, then the same is true for this boundary join. This construction is also extended to spaces with a finite number of interior conic singularities, and as a result we show that any 3-manifold which is a finite connected sum of quotients of S³ and S²×S¹ bounds such a space (with conic singularities); putatively, any 3-manifold admitting a metric of positive scalar curvature is of this form.     

Flache T1-Stabilität in der Strati-fizierung verseller Entfaltungen

Let 0 be the local ring of a simple singularity defined over the complex numbers and the dimension of its versal deformation space. Than it is well known that any nearby singularity in this space is also simple and has smaller unfolding dimension in the hierarchy of simple singularities. In particular this implies that the =max-stratum consists just of one point namely the given singularity. We want to generalize this concept as we are interested in families of varieties with formal unchanged singularities. For this we introduce in quite generality the notion of flat T¹-stabi1ity which may be checked for any k- algebra 0 where k is for simplicity an algebraically closed field of à priori arbitrary characteristics. We call 0 formal flat T¹ stable or for short flat T¹-stable if the following is true: if R is any deformation of 0 over an Artin local finite k-algebra A and if T¹(R/A,R) is A-flat than R is isomorphic to the trivial deformation . T¹(R/A,R) is the first cotangent module of R over A with values in R. Obviously the simple singularities A_k, D_k, E₆, E₇, E₈ fulfill this criterion over C but we look also at fibres of arbitrary stable map germs, generic singularities of algebraic varieties where we have to modify this notion in order to deal with wild ramification and to quasihomo-genous hypersurface singularities where it functorializes because in this case T¹ commutes with arbitrary base change. The notion of flat T¹-stable singularities is closely related to questions of existence of equisingular families and is used in[12] and [5], [6] to stratify certain Hilbert schemes.     

On the string-theoretic Euler number of a class of absolutely isolated singularities

An explicit computation of the so-called string-theoretic E-function of a normal complex variety X with at most log-terminal singularities can be achieved by constructing one snc-desingularization of X, accompanied with the intersection graph of the exceptional prime divisors, and with the precise knowledge of their structure. In the present paper, it is shown that this is feasible for the case in which X is the underlying space of a class of absolutely isolated singularities (including both usual ? _n -singularities and Fermat singularities of arbitrary dimension). As byproduct of the exact evaluation of lim, for this class of singularities, one gets counterexamples to a conjecture of Batyrev concerning the boundedness of the string-theoretic index. Finally, the string-theoretic Euler number is also computed for global complete intersections in ℙ_ℂ ^N with prescribed singularities of the above type. Received: 2 January 2001 / Revised version: 22 May 2001     

On a Uniform Treatment of Darboux’s Method

Let F(z) be an analytic function in |z| < 1. If F(z) has only a finite number of algebraic singularities on the unit circle |z| = 1, then Darbouxs method can be used to give an asymptotic expansion for the coefficient of zⁿ in the Maclaurin expansion of F(z). However, the validity of this expansion ceases to hold, when the singularities are allowed to approach each other. A special case of this confluence was studied by Fields in 1968. His results have been considered by others to be too complicated, and desires have been expressed to investigate whether any simplification is feasible. In this paper, we shall show that simplification is indeed possible. In the case of two coalescing algebraic singularities, our expansion involves only two Bessel functions of the first kind.     

The theorem of Mather on generic projections in the setting of algebraic geometry

We present the proof of the theorem of Mather on generic projections, stated in the setting of algebraic geometry. The main tools used are the Thom-Boardman singularities in the jet space. This theorem has been applied in the study of codimension two submanifold ofP ⁿ and it seems that it could have further applications. Work partially supported by MURST     

Singular solutions of the Poisson equation at edges of three‐dimensional domains and their treatment with a predictor–corrector finite element method

Solutions of boundary value problems in three‐dimensional domains with edges may exhibit singularities which are known to influence both the accuracy of the finite element solutions and the rate of convergence in the error estimates. This paper considers boundary value problems for the Poisson equation on typical domains Ω ? ?³ with edge singularities and presents, on the one hand, explicit computational formulas for the flux intensity functions. On the other hand, it proposes and analyzes a nonconforming finite element method on regular meshes for the efficient treatment of the singularities. The novelty of the present method is the use of the explicit formulas for the flux intensity functions in defining a postprocessing procedure in the finite element approximation of the solution. A priori error estimates in H¹(Ω) show that the present algorithm exhibits the same rate of convergence as it is known for problems with regular solutions.     

Singularities on the boundaries of magnetorotational instabilities and scaling laws

In the theory of magnetorotational instability and its modern extensions such as the helical MRI, non-trivial scaling laws between the critical parameters are observed. In case of the standard MRI it is well known that the Reynolds and Hartmann numbers are scaled as Re ∼ Ha² while for the helical MRI Re ∼ Ha³ . What is less known is that the thresholds of SMRI and HMRI plotted as surfaces in the space of parameters, possess singularities that determine the scaling laws. Moreover, the two paradoxes of SMRI and HMRI in the limits of infinite and zero magnetic Prandtl number (Pm), respectively, sharply correspond to the singularities on the instability thresholds. In either case, it is the local Plücker conoid structure that explains the non-uniqueness of the critical Rossby number, and its crucial dependence on the Lundquist number. For HMRI, we have found an extension of the former Liu limit Ro_c ≃ −0.828 (valid for Lu = 0 ) to a somewhat higher value Ro ≃ −0.802 at Lu = 0.618 which is, however, still below the Kepler value. (© 2011 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

The Kodaira Embedding Theorem for Kähler varieties with isolated singularities

The Kodaira Embedding Theorem is extended to Kähler varieties with isolated singularities. UsingL ² estimates for the bundle-valued \(\bar \partial - operator\) , it is shown that a necessary and sufficient condition for a compact normal Kähler variety with isolated singularities to be biholomorphic to a projective-algebraic variety is that the variety admit a holomorphic line bundle that is positive when restricted to the regular part of the variety.     

Rational, Log Canonical, Du Bois Singularities: On the Conjectures of Kollár and Steenbrink

Let X be a proper complex variety with Du Bois singularities. Then H(X, ⁱ) H ⁱ(X, _X) is surjective for all i. This property makes this class of singularities behave well with regard to Kodaira type vanishing theorems. Steenbrink conjectured that rational singularities are Du Bois and Kollér conjectured that log canonical singularities are Du Bois. Kollér also conjectured that under some reasonable extra conditions Du Bois singularities are log canonical. In this article Steenbrink's conjecture is proved in its full generality, Kollér's first conjecture is proved under some extra conditions and Kollér's second conjecture is proved under a set of reasonable conditions, and shown that these conditions cannot be relaxed.     

Tilting on non-commutative rational projective curves

In this article we introduce a new class of non-commutative projective curves and show that in certain cases the derived category of coherent sheaves on them has a tilting complex. In particular, we prove that the right bounded derived category of coherent sheaves on a reduced rational projective curve with only nodes and cusps as singularities, can be fully faithfully embedded into the right bounded derived category of the finite dimensional representations of a certain finite dimensional algebra of global dimension two. As an application of our approach we show that the dimension of the bounded derived category of coherent sheaves on a rational projective curve with only nodal or cuspidal singularities is at most two. In the case of the Kodaira cycles of projective lines, the corresponding tilted algebras belong to a well-known class of gentle algebras. We work out in details the tilting equivalence in the case of the Weierstrass nodal curve zy ² = x ³ + x ² z.     

The canonical sheaf of Du Bois singularities

We prove that a Cohen-Macaulay normal variety X has Du Bois singularities if and only if π_∗ωX^′(G)?ωX for a log resolution π:X^′→X, where G is the reduced exceptional divisor of π. Many basic theorems about Du Bois singularities become transparent using this characterization (including the fact that Cohen-Macaulay log canonical singularities are Du Bois). We also give a straightforward and self-contained proof that (generalizations of) semi-log-canonical singularities are Du Bois, in the Cohen-Macaulay case. It also follows that the Kodaira vanishing theorem holds for semi-log-canonical varieties and that Cohen-Macaulay semi-log-canonical singularities are cohomologically insignificant in the sense of Dolgachev.     

Singularities of Lagrangian mean curvature flow: zero-Maslov class case

We study singularities of Lagrangian mean curvature flow in ℂ ⁿ when the initial condition is a zero-Maslov class Lagrangian. We start by showing that, in this setting, singularities are unavoidable. More precisely, we construct Lagrangians with arbitrarily small Lagrangian angle and Lagrangians which are Hamiltonian isotopic to a plane that, nevertheless, develop finite time singularities under mean curvature flow. We then prove two theorems regarding the tangent flow at a singularity when the initial condition is a zero-Maslov class Lagrangian. The first one (Theorem A) states that that the rescaled flow at a singularity converges weakly to a finite union of area-minimizing Lagrangian cones. The second theorem (Theorem B) states that, under the additional assumptions that the initial condition is an almost-calibrated and rational Lagrangian, connected components of the rescaled flow converges to a single area-minimizing Lagrangian cone, as opposed to a possible non-area-minimizing union of area-minimizing Lagrangian cones. The latter condition is dense for Lagrangians with finitely generated H ₁(L,ℤ).     

Determinantal Rational Surface Singularities

In this paper we give explicit equations for determinantal rational surface singularities and prove dimension formulas for the T ¹ and T ² for those singularities.     

On smooth foliations with Morse singularities

Let M be a smooth manifold and let F be a codimension one, C^∞ foliation on M, with isolated singularities of Morse type. The study and classification of pairs (M,F) is a challenging (and difficult) problem. In this setting, a classical result due to Reeb (1946) [11] states that a manifold admitting a foliation with exactly two center-type singularities is a sphere. In particular this is true if the foliation is given by a function. Along these lines a result due to Eells and Kuiper (1962) [4] classifies manifolds having a real-valued function admitting exactly three non-degenerate singular points. In the present paper, we prove a generalization of the above mentioned results. To do this, we first describe the possible arrangements of pairs of singularities and the corresponding codimension one invariant sets, and then we give an elimination procedure for suitable center-saddle and some saddle-saddle configurations (of consecutive indices).In the second part, we investigate if other classical results, such as Haefliger and Novikov (Compact Leaf) theorems, proved for regular foliations, still hold true in presence of singularities. At this purpose, in the singular set, Sing(F) of the foliation F, we consider weakly stable components, that we define as those components admitting a neighborhood where all leaves are compact. If Sing(F) admits only weakly stable components, given by smoothly embedded curves diffeomorphic to S¹, we are able to extend Haefliger?s theorem. Finally, the existence of a closed curve, transverse to the foliation, leads us to state a Novikov-type result.     

Polynomial vector fields on the torus

In this paper it is shown that the structurally stable polynomial vector fields on the torusT ², with singularities, are open and dense in the set of such vector fields. Many kinds of distinct dynamical phenomena are also presented by a list of examples including the Cherry flows. The above result works for analytical vector fields onT ² with the same proof.     

Contractible affine surfaces with quotient singularities

We consider contractible affine surfaces of negative Kodaira dimension with only quotient singularities. We prove that the smooth locus of such a surface has negative Kodaira dimension. It follows that if such a surface has only one singular point, then it is isomorphic to a quotient C²/G, where G is a finite group acting linearly on C².