Splitting (complicated) surfaces is hard

Let be an orientable combinatorial surface. A cycle on is splitting if it has no self-intersections and it partitions into two components, neither of which is homeomorphic to a disk. In other words, splitting cycles are simple, separating, and non-contractible. We prove that finding the shortest splitting cycle on a combinatorial surface is NP-hard but fixed-parameter tractable with respect to the surface genus g and the number of boundary components b of the surface. Specifically, we describe an algorithm to compute the shortest splitting cycle in (g+b)^O(g+b)nlogn time, where n is the complexity of the combinatorial surface.     

CERES in higher-order logic

We define a generalization of the first-order cut-elimination method CERES to higher-order logic. At the core of lies the computation of an (unsatisfiable) set of sequents (the characteristic sequent set) from a proof π of a sequent S. A refutation of in a higher-order resolution calculus can be used to transform cut-free parts of π (the proof projections) into a cut-free proof of S. An example illustrates the method and shows that can produce meaningful cut-free proofs in mathematics that traditional cut-elimination methods cannot reach.     

Mixed expansion formula for the rectangular Schur functions and the affine Lie algebra

Formulas are obtained that express the Schur S-functions indexed by Young diagrams of rectangular shape as linear combinations of “mixed” products of Schur's S- and Q-functions. The proof is achieved by using representations of the affine Lie algebra of type . A realization of the basic representation that is of “”-type plays the central role.     

The Burnside ring of fusion systems

Given a saturated fusion system on a finite p-group S we define a ring modeled on the Burnside ring of finite groups. We show that these rings have several properties in common. When is the fusion system of G we describe the relationship between these rings.     

Involutions of reductive Lie algebras in positive characteristic

Let G be a reductive group over a field k of characteristic ≠2, let , let θ be an involutive automorphism of G and let be the associated symmetric space decomposition. For the case of a ground field of characteristic zero, the action of the isotropy group G^θ on is well understood, since the well-known paper of Kostant and Rallis [B. Kostant, S. Rallis, Orbits and representations associated with symmetric spaces, Amer. J. Math. 93 (1971) 753–809]. Such a theory in positive characteristic has proved more difficult to develop. Here we use an approach based on some tools from geometric invariant theory to establish corresponding results in (good) positive characteristic.Among other results, we prove that the variety of nilpotent elements of has a dense open orbit, and that the same is true for every fibre of the quotient map . However, we show that the corresponding statement for G, conjectured by Richardson, is not true. We provide a new, (mostly) calculation-free proof of the number of irreducible components of , extending a result of Sekiguchi for . Finally, we apply a theorem of Skryabin to describe the infinitesimal invariants .     

Conditional limiting distribution of beta-independent random vectors

The paper deals with random vectors in , possessing the stochastic representation , where R is a positive random radius independent of the random vector and is a non-singular matrix. If is uniformly distributed on the unit sphere of , then for any integer m<d we have the stochastic representations and , with W≥0, such that W² is a beta distributed random variable with parameters m/2,(d−m)/2 and (U₁,…,U_m),(U_m+1,…,U_d) are independent uniformly distributed on the unit spheres of and , respectively. Assuming a more general stochastic representation for in this paper we introduce the class of beta-independent random vectors. For this new class we derive several conditional limiting results assuming that R has a distribution function in the max-domain of attraction of a univariate extreme value distribution function. We provide two applications concerning the Kotz approximation of the conditional distributions and the tail asymptotic behaviour of beta-independent bivariate random vectors.     

Uniqueness of limit cycles for polynomial first-order differential equations

We study the uniqueness of limit cycles (periodic solutions that are isolated in the set of periodic solutions) in the scalar ODE in terms of {i_k}, {j_k}, {n_k}. Our main result characterizes, under some additional hypotheses, the exponents {i_k}, {j_k}, {n_k}, such that for any choice of the equation has at most one limit cycle. The obtained results have direct application to rigid planar vector fields, thus, planar systems of the form x^′=y+xR(x,y), y^′=−x+yR(x,y), where . Concretely, when the set has at least three elements (or exactly one) and another technical condition is satisfied, we characterize the exponents {i_k}, {j_k} such that the origin of the rigid system is a center for any choice of and also when there are no limit cycles surrounding the origin for any choice of .     

Binary Hermitian forms over a cyclotomic field

Let ζ be a primitive fifth root of unity and let F be the cyclotomic field . Let be the ring of integers. We compute the Voronoï polyhedron of binary Hermitian forms over F and classify -conjugacy classes of perfect forms. The combinatorial data of this polyhedron can be used to compute the cohomology of the arithmetic group and Hecke eigenforms.     

Edge, vertex and mixed fault diameters

Let denote the maximum diameter among all subgraphs obtained by deleting q edges of G. Let denote the maximum diameter among all subgraphs obtained by deleting p vertices of G. We prove that for all meaningful a. We also define mixed fault diameter , where p vertices and q edges are deleted at the same time. We prove that for 0<la, , and give some examples.     

Variations on a theme of Jost and Pais

We explore the extent to which a variant of a celebrated formula due to Jost and Pais, which reduces the Fredholm perturbation determinant associated with the Schrödinger operator on a half-line to a simple Wronski determinant of appropriate distributional solutions of the underlying Schrödinger equation, generalizes to higher dimensions. In this multi-dimensional extension the half-line is replaced by an open set , , n2, where Ω has a compact, nonempty boundary ∂Ω satisfying certain regularity conditions. Our variant involves ratios of perturbation determinants corresponding to Dirichlet and Neumann boundary conditions on ∂Ω and invokes the corresponding Dirichlet-to-Neumann map. As a result, we succeed in reducing a certain ratio of modified Fredholm perturbation determinants associated with operators in L²(Ω;dⁿx), , to modified Fredholm determinants associated with operators in L²(∂Ω;dⁿ⁻¹σ), n2. Applications involving the Birman–Schwinger principle and eigenvalue counting functions are discussed.     

On approximation properties of a family of linear operators at critical value of parameter

We introduce the family of linear operators

associated to a certain “admissible bunch” of operators S_t, t>0, acting on , and investigate the approximation properties of this family as α→0⁺. We give some applications to the Riesz and the Bessel potentials generated by the ordinary (Euclidean) and generalized translations.     

Removing even crossings on surfaces

In this paper we investigate how certain results related to the Hanani–Tutte theorem can be extended from the plane to surfaces. We give a simple topological proof that the weak Hanani–Tutte theorem is true on arbitrary surfaces, both orientable and non-orientable. We apply these results and the proof techniques to obtain new and old results about generalized thrackles, including that every bipartite generalized thrackle on a surface S can be embedded on S. We also extend to arbitrary surfaces a result of Pach and Tóth that allows the redrawing of a graph so as to remove all crossings with even edges. From this we can conclude that , the crossing number of a graph G on surface S, is bounded by , where is the odd crossing number of G on surface S. Finally, we prove that whenever , for any surface S.     

Varieties of modules for

Let k be an algebraically closed field of characteristic 2. We prove that the restricted nilpotent commuting variety , that is the set of pairs of (n×n)-matrices (A,B) such that A²=B²=[A,B]=0, is equidimensional. can be identified with the ‘variety of n-dimensional modules’ for , or equivalently, for k[X,Y]/(X²,Y²). On the other hand, we provide an example showing that the restricted nilpotent commuting variety is not equidimensional for fields of characteristic >2. We also prove that if e²=0 then the set of elements of the centralizer of e whose square is zero is equidimensional. Finally, we express each irreducible component of as a direct sum of indecomposable components of varieties of -modules.     

Minimal triangulations of sphere bundles over the circle

For integers d?2 and ε=0 or 1, let S1,d−1(ε) denote the sphere product S¹×Sd−1 if ε=0 and the twisted sphere product if ε=1. The main results of this paper are: (a) if then S1,d−1(ε) has a unique minimal triangulation using 2d+3 vertices, and (b) if then S1,d−1(ε) has minimal triangulations (not unique) using 2d+4 vertices. In this context, a minimal triangulation of a manifold is a triangulation using the least possible number of vertices. The second result confirms a recent conjecture of Lutz. The first result provides the first known infinite family of closed manifolds (other than spheres) for which the minimal triangulation is unique. Actually, we show that while S1,d−1(ε) has at most one (2d+3)-vertex triangulation (one if , zero otherwise), in sharp contrast, the number of non-isomorphic (2d+4)-vertex triangulations of these d-manifolds grows exponentially with d for either choice of ε. The result in (a), as well as the minimality part in (b), is a consequence of the following result: (c) for d?3, there is a unique (2d+3)-vertex simplicial complex which triangulates a non-simply connected closed manifold of dimension d. This amazing simplicial complex was first constructed by Kühnel in 1986. Generalizing a 1987 result of Brehm and Kühnel, we prove that (d) any triangulation of a non-simply connected closed d-manifold requires at least 2d+3 vertices. The result (c) completely describes the case of equality in (d). The proofs rest on the Lower Bound Theorem for normal pseudomanifolds and on a combinatorial version of Alexander duality.     

Ore-type and Dirac-type theorems for matroids

Let M be a connected binary matroid having no -minor. Let be a collection of cocircuits of M. We prove there is a circuit intersecting all cocircuits of if either one of two things hold:

(i) For any two disjoint cocircuits and in it holds that .

(ii) For any two disjoint cocircuits and in it holds that .

Part (ii) implies Ore's Theorem, a well-known theorem giving sufficient conditions for the existence of a hamilton cycle in a graph. As an application of part (i), it is shown that if M is a k-connected regular matroid and has cocircumference c^*2k, then there is a circuit which intersects each cocircuit of size c^*−k+2 or greater.We also extend a theorem of Dirac for graphs by showing that for any k-connected binary matroid M having no -minor, it holds that for any k cocircuits of M there is a circuit which intersects them.     

All-derivable points in continuous nest algebras

Let be an operator algebra on a Hilbert space. We say that an element is an all-derivable point of for the strong operator topology if every strong operator topology continuous derivable linear mapping φ at G (i.e. φ(ST)=φ(S)T+Sφ(T) for any with ST=G) is a derivation. Let be a continuous nest on a complex and separable Hilbert space H. We show in this paper that every orthogonal projection operator P(M) () is an all-derivable point of for the strong operator topology.     

A characterization of the natural embedding of the split Cayley hexagon in by intersection numbers

In this paper, we prove that a set of q⁵+q⁴+q³+q²+q+1 lines of with the properties that (1) every point of is incident with either 0 or q+1 elements of , (2) every plane of is incident with either 0, 1 or q+1 elements of , (3) every solid of is incident with either 0, 1, q+1 or 2q+1 elements of , and (4) every hyperplane of is incident with at most q³+3q²+3q members of , is necessarily the set of lines of a regularly embedded split Cayley generalized hexagon in .     

Exchangeable measures for subshifts

Let Ω be a Borel subset of where S is countable. A measure is called exchangeable on Ω, if it is supported on Ω and is invariant under every Borel automorphism of Ω which permutes at most finitely many coordinates. De-Finetti's theorem characterizes these measures when . We apply the ergodic theory of equivalence relations to study the case , and obtain versions of this theorem when Ω is a countable state Markov shift, and when Ω is the collection of beta expansions of real numbers in [0,1] (a non-Markovian constraint).     

Sharp tridiagonal pairs

Let denote a field and let V denote a vector space over with finite positive dimension. We consider a pair of -linear transformations A:V→V and A^*:V→V that satisfies the following conditions: (i) each of A,A^* is diagonalizable; (ii) there exists an ordering of the eigenspaces of A such that A^*V_iV_i-1+V_i+V_i+1 for 0id, where V_-1=0 and V_d+1=0; (iii) there exists an ordering of the eigenspaces of A^* such that for 0iδ, where and ; (iv) there is no subspace W of V such that AWW, A^*WW, W≠0, W≠V. We call such a pair a tridiagonal pair on V. It is known that d=δ and for 0id the dimensions of coincide. We say the pair A,A^* is sharp whenever dimV₀=1. A conjecture of Tatsuro Ito and the second author states that if is algebraically closed then A,A^* is sharp. In order to better understand and eventually prove the conjecture, in this paper we begin a systematic study of the sharp tridiagonal pairs. Our results are summarized as follows. Assuming A,A^* is sharp and using the data we define a finite sequence of scalars called the parameter array. We display some equations that show the geometric significance of the parameter array. We show how the parameter array is affected if Φ is replaced by or or . We prove that if the isomorphism class of Φ is determined by the parameter array then there exists a nondegenerate symmetric bilinear form , on V such that Au,v=u,Av and A^*u,v=u,A^*v for all u,vV.