The geometry of p-convex intersection bodies

Busemann's theorem states that the intersection body of an origin-symmetric convex body is also convex. In this paper we provide a version of Busemann's theorem for p-convex bodies. We show that the intersection body of a p-convex body is q-convex for certain q. Furthermore, we discuss the sharpness of the previous result by constructing an appropriate example. This example is also used to show that IK, the intersection body of K, can be much farther away from the Euclidean ball than K. Finally, we extend these theorems to some general measure spaces with log-concave and s-concave measures.     

Positive definite distributions and normed spaces

We answer a question of Alex Koldobsky. We show that for each −∞<p<2 and each n?3−p there is a normed space X of dimension n which embeds in Ls if and only if −n<s?p.     

The quaternionic evolution operator

In the recent years, the notion of slice regular functions has allowed the introduction of a quaternionic functional calculus. In this paper, motivated also by the applications in quaternionic quantum mechanics, see Adler (1995) [1], we study the quaternionic semigroups and groups generated by a quaternionic (bounded or unbounded) linear operator T=T₀+iT₁+jT₂+kT₃. It is crucial to note that we consider operators with components T?(?=0,1,2,3) that do not necessarily commute. Among other results, we prove the quaternionic version of the classical Hille–Phillips–Yosida theorem. This result is based on the fact that the Laplace transform of the quaternionic semigroup etT is the S-resolvent operator , the quaternionic analogue of the classical resolvent operator. The noncommutative setting entails that the results we obtain are somewhat different from their analogues in the complex setting. In particular, we have four possible formulations according to the use of left or right slice regular functions for left or right linear operators.     

New affine measures of symmetry for convex bodies

Grünbaum introduced measures of symmetry for convex bodies that measure how far a given convex body is from a centrally symmetric one. Here, we introduce new measures of symmetry that measure how far a given convex body is from one with “enough symmetries”.To define these new measures of symmetry, we use affine covariant points. We give examples of convex bodies whose affine covariant points are “far apart”. In particular, we give an example of a convex body whose centroid and Santaló point are “far apart”.     

Reverse inequalities for zonoids and their application

We prove inequalities for mixed volumes of zonoids with isotropic generating measures. A special case is an inequality for zonoids that is reverse to the generalized Urysohn inequality, between mean width and another intrinsic volume; here the equality case characterizes parallelepipeds. We apply this to a question from stochastic geometry. It is known that among the stationary Poisson hyperplane processes of given positive intensity in n-dimensional Euclidean space, the ones with rotation invariant distribution are characterized by the fact that they yield, for k∈{2,…,n}, the maximal intensity of the intersection process of order k. We show that, if the kth intersection density is measured in an affine-invariant way, the processes of hyperplanes with only n fixed directions are characterized by a corresponding minimum property.     

On the local equatorial characterization of zonoids and intersection bodies

In this paper we show that there is no local equatorial characterization of zonoids in odd dimensions. This gives a negative answer to the conjecture posed by W. Weil in 1977 and shows that the local equatorial characterization of zonoids may be given only in even dimensions. In addition we prove a similar result for intersection bodies and show that there is no local characterization of these bodies.     

The isomorphism problem for some universal operator algebras

This paper addresses the isomorphism problem for the universal (non-self-adjoint) operator algebras generated by a row contraction subject to homogeneous polynomial relations. We find that two such algebras are isometrically isomorphic if and only if the defining polynomial relations are the same up to a unitary change of variables, and that this happens if and only if the associated subproduct systems are isomorphic. The proof makes use of the complex analytic structure of the character space, together with some recent results on subproduct systems. Restricting attention to commutative operator algebras defined by a radical ideal of relations yields strong resemblances with classical algebraic geometry. These commutative operator algebras turn out to be algebras of analytic functions on algebraic varieties. We prove a projective Nullstellensatz connecting closed ideals and their zero sets. Under some technical assumptions, we find that two such algebras are isomorphic as algebras if and only if they are similar, and we obtain a clear geometrical picture of when this happens. This result is obtained with tools from algebraic geometry, reproducing kernel Hilbert spaces, and some new complex-geometric rigidity results of independent interest. The C^?-envelopes of these algebras are also determined. The Banach-algebraic and the algebraic classification results are shown to hold for the wot-closures of these algebras as well.     

Random quantum channels II: Entanglement of random subspaces, Rényi entropy estimates and additivity problems

In this paper we obtain new bounds for the minimum output entropies of random quantum channels. These bounds rely on random matrix techniques arising from free probability theory. We then revisit the counterexamples developed by Hayden and Winter to get violations of the additivity equalities for minimum output Rényi entropies. We show that random channels obtained by randomly coupling the input to a qubit violate the additivity of the p-Rényi entropy, for all p>1. For some sequences of random quantum channels, we compute almost surely the limit of their Schatten S₁→Sp norms.     

The eigenvalues and eigenvectors of finite, low rank perturbations of large random matrices

We consider the eigenvalues and eigenvectors of finite, low rank perturbations of random matrices. Specifically, we prove almost sure convergence of the extreme eigenvalues and appropriate projections of the corresponding eigenvectors of the perturbed matrix for additive and multiplicative perturbation models.The limiting non-random value is shown to depend explicitly on the limiting eigenvalue distribution of the unperturbed random matrix and the assumed perturbation model via integral transforms that correspond to very well-known objects in free probability theory that linearize non-commutative free additive and multiplicative convolution. Furthermore, we uncover a phase transition phenomenon whereby the large matrix limit of the extreme eigenvalues of the perturbed matrix differs from that of the original matrix if and only if the eigenvalues of the perturbing matrix are above a certain critical threshold. Square root decay of the eigenvalue density at the edge is sufficient to ensure that this threshold is finite. This critical threshold is intimately related to the same aforementioned integral transforms and our proof techniques bring this connection and the origin of the phase transition into focus. Consequently, our results extend the class of ‘spiked’ random matrix models about which such predictions (called the BBP phase transition) can be made well beyond the Wigner, Wishart and Jacobi random ensembles found in the literature. We examine the impact of this eigenvalue phase transition on the associated eigenvectors and observe an analogous phase transition in the eigenvectors. Various extensions of our results to the problem of non-extreme eigenvalues are discussed.     

The conjugate heat equation and Ancient solutions of the Ricci flow

We prove Gaussian type bounds for the fundamental solution of the conjugate heat equation evolving under the Ricci flow. As a consequence, for dimension 4 and higher, we show that the backward limit of Type I κ-solutions of the Ricci flow must be a non-flat gradient shrinking Ricci soliton. This extends Perelman?s previous result on backward limits of κ-solutions in dimension 3, in which case the curvature operator is nonnegative (it follows from Hamilton–Ivey curvature pinching estimate). As an application, this also addresses an issue left in Naber (2010) [23], where Naber proves the interesting result that there exists a Type I dilation limit that converges to a gradient shrinking Ricci soliton, but that soliton might be flat. The Gaussian bounds that we obtain on the fundamental solution of the conjugate heat equation under evolving metric might be of independent interest.     

Rank properties of subspaces of symmetric and hermitian matrices over finite fields

We investigate constant rank subspaces of symmetric and hermitian matrices over finite fields, using a double counting method related to the number of common zeros of the corresponding subspaces of symmetric bilinear and hermitian forms. We obtain optimal bounds for the dimensions of constant rank subspaces of hermitian matrices, and good bounds for the dimensions of subspaces of symmetric and hermitian matrices whose non-zero elements all have odd rank.     

A stable range for quadratic forms over commutative rings

A commutative ring A has quadratic stable range 1 (qsr(A) = 1) if each primitive binary quadratic form over A represents a unit. It is shown that qsr(A) = 1 implies that every primitive quadratic form over A represents a unit, A has stable range 1 and finitely generated constant rank projectives over A are free. A classification of quadratic forms is provided over Bezout domains with characteristic other than 2, quadratic stable range 1, and a strong approximation property for a certain subset of their maximum spectrum. These domains include rings of holomorphic functions on connected noncompact Riemann surfaces. Examples of localizations of rings of algebraic integers are provided to show that the classical concept of stable range does not behave well in either direction under finite integral extensions and that qsr(A) = 1 does not descend from such extensions.     

Projection bodies in complex vector spaces

The space of Minkowski valuations on an m-dimensional complex vector space which are continuous, translation invariant and contravariant under the complex special linear group is explicitly described. Each valuation with these properties is shown to satisfy geometric inequalities of the Brunn–Minkowski, Aleksandrov–Fenchel and Minkowski type.     

Higher integrality conditions, volumes and Ehrhart polynomials

A polytope is integral if all of its vertices are lattice points. The constant term of the Ehrhart polynomial of an integral polytope is known to be 1. In previous work, we showed that the coefficients of the Ehrhart polynomial of a lattice-face polytope are volumes of projections of the polytope. We generalize both results by introducing a notion of k-integral polytopes, where 0-integral is equivalent to integral. We show that the Ehrhart polynomial of a k-integral polytope P has the properties that the coefficients in degrees less than or equal to k are determined by a projection of P, and the coefficients in higher degrees are determined by slices of P. A key step of the proof is that under certain generality conditions, the volume of a polytope is equal to the sum of volumes of slices of the polytope.     

Discrete complex analysis on isoradial graphs

We study discrete complex analysis and potential theory on a large family of planar graphs, the so-called isoradial ones. Along with discrete analogues of several classical results, we prove uniform convergence of discrete harmonic measures, Green?s functions and Poisson kernels to their continuous counterparts. Among other applications, the results can be used to establish universality of the critical Ising and other lattice models.     

A note on the nonexistence of solutions for prescribed mean curvature equations on a ball

We prove the nonexistence of solutions for a prescribed mean curvature equation when p?1 and the positive parameter λ is small. The result extends theorems of Narukawa and Suzuki, and Finn, from the case of n=2,p=1 to all n?2,p?1. Moreover, our proof is very simple and the result is not limited to positive (and negative) solutions. We also show that a similar result for positive solutions is still true if |u|^p−1u is replaced by the exponential nonlinearity e^u−1.     

The classification problem for S-local torsion-free abelian groups of finite rank

Suppose that n?2 and that S, T are sets of primes. Then the classification problem for the S-local torsion-free abelian groups of rank n is Borel reducible to the classification problem for the T-local torsion-free abelian groups of rank n if and only if S⊆T.     

Prime ideals in two-dimensional domains over the integers

Let B be a finitely generated birational extension of , the ring of polynomials in one variable over the integers . (That is, B is a finitely generated extension of contained in its quotient field Then Spec(B) is order-isomorphic to Spec . This affirms part of a conjecture of Wiegand (1986).     

The pentagram map and Y-patterns

The pentagram map, introduced by R. Schwartz, is defined by the following construction: given a polygon as input, draw all of its “shortest” diagonals, and output the smaller polygon which they cut out. We employ the machinery of cluster algebras to obtain explicit formulas for the iterates of the pentagram map.     

Extremal structure of the unit ball of direct sums of Banach spaces

We characterize the extreme points and smooth points of the unit ball of certain direct sums of Banach spaces. We use these results to characterize noncreasiness and uniform noncreasiness of direct sums, thereby extending results of the second author [S. Saejung, Extreme points, smooth points and noncreasiness of ψ$\psi$-direct sum of Banach spaces, Nonlinear Anal. 67 (2007) 1649–1653].