Geodesics Closed On The Projective Plane

Given a C ^∞ Riemannian metric g on P ² we prove that (, g) has constant curvature iff all geodesics are closed. Therefore is the first non-trivial example of a manifold such that the smooth Riemannian metrics which involve that all geodesics are closed are unique up to isometries and scaling. This remarkable phenomenon is not true on the 2-sphere, since there is a large set of C ^∞ metrics whose geodesics are all closed and have the same period 2π (called Zoll metrics), but no metric of this set can be obtained from another metric of this set via an isometry and scaling. As a corollary we conclude that all two-dimensional P-manifolds are SC-manifolds. Received: April 2007; Revision: September 2007; Accepted: September 2007     

End-Point Equations and Regularity of Sub-Riemannian Geodesics

For a large class of equiregular sub-Riemannian manifolds, we show that length-minimizing curves have no corner-like singularities. Our first result is the reduction of the problem to the homogeneous, rank-2 case, by means of a nilpotent approximation. We also identify a suitable condition on the tangent Lie algebra implying existence of a horizontal basis of vector fields whose coefficients depend only on the first two coordinates x ₁, x ₂. Then, we cut the corner and lift the new curve to a horizontal one, obtaining a decrease of length as well as a perturbation of the end-point. In order to restore the end-point at a lower cost of length, we introduce a new iterative construction, which represents the main contribution of the paper. We also apply our results to some examples. Received: July 2006, Revision: October 2006, Accepted: November 2006     

Bounds on leaves of one-dimensional foliations

Let X be a variety over an algebraically closed field, a onedimensional singular foliation, and a projective leaf of . We prove that

On the Classification of Cartan Actions

We study higher-rank Cartan actions on compact manifolds preserving an ergodic measure with full support. In particular, we classify actions by with k ≥ 3 whose one-parameter groups act transitively as well as nondegenerate totally nonsymplectic -actions for k ≥ 3. The first author is supported in part by NSF grants DMS-0140513. The second author is supported in part by NSF grant DMS-0203735. Received: July 2005 Revision: March 2006 Accepted: March 2006     

Collapsing monoids consisting of permutations and constants

In this paper we determine all collapsing transformation monoids that contain at least one unary constant operation and whose nonconstant operations are permutations. Furthermore, we find an infinite family of transformation monoids that consist of at least three unary constant operations and some permutations for which the corresponding monoidal intervals are 2-element chains. This research is supported by Hungarian National Foundation for Scientific Research grant nos. T 37877 and K 60148.     

Sub-Riemannian Geodesics on the 3-D Sphere

The unit sphere can be identified with the unitary group SU(2). Under this identification the unit sphere can be considered as a non-commutative Lie group. The commutation relations for the vector fields of the corresponding Lie algebra define a 2-step sub-Riemannian manifold. We study sub-Riemannian geodesics on this sub-Riemannian manifold making use of the Hamiltonian formalism and solving the corresponding Hamiltonian system. The first author is partially supported by a research grant from the United State Army Research Office and a Hong Kong RGC competitive earmarked research grant #600607. The second and the third authors have been supported by the grant of the Norwegian Research Council #177355/V30, and by the European Science Foundation Research Networking Programme HCAA.     

Some remarks on trigonometric sums

Let

Isometry Groups of Proper Hyperbolic Spaces

Let X be a proper hyperbolic geodesic metric space and let G be a closed subgroup of the isometry group Iso(X) of X. We show that if G is not elementary then for every p ∈ (1, ∞) the second continuous bounded cohomology group H²_cb(G, L^p(G)) does not vanish. As an application, we derive some structure results for closed subgroups of Iso(X). Partially supported by Sonderforschungsbereich 611.     

Lectures on topology of words

We discuss a topological approach to words introduced by the author in [Tu2]–[Tu4]. Words on an arbitrary alphabet are approximated by Gauss words and then studied up to natural modifications inspired by the Reidemeister moves on knot diagrams. This leads us to a notion of homotopy for words. We introduce several homotopy invariants of words and give a homotopy classification of words of length five. Based on notes by Eri Hatakenaka, Daniel Moskovich, and Tadayuki Watanabe     

Estimates for Mixed Character Sums

We give sharp estimates for certain families of exponential sums in several variables over finite fields. Received: May 2007, Accepted: September 2007     

Multilinear Exponential Sums in Prime Fields Under Optimal Entropy Condition on the Sources

The main result of this paper is an exponential sum bound in prime fields for multilinear expressions of the type under nearly optimal conditions on . It provides the expected generalization of the well-known inequality for r = 2. We also establish a new result on Gauss sums for multiplicative subgroups H of , obtaining a nontrivial estimate provided . This is a further improvement on [BGK]. Received: May 2007, Revision: October 2007, Accepted: October 2007     

Generalized bisymmetry on a restricted domain

Let X ⊂ ℝ be an interval of positive length and define the set Δ = {(x, y) ∈ X × X | x ≧ y}. We give the solution of the equation

The operad of finite labeled tournaments

We study the operad of finite labeled tournaments. We describe the structure of suboperads of this operad generated by simple tournaments. We prove that a suboperad generated by a tournament with two vertices (i.e., the operad of finite linearly ordered sets) is isomorphic to the operad of symmetric groups, and a suboperad generated by a simple tournament with more that two vertices is isomorphic to the quotient operad of the free operad with respect to a certain congruence. We obtain this congruence explicitly.     

Polytopes passing through circles

Suppose a convex body wants to pass through a circular hole in a wall. Does its ability to do so depend on the thickness of the wall? In fact in most cases it does, and in this paper we present a sufficient criterion for a polytope to allow an affirmative answer to the question.     

Reconstruction of Function Fields

For k an algebraic closure of the finite field , ℓ prime distinct from p and X a surface over k, we prove that the field of rational functions k(X) can be recovered from the maximal pro-ℓ-quotient of its absolute Galois group – in fact already from the second central descending series quotient of . Submitted: July 2004, Revision: October 2005, Final revision: February 2008, Accepted: February 2008     

A note on holomorphic approximation in Banach spaces

Given a complex Banach space X and a holomorphic function f on its unit ball B, we discuss the problem whether f can be approximated, uniformly on smaller balls, by functions g holomorphic on all of X. Research partially supported by NSF grant DMS0700281.     

On the stability of the quadratic functional equation on bounded domains

A result of Skof and Terracini will be generalized; More precisely, we will prove that if a functionf : [-t, t]ⁿ →E satisfies the inequality (1) for some δ > 0 and for allx, y ∈ [-t, t]ⁿ withx + y, x - y ∈ [-t, t]ⁿ, then there exists a quadratic functionq: ℝⁿ →E such that ∥f(x) -q(x)∥ < (2912n² + 1872n + 334)δ for anyx ∈ [-t, t] ⁿ .     

Topologies on function spaces

Function spaces play an important role in complex analysis, in the theory of differential equations, in functional analysis and in almost every other branch of modern mathematics. In this paper we give and study the notion of clopen convergence. Also, we study the notion of clopen continuity and define new topologies on function spaces. These results generalize basic results of R. Arens, J. Dugundji and A. Di Concilio (see [1], [4], [2] and [3]).     

On the maximum number of points at least one unit away from each other in the unit <Emphasis Type="Italic">n</Emphasis>-cube

We present a very short survey of known results and many new estimates and results on the maximum number of points that can be chosen in the n-dimensional unit cube so that every distance between them is at least 1. Research was supported by Slovak national grant VEGA 1/3839/06.     

A Zoll Counterexample to a Geodesic Length Conjecture

We construct a counterexample to a conjectured inequality L ≤ 2D, relating the diameter D and the least length L of a nontrivial closed geodesic, for a Riemannian metric on the 2-sphere. The construction relies on Guillemin’s theorem concerning the existence of Zoll surfaces integrating an arbitrary infinitesimal odd deformation of the round metric. Thus the round metric is not optimal for the ratio L/D. F.B. supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation. C.C. supported by NSF grants DMS 02-02536 and DMS 07-04145. M.K. supported by the Israel Science Foundation (grants 84/03 and 1294/06)