Hypersurface Singularities with 2-Dimensional Critical Locus

Consider an analytic germ f:(C^m, 0)(C, 0) (m3) whose criticallocus is a 2-dimensional complete intersection with an isolatedsingularity (icis). We prove that the homotopy type of the Milnorfiber of f is a bouquet of spheres, provided that the extendedcodimension of the germ f is finite. This result generalizesthe cases when the dimension of the critical locus is zero [8],respectively one [12]. Notice that if the critical locus isnot an icis, then the Milnor fiber, in general, is not homotopicallyequivalent to a wedge of spheres. For example, the Milnor fiberof the germ f:(C⁴, 0)(C, 0), defined by f(x₁, x₂, x₃, x₄) =x₁x₂x₃x₄ has the homotopy type of S¹xS¹xS¹. On the other hand,the finiteness of the extended codimension seems to be the rightgeneralization of the isolated singularity condition; see forexample [9–12, 17, 18]. In the last few years different types of ‘bouquet theorems’have appeared. Some of them deal with germs f:(X, x)(C, 0) wheref defines an isolated singularity. In some cases, similarlyto the Milnor case [8], F has the homotopy type of a bouquetof (dim X–1)-spheres, for example when X is an icis [2],or X is a complete intersection [5]. Moreover, in [13] Siersmaproved that F has a bouquet decomposition FF₀Sⁿ...Sⁿ (whereF₀ is the complex link of (X, x)), provided that both (X, x)and f have an isolated singularity. Actually, Siersma conjecturedand Tibr proved [16] a more general bouquet theorem for thecase when (X, x) is a stratified space and f defines an isolatedsingularity (in the sense of the stratified spaces). In thiscase F_iF_i, where the F_i are repeated suspensions of complexlinks of strata of X. (If (X, x) has the ‘Milnor property’,then the result has been proved by Lê; for details see[6].) In our situation, the space-germ (X, x) is smooth, but f hasbig singular locus. Surprisingly, for dim Sing f^–1(0)2,the Milnor fiber is again a bouquet (actually, a bouquet ofspheres, maybe of different dimensions). This result is in thespirit of Siersma's paper [12], where dim Sing f^–1(0)= 1. In that case, there is only a rather small topologicalobstruction for the Milnor fiber to be homotopically equivalentto a bouquet of spheres (as explained in Corollary 2.4). Inthe present paper, we attack the dim Sing f^–1(0) = 2 case.In our investigation some results of Zaharia are crucial [17,18].     

Multistep approximation of linear sectorial evolution equations

This paper concerns the linear multistep approximation of alinear sectorial evolution equation u_t = Au on a complex Banachspace X. Given a strictly A()-stable q-step method of orderp whose stability region includes a sectorial region containingthe spectrum of the operator A, the corresponding evolutionsemigroup for the method is Cⁿ(hA), n 0, defined on X^q, whereC(z) L (C^q) denotes the one-step map associated with the method.It is shown that for appropriately chosen V, Y: C C^q, basedon the principal right and left eigenvectors of C(z), Cⁿ(hA)approximates the semigroup V(hA)e^nhAY^H(hA) with optimal orderp.     

Lorentz Spaces Of Vector-Valued Measures

Given a non-atomic, finite and complete measure space (,,µ)and a Banach space X, the modulus of continuity for a vectormeasure F is defined as the function _F(t) = sup_µ(E)t |F|(E)and the space V^p,q(X) of vector measures such that t^–1/p'_F(t) L^q((0,µ()],dt/t) is introduced. It is shown thatV^p,q(X) contains isometrically L^p,q(X) and that L^p,q(X) = V^p,q(X)if and only if X has the Radon–Nikodym property. It isalso proved that V^p,q(X) coincides with the space of cone absolutelysumming operators from L^p',q^' into X and the duality V^p,q(X^*)=(Lp^',q^'(X))^*where 1/p+1/p^'= 1/q+1/q^' = 1. Finally, V^p,q(X) is identifiedwith the interpolation space obtained by the real method (V¹(X),V(X))_1/p^',q. Spaces where the variation of F is replaced bythe semivariation are also considered.     

A Generalised Skolem-Mahler-lech Theorem for Affine Varieties

The Skolem–Mahler–Lech theorem states that if f(n)is a sequence given by a linear recurrence over a field of characteristic0, then the set of m such that f(m) is equal to 0 is the unionof a finite number of arithmetic progressions in m 0 and afinite set. We prove that if X is a subvariety of an affinevariety Y over a field of characteristic 0 and q is a pointin Y, and is an automorphism of Y, then the set of m such that^m(q) lies in X is a union of a finite number of complete doubly-infinitearithmetic progressions and a finite set. We show that thisis a generalisation of the Skolem–Mahler–Lech theorem.     

Tjurina and Milnor Numbers of Matrix Singularities

To gain understanding of the deformations of determinants andPfaffians resulting from deformations of matrices, the deformationtheory of composites f F with isolated singularities is studied,where f : YC is a function with (possibly non-isolated) singularityand F : XY is a map into the domain of f, and F only is deformed.The corresponding T¹(F) is identified as (something like) thecohomology of a derived functor, and a canonical long exactsequence is constructed from which it follows that = µ(f F) – ß₀ + ß₁, where is the length of T¹(F) and ß_i is the lengthof Tor_i^O_Y(O_Y/J_f, O_X). This explains numerical coincidences observedin lists of simple matrix singularities due to Bruce, Tari,Goryunov, Zakalyukin and Haslinger. When f has Cohen–Macaulaysingular locus (for example when f is the determinant function),relations between and the rank of the vanishing homology ofthe zero locus of f F are obtained.     

Binary Quadratic Forms with Large Discriminants and Sums of Two Squareful Numbers II

Let F = (F₁, ..., F_m) be an m-tuple of primitive positive binaryquadratic forms and let U_F(x) be the number of integers notexceeding x that can be represented simultaneously by all theforms F_j, j = 1, ... , m. Sharp upper and lower bounds for U_F(x)are given uniformly in the discriminants of the quadratic forms. As an application, a problem of Erds is considered. Let V(x)be the number of integers not exceeding x that are representableas a sum of two squareful numbers. Then V(x) = x(log x)^–+o(1)with = 1 – 2^–1/3 = 0.206....     

Limits Along Parallel Lines and the Classical Fine Topology

The fine topology on Rⁿ (n2) is the coarsest topology for whichall superharmonic functions on Rⁿ are continuous. We refer toDoob [11, 1.XI] for its basic properties and its relationshipto the notion of thinness. This paper presents several theoremsrelating the fine topology to limits of functions along parallellines. (Results of this nature for the minimal fine topologyhave been given by Doob – see [10, Theorem 3.1] or [11,1.XII.23] – and the second author [15].) In particular,we will establish improvements and generalizations of resultsof Lusin and Privalov [18], Evans [12], Rudin [20], Bagemihland Seidel [6], Schneider [21], Berman [7], and Armitage andNelson [4], and will also solve a problem posed by the latterauthors. An early version of our first result is due to Evans [12, p.234], who proved that, if u is a superharmonic function on R³,then there is a set ER²x{0}, of two-dimensional measure 0, suchthat u(x, y,·) is continuous on R whenever (x, y, 0)E.We denote a typical point of Rⁿ by X=(X' x), where X'R^n–1and xR. Let :RⁿR^n–1x{0} denote the projection map givenby (X', x) = (X', 0). For any function f:Rⁿ[–, +] andpoint X we define the vertical and fine cluster sets of f atX respectively by C_V(f;X)={l[–, +]: there is a sequence (t_m) of numbersin R\{x} such that t_mx and f(X', t_m)l}| and C_F(f;X)={l[–, +]: for each neighbourhood N of l in [–,+], the set f^–1(N) is non-thin at X}. Sets which are open in the fine topology will be called finelyopen, and functions which are continuous with respect to thefine topology will be called finely continuous. Corollary 1(ii)below is an improvement of Evans' result.     

An algebraic loop theorem and the decomposition of PD3-pairs

Let (Y, X) denote a three-dimensional Poincaré pair (PD³-pair).By the work of Eckmann, Müller and Linnell we may suppose,up to a homotopy equivalence, that the boundary X is a closed2-manifold. We show that if a component of X fails to be ₁-injectivein Y, then there is an essential simple loop in X which is nullhomotopicin Y. It follows that there is a finite process of attaching2-disks along essential simple loops on X, and filling sphericalcomponents of X, which transforms (Y, X) into a PD³-pair (Y',X') with aspherical incompressible boundary X' and such that₁(Y) = ₁(Y'). The PD³-pair (Y', X') then admits a canonicaldecomposition as a connected sum of a finite number of asphericalPD³-pairs with incompressible boundary, together with a PD³-pairhaving virtually free (possibly finite) fundamental group andboundary a (possibly empty) disjoint union of projective planes.     

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.     

Linear Independence of Hecke Operators in the Homology of X0(N)

In Merel's recent proof [7] of the uniform boundedness conjecturefor the torsion of elliptic curves over number fields, a keystep is to show that for sufficiently large primes N, the Heckeoperators T₁, T₂, ..., T_D are linearly independent in theiractions on the cycle e from 0 to i in H₁(X₀(N) (C), Q). In particular,he shows independence when max(D⁸, 400D⁴) < N/(log N)⁴. Inthis paper we use analytic techniques to show that one can chooseD considerably larger than this, provided that N is large.     

Euler Characteristics of Real Varieties

In this paper we show how to associate to any real projectivealgebraic variety Z RP^n–1 a real polynomial F₁:Rⁿ,0 R, 0 with an algebraically isolated singularity, having theproperty that (Z) = (1 – deg (grad F₁), where deg (gradF₁ is the local real degree of the gradient grad F₁:Rⁿ, 0 Rⁿ,0. This degree can be computed algebraically by the method ofEisenbud and Levine, and Khimshiashvili [5]. The variety Z neednot be smooth. This leads to an expression for the Euler characteristic ofany compact algebraic subset of Rⁿ, and the link of a quasihomogeneousmapping f: Rⁿ, 0 Rⁿ, 0 again in terms of the local degree ofa gradient with algebraically isolated singularity. Similar expressions for the Euler characteristic of an arbitraryalgebraic subset of Rⁿ and the link of any polynomial map aregiven in terms of the degrees of algebraically finite gradientmaps. These maps do involve ‘sufficiently small’constants, but the degrees involved ar (theoretically, at least)algebraically computable.     

The Steinberg Lattice of a Finite Chevalley Group and its Modular Reduction

Let p be a prime and let q = p^a, where a is a positive integer.Let G 7equals; G(F_q) be a Chevalley group over F_q, with associatedsystem of roots and Weyl group W. Steinberg showed in 1957that G has an irreducible complex representation whose degreeequals the p-part of |G| [11]. This representation, now knownas the Steinberg representation, has remarkable properties,which reflect the structure of G, and there have been many researchpapers devoted to its study. The module constructed in [11]is in fact a right ideal in the integral group ring ZG of G,and is thus a ZG-lattice, which we propose to call the Steinberglattice of G. It should be noted that lattices not integrallyisomorphic to the Steinberg lattice may also afford the Steinbergrepresentation, and such lattices may differ considerably intheir properties compared with the Steinberg lattice.     

Canonical curves in P3

Let Hilb^6t–3(P³) be the Hilbert scheme of closed 1-dimensionalsubschemes of degree 6 and arithmetic genus 4 in P³. Let H bethe component of Hilb^6t–3(P³) whose generic point correspondsto a canonical curve, that is, a complete intersection of aquadric and a cubic surface in P³. Let F be the vector spaceof linear forms in the variables z₁, z₂, z₃, z₄. Denote by F_dthe vector space of homogeneous forms of degree d. Set X = (f₂,f₃)where f₂ P(F₂) is a quadric surface, and f₃ P(F₃/f₂ ·F) is a cubic modulo f₂. Wehave a rational map, : X ... Hdefined by (f₂,f₃) f₂ f₃. It fails to be regular along thelocus where f₂ and f₃ acquire a common linear component. Ourmain result gives an explicit resolution of the indeterminaciesof as well as of the singularities of H. 2000 Mathematical Subject Classification: 14C05, 14N05, 14N10,14N15.     

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.     

Exceptional Functions and Normality

Yang proved in [10] that if f and f^(k) have no fix-points forevery fF, where F is a family of meromorphic functions in adomain G and k a fixed integer, then F is normal in G. In thispaper we prove normality for families F for which every fF omits₁ and f^(k) omits ₂, where ₁ and ₂ are analytic functions with. 1991 Mathematics SubjectClassification 30D35, 30D45.     

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.     

On the Number of Singularities in Generic Deformations of Map Germs

Let f:Cⁿ, 0C^p, 0 be a K-finite map germ, and let i=(i₁, ...,i_k) be a Boardman symbol such that ⁱ has codimension n in thecorresponding jet space J^k(n, p). When its iterated successorshave codimension larger than n, the paper gives a list of situationsin which the number of ⁱ points that appear in a generic deformationof f can be computed algebraically by means of Jacobian idealsof f. This list can be summarised in the following way: f musthave rank n–i₁ and, in addition, in the case p=6, f mustbe a singularity of type ^i₁,i₂.     

Maximal Subgroups of Large Rank in Exceptional Groups of Lie Type

Let G = G(q) be a finite almost simple exceptional group ofLie type over the field of q elements, where q = p^a and p isprime. The main result of the paper determines all maximal subgroupsM of G(q) such that M is an almost simple group which is alsoof Lie type in characteristic p, under the condition that rank(M)> rank(G). The conclusion is that either M is a subgroupof maximal rank, or it is of the same type as G over a subfieldof F_q, or (G, M) is one of (, F₄(q)), (, C₄(q)), (E₇(q),³D₄(q)). This completes work of the first author with Saxl andTesterman, in which the same conclusion was obtained under someextra assumptions.     

Singularities and Limit Functions in Iteration of Meromorphic Functions

Let f(z) be a transcendental meromorphic function. The paperinvestigates, using the hyperbolic metric, the relation betweenthe forward orbit P(f) of singularities of f^–1 and limitfunctions of iterations of f in its Fatou components. It ismainly proved, among other things, that for a wandering domainU, all the limit functions of {fⁿ|_U} lie in the derived setof P(f) and that if f^np|_V q(n +) for a Fatou component V, theneither q is in the derived set of S_p (f) or f^p(q) = q. As applicationsof main theorems, some sufficient conditions of the non-existenceof wandering domains and Baker domains are given.     

Geometric Approximation Of The Fibre Of The Freudenthal Suspension

Let Rat_k(CPⁿ) denote the space of based holomorphic maps ofdegree k from the Riemannian sphere S² to the complex projectivespace CPⁿ. The basepoint condition we assume is that f()=[1,..., 1]. Such holomorphic maps are given by rational functions: Rat_k(CPⁿ) ={(p₀(z), ..., p_n(z)):each p_i(z) is a monic, degree-kpolynomial and such that there are no roots common to all p_i(z)}.(1.1) The study of the topology of Rat_k(CPⁿ) originated in [10]. Later,the stable homotopy type of Rat_k(CPⁿ) was described in [3] interms of configuration spaces and Artin's braid groups. LetW(S²ⁿ) denote the homotopy theoretic fibre of the Freudenthalsuspension E:S²ⁿ S²ⁿ⁺¹. Then we have the following sequenceof fibrations: ²S²ⁿ⁺¹ W(S²ⁿ)S²ⁿ S²ⁿ⁺¹. A theorem in [10] tellsus that the inclusion Rat_k(CPⁿ) ²_kCP^{n 2}S²ⁿ⁺¹ is a homotopy equivalenceup to dimension k(2n–1). Thus if we form the direct limitRat(CPⁿ)= lim_k Rat_k(CPⁿ), we have, in particular, that Rat(CPⁿ)is homotopy equivalent to ²S²ⁿ⁺¹. If we take the results of [3] and [10] into account, we naturallyencounter the following problem: how to construct spaces X_k(CPⁿ),which are natural generalizations of Rat_k(CPⁿ), so that X(CPⁿ)approximates W(S²ⁿ). Moreover, we study the stable homotopytype of X_k(CPⁿ). The purpose of this paper is to give an answer to this problem.The results are stated after the following definition. 1991Mathematics Subject Classification 55P35.