On the corona theorem for almost periodic functions

LetAP ⁺ (R ⁿ ) denote the Banach algebra of all continuous almost periodic functions onR ⁿ whose Bohr-Fourier spectrum is contained in an additive semi-group [0, ) ⁿ . We show that the maximal ideal space ofAP ⁺ (R ⁿ ) may have a nonempty corona and we characterize all for which the corona is empty. Analogous results are established for algebras of almost periodic functions with absolutely convergent Fourier series.     

On a theorem of Karlin

Starting from an old result of S. Karlin, we demonstrate the usefulness of couplings within the theory of random systems with complete connections. We also give a short exposé of some limit results for the state sequences associated to random systems with complete connections.     

On the trivectors of a 6-dimensional symplectic vector space

Let V be a 6-dimensional vector space over a field F, let f be a nondegenerate alternating bilinear form on V and let Sp(V,f)≅Sp₆(F) denote the symplectic group associated with (V,f). The group GL(V) has a natural action on the third exterior power ?³V of V and this action defines five families of nonzero trivectors of V (four of whose are orbits for any choice of F). In this paper, we divide three of these five families into orbits for the action of Sp(V,f)⊆GL(V) on ?³V.     

On an existence theorem for generalized quasi-variational inequalities

We obtain some characteristic properties of a subclass of multifunctions introduced by B. Ricceri and give a new proof for the result of P. Cubiotti on the existence of solutions to generalized quasi-variational inequalities involving multifunctions from the class.     

Variational approach and optimal control of a PEM fuel cell

The purpose of this paper is to propose and study a mathematical model and a boundary control problem associated to the miscible displacement of hydrogen through the porous anode of a PEM fuel cell. Throughout the paper, we study certain variational problems with a priori regularity properties of the weak solutions. We obtain the existence of less regular solutions and then we prove the desired regularity of these solutions. We consider a control problem that permits to determine the boundary distribution of the pressure which provides an optimal configuration for the temperature and for the concentration, as well. Since the solution of the problem is not unique, the control variable does not appear explicitly in the definition of our cost functional. To overcome this difficulty, we introduce a family of penalized control problems which approximates our boundary control problem. The necessary conditions of optimality are derived by passing to the limit in the penalized optimality conditions.     

Approximation in area of continuous graphs

Summary We prove that graphs of continuous maps with finite area can be approximated weakly as currents and in area by graphs of smooth maps.This article was processed by the author using the style filepljour1m from Springer-Verlag.     

A categorical approach to the maximum theorem

Berge's maximum theorem gives conditions ensuring the continuity of an optimised function as a parameter changes. In this paper we state and prove the maximum theorem in terms of the theory of monoidal topology and the theory of double categories.This approach allows us to generalise (the main assertion of) the maximum theorem, which is classically stated for topological spaces, to pseudotopological spaces and pretopological spaces, as well as to closure spaces, approach spaces and probabilistic approach spaces, amongst others. As a part of this we prove a generalisation of the extreme value theorem.     

An existence and uniqueness theorem for one optimal control problem

In this paper we investigate the existence and uniqueness for an optimal control problem with processes described by a quasilinear parabolic equation with controls in coefficients and the right side of this equation.     

Rank-one theorem and subgraphs of BV functions in Carnot groups

We prove a rank-one theorem à la G. Alberti for the derivatives of vector-valued maps with bounded variation in a class of Carnot groups that includes Heisenberg groups ${\mathbb{H}}^n$ for $n\ge 2$. The main tools are properties relating the horizontal derivatives of a real-valued function with bounded variation and its subgraph.     

Uniqueness of the Cheeger set of a convex body

We prove that if C⊂R^N$C\subset {\mathbb{R}}^N$ is an open bounded convex set, then there is only one Cheeger set inside C$C$ and it is convex. A Cheeger set of C$C$ is a set which minimizes the ratio perimeter over volume among all subsets of C$C$.     

On the theory of Pfaffians based on exponential maps in exterior algebras

Based on the relation of exponential maps and interior products in exterior algebras, some formulas of Pfaffians, including expansion formulas and the Cayley-Jacobi formula for determinants of alternating matrices, are deduced with new proofs. As an application, Pfaffian powers of alternating bilinear forms [O. Loos, Discriminant algebras and adjoints of quadratic forms, Beiträge Algebra Geom. 38 (1997) 33-72] are interpreted in terms of exponential maps in algebras of alternating multi-linear forms.     

Contractibility of Maximal Ideal Spaces of Certain Algebras of Almost Periodic Functions

We study some topological properties of maximal ideal spaces of certain algebras of almost periodic functions. Our main result is that such spaces are contractible. We present several analytic corollaries of this result.     

Measures of controllability

We introduce here a new notion, the measure ofcontrollability aimed at expressing that one system is “more controllable” than another one. First estimates are given.     

A Bernstein result for energy minimizing hypersurfaces

We show that there are no entire, positive, stable solutions in ⁿ of the Euler equation corresponding to the singular variational integral ,>0, if+n<5.236.... Furthermore we prove a related result for smooth boundaries of least-energy |x _n+1||D _U | in ⁿ⁺¹.     

A multiplicity result for a special class of gradient-type systems with non-differentiable term

We prove the existence of multiple solutions of certain systems of hemivariational inequalities, using a recent minimax result of B. Ricceri. We apply both our main theorem and the principle of symmetric criticality to obtain multiple solutions of systems of hemivariational inequalities defined on certain Sobolev spaces.     

On the existence of universal series by trigonometric system

In this paper we prove the following: let ω(t) be a continuous function, increasing in [0,∞) and ω(+0)=0. Then there exists a series of the form

     

Weak limits of Palais-Smale sequences for a class of critical functionals

We show that, for two dimensional domains, Palais-Smale sequences for theH-equation functional or the harmonic map functional converge weakly (up to subsequences) to solutions of the equations.     

On Hypertopologies

In this article a unified approach is presented to hypertopologies on collections of nonempty closed subsets of a Hausdorff uniform space generated by a saturated and separating family of pseudo-metrics. One identifies here a suitable topology on the family of proper, convex and lower semicontinuous functions defined on a Hausdorff locally convex space for which the Young Fenchel transform is bicontinuous. This improves a well known result due to Mosco, Joly and Beer.     

On action minimizing measures for the Monge-Kantorovich problem

In recent years different authors ([4, 16, 17]) have noticed and investigated some analogy between Mather’s theory of minimal measures in Lagrangian dynamic and the mass transportation (or Monge-Kantorovich) problem. We replace the closure and homological constraints of Mather’s problem by boundary terms and we investigate the equivalence with the mass transportation problem. An Hamiltonian duality formula for the mass transportation and the equivalence with Brenier’s formulation are also established.