OnS-duality in Abelian gauge theory

U(1) gauge theory onR ⁴ is known to possess an electric-magnetic duality symmetry that inverts the coupling constant and extends to an action ofSL(2,Z). In this paper, the duality is studied on a general four-manifold and it is shown that the partition function is not a modular-invariant function but transforms as a modular form. This result plays an essential role in determining a new low-energy interaction that arises whenN=2 supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory is formulated on a four-manifold; the determination of this interaction gives a new test of the solution of the model and would enter in computations of the Donaldson invariants of four-manifolds with b ₂ ⁺ 1. Certain other aspects of abelian duality, relevant to matters such as the dependence of Donaldson invariants on the second Stieffel-Whitney class, are also analyzed.     

L-Splines

In this paper, we study the problem of unique interpolation and approximation by a class of spline functions,L-splines, containing as special cases the deficient and generalized spline functions ofAhlberg, Nilson, andWalsh [3, 5, 6], the Chebyshevian spline functions ofKarlin andZiegler [27], and the piecewise Hermite polynomial functions, as considered in [17]. We first give sufficient conditions for unique interpolation byL-spline functions in Section 2. Then, we obtain newL andL ² error estimates for interpolation byL-splines in Section 4, and show that these error estimates are, in a certain sense, sharp. In addition, we make a similar study for theg-splines ofSchoenberg, cf. [44, 3], in Section 5. In Section 6, an application of these new error estimates is made to the analysis of the error made in the use of finite dimensional subspaces ofL-splines andg-splines. in the Rayleigh-Ritz procedure for the class of nonlinear two-point boundary value problems studied in [17].Because of the rapid growth of the number of papers devoted to or connected with the topic of splines, we believe that a compilation of papers on splines for the reader's use is desirable, and such a list is found in the References at the end of this paper.This research was supported in part by NSF Grant GP-5553Papers not specifically concerned with splines are referred to in the text by [1, 2], etc.     

Noncommutative classical invariant theory

In this thesis, we consider some aspects ofnoncommutative classical invariant theory, i.e., noncommutative invariants ofthe classical group SL(2, k). We develop asymbolic method for invariants and covariants, and we use the method to compute some invariant algebras. The subspaceĨ _d ^m of the noncommutative invariant algebraĨ _d consisting of homogeneous elements of degreem has the structure of a module over thesymmetric group S _m . We find the explicit decomposition into irreducible modules. As a consequence, we obtain theHilbert series of the commutative classical invariant algebras. TheCayley—Sylvester theorem and theHermite reciprocity law are studied in some detail. We consider a new power series H(Ĩ _d,t) whose coefficients are the number of irreducibleS _m -modules in the decomposition ofĨ _d ^m , and show that it is rational. Finally, we develop some analogues of all this for covariants.     

Invariants for group algebras of Abelian groups

LetF be a field of characteristicp>0 and letG be an arbitrary abelian group written multiplicatively withp-basis subgroup denoted byB. The first main result of the present paper is thatB is an isomorphism invariant of theF-group algebraFG. In particular, thep-local algebraically compact groupG can be retrieved fromFG. Moreover, for the lower basis subgroupB ₁ of thep-componentG _p it is shown thatG _p/B_l is determined byFG. Besides, ifH is (p-)high inG, thenG _p/H_p andH ^{p n}[p] for ℕ₀ are structure invariants forFG, andH[p] as a valued vector space is a structural invariant forN ₀ G, whereN _p is the simple field ofp-elements. Next, presume thatG isp-mixed with maximal divisible subgroupD. ThenD andF(G/D) are functional invariants forFG. The final major result is that the relative Ulm-Kaplansky-Mackeyp-invariants ofG with respect to the subgroupC are isomorphic invariants of the pair (FG, FC) ofF-algebras. These facts generalize and extend analogous in this aspect results due to May (1969), Berman-Mollov (1969) and Beers-Richman-Walker (1983). As a finish, some other invariants for commutative group algebras are obtained.     

Lower degree bounds for modular invariants and a question of I. Hughes

We prove two statements. The first one is a conjecture of Ian Hughes which states that iff ₁, ..., f_n are primary invariants of a finite linear groupG, then the least common multiple of the degrees of thef _i is a multiple of the exponent ofG.The second statement is about vector invariants: IfG is a permutation group andK a field of positive characteristicp such thatp divides |G|, then the invariant ringK[V ^m]^G ofm copies of the permutation moduleV overK requires a generator of degreem(p–1). This improves a bound given by Richman [6], and implies that there exists no degree bound for the invariants ofG that is independent of the representation.     

L 2-topological invariants of 3-manifolds

Summary We give results on theL ²-Betti numbers and Novikov-Shubin invariants of compact manifolds, especially 3-manifolds. We first study the Betti numbers and Novikov-Shubin invariants of a chain complex of Hilbert modules over a finite von Neumann algebra. We establish inequalities among the Novikov-Shubin invariants of the terms in a short exact sequence of chain complexes. Our algebraic results, along with some analytic results on geometric 3-manifolds, are used to compute theL ²-Betti numbers of compact 3-manifolds which satisfy a weak form of the geometrization conjecture, and to compute or estimate their Novikov-Shubin invariants.Oblatum 6-V-1993 & 20-VI-1994Partially supported by NSF-grant DMS 9101920Partially supported by NSF-grant DMS 9103327     

On the identric and logarithmic means

Summary Leta, b > 0 be positive real numbers. The identric meanI(a, b) of a andb is defined byI = I(a, b) = (1/e)(b ^b /a ^a ) ^1/(b–a) , fora b, I(a, a) = a; while the logarithmic meanL(a, b) ofa andb isL = L(a, b) = (b – a)/(logb – loga), fora b, L(a, a) = a. Let us denote the arithmetic mean ofa andb byA = A(a, b) = (a + b)/2 and the geometric mean byG =G(a, b) = . In this paper we obtain some improvements of known results and new inequalities containing the identric and logarithmic means. The material is divided into six parts. Section 1 contains a review of the most important results which are known for the above means. In Section 2 we prove an inequality which leads to some improvements of known inequalities. Section 3 gives an application of monotonic functions having a logarithmically convex (or concave) inverse function. Section 4 works with the logarithm ofI(a, b), while Section 5 is based on the integral representation of means and related integral inequalities. Finally, Section 6 suggests a new mean and certain generalizations of the identric and logarithmic means.     

Addendum—Prime ideals in crossed products of finite groups

In this note, we offer a simpler, alternate approach to the work of Section 3 of “Prime ideals in crossed products of finite groups.” Indeed, by using the induced ideal map ^G instead of the^ν map, we have eliminated many of the unpleasant computations of the original argument.     

ADDITIVE FAMILIES OF INVARIANTS OF SKEWSYMMETRIC TENSORS

Abstract

Let d be a positive integer and F be a field of characteristic 0. Suppose that for each positive integer n, I _n is a polynomial invariant of the usual action of GL_n (F) on Λ^d(Fⁿ), such that for t ? Λ^d(F ^k) and s ? Λ^d(F ^l), I _{k + l} (t l s) = I _k(t)I _t (s), where t ⊥ s is defined in §1.4. Then we say that {I_n} is an additive family of invariants of the skewsymmetric tensors of degree d, or, briefly, an additive family of invariants. If not all the I_n are constant we say that the family is non-trivial. We show that in each even degree d there is a non-trivial additive family of invariants, but that this is not so for any odd d. These results are analogous to those in our paper [3] for symmetric tensors. Our proofs rely on the symbolic method for representing invariants of skewsymmetric tensors. To keep this paper self-contained we expound some of that theory, but for the proofs we refer to the book [2] of Grosshans, Rota and Stein.     

Proving Strong Duality for Geometric Optimization Using a Conic Formulation

Geometric optimization¹ is an important class of problems that has many applications, especially in engineering design. In this article, we provide new simplified proofs for the well-known associated duality theory, using conic optimization. After introducing suitable convex cones and studying their properties, we model geometric optimization problems with a conic formulation, which allows us to apply the powerful duality theory of conic optimization and derive the duality results valid for geometric optimization.     

Some geometric applications of Dilworth’s theorem

A geometric graph is a graph drawn in the plane such that its edges are closed line segments and no three vertices are collinear. We settle an old question of Avital, Hanani, Erdős, Kupitz, and Perles by showing that every geometric graph withn vertices andm>k ⁴ n edges containsk+1 pairwise disjoint edges. We also prove that, given a set of pointsV and a set of axis-parallel rectangles in the plane, then either there arek+1 rectangles such that no point ofV belongs to more than one of them, or we can find an at most 2·10⁵ k ⁸ element subset ofV meeting all rectangles. This improves a result of Ding, Seymour, and Winkler. Both proofs are based on Dilworth’s theorem on partially ordered sets. The research by János Pach was supported by Hungarian National Foundation for Scientific Research Grant OTKA-4269 and NSF Grant CCR-91-22103.     

On the Vertices of Simple Modules for Symmetric Groups

In this article, we are concerned with the computation of vertices of some series of simple modules for the symmetric group of n letters in odd characteristic. In the first, the second, and the third section of this work we recall some more or less general results that are needed in our proofs. The fourth section contains new ingredients (in terms of dimension) that play an important role in our proofs of the main results in the last section.     

Traces of Eichler—Brandt matrices and type numbers of quaternion orders

LetA be a totally definite quaternion algebra over a totally real algebraic number fieldF andM be the ring of algebraic integers ofF. For anyM-orderG ofA we derive formulas for the massm(G) and the type numbert(G) of G and for the trace of the Eichler-Brandt matrixB(G, J) ofG and any integral idealJ ofM in terms of genus invariants ofG and of invariants ofF andJ. Applications to class numbers of quaternion orders and of ternary quadratic forms are indicated.     

Duality in nonlinear fractional programming

Summary The purpose of the present paper is to introduce, on the lines similar to that ofWolfe [1961], a dual program to a nonlinear fractional program in which the objective function, being the ratio of a convex function to a strictly positive linear function, is a special type of pseudo-convex function and the constraint set is a convex set constrained by convex functions in the form of inequalities. The main results proved are, (i) Weak duality theorem, (ii)Wolfe's (Direct) duality theorem and (iii)Mangasarian's Strict Converse duality theorem.Huard's [1963] andHanson's [1961] converse duality theorems for the present problem have just been stated because they can be obtained as a special case ofMangasarian's theorem [1969, p. 157]. The other important discussion included is to show that the dual program introduced in the present paper can also be obtained throughDinkelbach's Parametric Replacement [1967] of a nonlinear fractional program. Lastly, duality in convex programming is shown to be a special case of the present problem.The present research is partially supported by National Research Council of Canada.     

Noncommutative classical invariant theory

In this thesis, we consider some aspects ofnoncommutative classical invariant theory, i.e., noncommutative invariants ofthe classical group SL(2, k). We develop asymbolic method for invariants and covariants, and we use the method to compute some invariant algebras. The subspace? _d ^m of the noncommutative invariant algebra? _d consisting of homogeneous elements of degreem has the structure of a module over thesymmetric group S _m . We find the explicit decomposition into irreducible modules. As a consequence, we obtain theHilbert series of the commutative classical invariant algebras. TheCayley—Sylvester theorem and theHermite reciprocity law are studied in some detail. We consider a new power series H(? _d,t) whose coefficients are the number of irreducibleS _m -modules in the decomposition of? _d ^m , and show that it is rational. Finally, we develop some analogues of all this for covariants.     

On locally trivial G a -actions

If the additive group of complex numbers acts algebraically on a normal affine variety, then the associated ring of invariants need not be finitely generated, but is an ideal transform of some normal affine algebra (Theorem 1). We investigate such normal affine algebras in the case of a locally trivial action on a factorial variety. If the variety is a complex affine space and the ring of invariants is isomorphic to a polynomial ring, then the action is conjugate to a translation (Theorem 3). Equivalently, ifC ⁿ , is the total space for a principalG _a -bundle over some open subset ofC ^n–1 then the bundle is trivial. On the other hand, there is a locally trivialG _a -action on a normal affine variety with nonfinitely generated ring of invariants (Theorem 2).Supported in part by NSA Grant No. MDA904-96-1-0069     

A classification of upper equivalent matrices the generic case

Two square matricesA andB are called upper equivalent iff there exists an invertible lower triangular matrixL such thatL ^–1 AL andB have the same upper triangular parts. In this paper we obtain a set of invariants for this equivalence relation. In the case when any minor of a matrixA, in the intersection of its last columns and first rows and contained in its upper triangular part is different from zero, it is shown that the above mentioned set of invariants completely determines the upper triangular parts of the matrices from the equivalence class ofA. Simple representatives for this class are also given.     

Codimension 2 subvarieties of projective space

The motivation for the present paper is theHartshorne Conjecture on complete intersections inP ⁿ , forn6, and in the codimension 2 case: Any smooth codimension 2 subvarietyX ofP ⁿ is conjectured to be a complete intersection forn6. We prove this conjecture for all varieties with degree below a certain bound, which represents an improvement of the numerical information available untill now.This research has been supported by a grant from theStefi andLars Fylkesaker Foundation     

P.L.-Spheres,convex polytopes,and stress

We describe here the notion of generalized stress on simplicial complexes, which serves several purposes: it establishes a link between two proofs of the Lower Bound Theorem for simplicial convex polytopes; elucidates some connections between the algebraic tools and the geometric properties of polytopes; leads to an associated natural generalization of infinitesimal motions; behaves well with respect to bistellar operations in the same way that the face ring of a simplicial complex coordinates well with shelling operations, giving rise to a new proof that p.l.-spheres are Cohen-Macaulay; and is dual to the notion of McMullen's weights on simple polytopes which he used to give a simpler, more geometric proof of theg-theorem. Supported in part by NSF Grants DMS-8504050 and DMS-8802933, by NSA Grant MDA904-89-H-2038, by the Mittag-Leffier Institute, by DIMACS (Center for Discrete Mathematics and Theoretical Computer Science), a National Science Foundation Science and Technology Center, NSF-STC88-09648, and by a grant from the EPSRC.