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.     

An Euler-Type Version of the Local Steiner Formula for Convex Bodies

The purpose of this note is to establish a new version of thelocal Steiner formula and to give an application to convex bodiesof constant width. This variant of the Steiner formula generalizesresults of Hann [3] and Hug [6], who use much less elementarytechniques than the methods of this paper. In fact, Hann askedfor a simpler proof of these results [4, Problem 2, p. 900].We remark that our formula can be considered as a Euclideananalogue of a spherical result proved in [2, p. 46], and thatour method can also be applied in hyperbolic space. For some remarks on related formulas in certain two-dimensionalMinkowski spaces, see Hann [5, p. 363]. For further information about the notions used below, we referto Schneider's book [9]. Let Kⁿ be the set of all convex bodiesin Euclidean space Rⁿ, that is, the set of all compact, convex,non-empty subsets of Rⁿ. Let S^n–1 be the unit sphere.For KKⁿ, let NorK be the set of all support elements of K, thatis, the pairs (x, u)RⁿxS^n–1 such that x is a boundarypoint of K and u is an outer unit normal vector of K at thepoint x. The support measures (or generalized curvature measures)of K, denoted by ₀(K.), ..., _n–1(K.), are the unique Borelmeasures on RⁿxS^n–1 that are concentrated on NorK andsatisfy [formula] for all integrable functions f:RⁿR; here denotes the Lebesguemeasure on Rⁿ. Equation (1), which is a consequence and a slightgeneralization of Theorem 4.2.1 in Schneider [9], is calledthe local Steiner formula. Our main result is the following.1991 Mathematics Subject Classification 52A20, 52A38, 52A55.     

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.     

Kato Class Potentials for Higher Order Elliptic Operators

Our goal in this paper is to determine conditions on a potentialV which ensure that an operator such as H:=(–)^m+V (1) acting on L²(R^N) defines a semigroup in L^p(R^N) for various valuesof p including p=1. The operator is defined as a quadratic formsum. That is, we put for (all integrals are on R^N and are with respect to Lebesgue measure), and note thatthe closure of the form is non-negative and has domain equalto the Sobolev space W^m,2. We then assume that the potentialhas quadratic form bound less than 1 with respect to Q₀, anddefine This form is closed and is associated with a semibounded self-adjointoperator H in L² (see [17, p. 348; 5, Theorem 4.23]). One canthen ask whether the semigroup e^–Ht defined on L² fort0 is extendable to a strongly continuous one-parameter semigroupon L^p for other values of p, and if so whether one can describethe domain and spectrum of its generator.     

On Artin's Conjecture, I: Systems of Diagonal Forms

As a special case of a well-known conjecture of Artin, it isexpected that a system of R additive forms of degree k, say [formula] with integer coefficients a_ij, has a non-trivial solution inQ_p for all primes p whenever [formula] Here we adopt the convention that a solution of (1) is non-trivialif not all the x_i are 0. To date, this has been verified onlywhen R=1, by Davenport and Lewis [4], and for odd k when R=2,by Davenport and Lewis [7]. For larger values of R, and in particularwhen k is even, more severe conditions on N are required toassure the existence of p-adic solutions of (1) for all primesp. In another important contribution, Davenport and Lewis [6]showed that the conditions [formula] are sufficient. There have been a number of refinements of theseresults. Schmidt [13] obtained N>>R²k³ log k, and Low,Pitman and Wolff [10] improved the work of Davenport and Lewisby showing the weaker constraints [formula] to be sufficient for p-adic solubility of (1). A noticeable feature of these results is that for even k, onealways encounters a factor k³ log k, in spite of the expectedk² in (2). In this paper we show that one can reach the expectedorder of magnitude k². 1991 Mathematics Subject Classification11D72, 11D79.     

Realisations of Non v-Sufficient Jets with value in Rp, p > 1

The purpose of this paper is to show that if a jet cue oJ^r(n,p), n p, p > 1, is not v-sufficient in C^r+1, there existsan infinite sequence (f_i)_iN^* of realisations of o with mutuallynon-homeomorphic germs of varieties . Bochnak and Kuo [2, 5] showed it when p = 1 and thought thatthe same argument slightly modified can be used in the casep 2 [7, p. 225]. But when n p + 2, p > 1, we have to proceeddifferently. Moreover, it is necessary to prove separately theresult when n = p and n = p + 1. About C⁰-sufriciency and p> 1, Brodersen [3, p. 168] showed a similar theorem.     

Singular Integrals and Maximal Functions Associated to Surfaces of Revolution

We obtain L^p estimates for singular integrals and maximal functionsassociated to hypersurfaces in Rⁿ⁺¹, n 2, which are obtainedby rotating a curve around one of the coordinate axes.     

Cluster Sets of Harmonic Functions at the Boundary of a Half-Space

The purpose of this paper is to answer some questions posedby Doob [2] in 1965 concerning the boundary cluster sets ofharmonic and superharmonic functions on the half-space D givenby D = R^n–1 x (0, + ), where n 2. Let f: D [–,+] and let Z D. Following Doob, we write B_Z (respectively C_Z)for the non-tangential (respectively minimal fine) cluster setof f at Z. Thus l B_Z if and only if there is a sequence (X_m)of points in D which approaches Z non-tangentially and satisfiesf(X_m) l. Also, l C_Z if and only if there is a subset E ofD which is not minimally thin at Z with respect to D, and whichsatisfies f(X) l as X Z along E. (We refer to the book byDoob [3, 1.XII] for an account of the minimal fine topology.In particular, the latter equivalence may be found in [3, 1.XII.16].)If f is superharmonic on D, then (see [2, 6]) both sets B_Z andC_Z are subintervals of [–, +]. Let denote (n –1)-dimensional measure on D. The following results are due toDoob [2, Theorem 6.1 and p. 123]. 1991 Mathematics Subject Classification31B25.     

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.     

Serre's Theorem on the Cohomology Algebra of a p-Group

The purpose of this note is to give a proof of a theorem ofSerre, which states that if G is a p-group which is not elementaryabelian, then there exist an integer m and non-zero elementsx₁, ..., x_m H¹ (G, Z/p) such that with ß the Bockstein homomorphism. Denote by m_G thesmallest integer m satisfying the above property. The theoremwas originally proved by Serre [5], without any bound on m_G.Later, in [2], Kroll showed that m_G p^k – 1, with k =dim_Z/pH¹ (G, Z/p). Serre, in [6], also showed that m_G (p^k –1)/(p – 1). In [3], using the Evens norm map, Okuyamaand Sasaki gave a proof with a slight improvement on Serre'sbound; it follows from their proof (see, for example, [1, Theorem4.7.3]) that m_G (p + 1)p^k–2. However, m_G can be sharpenedfurther, as we see below. For convenience, write H^*(G, Z/p) = H^*(G). For every x_i H¹(G),set 1991 Mathematics SubjectClassification 20J06.     

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.     

Rates of Recurrence for Zq and Rq Extensions of Subshifts of Finite Type

In this note we give new asymptotic formulae for certain countingfunctions associated to the periodic behaviour of Z^q and R^qextensions of subshifts of finite type. In the case of the Z^qextensions, these strengthen previous estimates of Marcus andTuncel [9]. For both types of extension, our results complementthe central limit type results of Lalley [6]. Our proof requiresthe application of ideas from thermodynamic formalism. Whilstdeveloping this approach, in Section 2, we take the opportunityto present a counter-example to a related conjecture of Coelho-Filho[2].     

One-Dimensional p-Adic Subanalytic Sets

In this paper we extend two theorems from [2] on p-adic subanalyticsets, where p is a fixed prime number, Q_p is the field of p-adicnumbers and Z_p is the ring of p-adic integers. One of thesetheorems [2, 3.32] says that each subanalytic subset of Z_p issemialgebraic. This is extended here as follows.     

Damping Oscillatory Integrals with Polynomial Phase and Convolution Operators with the Affine Arclength Measure on Polynomial Curves in Rn

McMichael proved that the convolution with the (euclidean) arclengthmeasure supported on the curve t (t, t², ..., tⁿ), 0 < t< 1, maps L^p(Rⁿ) boundedly into L^p'(Rⁿ) if and only if 2n(n+1)/(n²+n+2) p 2. In proving this, a uniform estimate on damping oscillatoryintegrals with polynomial phase was crucial. In this paper,a remarkably simple proof of the same estimate on oscillatoryintegrals is presented. In addition, it is shown that the convolutionoperator with the affine arclength measure on any polynomialcurve in Rⁿ maps L^p(Rⁿ) boundedly into L^p'(Rⁿ) if p = 2n(n+1)/(n²+n+2).     

Evaluation of Superharmonic Functions Using Limits Along Lines

If u is a superharmonic function on R², then [formula] for all (x, y) R². This follows from the fact that a line segmentin R² is non-thin at each of its constituent points. (See Doob[1, 1.XI] or Helms [7, Chapter 10] for an account of thin setsand the fine topology.) The situation is different in higherdimensions. For example, if u is the Newtonian potential onR³ defined by [formula] then [formula] Corollary 2 below will show that, nevertheless, for nearly everyvertical line L, the value of a superharmonic function at anypoint X of L is determined by its lower limit along L at X. Throughout this paper, we let n 3. A typical point of Rⁿ willbe denoted by X or (X', x), where X'R^n–1 and xR. Givenany function f:Rⁿ [–,+] and any point X, we define thevertical cluster set of f at X by [formula] and the fine cluster set of f at X by [formula] 1991 Mathematics Subject Classification 31B05.     

Ideals in MOD-R and the {omega}-radical

Let R be an artin algebra, and let mod-R denote the categoryof finitely presented right R-modules. The radical rad = rad(mod-R)of this category and its finite powers play a major role inthe representation theory of R. The intersection of these finitepowers is denoted rad, and the nilpotence of this ideal hasbeen investigated, in [6, 13] for instance. In [17], arbitrarytransfinite powers, rad, of rad were defined and linked to theextent to which morphisms in mod-R may be factorised. In particular,it has been shown that if R is an artin algebra, then the transfiniteradical, rad, the intersection of all ordinal powers of rad,is non-zero if and only if there is a ‘factorisable system’of morphisms in rad and, in that case, the Krull–Gabrieldimension of mod-R equals (that is, is undefined). More preciseresults on the index of nilpotence of rad for artin algebraswere proved in [14, 20, 24–26].     

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.     

Beardon's Diophantine Equations and Non-Free Mobius Groups

Let µ be a real number. The Möbius group G_µis the matrix group generated by It is known that G_µ is free if |µ| 2 (see [1])or if µ is transcendental (see [3, 8]). Moreover, thereis a set of irrational algebraic numbers µ which is densein (–2, 2) and for which G_µ is non-free [2, p. 528].We may assume that µ > 0, and in this paper we considerrational µ in (0, 2). The following problem is difficult. Let G^nf denote the set of all rational numbers µ in (0,2) for which G_µ is non-free. In 1969 Lyndon and Ullman[8] proved that G^nf contains the elements of the forms p/(p²+ 1) and 1/(p + 1), where p = 1, 2, ..., and that if µ₀ G^nf, then µ₀/p G^nf for p = 1, 2, .... In 1993 Beardon[2] studied problem (P) by means of the words of the form A^rB^s A^t and A^r B^s A^t B^u A^v, and he obtained a sufficient conditionfor solvability of (P), included implicitly in [2, pp. 530–531],by means of the following Diophantine equations: 1991 Mathematics SubjectClassification 20E05, 20H20, 11D09.     

Anzai Skew Products with Lebesgue Component of Infinite Multiplicity

Let f be a 1-periodic C¹-function whose Fourier coefficientssatisfy the condition _n|n|³|f(n|² < . For every R\Q andm Z\{0}, we consider the Anzai skew product T(x, y) = (x +, y + mx + f(x)) acting on the 2-torus. It is shown that T hasinfinite Lebesgue spectrum on the orthocomplement L²(dx) ofthe space of functions depending only on the first variable.This extends some earlier results of Kushnirenko, Choe, Lemaczyk,Rudolph, and the author. 1991 Mathematics Subject Classification28D05.