Plane polynomial automorphisms of fixed multidegree

Let be the group of polynomial automorphisms of the complex affine plane. On one hand, can be endowed with the structure of an infinite dimensional algebraic group (see Shafarevich in Math USSR Izv 18:214–226, 1982) and on the other hand there is a partition of according to the multidegree (see Friedland and Milnor in Ergod Th Dyn Syst 9:67–99, 1989). Let denote the set of automorphisms whose multidegree is equal to d. We prove that is a smooth, locally closed subset of and show some related results. We give some applications to the study of the varieties (resp. ) of automorphisms whose degree is equal to m (resp. is less than or equal to m).     

The Birman–Craggs–Johnson homomorphism and abelian cycles in the Torelli group

In the 1970s, Birman–Craggs–Johnson (BCJ) (Trans AMS 237: 283–309, 1978; Trans AMS 261(1):423–422, 1980) used Rochlin’s invariant for homology 3-spheres to construct a remarkable surjective homomorphism , where is the Torelli group and B ₃ is a certain -vector space of Boolean (square-free) polynomials. By pulling back cohomology classes and evaluating them on abelian cycles, we construct dimensions worth of nontrivial elements of which cannot be detected rationally. These classes in fact restrict to nontrivial classes in the cohomology of the subgroup generated by Dehn twists about separating curves. We also use the “Casson–Morita algebra” and Morita’s integral lift of the BCJ map restricted to to give the same lower bound on . The first author is partially supported by NSF grant DMS-0606882 and was also supported in part by NSF grant DMS-0504208 and by a VIGRE postdoc under NSF grant 9983660 to Cornell University. The second author is supported in part by NSF grant DMS-0244542.     

Dichotomy Results for Fixed-Point Existence Problems for Boolean Dynamical Systems

A complete classification of the computational complexity of the fixed-point existence problem for Boolean dynamical systems, i.e., finite discrete dynamical systems over the domain {0, 1}, is presented. For function classes and graph classes , an ()-system is a Boolean dynamical system such that all local transition functions lie in and the underlying graph lies in . Let be a class of Boolean functions which is closed under composition and let be a class of graphs which is closed under taking minors. The following dichotomy theorems are shown: (1) If contains the self-dual functions and contains the planar graphs, then the fixed-point existence problem for ()-systems with local transition function given by truth-tables is NP-complete; otherwise, it is decidable in polynomial time. (2) If contains the self-dual functions and contains the graphs having vertex covers of size one, then the fixed-point existence problem for ()-systems with local transition function given by formulas or circuits is NP-complete; otherwise, it is decidable in polynomial time.      

$${\mathcal{C}}_{0}$$ ( X)-algebras,stability and strongly self-absorbing $${\mathcal{C}}^{*}$$ -algebras

We study permanence properties of the classes of stable and so-called -stable -algebras, respectively. More precisely, we show that a (X)-algebra A is stable if all its fibres are, provided that the underlying compact metrizable space X has finite covering dimension or that the Cuntz semigroup of A is almost unperforated (a condition which is automatically satisfied for -algebras absorbing the Jiang–Su algebra tensorially). Furthermore, we prove that if is a K ₁-injective strongly self-absorbing -algebra, then A absorbs tensorially if and only if all its fibres do, again provided that X is finite-dimensional. This latter statement generalizes results of Blanchard and Kirchberg. We also show that the condition on the dimension of X cannot be dropped. Along the way, we obtain a useful characterization of when a -algebra with weakly unperforated Cuntz semigroup is stable, which allows us to show that stability passes to extensions of -absorbing -algebras. Research supported by: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (through the SFB 478), by the EU-Network Quantum Spaces - Noncommutative Geometry (Contract No. HPRN-CT-2002-00280), and by the Center for Advanced Studies in Mathematics at Ben-Gurion University     

On the Intertwining of \partial{\mathcal{D}}-Isometries

Let be a strictly pseudoconvex bounded domain in with C ² boundary . If a subnormal m-tuple T of Hilbert space operators has the spectral measure of its minimal normal extension N supported on , then T is referred to as a -isometry. Using some non-trivial approximation theorems in the theory of several complex variables, we establish a commutant lifting theorem for those -isometries whose (joint) Taylor spectra are contained in a special superdomain Ω of . Further, we provide a function-theoretic characterization of those subnormal tuples whose Taylor spectra are contained in Ω and that are quasisimilar to a certain (fixed) -isometry T (of which the multiplication tuple on the Hardy space of the unit ball in is a rather special example). Submitted: September 9, 2007. Revised: October 10, 2007. Accepted: October 24, 2007.     

Quasiperiodic Group Factorizations

If is any ring or semi-ring (e.g., ) and G is a finite abelian group, two elements a, b of the group (semi-)ring are said to form a factorization of G if ab = rΣ _g∈G g for some . A factorization is called quasiperiodic if there is some element g ∈ G of order m > 1 such that either a or b – say b – can be written as a sum b ₀ + ... + b _m−1 of m elements of such that ab _h = g ^h ab ₀ for h = 0, ... , m − 1. Hajós [5] conjectured that all factorizations are quasiperiodic when and r = 1 but Sands [15] found a counterexample for the group . Here we show however that all factorizations of abelian groups are quasiperiodic when and that all factorizations of cyclic groups or of groups of the type are quasiperiodic when . We also give some new examples of non-quasiperiodic factorizations with for the smaller groups and . Received: May 12, 2006. Revised: October 3, 2007.     

The Stokes operator in weighted Lq-spaces II: weighted resolvent estimates and maximal Lp-regularity

In this paper we establish a general weighted L ^q -theory of the Stokes operator in the whole space, the half space and a bounded domain for general Muckenhoupt weights . We show weighted L ^q -estimates for the Stokes resolvent system in bounded domains for general Muckenhoupt weights. These weighted resolvent estimates imply not only that the Stokes operator generates a bounded analytic semigroup but even yield the maximal L ^p -regularity of in the respective weighted L ^q -spaces for arbitrary Muckenhoupt weights . This conclusion is archived by combining a recent characterisation of maximal L ^p -regularity by -bounded families due to Weis [Operator-valued Fourier multiplier theorems and maximal L _p -regularity. Preprint (1999)] with the fact that for L ^q -spaces -boundedness is implied by weighted estimates.     

The intersection map of subgroups and certain classes of finite groups

The goals of this paper are twofold. One is to look at the behavior of the collections of permutable subgroups and S-permutable subgroups under the intersection map into a fixed subgroup of a group. The other is to locally analyze the intersection map in connection with -, -, and -groups. In particular, we generalize Theorem 1 of Bauman [Arch. Math. (Basel) 25:337–340, 1974] to - and -groups.      

A remark on left invariant metrics on compact Lie groups

We show that a left invariant metric on a compact Lie group G with Lie algebra has some negative sectional curvature if it is obtained by enlarging a biinvariant metric on a subalgebra , unless the semi-simple part of is an ideal of This answers a question raised in [8]. Received: 7 May 2007     

Non-free isometric immersions of Riemannian manifolds

Let (V, g) be a Riemannian manifold and let be the isometric immersion operator which, to a map , associates the induced metric on V, where denotes the Euclidean scalar product in . By Nash–Gromov implicit function theorem is infinitesimally invertible over the space of free maps. In this paper we study non-free isometric immersions . We show that the operator (where denotes the space of C ^∞- smooth quadratic forms on ) is infinitesimally invertible over a non-empty open subset of and therefore is an open map in the respective fine topologies.      

Generalized hexagons and Singer geometries

In this paper, we consider a set of lines of with the properties that (1) every plane contains 0, 1 or q + 1 elements of , (2) every solid contains no more than q ² + q + 1 and no less than q + 1 elements of , and (3) every point of is on q + 1 members of , and we show that, whenever (4) q ≠ 2 (respectively, q = 2) and the lines of through some point are contained in a solid (respectively, a plane), then is necessarily the set of lines of a regularly embedded split Cayley generalized hexagon in , with q even. We present examples of such sets not satisfying (4) based on a Singer cycle in , for all q.      

Finite lattices as relative congruence lattices of finite algebras

Let A be a finite algebra and a quasivariety. By A is meant the lattice of congruences θ on A with . For any positive integer n, we give conditions on a finite algebra A under which for any n-element lattice L there is a quasivariety such that . The author was supported by INTAS grant 03-51-4110.     

The Dirichlet problem for constant mean curvature surfaces in Heisenberg space

We study constant mean curvature graphs in the Riemannian three- dimensional Heisenberg spaces . Each such is the total space of a Riemannian submersion onto the Euclidean plane with geodesic fibers the orbits of a Killing field. We prove the existence and uniqueness of CMC graphs in with respect to the Riemannian submersion over certain domains taking on prescribed boundary values. L. J. Alías was partially supported by MEC/FEDER project MTM2004-04934-C04-02 and Fundación Séneca project 00625/PI/04, Spain.     

A new family of maximal curves over a finite field

It has been known for a long time that the Deligne–Lusztig curves associated to the algebraic groups of type and defined over the finite field all have the maximum number of -rational points allowed by the Weil “explicit formulas”, and that these curves are -maximal curves over infinitely many algebraic extensions of . Serre showed that an -rational curve which is -covered by an -maximal curve is also -maximal. This has posed the problem of the existence of -maximal curves other than the Deligne–Lusztig curves and their -subcovers, see for instance Garcia (On curves with many rational points over finite fields. In: Finite Fields with Applications to Coding Theory, Cryptography and Related Areas, pp. 152–163. Springer, Berlin, 2002) and Garcia and Stichtenoth (A maximal curve which is not a Galois subcover of the Hermitan curve. Bull. Braz. Math. Soc. (N.S.) 37, 139–152, 2006). In this paper, a positive answer to this problem is obtained. For every q = n ³ with n = p ^r  > 2, p ≥ 2 prime, we give a simple, explicit construction of an -maximal curve that is not -covered by any -maximal Deligne–Lusztig curve. Furthermore, the -automorphism group Aut has size n ³(n ³ + 1)(n ² − 1)(n ² − n + 1). Interestingly, has a very large -automorphism group with respect to its genus . Research supported by the Italian Ministry MURST, Strutture geometriche, combinatoria e loro applicazioni, PRIN 2006–2007.     

Characterizing cryptogroups with a finite number of $${\mathcal{H}}$$ -classes in each $${\mathcal{D}}$$ -class by their subsemigroups

We construct a family of completely regular semigroups with the property that each completely regular semigroup S with a finite number of -classes in each -class is non-cryptic if and only if S contains an isomorphic image of a member of . Each member F of is an ideal extension of a Rees matrix semigroup J by a cyclic group B with a zero adjoined and the identity of B is the identity of F. Here with I and Λ finite, G is given by generators and relations, and P is given explicitly. Within completely regular semigroups, the cryptic property is equivalent to where is the natural partial order and a if and only if a ² = ab = ba. Hence the above result can be formulated in terms of and .      

<Emphasis Type="Italic">h</Emphasis>-Principles for curves and knots of constant curvature

We prove that curves of constant curvature satisfy, in the sense of Gromov, the relative -dense h-principle in the space of immersed curves in Euclidean space R ^{n ≥ 3}. In particular, in the isotopy class of any given knot f there exists a knot f͂ of constant curvature which is -close to f. More importantly, we show that if f is , then the curvature of f͂ may be set equal to any constant c which is not smaller than the maximum curvature of f. We may also require that f͂ be tangent to f along any finite set of prescribed points, and coincide with f over any compact set with an open neighborhood where f has constant curvature c. The proof involves some basic convexity theory, and a sharp estimate for the position of the average value of a parameterized curve within its convex hull. The author’s research was supported in part by NSF CAREER award DMS-0332333.     

Semicrossed products of simple C*-algebras

Let and be C*-dynamical systems and assume that is a separable simple C*-algebra and that α and β are *-automorphisms. Then the semicrossed products and are isometrically isomorphic if and only if the dynamical systems and are outer conjugate. K. R. Davidson was partially supported by an NSERC grant. E. G. Katsoulis was partially supported by a summer grant from ECU     

Uniform central limit theorems for kernel density estimators

Let be the classical kernel density estimator based on a kernel K and n independent random vectors X _i each distributed according to an absolutely continuous law on . It is shown that the processes , , converge in law in the Banach space , for many interesting classes of functions or sets, some -Donsker, some just -pregaussian. The conditions allow for the classical bandwidths h _n that simultaneously ensure optimal rates of convergence of the kernel density estimator in mean integrated squared error, thus showing that, subject to some natural conditions, kernel density estimators are ‘plug-in’ estimators in the sense of Bickel and Ritov (Ann Statist 31:1033–1053, 2003). Some new results on the uniform central limit theorem for smoothed empirical processes, needed in the proofs, are also included.