Adiabatic limits of η-invariants and the Meyer functions

We construct a function on the orbifold fundamental group of the moduli space of smooth theta divisors, which we call the Meyer function for smooth theta divisors. In the construction, we use the adiabatic limits of the η-invariants of the mapping torus of theta divisors. We shall prove that the Meyer function for smooth theta divisors cobounds the signature cocycle, and we determine the values of the Meyer function for the Dehn twists. In particular, we give an analytic construction of the Meyer function of genus two.     

Self-dual representations of some dyadic groups

Let F be a non-Archimedean local field of residual characteristic two and let d be an odd positive integer. Let D be a central F-division algebra of dimension d ². Let π be one of: an irreducible smooth representation of D  ^× , an irreducible cuspidal representation of GL _d (F), an irreducible smooth representation of the Weil group of F of dimension d. We show that, in all these cases, if π is self-contragredient then it is defined over \mathbb Q{\mathbb Q} and is orthogonal. We also show that such representations exist.     

A low-memory algorithm for finding short product representations in finite groups

We describe a space-efficient algorithm for solving a generalization of the subset sum problem in a finite group G, using a Pollard-ρ approach. Given an element z and a sequence of elements S, our algorithm attempts to find a subsequence of S whose product in G is equal to z. For a random sequence S of length d log₂ n, where n = #G and d ≥ 2 is a constant, we find that its expected running time is O(?n log n){O(\sqrt{n}\,{\rm log}\,n)} group operations (we give a rigorous proof for d > 4), and it only needs to store O(1) group elements. We consider applications to class groups of imaginary quadratic fields, and to finding isogenies between elliptic curves over a finite field.     

Undecidability of the centers of groups and group algebras

Let k ≧ 3 be an integer or k = ∞ and let K be a field. There is a recursive family of finitely presented groups G_n over a fixed finite alphabet with solvable word problem such that

On the commutativity degree of compact groups

In any finite group G, the commutativity degree of G (denoted by d(G)) is the probability that two randomly chosen elements of G commute. More generally, for every n ≥ 2 the nth commutativity degree (denoted by d _n (G)) is the probability that a randomly chosen ordered (n + 1)-tuple of the group elements is mutually commuting. The aim of this paper is to generalize the definition of d(G) and d _n (G) to every compact group G (infinite and even uncountable). We shall state some results concerning compact groups and we will extend some results in Erfanian et al. (Comm. Algebra 35 (2007), 4183–4197) and Lescot (J. Algebra 177 (1995), 847–869).     

Self-intersection local time for Gaussian ′( )-processes: Existence, path continuity and examples

In this paper we develop a criterion for existence or non-existence of self-intersection local time (SILT) for a wide class of Gaussian ′( ^d)-valued processes, we show that quite generally the SILT process has continuous paths, and we give several examples which illustrate existence of SILT for different ranges of dimensions (e.g., d ≤ 3, d ≤ 7 and 5 ≤ d ≤ 11 in the Brownian case). Some of the examples involve branching and exhibit “dimension gaps”. Our results generalize the work of Adler and coauthors, who studied the special case of “density processes” and proved that SILT paths are cadlag in the Brownian case making use of a “particle picture” approximation (this technique is not available for our general formulation).     

Pro-p groups of rank 3 and the question of Iwasawa

For a prime p > 3 we determine all pro-p groups that satisfy d(G) = d(H) = 3 for all open subgroups H of G. Received: 29 July 2008     

A $$\mathbb{Z}_{2}$$-orbifold model of the symplectic fermionic vertex operator superalgebra

We give an example of an irrational C ₂-cofinite vertex operator algebra whose central charge is −2d for any positive integer d. This vertex operator algebra is given as the even part of the vertex operator superalgebra generated by d pairs of symplectic fermions, and it is just the realization of the c = −2-triplet algebra given by Kausch in the case d = 1. We also classify irreducible modules for this vertex operator algebra and determine its automorphism group. This research is supported in part by a grant from Japan Society for the Promotion of Science.     

On Hitting Times and Fastest Strong Stationary Times for Skip-Free and More General Chains

An (upward) skip-free Markov chain with the set of nonnegative integers as state space is a chain for which upward jumps may be only of unit size; there is no restriction on downward jumps. In a 1987 paper, Brown and Shao determined, for an irreducible continuous-time skip-free chain and any d, the passage time distribution from state 0 to state d. When the nonzero eigenvalues ν _j of the generator on {0,…,d}, with d made absorbing, are all real, their result states that the passage time is distributed as the sum of d independent exponential random variables with rates ν _j . We give another proof of their theorem. In the case of birth-and-death chains, our proof leads to an explicit representation of the passage time as a sum of independent exponential random variables. Diaconis and Miclo recently obtained the first such representation, but our construction is much simpler. We obtain similar (and new) results for a fastest strong stationary time T of an ergodic continuous-time skip-free chain with stochastically monotone time-reversal started in state 0, and we also obtain discrete-time analogs of all our results. In the paper’s final section we present extensions of our results to more general chains. Research supported by NSF grant DMS–0406104, and by The Johns Hopkins University’s Acheson J. Duncan Fund for the Advancement of Research in Statistics.     

A nice group structure on the orbit space of unimodular rows

If A is an affine algebra of dimension d ≥ 2, over a perfect field k, where char k ≠ 2 and c.d.₂ k ≤ 1, or if A = R[X], where R is a local, noetherian ring of dimension d ≥ 2, in which 2R = R, then the group structure of W. van der Kallen on the orbit space Um _d+1(A)/E _d+1(A) is given by coordinatewise multiplication via the product formula

On the spectrum of multivariable weighted composition operators

In this paper we study the point spectrum of the operator

Linearizability of d-webs, d ≥ 4, on two-dimensional manifolds

We find d − 2 relative differential invariants for a d-web, d ≥ 4, on a two-dimensional manifold and prove that their vanishing is necessary and sufficient for a d-web to be linearizable. If one writes the above invariants in terms of web functions f(x, y) and g ₄(x, y),..., g _d (x, y), then necessary and sufficient conditions for the linearizabilty of a d-web are two PDEs of the fourth order with respect to f and g ₄, and d − 4 PDEs of the second order with respect to f and g ₄,..., g _d . For d = 4, this result confirms Blaschke’s conjecture on the nature of conditions for the linearizabilty of a 4-web. We also give the Mathematica codes for testing 4- and d-webs (d > 4) for linearizability and examples of their usage.     

On Automorphisms of Some d-Dimensional Dual Hyperovals in PG(d(d + 3)/2, 2)

In [3], a new d-dimensional dual hyperoval S in PG(d(d + 3)/2, 2) for d ≥ 3 was constructed based on Veronesean dual hyperoval. In this note, we determine the automorphism group of the dual hyperoval S. Received: January 26, 2007. Final Version received: January 7, 2008.     

Characterizations of Hankel multipliers

We give characterizations of radial Fourier multipliers as acting on radial L ^p functions, 1 < p < 2d/(d + 1), in terms of Lebesgue space norms for Fourier localized pieces of the convolution kernel. This is a special case of corresponding results for general Hankel multipliers. Besides L ^p  − L ^q bounds we also characterize weak type inequalities and intermediate inequalities involving Lorentz spaces. Applications include results on interpolation of multiplier spaces. G. Garrigós partially supported by grant “MTM2007-60952” and Programa Ramón y Cajal, MCyT (Spain). A. Seeger partially supported by NSF grant DMS 0652890.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">f</Emphasis>-Vectors of barycentric subdivisions

For a simplicial complex or more generally Boolean cell complex Δ we study the behavior of the f- and h-vector under barycentric subdivision. We show that if Δ has a non-negative h-vector then the h-polynomial of its barycentric subdivision has only simple and real zeros. As a consequence this implies a strong version of the Charney–Davis conjecture for spheres that are the subdivision of a Boolean cell complex or the subdivision of the boundary complex of a simple polytope. For a general (d − 1)-dimensional simplicial complex Δ the h-polynomial of its n-th iterated subdivision shows convergent behavior. More precisely, we show that among the zeros of this h-polynomial there is one converging to infinity and the other d − 1 converge to a set of d − 1 real numbers which only depends on d. F. Brenti and V. Welker are partially supported by EU Research Training Network “Algebraic Combinatorics in Europe”, grant HPRN-CT-2001-00272 and the program on “Algebraic Combinatorics” at the Mittag-Leffler Institut in Spring 2005.     

d- Dimensional Dual Hyperovals in PG(d + n, 2) for d + 1 ≤ n ≤ 3d − 7

Assume that d ≥  4. Then there exists a d -dimensional dual hyperoval in PG(d +  n, 2) for d +  1  ≤  n ≤  3 d −  7.     

The Generalized <Emphasis Type="Italic">τ</Emphasis>-Bases of Primitive Non-Powerful Signed Digraphs with d Loops

Let n, k, τ, d be positive integers with 1 ≤ k, τ, d ≤ n. As natural extensions of the bases, the kth local bases, the kth upper bases and the kth lower bases of primitive non-powerful signed digraphs, we introduce a number of new, though, intimately related parameters called the generalized τ-bases of primitive non-powerful signed digraphs. Moreover, some sharp bounds for the generalized τ-bases of primitive non-powerful signed digraphs with n vertices and d loops are obtained, respectively.     

Moments and Distribution of the Local Times of a Transient Random Walk on ℤ d

Consider an arbitrary transient random walk on ℤ ^d with d∈ℕ. Pick α∈[0,∞), and let L _n (α) be the spatial sum of the αth power of the n-step local times of the walk. Hence, L _n (0) is the range, L _n (1)=n+1, and for integers α, L _n (α) is the number of the α-fold self-intersections of the walk. We prove a strong law of large numbers for L _n (α) as n→∞. Furthermore, we identify the asymptotic law of the local time in a random site uniformly distributed over the range. These results complement and contrast analogous results for recurrent walks in two dimensions recently derived by Černy (Stoch. Proc. Appl. 117:262–270, 2007). Although these assertions are certainly known to experts, we could find no proof in the literature in this generality.      

Polynomial-Time Algorithms for Multivariate Linear Problems with Finite-Order Weights: Average Case Setting

We study multivariate linear problems in the average case setting with respect to a zero-mean Gaussian measure whose covariance kernel has a finite-order weights structure. This means that the measure is concentrated on a Banach space of d-variate functions that are sums of functions of at most q ^* variables and the influence of each such term depends on a given weight. Here q ^* is fixed whereas d varies and can be arbitrarily large. For arbitrary finite-order weights, based on Smolyak’s algorithm, we construct polynomial-time algorithms that use standard information. That is, algorithms that solve the d-variate problem to within ε using of order function values modulo a power of ln ε ⁻¹. Here p is the exponent which measures the difficulty of the univariate (d=1) problem, and the power of ln ε ⁻¹ is independent of d. We also present a necessary and sufficient condition on finite-order weights for which we obtain strongly polynomial-time algorithms, i.e., when the number of function values is independent of d and polynomial in ε ⁻¹. The exponent of ε ⁻¹ may be, however, larger than p. We illustrate the results by two multivariate problems: integration and function approximation. For the univariate case we assume the r-folded Wiener measure. Then p=1/(r+1) for integration and for approximation.      

A Sharp Upper Bound for the Number of Spanning Trees of a Graph

Let G = (V,E) be a simple graph with n vertices, e edges and d₁ be the highest degree. Further let λ_i, i = 1,2,...,n be the non-increasing eigenvalues of the Laplacian matrix of the graph G. In this paper, we obtain the following result: For connected graph G, λ₂ = λ₃ = ... =  λ_n-1 if and only if G is a complete graph or a star graph or a (d₁,d₁) complete bipartite graph. Also we establish the following upper bound for the number of spanning trees of G on n, e and d₁ only: