Commutator equations in free groups

Letf ₁, …,f _n be free generators of a free groupF. We consider the equation [z ₁, …,z _n]_ω. where ω and ω′ indicate the disposition of brackets in the higher commutators [z ₁, …,z _n]_ω and [f ₁, …,f _n]_ω. We give a necessary and sufficient condition on ω and ω′ for the existence of solutions of this equation. It is also shown that for any solutionz ₁=r₁, …,z _z=r _n we have <r ₁, …,r _n>=〈f ₁, …f _n〉.     

A criterion for the primeness of ideals generated by polynomials with separated variables

Proving primeness of an idealI=〈f ₁, …,f _m〉 in a polynomial ringR=K[X ₁, …,X _n]ofn indeterminates over an algebraically closed fieldK is a difficult task in general. Although there are straightforward algorithms that decide whetherI is prime or not, they are prohibitively lengthy if the number of indeterminates or the degrees of thef _iare large. In this paper we will give an easy criterion for the primeness ofI if thef _iare polynomials with separated variables, i.e. no mixed monomials occur in thef _i. The work on this paper was done while the author was a MINERVA fellow at Tel Aviv University.     

Bounding the number of connected components of a real algebraic set

For every polynomial mapf=(f ₁,…,f _k): ℝ ⁿ →ℝ ^k , we consider the number of connected components of its zero set,B(Z _f) and two natural “measures of the complexity off,” that is the triple(n, k, d), d being equal to max(degree off _i), and thek-tuple (Δ₁,...,Δ₄), Δ _k being the Newton polyhedron off _i respectively. Our aim is to boundB(Z _f) by recursive functions of these measures of complexity. In particular, with respect to (n, k, d) we shall improve the well-known Milnor-Thom’s bound μ _d (n)=d(2d−1) ⁿ⁻¹. Considered as a polynomial ind, μ _d (n) has leading coefficient equal to 2 ⁿ⁻¹. We obtain a bound depending onn, d, andk such that ifn is sufficiently larger thank, then it improves μ _d (n) for everyd. In particular, it is asymptotically equal to 1/2(k+1)n ^k−1 dⁿ, ifk is fixed andn tends to infinity. The two bounds are obtained by a similar technique involving a slight modification of Milnor-Thom's argument, Smith's theory, and information about the sum of Betti numbers of complex complete intersections.     

Central polynomials and matrix invariants

LetK be a field, charK=0 andM _n (K) the algebra ofn×n matrices overK. If λ=(λ₁,…,λ _m ) andμ=(μ ₁,…,μ _m ) are partitions ofn ² let wherex ₁,…,x _n ²,y ₁,…,y _n ² are noncommuting indeterminates andS _n ² is the symmetric group of degreen ². The polynomialsF ^{λ, μ} , when evaluated inM _n (K), take central values and we study the problem of classifying those partitions λ,μ for whichF ^{λ, μ} is a central polynomial (not a polynomial identity) forM _n (K). We give a formula that allows us to evaluateF ^{λ, μ} inM(K) in general and we prove that if λ andμ are not both derived in a suitable way from the partition δ=(1, 3,…, 2n−3, 2n−1), thenF ^{λ, μ} is a polynomial identity forM _n (K). As an application, we exhibit a new class of central polynomials forM _n (K). In memory of Shimshon Amitsur Research supported by a grant from MURST of Italy.     

Test for properness using residue calculus

We will consider global problems in the ringK[X ₁, …,X _n] on the polynomials with coefficients in a subfieldK ofC. LetP=(P ₁, …,P _n):K ⁿ →K ⁿ be a polynomial map such that (P ₁,…,P _n) is a quasi-regular sequence generating a proper ideal, the main thing we do is to use the algebraic residues theory (as described in [5]) as a computational tool to give some result to test when a map (P ₁, …,P _n) is a proper map by computing a finite number of residue symbols.     

Eigenvalues of the Manifold Sp（n）/U（n）

In this paper, we give the eigenvalues of the manifold Sp(n)/U(n). We prove that an eigenvalue λ _s (f ₂, f ₂, …, f _n ) of the Lie group Sp(n), corresponding to the representation with label (f ₁, f ₂, ..., f _n ), is an eigenvalue of the manifold Sp(n)/U(n), if and only if f ₁, f ₂, …, f _n are all even.     

Refined enumerations of alternating sign matrices: monotone (<Emphasis Type="Italic">d</Emphasis>,<Emphasis Type="Italic">m</Emphasis>)-trapezoids with prescribed top and bottom row

Monotone triangles are plane integer arrays of triangular shape with certain monotonicity conditions along rows and diagonals. Their significance is mainly due to the fact that they correspond to n×n alternating sign matrices when prescribing (1,2,…,n) as bottom row of the array. We define monotone (d,m)-trapezoids as monotone triangles with m rows where the d−1 top rows are removed. (These objects are also equivalent to certain partial alternating sign matrices.) It is known that the number of monotone triangles with bottom row (k ₁,…,k _n ) is given by a polynomial α(n;k ₁,…,k _n ) in the k _i ’s. The main purpose of this paper is to show that the number of monotone (d,m)-trapezoids with prescribed top and bottom row appears as a coefficient in the expansion of a specialisation of α(n;k ₁,…,k _n ) with respect to a certain polynomial basis. This settles a generalisation of a recent conjecture of Romik et al. (Adv. Math. 222:2004–2035, 2009). Among other things, the result is used to express the number of monotone triangles with bottom row (1,2,…,i−1,i+1,…,j−1,j+1,…,n) (which is, by the standard bijection, also the number of n×n alternating sign matrices with given top two rows) in terms of the number of n×n alternating sign matrices with prescribed top and bottom row, and, by a formula of Stroganov for the latter numbers, to provide an explicit formula for the first numbers. (A formula of this type was first derived by Karklinsky and Romik using the relation of alternating sign matrices to the six-vertex model.)     

Successioni regolari relative e ideali sizigetici

Riassunto Si utilizzano le successioni regolari relative strette per studiare i moduli di sizigie e i gruppi di omologia del complesso di KoszulK(f₁,…,f_n;A) di un sistema di elementif ₁,…,f _n appartenenti ad un anello commutativo con unitàA, estendendo, tra l'altro, un noto teorema diJ. P. Serre valido per le successioni regolari. Numerose applicazioni geometriche illustrano i risultati conseguiti.

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Résumé On utilise les suites regulières relatives strictes pour étudier les modules des syzygies et les groupes d'homologie du complex de KoszulK(f ₁,…,f_n;A) d'un systéme d'élémentsf ₁,…,f _n d'un anneau commutatif avec unitéA, généralisant un théorème bienc connu deJ. P. Serre valide pour les suites régulières. Nombreuses applications géométriques clarifient les résultats obtenus.

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La presente Nota riproduce fedelmente la prima di 3 conferenze, tenuta dall'autore il 12 giugno 1979 alla XVIII Session du Séminaire de Mathématique Supérieures de l'Université de Montréal.

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Lavoro eseguito nell'ambito della GNASAGA-CNR.     

Continued radicals

If a ₁,a ₂,…,a _n are nonnegative real numbers and , then f ₁○f ₂○⋅⋅⋅○f _n (0) is a nested radical with terms a ₁,…,a _n . If it exists, the limit as n→∞ of such an expression is a continued radical. We consider the set of real numbers S(M) representable as a continued radical whose terms a ₁,a ₂,… are all from a finite set M. We give conditions on the set M for S(M) to be (a) an interval, and (b) homeomorphic to the Cantor set.      

Punctured combinatorial Nullstellensätze

In this article we extend Alon’s Nullstellensatz to functions which have multiple zeros at the common zeros of some polynomials g ₁,g ₂, …, g _n , that are the product of linear factors. We then prove a punctured version which states, for simple zeros, that if f vanishes at nearly all, but not all, of the common zeros of g ₁(X ₁), …,g _n (X _n ) then every residue of f modulo the ideal generated by g ₁, …, g _n , has a large degree.     

A criterion for regular sequences

LetR be a commutative noetherian ring and ƒ₁, …, ƒ_r ∃ R. In this article we give (cf. the Theorem in §2) a criterion for ƒ₁, …, ƒ_r to be regular sequence for a finitely generated module overR which strengthens and generalises a result in [2]. As an immediate consequence we deduce that if V(g ₁, …,g _r ) ⊆ V(ƒ₁, …, ƒ_r) in SpecR and if ƒ₁, …, ƒ_r is a regular sequence inR, theng ₁, …,g _r is also a regular sequence inR.     

On some characterization of probability distributions in Hilbert spaces

Summary The aim of this paper is to prove the following theorem about characterization of probability distributions in Hilbert spaces:Theorem. — Let x₁, x₂, …, x_n be n (n≥3) independent random variables in the Hilbert spaceH, having their characteristic functionals f_k(t) = E[e^i(t,x _k)], (k=1, 2, …, n): let y₁=x₁ + x_n, y₂=x₂ + x_n, …, y_n−1=x_n−1 + x_n. If the characteristic functional f(t₁, t₂, …, t_n−1) of the random variables (y₁, y₂, …, y_n−1) does not vanish, then the joint distribution of (y₁, y₂, …, y_n−1) determines all the distributions of x₁, x₂, …, x_n up to change of location.     

Concerning the order of approximation of periodic continuous functions by trigonometric interpolation polynomials

Letx _kn=2θk/n,k=0,1 …n−1 (n odd positive integer). LetR _n(x) be the unique trigonometric polynomial of order 2n satisfying the interpolatory conditions:R _n(x_kn)=f(x_kn),R _n ^(j)(x_kn)=0,j=1,2,4,k=0,1…,n−1. We setw ₂(t,f) as the second modulus of continuity off(x). Then we prove that |R _n(x)-f(x)|=0(nw₂(1/nf)). We also examine the question of lower estimate of ‖R _n-f‖. This generalizes an earlier work of the author.     

Positive values of non-homogeneous indefinite quadratic forms of type (1, 4)

Let Г_r,n—r denote the infimum of all number Г > 0 such that for any real indefinite quadratic form inn variables of type (r, n—r), determinantD ≠ 0 and real numbers c₁; c₂,…, c_n, there exist integersx ₁,x₂,…,x_n satisfying 0 < Q(x₁+c₁,x₂ + c₂,…,x_n + c_n) ≤(Г|Z > |)^1/n. All the values of Г_r,n—r are known except for г_1,4. Earlier it was shown that 8 ≤Г_1,4 ≤16. Here we improve the upper bound to get Г_1,4 < 12.     

Completely monotone multisequences, symmetric probabilities and a normal limit theorem

Let G _n,k be the set of all partial completely monotone multisequences of ordern and degreek, i.e., multisequencesc _n(β₁,β₂,…, β _k ), β₁,β₂,…, β_k = 0,1,2,…, β₁+β₂ + … +β _k ≤n,c _n(0,0,…, 0) = 1 and whenever β₀ ≤n - (β₁ + β₂ + … + β _k ) where Δc _n(β₁,β₂,…, β _k ) =c _n(β₁ + 1, β₂,…, β _k )+c _n(β₁,β₂+1,…, β _k )+…+c _n (β₁,β₂,…, β _k +1) -c _n(β₁,β₂,…, β _k ). Further, let Π _n,k be the set of all symmetric probabilities on {0,1,2,…,k} ⁿ . We establish a one-to-one correspondence between the sets G _n,k and Π _n,k and use it to formulate and answer interesting questions about both. Assigning to G _n,k the uniform probability measure, we show that, asn→∞, any fixed section {it{c_n}(β₁,β₂,…, β _k ), 1 ≤ Σβ _i ≤m}, properly centered and normalized, is asymptotically multivariate normal. That is, converges weakly to MVN[0, Σ _m ]; the centering constantsc ₀(β₁, β₂,…, β _k ) and the asymptotic covariances depend on the moments of the Dirichlet (1, 1,…, 1; 1) distribution on the standard simplex inR ^k.     

Bounds on the number of cycles of length three in a planar graph

LetG be ap-vertex planar graph having a representation in the plane with nontriangular facesF ₁,F ₂, …,F _r. Letf ₁,f ₂, …,f _r denote the lengths of the cycles bounding the facesF ₁,F ₂, …,F _r respectively. LetC ₃(G) be the number of cycles of length three inG. We give bounds onC ₃(G) in terms ofp,f ₁,f ₂, …,f _r. WhenG is 3-connected these bounds are bounds for the number of triangles in a polyhedron. We also show that all possible values ofC ₃(G) between the maximum and minimum value are actually achieved. This research was supported in part by the U.S.A.F. Office of Scientific Research, Systems Command, under Grant AFOSR-76-3017 and the National Science Foundation under Grant ENG79-09724.     

The additive subgroup generated by a polynomial

SupposeR is a prime ring with the centerZ and the extended centroidC. Letp(x ₁, …,x _n) be a polynomial overC in noncommuting variablesx ₁, …,x _n. LetI be a nonzero ideal ofR andA be the additive subgroup ofRC generated by {p(a ₁, …,a _n):a ₁, …,a _n ∈I}. Then eitherp(x ₁, …,x _n) is central valued orA contains a noncentral Lie ideal ofR except in the only one case whereR is the ring of all 2 × 2 matrices over GF(2), the integers mod 2.     

Universal PI-algebras and algebras of generic matrices

Let Ω[ξ] denote the polynomial algebra (with 1) in commutative indeterminates {ie65-1}, 1 ≦i, j ≦n, 1 ≦k < ∞, over a commutative ring Ω. Thealgebra of generic matrices Ω [Y] is defined to be the Ω-subalgebra ofM _n (Ω[ξ]) generated by the matricesY _k=({ie65-2}), 1 ≦i, j ≦n, 1 ≦k < ∞. This algebra has been studied extensively by Amitsur and by Procesi in particular Amitsur has used it to construct a finite dimensional, central division algebra Ω (Y) which is not a crossed product. In this paper we shall prove, for Ω a domain, that Ω(Y) has exponentn in the Brauer group (Amitsur may already know this fact); consequently, for Ω an infinite field andn a multiple of 4, iff(X ₁, …,X _m) is a polynomial linear in all theX _i but one (similar to Formanek’s central polynomials for matrix rings) andf ² is central forM _n (Ω), thenf is central forM _n (Ω). (The existence of a polynomial not central forM _n (Ω), but whose square is central forM _n(Ω) is equivalent to every central division algebra of degreen containing a quadratic extension of its center; well-known theory immediately shows this is the case of 4‖n and 8χn.) Also, information is obtained about Ω(Y) for arbitary Ω, most notably that the Jacobson radical is the set of nilpotent elements. Partial support for this work was provided by National Science Foundation grant NSF-GP 33591.     

On the range of random walk

Let {S _n , n=0, 1, 2, …} be a random walk (S _n being thenth partial sum of a sequence of independent, identically distributed, random variables) with values inE _d , thed-dimensional integer lattice. Letf _n =Prob {S ₁ ≠ 0, …,S _n −1 ≠ 0,S _n =0 |S ₀=0}. The random walk is said to be transient if and strongly transient if . LetR _n =cardinality of the set {S ₀,S ₁, …,S _n }. It is shown that for a strongly transient random walk with p<1, the distribution of [R _n −np]/σ √n converges to the normal distribution with mean 0 and variance 1 asn tends to infinity, where σ is an appropriate positive constant. The other main result concerns the “capacity” of {S ₀, …,S _n }. For a finite setA inE _d , let C(A=Σ _x∈A ) Prob {S _n ∉A, n≧1 |S ₀=x} be the capacity ofA. A strong law forC{S ₀, …,S _n } is proved for a transient random walk, and some related questions are also considered. This research was partially supported by the National Science Foundation.     

Note on primitive words

This note presents an example that disproves, forn=4, Weinbaum’s conjecture, that ifw is a cyclically reduced primitive word inF _n such that all the generatorsx∈X appear inw then some cyclic permutation ofw can be partitioned inton words generatingF _n :w≡uv,vu≡s ₁ s ₂…s _n , <s ₁,s ₂,…s _n >=F _n .