Topological Homology Semi-Biplanes

 Coherent, topological, tactical semi-biplanes are homology semi-biplanes. In particular, semi-biplanes constructed from pairs of non-collinear points in compact antiregular quadrangles are homology semi-biplanes. (Received 7 March 2000; in final form 12 October 2000)     

Compact Ovoids in Quadrangles III: Clifford Algebras and Isoparametric Hypersurfaces

In this third part, we consider those compact quadrangles which arise from isoparametric hypersurfaces of Clifford type and their focal manifolds. Sections 9–11 give a comprehensive introduction to these quadrangles from the incidence-geometric point of view. Section 10 contains also a new (algebraic) proof that these geometries are quadrangles.We determine which of these quadrangles have ovoids or spreads and also whether the normal sphere bundles of the focal manifolds admit sections, or whether they are topologically trivial. We give explicit geometric constructions for spreads, ovoids, and sections.     

Compact Three-Dimensional Elation Quadrangles

We show that each compact three-dimensional EGQ is isomorphic either to the real symplectic quadrangle, or to a translation quadrangle of Tits type. In particular, the elation group is one of the two classical elation groups, and thus a simply connected nilpotent Lie group.     

Compact Ovoids in Quadrangles I: Geometric Constructions

This paper is about ovoids in infinite generalized quadrangles. Using the axiom of choice, Cameron showed that infinite quadrangles contain many ovoids. Therefore, we consider mainly closed ovoids in compact quadrangles. After deriving some basic properties of compact ovoids, we consider ovoids which arise from full imbeddings. This leads to restrictions for the topological parameters (m,m). For example, if there is a regular pair of lines or a full closed subquadrangle, then mm. The existence of full subquadrangles implies the nonexistence of ideal subquadrangles, so finite-dimensional quadrangles are either point-minimal or line-minimal. Another result is that (up to duality) such a quadrangle is spanned by the set of points on an ordinary quadrangle. This is useful for studying orbits of automorphism groups. Finally we prove general nonexistence results for ovoids in quadrangles with low-dimensional line pencils. As one consequence we show that the symplectic quadrangle over an algebraically closed field of characteristic 0 has no Zariski-closed ovoids or spreads.     

Semi-biplanes on the cylinder

We construct semi-biplanes from 2-dimensional projective planes and 2-dimensional circle planes.Herrn Professor Dr. H. Salzmann zum 65. GeburtstagThis research was supported by a Feodor Lynen fellowship.     

Regular graphs constructed from the classical generalized quadrangle Q(4, q)

Let c_k be the smallest number of vertices in a regular graph with valency k and girth 8. It is known that c_{k + 1}?2(1 + k + k² + k³) with equality if and only if there exists a finite generalized quadrangle of order k. No such quadrangle is known when k is not a prime power. In this case, small regular graphs of valency k + 1 and girth 8 can be constructed from known generalized quadrangles of order q>k by removing a part of its structure. We investigate the case when q = k + 1 is a prime power, and try to determine the smallest graph under consideration that can be constructed from a generalized quadrangle of order q. This problem appears to be much more difficult than expected. We have general bounds and improve these for the classical generalized quadrangle Q(4, q), q even. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Combin Designs 19:70‐83, 2010     

Compact Ovoids in Quadrangles II: the Classical Quadrangles

In this second part we consider ovoids in the classical compact connected quadrangles. We solve the problem whether closed ovoids or spreads exist in these quadrangles. In fact we prove a slightly more general result: we determine whether the normal sphere bundles of the point- or line space admit sections, or whether they are topologically trivial. We also give explicit geometric constructions for spreads and ovoids. Some of these spreads are apparently new.     

Moufang sets from groups of mixed type

We consider the existence of Moufang sets related to certain groups of mixed type. This way, we obtain new examples of Moufang sets and new constructions of known classes. The most interesting class of new examples is related to the Moufang quadrangles of type and to the Ree–Tits octagon over a nonperfect field, and the root groups of each member have nilpotency class three.     

Some remarks on extremal solutions of multivalued differential equations

In this paper, we consider extremal solutions of multivalued differential equations, i.e., solutions that steer to the boundary of the attainable set. Multivalued differential equations arise in a natural way from control systems governed by ordinary differential equations that have a variable control-constraint set. Extremal solutions of multi-valued differential equations are important in the study of the optimal control of such systems. We give conditions under which extremality of a solution at a certain time implies extremality of the solution at all previous times where it is defined. Necessary conditions for extremality are also obtained. We treat both the time-dependent case and the time-independent case.     

Redistribution of longevity risk: The effect of heterogeneous mortality beliefs

Existing literature regarding the natural hedge potential that arises from combining different longevity-linked liabilities typically does not address the question how changes in the liability mix can be obtained. We consider firms who aim to exploit the benefits of natural hedge potential by redistributing their risks, and characterize the risk redistributions that will arise when the parties bargain for a redistribution of risk that weakly benefits them all. We analyze the effects of heterogeneity in the beliefs regarding the probability distribution of future mortality rates on the properties of these risk redistributions, and provide a numerical illustration for a case where an insurer with a portfolio of term assurance contracts and a pension fund with a portfolio of life annuities redistribute their risks.     

On the order of a non-abelian representation group of a slim dense near hexagon

In this paper we study the possible orders of a non-abelian representation group of a slim dense near hexagon. We prove that if the representation group R of a slim dense near hexagon S is non-abelian, then R is a 2-group of exponent 4 and |R|=2 ^β , 1+NPdim(S)≤β≤1+dimV(S), where NPdim(S) is the near polygon embedding dimension of S and dimV(S) is the dimension of the universal representation module V(S) of S. Further, if β=1+NPdim(S), then R is necessarily an extraspecial 2-group. In that case, we determine the type of the extraspecial 2-group in each case. We also deduce that the universal representation group of S is a central product of an extraspecial 2-group and an abelian 2-group of exponent at most 4. This work was partially done when B.K. Sahoo was a Research Fellow at the Indian Statistical Institute, Bangalore Center with NBHM fellowship, DAE Grant 39/3/2000-R&D-II, Govt. of India.     

A multicriteria model for risk sorting of natural gas pipelines based on ELECTRE TRI integrating Utility Theory

This paper proposes a multicriteria model for assessing risk in natural gas pipelines, and for classifying sections of pipeline into risk categories. The model integrates Utility Theory and the ELECTRE TRI method. It aims to help transmission and distribution companies, when engaged in risk management and decision-making, to consider the multiple dimensions of risk that may arise from pipeline accidents. Pipeline hazard scenarios are presented, and it is argued that the assessment of risk in natural gas pipelines should not be based solely on probabilities of human fatalities, but should involve a wider perspective that simultaneously takes into consideration the human, environmental and financial dimensions of impacts of pipeline accidents. Finally, in order to verify the effectiveness of the model set out, a numerical application based on a real case study is presented.     

Cardinality of the set of extreme extensions¶of a quasi-measure

Cardinals that arise as the number of extreme quasi-measure extensions of a quasi-measure [resp., measure] μ defined on an algebra [resp., σ-algebra] of sets to a larger algebra [resp., σ-algebra] of sets are characterized in the general case as well as under some natural assumptions on μ. Received: 19 September 2000     

Regular Homomorphisms and Regular Maps

Regular homomorphisms of oriented maps essentially arise from a factorization by a subgroup of automorphisms. This kind of map homomorphism is studied in detail, and generalized to the case when the induced homomorphism of the underlying graphs is not valency preserving. Reconstruction is treated by means of voltage assignments on angles, a natural extension of the common assignments on darts. Lifting and projecting groups of automorphisms along regular homomorphisms is studied in some detail. Finally, the split-extension structure of lifted groups is analysed.     

Investigation of boundary value problems for plane-parallel fluid flows in an anisotropic porous medium

We pose and consider the first and second boundary value problems and the transmission boundary value problem for plane-parallel steady flows in an anisotropic porous medium characterized by the permeability tensor, which is not necessarily symmetric. If the anisotropic medium is homogeneous, then the solutions of the problems in the case of canonical boundaries (a straight line or an ellipse) can be found in closed form, and in the case of arbitrary smooth boundaries, the study of these problems can be reduced with the use of Cauchy type integrals to the solution of inhomogeneous integral equations of the second kind. These problems are mathematical models of topical practical problems that arise, for example, in fluid (water or oil) recovery from natural soil strata of complicated geological structure.     

Regularization of exponentially ill-posed problems

Linear and nonlinear inverse problems which are exponentially ill-posed arise in heat conduction, satellite gradiometry, potential theory and scattering theory. For these problems logarithmic source conditions have natural interpretations whereas standard Hölder-type source conditions are far too restrictive. This paper provides a systematic study of convergence rates of regularization methods under logarithmic source conditions including the case that the operator is given onlyapproximately. We also extend previous convergence results for the iteratively regularized Gauß-Newton method to operator approximations.     

Morphismen von Funktoren

Morphisms of functors or natural transformations between functors of different variance are investigated. In order to be able to define the usual compositions of morphisms of functors in this case, too, and to formulate the corresponding results smoothly, one is forced to define a morphism of functors essentially as a mapping from one category to another and not as usual as a mapping from the class of objects of one category to another category. Two new invariants of a morphism of functors, the parity and the exponent, arise in a natural way and are the main tools in proving all the results.

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Research partially supported by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, Office of Aerospace Research, United States Air Force, under AFOSR Grant No. 68-1572.     

Universal laws and economic phenomena

Despite the idiosyncratic behavior of individuals, empirical regularities exist in social and economic systems. These regularities often arise from simple underlying mechanisms which, analogous to the natural sciences, can be expressed as universal principles or laws. In this essay, I discuss the similarities between economic and natural phenomena and argue that it is advantageous for economists to adopt methods from the natural sciences to discover “universal laws” in economic systems. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Complexity, 2011