Spectrum of a network of Euler-Bernoulli beams

A network of N flexible beams connected by n vibrating point masses is considered. The spectrum of the spatial operator involved in this evolution problem is studied. If λ² is any real number outside a discrete set of values S and if λ is an eigenvalue, then it satisfies a characteristic equation which is given. The associated eigenvectors are also characterized. If λ² lies in S and if the N beams are identical (same mechanical properties), another characteristic equation is available. It is not the case for different beams: no general result can be stated. Some numerical examples and counterexamples are given to illustrate the impossibility of such a generalization. At last the asymptotic behaviour of the eigenvalues is investigated by proving the so-called Weyl's formula.     

Cantor spectrum for the almost Mathieu equation

For a dense G_δ of pairs (λ, α) in R², we prove that the operator (Hu)(n) = u(n + 1) + u(n ?1) + λ cos(2παn + θ) u(n) has a nowhere dense spectrum. Along the way we prove several interesting results about the case $\text{α =}\text{p}\text{q}$ of which we mention: (a) If qθ is not an integral multiple of π, then all gaps are open, and (b) If q is even and θ is chosen suitably, then the middle gap is closed for all λ.     

Group divisible designs with block size four and two groups

We give some constructions of new infinite families of group divisible designs, GDD(n,2,4;λ₁,λ₂), including one which uses the existence of Bhaskar Rao designs. We show the necessary conditions are sufficient for 3?n?8. For n=10 there is one missing critical design. If λ₁>λ₂, then the necessary conditions are sufficient for . For each of n=10,15,16,17,18,19, and 20 we indicate a small minimal set of critical designs which, if they exist, would allow construction of all possible designs for that n. The indices of each of these designs are also among those critical indices for every n in the same congruence class mod 12.     

Scaling limits for point random fields

If X is a point random field on $\text{R}$^d then convergence in distribution of the renormalization C_λ|X_λ ? α_λ| as λ → ∞ to generalized random fields is examined, where C_λ > 0, α_λ are real numbers for λ > 0, and X_λ(f) = λ^?dX(f_λ) for $\text{f}{}_{\mathrm{\lambda }}\text{(x) = f(}\text{x}\text{λ}\text{)}$. If such a scaling limit exists then C_λ = λ^θg(λ), where g is a slowly varying function, and the scaling limit is self-similar with exponent θ. The classical case occurs when $\text{θ =}\text{d}\text{2}$ and the limit process is a Gaussian white noise. Scaling limits of subordinated Poisson (doubly stochastic) point random fields are calculated in terms of the scaling limit of the environment (driving random field). If the exponent of the scaling limit is $\text{θ =}\text{d}\text{2}$ then the limit is an independent sum of the scaling limit of the environment and a Gaussian white noise. If $\text{θ <}\text{d}\text{2}$ the scaling limit coincides with that of the environment while if $\text{θ >}\text{d}\text{2}$ the limit is Gaussian white noise. Analogous results are derived for cluster processes as well.     

Unary operations with long pre-periods

It is well known that the congruence lattice ConA of an algebra A is uniquely determined by the unary polynomial operations of A (see e.g. [K. Denecke, S.L. Wismath, Universal Algebra and Applications in Theoretical Computer Science, Chapman & Hall, CRC Press, Boca Raton, London, New York, Washington DC, 2002 [2]]). Let A be a finite algebra with |A|=n. If Imf=A or |Imf|=1 for every unary polynomial operation f of A, then A is called a permutation algebra. Permutation algebras play an important role in tame congruence theory [D. Hobby, R. McKenzie, The structure of finite algebras, Contemporary Mathematics, vol. 76, Providence, Rhode Island, 1988 [3]]. If f:A→A is not a permutation then A⊃Imf and there is a least natural number λ(f) with Imf^λ(f)=Imf^λ(f)+1. We consider unary operations with λ(f)=n-1 for n?2 and λ(f)=n-2 for n?3 and look for equivalence relations on A which are invariant with respect to such unary operations. As application we show that every finite group which has a unary polynomial operation with one of these properties is simple or has only normal subgroups of index 2.     

An algorithm for computing Jordan chains and inverting analytic matrix functions

We present an efficient algorithm for obtaining a canonical system of Jordan chains for an n × n regular analytic matrix function A(λ) that is singular at the origin. For any analytic vector function b(λ), we show that each term in the Laurent expansion of A(λ)⁻¹b(λ) may be obtained from the previous terms by solving an (n + d) × (n+d) linear system, where d is the order of the zero of det A(λ) at λ = 0. The matrix representing this linear system contains A(0) as a principal submatrix, which can be useful if A(0) is sparse. The last several iterations can be eliminated if left Jordan chains are computed in addition to right Jordan chains. The performance of the algorithm in floating point and exact (rational) arithmetic is reported for several test cases. The method is shown to be forward stable in floating point arithmetic.     

Latin cubes of order ⩽5

If c_n represents the number of reduced Latin cubes of order n then c₁ = c₂ = c₃ = 1, c₄ = 64 and c₅ = 40246. Moreover ifλ_n and λ′_n denote the number of disjoint isomorphism and isotopy classes of reduced Latin cubes of order n respectively, then λ_n = λ′_n = 1 for n ? 3 while λ₄ = 19, λ′₄ = 12, and λ₅ = 1860.     

On multicyclic operators and the Vasjunin-Nikol'ski206-1206-1206-1discotheca

If A is a bounded linear multicyclic operator acting on a complex Banach spaceX, then thedisc of A is defined by: disc A = sup(R ∈ Cyc A) min{dimR′: R′ ? R, R′ ∈ Cyc A}, where Cyc A denotes the family of all finite dimensional subspacesR ofX such that X = (R+AR+A ² R+?)^?. It is shown that if the set {λ ∈ ?: dim ker (λ-A)^* ≥ n} has nonempty interior (in particular, if A is a Fredholm operator of index -n), then disc A ≥ n+1. This result affirmatively answers a question of V.I. Vasjunin and N.K. Nikol'skiï. In the case whenX is a Hilbert space, it is shown that the set of all operators A such that A is n-multicyclic, but disc A =∞, is dense in the set of all n-multicyclic operators. If M_λ = "multiplication by λ" acting on the disk algebra (and many other spaces of continuous and/or analytic functions), then M_λ is cyclic, but disc M_λ = ∞. However, the analogous result is false if the disk algebra is replaced by the algebra of functions analytic on the disk and smooth on the boundary, or algebras of Lipschitz functions. If T is a multicyclic unicellular operator, then T is cyclic and disc T=1.     

Doubly transitive automorphism groups of block designs

If G is a doubly transitive group of automorphisms of a block design with λ = 1, then for any block Δ of the design and any point α in Δ, the set Δ?{α} is a block of imprimitivity for G_α. What are sufficient conditions for a doubly transitive but not doubly primitive permutation group G to be a group of automorphisms of a non-trivial block design with λ = 1 ? Can the design or the group G be identified if there is a nonidentity automorphism in G fixing every point of some block of the design? Both of these questions are investigated and some answers are given.     

A quadratically convergent method for minimizing a sum of euclidean norms

We consider the problem of minimizing a sum of Euclidean norms. \(F(x) = \sum\nolimits_{i = 1}^m {||r_i } (x)||\) here the residuals {r _i(x)} are affine functions fromR ⁿ toR ¹ (n≥1≥2,m>-2). This arises in a number of applications, including single-and multi-facility location problems. The functionF is, in general, not differentiable atx if at least oner _i (x) is zero. Computational methods described in the literature converge quite slowly if the solution is at such a point. We present a new method which, at each iteration, computes a direction of search by solving the Newton system of equations, projected, if necessary, into a linear manifold along whichF is locally differentiable. A special line search is used to obtain the next iterate. The algorithm is closely related to a method recently described by Calamai and Conn. The new method has quadratic convergence to a solutionx under given conditions. The reason for this property depends on the nature of the solution. If none of the residuals is zero at^* x, thenF is differentiable at^* x and the quadratic convergence follows from standard properties of Newton's method. If one of the residuals, sayr _i ^* x), is zero, then, as the iteration proceeds, the Hessian ofF becomes extremely ill-conditioned. It is proved that this illconditioning, instead of creating difficulties, actually causes quadratic convergence to the manifold (x?r _i (x)=0}. If this is a single point, the solution is thus identified. Otherwise it is necessary to continue the iteration restricted to this manifold, where the usual quadratic convergence for Newton's method applies. If several residuals are zero at^* x, several stages of quadratic convergence take place as the correct index set is constructed. Thus the ill-conditioning property accelerates the identification of the residuals which are zero at the solution. Numerical experiments are presented, illustrating these results.     

Coherent sequences and threads

The combinatorial principle □(λ) says that there is a coherent sequence of length λ that cannot be threaded. If λ=κ⁺, then the related principle κ_□ implies □(λ). Let κ?ℵ₂ and X⊆κ. Assume both □(κ) and κ_□ fail. Then there is an inner model N with a proper class of strong cardinals such that X∈N. If, in addition, κ?ℵ₀² and n<ω, then there is an inner model Mn(X) with n Woodin cardinals such that X∈Mn(X). In particular, by Martin and Steel, Projective Determinacy holds. As a corollary to this and results of Todorcevic and Velickovic, the Proper Forcing Axiom for posets of cardinality ⁺(ℵ₀²) implies Projective Determinacy.     

Notes on the partition property of {\mathcal{P}_\kappa\lambda}

We investigate the partition property of ${\mathcal{P}_{\kappa}\lambda}$ . Main results of this paper are as follows: (1) If λ is the least cardinal greater than κ such that ${\mathcal{P}_{\kappa}\lambda}$ carries a (λ ^κ , 2)-distributive normal ideal without the partition property, then λ is ${\Pi^1_n}$ -indescribable for all n?<?ω but not ${\Pi^2_1}$ -indescribable. (2) If cf(λ) ≥?κ, then every ineffable subset of ${\mathcal{P}_{\kappa}\lambda}$ has the partition property. (3) If cf(λ) ≥ κ, then the completely ineffable ideal over ${\mathcal{P}_{\kappa}\lambda}$ has the partition property.     

Indecomposable triple systems

A t-design (λ, t, d, n) is a system $\text{B}$ of sets of size d from an n-set S, such that each t subset of S is contained in exactly λ elements of $\text{B}$. A t-design is indecomposable (written IND(λ, t, d, n)) if there does not exist a subset $\text{B}$ ? $\text{B}$ such that $\text{B}$ is a (λ, t, d, n) for some λ, 1 ? λ < λ. A triple system is a (λ; 2, 3, n). Recursive and constructive methods (several due to Hanani) are employed to show that: (1) an IND(2; 2, 3, n) exists for n ≡ 0, 1 (mod 3), n ? 4 and n ≡ 7 (designs of Bhattacharya are used here), (2) an IND(3; 2, 3, n) exists for n odd, n ? 5, (3) if an IND(λ, 2, 3, n) exists, n odd, then there exists an infinite number of indecomposable triple systems with that λ.     

On the uniqueness of embedding a residual design

We prove that if a residual $\text{2-(k(k+λ?1)}\text{λ,k,λ)}$ design R has more than one embedding into a symmetric design then k ? λ(λ?1)². If equality holds then R has exactly two embeddings and the corresponding derived design is in both cases λ ? 1 identical copies of the design of points and lines of PG(3, λ ? 1). Using the main proposition from which these results follow we also prove that if a symmetric2-(v,k, λ) design has an axial non-central or central non-axial automorphism then k?λ(λ² ? 2λ + 2).     

Absolute cyclicity, Lyapunov quantities and center conditions

In this paper we consider analytic vector fields X₀ having a non-degenerate center point e. We estimate the maximum number of small amplitude limit cycles, i.e., limit cycles that arise after small perturbations of X₀ from e. When the perturbation (Xλ) is fixed, this number is referred to as the cyclicity of Xλ at e for λ near 0. In this paper, we study the so-called absolute cyclicity; i.e., an upper bound for the cyclicity of any perturbation Xλ for which the set defined by the center conditions is a fixed linear variety. It is known that the zero-set of the Lyapunov quantities correspond to the center conditions (Caubergh and Dumortier (2004) [6]). If the ideal generated by the Lyapunov quantities is regular, then the absolute cyclicity is the dimension of this so-called Lyapunov ideal minus 1. Here we study the absolute cyclicity in case that the Lyapunov ideal is not regular.     

On the Generalization of the Courant Nodal Domain Theorem

In this paper we consider the analogue of the Courant nodal domain theorem for the nonlinear eigenvalue problem for the p-Laplacian. In particular we prove that if u_λn is an eigenfunction associated with the nth variational eigenvalue, λ_n, then u_λn has at most 2n−2 nodal domains. Also, if u_λn has n+k nodal domains, then there is another eigenfunction with at most n−k nodal domains.     

Linear differential equations and multiple zeta values. II. A generalization of the WKB method

For linear differential equations x(n)+a₁x(n−1)+?+anx=0 (and corresponding linear differential systems) with large complex parameter λ and meromorphic coefficients aj=aj(t;λ) we prove existence of analogues of Stokes matrices for the asymptotic WKB solutions. These matrices may depend on the parameter, but under some natural assumptions such dependence does not take place. We also discuss a generalization of the Hukuhara-Levelt-Turritin theorem about formal reduction of a linear differential system near an irregular singular point t=0 to a normal form with ramified change of time to the case of systems with large parameter. These results are applied to some hypergeometric equations related with generating functions for multiple zeta values.     

A gradient method for the matrix eigenvalue problemAx=λBx

LetA andB ben×m matrices. A gradient method for the minimization of the functionalF(x)=‖Ax?(〈Ax, Bx〉/〈Bx, Bx〉)Bx‖² is developed. The minima ofF are the eigenvectors of the eigenproblemAx=λBx. The concept of a non-defective eigenvalue for this generalized eigenvalue problem is developed. It is then shown that geometric convergence is attained for non-defective eigenvalues. A convergence rate analysis is given where it is shown that the rapidity of convergence of the gradient method to an eigenvalue λ depends on the degree of non-defectiveness of λ and the singular values ofA?λB.     

On the Perron-Frobenius eigenvector for nonnegative integral matrices whose largest eigenvalue is integral

We first derive the bound |det(λI − A)|⩽λ^k − λ^k₀ (λ₀⩽λ), where A is a k × k nonnegative real matrix and λ₀ is the spectral radius of A. If A is irreducible and integral, and its largest nonnegative eigenvalue is an integer n, then we use this inequality to derive the upper bound n^k−1 on the components of the smallest integer eigenvector corresponding to n. Finer information on the components is also derived.     

Stability of the geometric Ekeland variational principle: Convex case

In geometric terms, the Ekeland variational principle says that a lower-bounded proper lower-semicontinuous functionf defined on a Banach spaceX has a point (x ₀,f(x ₀)) in its graph that is maximal in the epigraph off with respect to the cone order determined by the convex coneK _λ = {(x, α) ∈X × ?:λ ∥x∥ ≤ ? α}, where λ is a fixed positive scalar. In this case, we write (x ₀,f(x ₀))∈λ-extf. Here, we investigate the following question: if (x ₀,f(x ₀))∈λ-extf, wheref is a convex function, and if 〈f _n 〉 is a sequence of convex functions convergent tof in some sense, can (x ₀,f(x ₀)) be recovered as a limit of a sequence of points taken from λ-extf _n ? The convergence notions that we consider are the bounded Hausdorff convergence, Mosco convergence, and slice convergence, a new convergence notion that agrees with the Mosco convergence in the reflexive setting, but which, unlike the Mosco convergence, behaves well without reflexivity.