Algebraic K-Theory In Low Degree and The Novikov Assembly Map

We prove that the Novikov assembly map for a group factorizes,in ‘low homological degree’, through the algebraicK-theory of its integral group ring. In homological degree 2,this answers a question posed by N. Higson and P. Julg. As adirect application, we prove that if is torsion-free and satisfiesthe Baum-Connes conjecture, then the homology group H₁(; Z)injects in and in , for any ring A such that . If moreover B is of dimension lessthan or equal to 4, then we show that H₂(; Z) injects in and in , where A is as before, and ₂ is generated by the Steinberg symbols{,}, for . 2000 Mathematical Subject Classification: primary 19D55, 19Kxx,58J22; secondary: 19Cxx, 19D45, 43A20, 46L85.     

An Index Theorem for Non-Periodic Solutions of Hamiltonian Systems

We consider a Hamiltonian setup M, , H, L, , P, where M, isa symplectic manifold, L is a distribution of Lagrangian subspacesin M, P is a Lagrangian submanifold of M, H is a smooth time-dependentHamiltonian function on M, and :[a,b] M is an integral curveof the Hamiltonian flow starting at P. We do not require any convexity property of the Hamiltonianfunction H. Under the assumption that (b) is not P-focal, weintroduce the Maslov index i_maslov of given in terms of thefirst relative homology group of the Lagrangian Grassmannian;under generic circumstances i_maslov() is computed as a sortof algebraic count of the P-focal points along . We prove thefollowing version of the Index Theorem: under suitable hypotheses,the Morse index of the Lagrangian action functional restrictedto suitable variations of is equal to the sum of i_maslov()and a convexity term of the Hamiltonian H relative to the submanifoldP. When the result is applied to the case of the cotangent bundleM = TM* of a semi-Riemannian manifold (M, g) and to the geodesicHamiltonian , we obtain a semi-Riemannian version of the celebrated Morse Index Theorem for geodesicswith variable endpoints in Riemannian geometry. 2000 MathematicalSubject Classification: 37J05, 53C22, 53C50, 53D12, 70H05.     

On the laplace equation with non-linear dynamical boundary conditions

The main part of the paper deals with local existence and globalexistence versus blow-up for solutions of the Laplace equationin bounded domains with a non-linear dynamical boundary condition.More precisely, we study the problem consisting in: (1) theLaplace equation in (0, ) x ; (2) a homogeneous Dirichlet condition(0, ) x ₀; (3) the dynamical boundary condition ; (4) the initial condition u(0, x) = u₀ (x) on . Here is a regular and bounded domain in Rⁿ, with n 1, and₀ and ₁ endow a measurable partition of . Moreover, m>1,2 p < r, where r = 2 (n – 1) / (n – 2) whenn 3, r = when n = 1,2, and u₀ H^1/2 , u₀ = 0 on ₀. The final part of the paper deals with a refinement of a globalnon-existence result by Levine, Park and Serrin, which is appliedto the previous problem. 2000 Mathematics Subject Classification35K55 (primary), 35K90, 35K77 (secondary).     

Spectra of graph neighborhoods and scattering

Let (G)_>0 be a family of ‘-thin’ Riemannian manifoldsmodeled on a finite metric graph G, for example, the -neighborhoodof an embedding of G in some Euclidean space with straight edges.We study the asymptotic behavior of the spectrum of the Laplace–Beltramioperator on G, as 0, for various boundary conditions. We obtaincomplete asymptotic expansions for the kth eigenvalue and theeigenfunctions, uniformly for kC^–1, in terms of scatteringdata on a non-compact limit space. We then use this to determinethe quantum graph which is to be regarded as the limit object,in a spectral sense, of the family (G). Our method is a directconstruction of approximate eigenfunctions from the scatteringand graph data, and the use of a priori estimates to show thatall eigenfunctions are obtained in this way.     

Unicity of Types for Supercuspidal Representations of GLN

Let F be a non-Archimedean local field, with the ring of integerso_F. Let G = GL_N(F), K = GL_N (o_F), and be a supercuspidal representationof G. We show that there exists a unique irreducible smoothrepresentation of K, such that the restriction to K of a smoothirreducible representation ' of G contains if and only if 'is isomorphic to ° det, where is an unramified quasicharacterof F^x. Moreover, we show that contains with the multiplicity1. As a corollary we obtain a kind of inertial local Langlandscorrespondence. 2000 Mathematics Subject Classification 22E50.     

Unknotting Tunnels and Seifert Surfaces

Let K be a knot with an unknotting tunnel and suppose thatK is not a 2-bridge knot. There is an invariant = p/q Q/2Z,with p odd, defined for the pair (K, ). The invariant has interesting geometric properties. It is oftenstraightforward to calculate; for example, for K a torus knotand an annulus-spanning arc, (K, ) = 1. Although is definedabstractly, it is naturally revealed when K is put in thinposition. If 1 then there is a minimal-genus Seifert surfaceF for K such that the tunnel can be slid and isotoped to lieon F. One consequence is that if (K, ) 1 then K > 1. Thisconfirms a conjecture of Goda and Teragaito for pairs (K, )with (K, ) 1. 2000 Mathematics Subject Classification 57M25,57M27.     

Hilbert Transforms Along Curves in the Heisenberg Group

We consider Hilbert transforms along curves on the Heisenberggroup. In particular, necessary and sufficient conditions forthe L²-boundedness are given for (t)=(t,(t),0) when is evenor odd and convex on R⁺. 1991 Mathematics Subject Classification:42B20, 42B25.     

A bifurcation problem governed by the boundary condition II

In this work we consider the problem u = a(x)u^p in on , where is a smooth bounded domain, isthe outward unit normal to , is regarded as a parameter and0 < p < 1. We consider both cases where a(x) > 0 in or a(x) is allowed to vanish in a whole subdomain ₀ of . Ourmain results include existence of non-negative non-trivial solutionsin the range 0 < < ₁, where ₁ is characterized by meansof an eigenvalue problem, uniqueness and bifurcation from infinityof such solutions for small , and the appearance of dead coresfor large enough .     

Asymptotic Singular Homology of a Complete Hyperbolic 3-Manifold of Finite Volume

Let V be a complete connected hyperbolic 3-manifold of finitevolume, with Liouville measure m, geodesic flow _t and Brownianmotion Z_t. Let be a smooth 1-form, closed in the cusps of V.Then the limit laws as t of under m and of are calculated, and seen to be Gaussian, and equal. The geodesic flow case isstudied via the Brownian case. 1991 Mathematics Subject Classification:60J65, 58F17, 51M10.     

Uniform Lattice Point Estimates for Co-Finite Fuchsian Groups

In this paper we obtain uniform estimates for the lattice pointproblem in the hyperbolic plane H under the assumption thatthe action is by a Fuchsian group which is co-finite. We fixa point w from H and set N_t(z, w) equal to the number of translatesof w by the group which lie in a geodesic ball of radius tcentred at a point z of H. The behaviour of N_t(z, w) is thenexamined when t is large and z is allowed to vary over H. Weshow that the finite quantity depends crucially on the point w, and indeed can become arbitrarilylarge with w. On the other hand, for the average of this quotientwe derive the estimate as t , where the implied constant is an explicit function ofw. In this formula, vol(F) is the hyperbolic volume of a Dirichletfundamentaldomain F for , and |_w| denotes the number of elements from fixing w. This estimate is then combined with a recent samplingtheorem of K. Seip to obtain an inequality which decides whetheror not the orbit . w forms a set of interpolation for a givenweighted Bergman space in H. 1991 Mathematics Subject Classification:11F72, 11P21, 30D35, 30E05, 30F35.     

Moduli of McKay quiver representations I: the coherent component

For a finite abelian group G GL (n, ), we describe the coherent component Y of the moduli space of-stable McKay quiver representations. This is a not-necessarily-normaltoric variety that admits a projective birational morphism obtained by variation of GeometricInvariant Theory quotient. As a special case, this gives a newconstruction of Nakamura's G-Hilbert scheme Hilb^G that avoidsthe (typically highly singular) Hilbert scheme of |G|-pointsin . To conclude, we describe the toric fan of Y and hence calculate the quiver representationcorresponding to any point of Y.     

Dynamics of projective morphisms having identical canonical heights

Let , :^{N N} be morphisms of degree at least 2 whose canonicalheights and are identical. We draw various conclusions aboutthe Green functions, Julia sets, and canonical local heightsof and . We use this information to completely characterize and in the following cases: (i) and are polynomial mapsin one variable; (ii) is the dth-power map; (iii) is a Lattèsmap.     

The Approximation Numbers of Hardy-Type Operators on Trees

The Hardy operator T_a on a tree is defined by Properties of T_a as a map from L^p() into itselfare established for 1 p . The main result is that, with appropriateassumptions on u and v, the approximation numbers a_n(T_a) ofT_a satisfy for a specified constant _p and 1 p < . This extends results of Naimark, Newmanand Solomyak for p = 2. Hitherto, for p 2, (*) was unknowneven when is an interval. Also, upper and lower estimates forthe l^q and weak-l^q norms of a_n(T_a) are determined. 2000 MathematicalSubject Classification: 47G10, 47B10.     

Strength of convergence and multiplicities in the spectrum of a C*-dynamical system

We consider separable C*-dynamical systems (A, G,) for whichthe induced action of the group G on the primitive ideal spacePrim A of the C*-algebra A is free. We study how the representationtheory of the associated crossed product C*-algebra A G dependson the representation theory of A and the properties of theaction of G on Prim A and the spectrum Â. Our main toolsinvolve computations of upper and lower bounds on multiplicitynumbers associated to irreducible representations of A G. Weapply our techniques to give necessary and sufficient conditions,in terms of A and the action of G, for AG to be (i) a continuous-traceC*-algebra, (ii) a Fell C*-algebra and (iii) a bounded-traceC*-algebra. When G is amenable, we also give necessary and sufficientconditions for the crossed product C*-algebra AG to be (iv)a liminal C*-algebra and (v) a Type I C*-algebra. The resultsin (i), (iii)–(v) extend some earlier special cases inwhich A was assumed to have the corresponding property.     

Higher Generation Subgroup Sets and the Virtual Cohomological Dimension of Graph Products of Finite Groups

We introduce panels of stabilizer schemes (K, G_*) associatedwith finite intersection-closed subgroup sets of a given groupG, generalizing in some sense Davis' notion of a panel structureon a triangulated manifold for Coxeter groups. Given (K, G_*),we construct a G-complex X with K as a strong fundamental domainand simplex stabilizers conjugate to subgroups in . It turnsout that higher generation properties of in the sense of Abels-Holzare reflected in connectivity properties of X. Given a finite simplicial graph and a non-trivial group G()for every vertex of , the graph product G() is the quotientof the free product of all vertex groups modulo the normal closureof all commutators [G(), G(w)] for which the vertices , w areadjacent. Our main result allows the computation of the virtualcohomological dimension of a graph product with finite vertexgroups in terms of connectivity properties of the underlyinggraph .     

Euler characteristics of the real points of certain varieties of algebraic tori

Let G be a complex connected reductive group which is definedover , let be its Lie algebra, and let be the variety of maximaltori of G. For (), let be the variety of tori in whose Liealgebra is orthogonal to with respect to the Killing form.We show, using the Fourier–Sato transform of conical sheaveson real vector bundles, that the ‘weighted Euler characteristic’of () is zero unless is nilpotent, in which case it equals(–1)^{(dim )/2}. Here ‘weighted Euler characteristic’means the sum of the Euler characteristics of the connectedcomponents, each weighted by a sign ± 1 which dependson the real structure of the tori in the relevant component.This is a real analogue of a result over finite fields whichis connected with the Steinberg representation of a reductivegroup.     

Movement and Separation of Subsets of Points Under Group Actions

Let G be a permutation group on a set , and let m and k be integerswhere 0<m<k. For a subset of , if the cardinalities ofthe sets ^g\, for gG, are finite and bounded, then is said tohave bounded movement, and the movement of is defined as move()=max_gG|^g\|. If there is a k-element subset such that move()m, it is shown that some G-orbit has length at most (k²–m)/(k–m).When combined with a result of P. M. Neumann, this result hasthe following consequence: if some infinite subset has boundedmovement at most m, then either is a G-invariant subset withat most m points added or removed, or nontrivially meets aG-orbit of length at most m²+m+1. Also, if move ()m for allk-element subsets and if G has no fixed points in , then either||k+m (and in this case all permutation groups on have thisproperty), or ||5m–2. These results generalise earlierresults about the separation of finite sets under group actionsby B. J. Birch, R. G. Burns, S. O. Macdonald and P. M. Neumann,and groups in which all subsets have bounded movement (by theauthor).     

Global Branch of Solutions for Non-Linear Schrodinger Equations with Deepening Potential Well

We consider the stationary non-linear Schrödinger equation where > 0 and the functionsf and g are such that and for some bounded open set R^N. We use topological methods to establish the existenceof two connected sets D^± of positive/negative solutionsin R x W², ^p R^N where that cover the interval (, ()) in the sense that and furthermore, The number () is characterized as the unique value of in theinterval (, ) for which the asymptotic linearization has a positiveeigenfunction. Our work uses a degree for Fredholm maps of indexzero. 2000 Mathematics Subject Classification 35J60, 35B32,58J55.     

General Uniqueness Results and Variation Speed for Blow-Up Solutions of Elliptic Equations

Let be a smooth bounded domain in R^N. We prove general uniquenessresults for equations of the form – u = au – b(x)f(u) in , subject to u = on . Our uniqueness theorem is establishedin a setting involving Karamata's theory on regularly varyingfunctions, which is used to relate the blow-up behavior of u(x)with f(u) and b(x), where b 0 on and a certain ratio involvingb is bounded near . A key step in our proof of uniqueness usesa modification of an iteration technique due to Safonov. 2000Mathematics Subject Classification 35J25 (primary), 35B40, 35J60(secondary).