On Differentiability of Volume Time Functions

We show differentiability of a class of Geroch’s volume functions on globally hyperbolic manifolds. Furthermore, we prove that every volume function satisfies a local anti-Lipschitz condition over causal curves, and that locally Lipschitz time functions which are locally anti-Lipschitz can be uniformly approximated by smooth time functions with timelike gradient. Finally, we prove that in stably causal space-times Hawking’s time function can be uniformly approximated by smooth time functions with timelike gradient.     

An existence theorem for the Boussinesq equations with non-Dirichlet boundary conditions

The evolution Boussinesq equations describe the evolution of the temperature and velocity fields of viscous incompressible Newtonian fluids. Very often, they are a reasonable model to render relevant phenomena of flows in which the thermal effects play an essential role. In the paper we prescribe non-Dirichlet boundary conditions on a part of the boundary and prove the existence and uniqueness of solutions to the Boussinesq equations on a (short) time interval. The length of the time interval depends only on certain norms of the given data. In the proof we use a fixed point theorem method in Sobolev spaces with non-integer order derivatives. The proof is performed for Lipschitz domains and a wide class of data.     

On free semilattice-ordered semigroups satisfying x n =x

Let B(k,0,n) denote the group with k generators which is free in the group variety defined by the identity x ⁿ =1. Let B _slo (k,1,n) denote the semilattice-ordered semigroup with k generators which is free in the semilattice-ordered semigroup variety defined by the identity x ⁿ =x. We prove a generalization of the Green-Rees theorem: B _slo (k,1,n) is finite for all k≥1 if and only if B(k,0,n−1) is finite for all k≥1. We find a formula for card(B _slo (1,1,n)). We construct B _slo (k,1,n) for some concrete values of k and n.     

On amenability of two-generator groups

A discrete group G is amenable if there exists a finitely additive probability measure on G which is invariant under left translations and is defined on all subsets of G. It is proved that if the group is generated by two elements and is amenable then there are words being relators whose most of the consecutive pairs of the letters belong to a certain four-element set of pairs. This fact is applied to reproving non-amenability of a braid group. The same group provides an example showing that such type of condition is not su?cient for amenabilty.     

On an Extremal Problem for Poset Dimension

Let f(n) be the largest integer such that every poset on n elements has a 2-dimensional subposet on f(n) elements. What is the asymptotics of f(n)? It is easy to see that f(n) = n ^1/2. We improve the best known upper bound and show f(n) = O (n ^2/3). For higher dimensions, we show \(f_{d}(n)=\O \left (n^{\frac {d}{d + 1}}\right )\), where f _d (n) is the largest integer such that every poset on n elements has a d-dimensional subposet on f _d (n) elements.     

Poset algebras over well quasi-ordered posets

A new class of partial order-types, class is defined and investigated here. A poset P is in the class iff the poset algebra F(P) is generated by a better quasi-order G that is included in L(P). The free Boolean algebra F(P) and its free distributive lattice L(P) have been defined in [ABKR]. The free Boolean algebra F(P) contains the partial order P and is generated by it: F(P) has the following universal property. If B is any Boolean algebra and f is any order-preserving map from P into a Boolean algebra B, then f can be extended to a homomorphism of F(P) into B. We also define L(P) as the sublattice of F(P) generated by P. We prove that if P is any well quasi-ordering, then L(P) is well founded, and is a countable union of well quasi-orderings. We prove that the class is contained in the class of well quasi-ordered sets. We prove that is preserved under homomorphic image, finite products, and lexicographic sum over better quasi-ordered index sets. We prove also that every countable well quasi-ordered set is in . We do not know, however if the class of well quasi-ordered sets is contained in . Additional results concern homomorphic images of posets algebras. The third author was supported by the following institutions: Israel Science Foundation (postdoctoral positions at Ben Gurion University 2000–2002), The Fields Institute (Toronto 2002–2004), and by The Nato Science Fellowship (University Paris VII, CNRS-UMR 7056, 2004).     

Small angle measurement method based on the total internal multi-reflection

A small angle measurement method based on total internal multi-reflection (TIMR) effect has been presented. In the proposed configuration, the semiconductor laser with single-mode fiber affords the stable illumination beam, and the beam expander induces a gain factor enlarging the small angular displacement, thus improving the angle measurement sensitivity and stability simultaneously. The experimental results show that our method has better sensitivity and higher stability than the conventional method. These results in association with the theoretical analysis, demonstrates the potential applicability of the presented method in high precision on-line measurement of small angle.     

End-to-end diffusion coefficients and distance distributions from fluorescence energy transfer measurements: Enhanced resolution by using multiple donors with different lifetimes

We describe a method to improve the resolution of donor-to-acceptor distance distributions in molecules which are flexing on the timescale of the fluorescence lifetime. We measured the timedependent donor decays of two donor (D)-acceptor (A) pairs, where the donor lifetimes were substantially different. The donors were an indole residue (5.7 ns) and a naphthalene residue (24.4 ns). The same dansyl acceptor was used for both D-A pairs. The donor decays are complex due to both a distribution of D-A distances and D-A diffusion. Using the donor decay data for each D-A pair alone, it is difficult to resolve both the distance distribution and the D-to-A diffusion coefficient. However, these values are unambiguously recovered from global analysis of the data from both D-A pairs. The increased resolution from the global analysis is apparently the result of the complementary information content of the data for each D-A pair. The shorter-lived indole donor provides more information on the time-zero distance distribution because there is less time for D-A diffusion, and the longer-lived naphthyl donor is quenched to a greater extent than indole due to the longer time for diffusion-enhanced energy transfer. Simulations were also used to demonstrate the increased resolution of global analysis with different lifetime donors to obtain distance distribution parameters in the presence of D-A diffusion.