New constructions of divisible designs

A construction is given for a (p^2a(p+1),p²,p^2a+1(p+1),p^2a+1,p^2a(p+1)) (p a prime) divisible difference set in the group H×Z²_pa+1 where H is any abelian group of order p+1. This can be used to generate a symmetric semi-regular divisible design; this is a new set of parameters for λ₁≠0, and those are fairly rare. We also give a construction for a (p^a−1+p^a−2+…+p+2,p^a+2, p^a(p^a+p^a−1+…+p+1), p^a(p^a−1+…+p+1), p^a−1(p^a+…+p²+2)) divisible difference set in the group H×Z_p2×Z^a_p. This is another new set of parameters, and it corresponds to a symmetric regular divisible design. For p=2, these parameters have λ₁=λ₂, and this corresponds to the parameters for the ordinary Menon difference sets.     

Approximating eigenvectors and eigenvalues across a wide range of design

This paper concerns optimization of the design of large structures in which the solution to a finite-element-based vibration problem is part of the objective function. A method is presented where a spline-fit is used as an approximation of the eigenvalues and eigenvectors across a given design range. subroutines facilitate nonlinear sensitivity calculations which provide the eigenvalue and eigenvector derivatives used in the approximation. This paper presents an example that illustrates good approximations to frequency and mode shapes valid across a wide range of design changes. The method provides the potential for changing mode shapes interactively, and using that information as part of the optimization process.     

Coalition formation in the triad when two are weak and one is strong

Eighteen groups of subjects each participated in five different computer-controlled superadditive 3-person characteristic function games with sidepayments, that modeled negotiable conflicts in which two of the players are weak and one is considerably stronger. Both the degree to which the strong player was powerful and the type of communication were experimentally manipulated. The 90 game outcomes rejected any solution concept that predicts a single payoff vector for a given coalition structure, but supported the recently developed single-parameter α-power model that allows range predictions. Both the degree of power and type of communication were found to affect game outcomes and to determine the predictive power of models that make point predictions in 3-person games.     

Periodic-type functionals and their extensions

Let Ω denote a simply connected domain in the complex plane and let $\text{K[Ω]}$ be the collection of all entire functions of exponential type whose Laplace transforms are analytic on Ω′, the complement of Ω with respect to the sphere. Define a sequence of functionals $\text{{L}{}_{\mathrm{n}}\text{}}\text{on}\text{K[Ω]}$ by $\text{L}{}_{\mathrm{n}}\text{(f) =}\text{1}\text{2πi}\text{∝}{}_{\mathrm{\Gamma }}\text{g}{}_{\mathrm{n}}\text{(ζ) F(ζ) dζ}$, where F denotes the Laplace transform of f, Γ ? Ω is a simple closed contour chosen so that F is analytic outside and on Ω, and g_n is analytic on Ω. The specific functionals considered by this paper are patterned after the Lidstone functions, L_2n(f) = f⁽²ⁿ⁾(0) and L_{2n + 1}(f) = f⁽²ⁿ⁾(1), in that their sequence of generating functions {g_n} are “periodic.” Set g_{pn + k}(ζ) = h_k(ζ) ζ^pn, where p is a positive integer and each h_k (k = 0, 1,…, p ? 1) is analytic on Ω. We find necessary and sufficient conditions for $\text{f ∈ k[Ω]}\text{with}\text{L}{}_{\mathrm{n}}\text{(f) = 0 (n = 0, 1,…)}$. DeMar previously was able to find necessary conditions [7]. Next, we generalize {L_n} in several ways and find corresponding necessary and sufficient conditions.     

Rigidity of harmonic maps of maximum rank

Thehomotopical rank of a mapf:M →N is, by definition, min{dimg(M) ¦g homotopic tof}. We give upper bounds for this invariant whenM is compact Kähler andN is a compact discrete quotient of a classical symmetric space, e.g., the space of positive definite matrices. In many cases the upper bound is sharp and is attained by geodesic immersions of locally hermitian symmetric spaces. An example is constructed (Section 9) to show that there do, in addition, exist harmonic maps of quite a different character. A byproduct is construction of an algebraic surface with large and interesting fundamental group. Finally, a criterion for lifting harmonic maps to holomorphic ones is given, as is a factorization theorem for representations of the fundamental group of a compact Kähler manifold. The technique for the main result is a combination of harmonic map theory, algebra, and combinatorics; it follows the path pioneered by Siu in his ridigity theorem and later extended by Sampson.     

The coefficients of the Laurent series expansions of real analytic functions

Letf be a real analytic function of a real variable such that 0 is an isolated (possibly essential) singularity off. In the existing literature the coefficients of the Laurent series expansion off around 0 are obtained by applying Cauchy's integral formula to the analytic continuation off on the complex plane. Here by means of a conformal mapping we derive a formula which determines the Laurent coefficients off solely in terms of the values off and the derivatives off at a real point of analyticity off. Using a more complicated mapping, we similarly determine the coefficients of the Laurent expansion off around 0 where now 0 is a singularity off which is not necessarily isolated.     

Consistency of a myopic Bayesian algorithm for one-dimensional global optimization

A sequential Bayesian method for finding the maximum of a function based on myopically minimizing the expected dispersion of conditional probabilities is described. It is shown by example that an algorithm that generates a dense set of observations need not converge to the correct answer for some priors on continuous functions on the unit interval. For the Brownian motion prior the myopic algorithm is consistent; for any continuous function, the conditional probabilities converge weakly to a point mass at the true maximum.