On the invariant translation approximation property for discrete groups

Recently J.Roe considered the question of whether for a discrete group the reduced group -algebra is the fixed point algebra of Ad acting on the uniform Roe algebra . is said to have the invariant translation approximation property in this case. We consider a slight generalization of this property which, for exact , is equivalent to the operator space approximation property of . We also give a new characterization of exactness and a short proof of the equivalence of exactness of and exactness of for discrete groups.

     

Singularities of secant maps of immersed surfaces

The secant map of an immersion sends a pair of points to the direction of the line joining the images of the points under the immersion. The germ of the secant map of a generic codimension-c immersion $X\!\!:{\mathbb R}^n \to {\mathbb R}^{n+c}The secant map of an immersion sends a pair of points to the direction of the line joining the images of the points under the immersion. The germ of the secant map of a generic codimension-c immersion X:\mathbb Rⁿ ? \mathbb R^n+cX\!\!:{\mathbb R}^n \to {\mathbb R}^{n+c} at the diagonal in the source is a \mathbb Z₂{\mathbb Z}_2 stable map-germ \mathbb R²ⁿ ? \mathbb R^n+c-1{\mathbb R}^{2n} \to {\mathbb R}^{n+c-1} in the following cases: (i) c≥ 2 and (2n,n + c − 1) is a pair of dimensions for which the \mathbb Z₂{\mathbb Z}_2 stable germs of rank at least n are dense, and (ii) for generically immersed surfaces (i.e., n = 2 and any c≥ 1). In the latter surface case the A^{\mathbb Z₂}{\mathcal A}^{{\mathbb Z}_2}-classification of germs of secant maps at the diagonal is described and it is related to the A{\mathcal A}-classification of certain singular projections of the surfaces.     

Ground State and Charge Renormalization in a Nonlinear Model of Relativistic Atoms

We study the reduced Bogoliubov-Dirac-Fock (BDF) energy which allows to describe relativistic electrons interacting with the Dirac sea, in an external electrostatic potential. The model can be seen as a mean-field approximation of Quantum Electrodynamics (QED) where photons and the so-called exchange term are neglected. A state of the system is described by its one-body density matrix, an infinite rank self-adjoint operator which is a compact perturbation of the negative spectral projector of the free Dirac operator (the Dirac sea). We study the minimization of the reduced BDF energy under a charge constraint. We prove the existence of minimizers for a large range of values of the charge, and any positive value of the coupling constant α. Our result covers neutral and positively charged molecules, provided that the positive charge is not large enough to create electron-positron pairs. We also prove that the density of any minimizer is an L ¹ function and compute the effective charge of the system, recovering the usual renormalization of charge: the physical coupling constant is related to α by the formula α_phys ≃ α(1 + 2α/(3π) log Λ)⁻¹, where Λ is the ultraviolet cut-off. We eventually prove an estimate on the highest number of electrons which can be bound by a nucleus of charge Z. In the nonrelativistic limit, we obtain that this number is  ≤  2Z, recovering a result of Lieb. This work is based on a series of papers by Hainzl, Lewin, Séré and Solovej on the mean-field approximation of no-photon QED.     

Aperture-Angle and Hausdorff-Approximation of Convex Figures

The aperture angle α(x,Q) of a point x ∉ Q in the plane with respect to a convex polygon Q is the angle of the smallest cone with apex x that contains Q. The aperture angle approximation error of a compact convex set C in the plane with respect to an inscribed convex polygon Q⊂C is the minimum aperture angle of any x∈C∖Q with respect to Q. We show that for any compact convex set C in the plane and any k>2, there is an inscribed convex k-gon Q⊂C with aperture angle approximation error . This bound is optimal, and settles a conjecture by Fekete from the early 1990s. The same proof technique can be used to prove a conjecture by Brass: If a polygon P admits no approximation by a sub-k-gon (the convex hull of k vertices of P) with Hausdorff distance σ, but all subpolygons of P (the convex hull of some vertices of P) admit such an approximation, then P is a (k+1)-gon. This implies the following result: For any k>2 and any convex polygon P of perimeter at most 1 there is a sub-k-gon Q of P such that the Hausdorff-distance of P and Q is at most  . This research was supported by the Korea Research Foundation Grant funded by the Korean Government (MOEHRD) (KRF-2006-311-D00763). NICTA is funded through the Australian Government’s Backing Australia’s Ability initiative, in part through the Australian Research Council.     

Stabilization of periodic Stokesian Hele–Shaw flows of ferrofluids

We consider an incompressible ferrofluid in a vertical Hele–Shaw cell and develop a proper analytic framework for the free interface and the velocity potential of the fluid in a periodic geometry. The flow is assumed to obey a non-Newtonian Darcy law. The forces influencing the fluid are gravity, surface tension and the response to a magnetic field induced by a current. In addition, the flow is stabilized at the lower boundary component by an external source b. We prove a well-posedness result for the flow near flat solutions. Moreover, we find conditions on the parameters and on the slope of b for the exponential stability and instability of flat interfaces. Furthermore, we identify values for the current's intensity ι where critical bifurcation of nontrivial finger-shaped solutions from the branch of trivial (flat) solutions takes place.     

A network approach to the modelling of active magnetic bearings

The modelling of active magnetic bearings based on a network approach is considered. Unlike in the standard modelling approach, where a linearization of the current-force relation for the centred shaft position is used, network models permit to include the position dependence of the bearing force in the force model. This becomes necessary when model based controllers are used to stabilize a magnetically supported shaft in tracking applications.

The approach is based on the well known application of network models to magnetic circuits. Further simplifying assumptions are discussed which allow one to obtain a network with a limited number of lumped parameters describing the magnetic behaviour of a magnetic bearing. The modelling of a combined radial and axial bearing serves as an example for the application of the proposed approach. Furthermore, the fitting of the network based model to measured characteristic force curves is discussed. In this context, a method for including saturation effects in the model is sketched.     

Salt-specific stability and denaturation of a short salt-bridge-forming alpha-helix

The structure of a single alanine-based Ace-AEAAAKEAAAKA-Nme peptide in explicit aqueous electrolyte solutions (NaCl, KCl, NaI, and KF) at large salt concentrations (3-4 M) is investigated using approximately 1 mus molecular dynamics (MD) computer simulations. The peptide displays 71% alpha-helical structure without salt and destabilizes with the addition of NaCl in agreement with experiments of a somewhat longer version. It is mainly stabilized by direct and indirect (" i + 4")EK salt bridges between the Lys and Glu side chains and a concomitant backbone shielding mechanism. NaI is found to be a stronger denaturant than NaCl, while the potassium salts hardly show influence. Investigation of the molecular structures reveals that consistent with recent experiments Na (+) has a much stronger affinity to side chain carboxylates and backbone carbonyls than K (+), thereby weakening salt bridges and secondary structure hydrogen bonds. At the same time, the large I (-) has a considerable affinity to the nonpolar alanine in line with recent observations of a large propensity of I (-) to adsorb to simple hydrophobes, and thereby "assists" Na (+) in its destabilizing action. In the denatured states of the peptide, novel long-lived (10-20 ns) "loop" configurations are observed in which single Na (+) ions and water molecules are hydrogen-bonded to multiple backbone carbonyls. In an attempt to analyze the denaturation behavior within the preferential interaction formalism, we find indeed that for the strongest denaturant, NaI, the protein is least hydrated. Additionally, a possible indication for protein denaturation might be a preferential solvation of the peptide backbone by the destabilizing cosolute (sodium). The mechanisms found in this work may be of general importance to understand salt effects on protein secondary structure stability.     

Parahydrogen induced polarization of barbituric acid derivatives: 1H hyperpolarization studies

Homogeneous hydrogenation of barbituric acid derivatives with parahydrogen yields a substantial increase of the (1)H NMR signals of the reaction products. These physiologically relevant compounds were hydrogenated at both ambient and elevated temperatures and pressures using a standard cationic rhodium catalyst. The resulting nonthermal nuclear spin polarization (hyperpolarization) is limited by the spin-lattice relaxation time T(1) of the corresponding nuclei in the products, being shorter than the time constant of the hydrogenation. The signal-to-noise ratio of the NMR spectra could be further increased upon signal averaging the antiphase PHIP signals of 25 successive scans following 30 degrees pulse experiments and a delay of 10 s.     

Formaldehyde Formation on Vanadium Oxide Surfaces V2O3(0001) and V2O5(001): How does the Stable Methoxy Intermediate Form?

Hydroxy‐mediated methoxy formation or stabilization is probably an important process in many methanol adsorption systems. Hydrogen atoms originating from the scission of the methanol O? H bond react with the substrate and form water. This process may result 1) in the production of additional surface defects as reactive centers for methoxy formation and 2) in the stabilization of methoxy groups by suppression of methanol formation.