Universal algebras

A survey of the development of the theory of universal algebras in the years 1976–1988. Such basic directions of development of this theory as classes of universal algebras (varieties, quasivarieties, etc.), Mal'tsev conditions, congruences, sheaves, homomorphisms, subalgebras, products of algebras, clones of operations, completeness, systems of equations in algeberas, and connections with computer mathematics show up in it. Considerable attention is given to concrete classes of algebras (p-algebras, BCK-algebras, unary algebras, etc.).Translated from Itogi Nauki i Tekhniki, Seriya Algebra, Topologiya, Geometriya, Vol. 27, pp. 45–124, 1989.     

Theory of interfacial phase transitions in surfactant systems

The spin-1 Ising model, which is equivalent to the three-component lattice gas model, is used to study wetting transitions in three-component surfactant systems consisting of an oil, water, and a nonionic surfactant. Phase equilibria, interfacial profiles, and interfacial tensions for three-phase equilibrium are determined in mean field approximation, for a wide range of temperature and interaction parameters. Surfactant interaction parameters are found to strongly influence interfacial tensions, reducing them in some cases to ultralow values. Interfacial tensions are used to determine whether the middle phase, rich in surfactant, wets or does not wet the interface between the oil-rich and water-rich phases. By varying temperature and interaction parameters, a wetting transition is located and found to be of the first order. Comparison is made with recent experimental results on wetting transitions in ternary surfactant systems.This paper is dedicated to J. K. Percus in honor of his 65th birthday.     

Applying Stochastic Algorithms to a Locomotive Scheduling Problem

This paper addresses a problem common to all railway networks. Given a fixed train timetable and locomotives (or other forms of traction) of various types, each train must be allocated a locomotive. This paper examines the use of stochastic algorithms for such a problem. Two types of algorithm are used—a simple ‘local improvement’ method, performed successively from randomly chosen starting points, and a ‘simulated annealing’ approach. Both are found to give considerably better results than a deterministic method in current use, and the annealing approach is probably the better stochastic method.     

Polynomial-time computation of the degree of a dominant morphism in zero characteristic. II

Consider a projective algebraic variety W which is an irreducible component of the set of all common zeros of a family of homogeneous polynomials of degrees less than d in n + 1 variables over a field of zero characteristic. Consider a dominant rational morphism from W to W′ given by homogeneous polynomials of degree d′. We suggest algorithms for constructing objects in general position related to this morphism. They generalize some algorithms from the first part of the paper to the case dim W > dim W′. These algorithms are deterministic and polynomial in (dd′)n and the size of the input. Bibliography: 12 titles. __________ Translated from Zapiski Nauchnykh Seminarov POMI, Vol. 325, 2005, pp. 181–224.     

Estimates for the Second Order Derivatives of Eigenvectors in Thin Anisotropic Plates with Variable Thickness

For the second order derivatives of eigenvectors in a thin anisotropic heterogeneous plate Ω_h, we derive estimates of their weighted L₂-norms with majorants whose dependence on the plate thickness h and on the eigenvalue number is expressed explicitly. These estimates maintain the asymptotic sharpness throughout the entire spectrum, whereas inside its low-frequency band the majorants remain bounded as h → +0. The latter is a rather unexpected fact, because for the first eigenfunction u¹ of a similar boundary-value problem for a scalar second order differential operator with variable coefficients, the norm ‖∇ _x ² u⁰; L₂(Ω_h)‖ is of order h⁻¹ and grows as h tends to zero. Bibliography: 35 titles. __________ Translated from Zapiski Nauchnykh Seminarov POMI, Vol. 308, 2004, pp. 161–180.     

Analogue of a spin flop phase transition for an array of magnetic moments with dipole interaction

In a two-dimensional array of magnetic moments with planar magnetization and relatively weak anisotropy in the basal plane, a stepwise phase transition is induced by an external magnetic field parallel to the easy axis of the system. This transition is similar to the spin flop phase transition in weakly anisotropic Heisenberg antiferromagnets with the significant difference that it is accompanied by the rearrangement of the sublattice structure of the magnet; i.e., it can be interpreted as a topological transition. The transition should manifest itself for arrays of submicron magnetic particles (magnetic dots) on nonmagnetic substrates, which have recently become the object of intensive research.     

Dissociative excitation cross sections of the lead atom in collisions between electrons and PbI2 molecules

Dissociative excitation of the lead atom in e-PbI₂ collisions has been studied experimentally. 27 excitation cross sections were measured for an energy of the exciting electrons equal to 100 eV. Nine optical excitation functions were recorded with variation of the electron energy in the range 0–100 eV. The most probable reaction channels for low electron energies are discussed, as well as the ratio of the dissociative excitation cross sections for the lead atom in e-PbI₂ and e-PbCl₂ collisions. __________ Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 73, No. 6, pp. 701–706, November–December, 2006.