Symmetries and conservation laws of partial differential equations: Basic notions and results

The main notions and results which are necessary for finding higher symmetries and conservation laws for general systems of partial differential equations are given. These constitute the starting point for the subsequent papers of this volume. Some problems are also discussed.     

On extremally disconnected topological groups

We introduce the notion of a partially selective ultrafilter and prove that (a) if G is an extremally disconnected topological group and p is a converging nonprincipal ultrafilter on G containing a countable discrete subset, then p is partially selective, and (b) the existence of a nonprincipal partially selective ultrafilter on a countable set implies the existence of a P-point in ω^∗. Thus it is consistent with ZFC that there is no extremally disconnected topological group containing a countable discrete nonclosed subset.     

Spatial design matrices and associated quadratic forms: structure and properties

The paper provides significant simplifications and extensions of results obtained by Gorsich, Genton, and Strang (J. Multivariate Anal. 80 (2002) 138) on the structure of spatial design matrices. These are the matrices implicitly defined by quadratic forms that arise naturally in modelling intrinsically stationary and isotropic spatial processes. We give concise structural formulae for these matrices, and simple generating functions for them. The generating functions provide formulae for the cumulants of the quadratic forms of interest when the process is Gaussian, second-order stationary and isotropic. We use these to study the statistical properties of the associated quadratic forms, in particular those of the classical variogram estimator, under several assumptions about the actual variogram.     

A triangular map with homoclinic orbits and no infinite ω-limit set containing periodic points

Recently, Forti, Paganoni and Smítal constructed an example of a triangular map of the unite square, F(x,y)=(f(x),g(x,y)), possessing periodic orbits of all periods and such that no infinite ω-limit set of F contains a periodic point. In this note we show that the above quoted map F has a homoclinic orbit. As a consequence, we answer in the negative the problem presented by A.N. Sharkovsky in the eighties whether, for a triangular map of the square, existence of a homoclinic orbit implies the existence of an infinite ω-limit set containing a periodic point. It is well known that, for a continuous map of the interval, the answer is positive.     

Simultaneous Packing and Covering in the Euclidean Plane

 In this article we study the simultaneous packing and covering constants of two-dimensional centrally symmetric convex domains. Besides an identity result between translative case and lattice case and a general upper bound, exact values for some special domains are determined. Similar to Mahler and Reinhardt’s result about packing densities, we show that the simultaneous packing and covering constant of an octagon is larger than that of a circle. (Received 17 January 2001; in revised form 13 July 2001)     

Defect operators, defect functions and defect indices for analytic submodules

This paper mainly concerns defect operators and defect functions of Hardy submodules, Bergman submodules over the unit ball, and Hardy submodules over the polydisk. The defect operator (function) carries key information about operator theory (function theory) and structure of analytic submodules. The problem when a submodule has finite defect is attacked for both Hardy submodules and Bergman submodules. Our interest will be in submodules generated by polynomials. The reason for choosing such submodules is to understand the interaction of operator theory, function theory and algebraic geometry.     

Cochran's statistical theorem for outer inverses of matrices and matrix quadratic forms

We extend the matrix version of Cochran's statistical theorem to outer inverses of a matrix. As applications, we investigate the Wishartness and independence of matrix quadratic forms for Kronecker product covariance structures.     

Rank estimation in reduced-rank regression

Reduced rank regression assumes that the coefficient matrix in a multivariate regression model is not of full rank. The unknown rank is traditionally estimated under the assumption of normal responses. We derive an asymptotic test for the rank that only requires the response vector have finite second moments. The test is extended to the nonconstant covariance case. Linear combinations of the components of the predictor vector that are estimated to be significant for modelling the responses are obtained.     

A geometrical constraint for capillary jet breakup

The formation of thinning filaments is commonly observed previously to the break-up of a very viscous jet. This paper shows that a fluid under capillary forces cannot break-up through the uniform collapse of a filament.     

More on Kleinewillinghöfer Types of Flat Laguerre Planes

Polster and Steinke [Result. Math., 46 (2004), 103–122] determined the possible Kleinewillingh?fer types of flat Laguerre planes. These types reflect transitivity properties of groups of certain central automorphisms. We exclude three more types from the list given there with respect to Laguerre homotheties. This yields a complete determination of all possible single types with respect to Laguerre homotheties that can occur in flat Laguerre planes. Building on results by M?urer and Hartmann to characterize ovoidal or miquelian Laguerre planes we further characterize certain flat Laguerre planes in terms of their Kleinewillingh?fer types. Received: January 16, 2007. Revised: July 26, 2007.