Variational aspects of the Seiberg-Witten functional

The Seiberg-Witten equations that have recently found important applications for four-dimensional geometry are the Euler-Lagrange equations for a functional involving a connection A on a line bundleL and a section of another bundleW ⁺ constructed fromL and a spinor bundle on a given four-dimensional Riemannian manifold. We show the regularity of weak solutions and the Palais-Smale condition for this functional.     

Homotopy types for tamely approximable Sobolev maps between manifolds

We define a class ^p (M,N) of Sobolev maps from a manifoldM into a manifoldN, in such a way that each mapu ^p (M, N) has a well defined [p]-homotopy type, providedN satisfies a topological hypothesis. Using this, we prove the existence of minimizers in [p]-homotopy classes for some polyconvex variational problems.     

Prescribed scalar curvature on then-sphere

This paper considers the prescribed scalar curvature problem onS ⁿ forn>-3. We consider the limits of solutions of the regularization obtained by decreasing the critical exponent. We characterize those subcritical solutions which blow up at the least possible energy level, determining the points at which they can concentrate, and their Morse indices. We then show that forn=3 this is the only blow up which can occur for solutions. We use this in combination with the Morse inequalities for the subcritical problem to obtain a general existence theorem for the prescribed scalar curvature problem onS ³.This article was processed by the author using the style filepljourlm from Springer-Verlag.     

Isometries of symmetric operator spaces associated with AFD factors of typeII and symmetric vector-valued spaces

If is a surjective isometry of the separable symmetric operator spaceE(M, ) associated with the approximately finite-dimensional semifinite factorM and if · _E(M,) is not proportional to · _{L 2}, then there exist a unitary operatorUM and a Jordan automorphismJ ofM such that(x)=UJ(x) for allxME(M, ). We characterize also surjective isometries of vector-valued symmetric spacesF((0, 1), E(M, )).Research supported by the Australian Research Council     

Nonselfadjoint spectral problems for linear pencilsN-λP of ordinary differential operators with λ-linear boundary conditions: Completeness results

We study nonselfadjoint spectral problems for ordinary differential equationsN(y)–P(y)=0 with -linear boundary conditions where the orderp of the differential operatorP is less than the ordern ofN. The present paper addresses the question of the completeness of the eigenfunctions and associated functions in the Sobolev spacesW ₂ ^k (0,1) fork=0,1,...,n. To this end we associate a pencil – of operators acting fromL ₂(0,1) to the larger spaceL ₂x(0,1) ⁿ with the given problem. We establish completeness results for normal problems in certain finite codimensional subspaces ofW ₂ ^k (0,1) which are characterized by means of Jordan chains in 0 of the adjoint of the compact operator = ^–1.Dedicated to Professor Heinz Langer on the occasion of his 60th birthday     

Zero cycles on conic fibrations and a conjecture of Bloch

Let X be a smooth projective surface over a number field k. Let (CH₀(X)) denote the Chow group of zero-cyles modulo rational equivalence on X. Let CH₀(X) be the subgroup of CH ₀(X) consisting of classes which vanish when going over to an arbitrary completion of k. Bloch put forward a conjecture asserting that this group is isomorphic to the Tate-Shafarevich group of a certain Galois module atttached to X. In this paper, we disprove this general conjecture. We produce a conic bundle X over an elliptic curve, for which the group (CH₀(X) is not zero, but the Galois-theoretic Tate-Shafarevich group vanishes.     

Free differential algebras: Their use in field theory and dual formulation

The gauging of free differential algebras (FDA's) produces gauge field theories containing antisymmetric tensors. The FDA's extend the Cartan-Maurer equations of ordinary Lie algebras by incorporating p-form potentials (p>1). We study here the algebra of FDA transformations. To every p-form in the FDA, we associate an extended Lie derivative l generating a corresponding gauge transformation. The field theory based on the FDA is invariant under these new transformations. This gives geometrical meaning to the antisymmetric tensors. The algebra of Lie derivatives is shown to close and provides the dual formulation of FDA's.     

On a bosonic-parafermionic realization ofU_q (\widehat{sl(2)})

We realize the current algebra at an arbitrary level in terms of one deformed free bosonic field and a pair of deformed parafermionic fields. It is shown that the operator product expansions of these parafermionic fields involve an infinite number of simple poles and simple zeros, which then condensate to form a branch cut in the classical limitq1. Our realization coincides with those of Frenkel-Jing and Bernard when the levelk takes the values 1 and 2, respectively.     

Mirror supersymmetry in the space of (super) extended Poincaré algebras p(p,q)

We classify extended Poincaré Lie superalgebras and Lie algebras of any signature (p, q), i.e. Lie superalgebras and ₂-graded Lie algebras g = g₀ + g₁, where g₀ = s₀(V) + V is the (generalized) Poincaré Lie algebra of the pseudo Euclidean vector space V = ^{p, q} of signature (p, q) and g₁ is a spin 1/2 s₀(V)-module extended to a s₀-module with kernel V.As a result of the classification, we obtain, if g₁ = S is the spinor module, the numbers L ⁺(n, s) (resp. L ^–(n, s)) of independent such Lie super algebras (resp. Lie algebras), which are periodic functions of the dimension n=p+q (mod 8) and the signature s=p–q (mod 8) and satisfy: L ⁺(–n, s)=L ^– (n, s).Supported by Max-Planck-Institut für Mathematik (Bonn).Supported by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, MSRI (Berkeley) and SFB 256 (Bonn University).