Functorial methods in the theory of group representations I

We introduce a candidate for the group algebra of a Hausdorff group which plays the same role as the group algebra of a finite group. It allows to define a natural bijection betweenk-continuous representations of the group in a Hilbert space and continuous representations of the group algebra. Such bijections are known, but to our knowledge only for locally compact groups. We can establish such a bijection for more general groups, namely Hausdorff groups, because we replace integration techniques by functorial methods, i.e., by using a duality functor which lives in certain categories of topological Banach balls (resp., unit balls of Saks spaces).This paper was written while the authors were supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation under grant 21-33644.92.     

The six semifield planes associated with a semifield flock

In 1965 Knuth (J. Algebra 2 (1965) 182) noticed that a finite semifield was determined by a 3-cube array (a_ijk) and that any permutation of the indices would give another semifield. In this article we explain the geometrical significance of these permutations. It is known that a pair of functions (f,g) where f and g are functions from GF(q) to GF(q) with the property that f and g are linear over some subfield and g(x)²+4xf(x) is a non-square for all x∈GF(q)∗, q odd, give rise to certain semifields, one of which is commutative of rank 2 over its middle nucleus, one of which arises from a semifield flock of the quadratic cone, and another that comes from a translation ovoid of Q(4,q). We show that there are in fact six non-isotopic semifields that can be constructed from such a pair of functions, which will give rise to six non-isomorphic semifield planes, unless (f,g) are of linear type or of Dickson-Kantor-Knuth type. These six semifields fall into two sets of three semifields related by Knuth operations.     

Uniform persistence for nonautonomous and random parabolic Kolmogorov systems

The purpose of this paper is to investigate uniform persistence for nonautonomous and random parabolic Kolmogorov systems via the skew-product semiflows approach. It is first shown that the uniform persistence of the skew-product semiflow associated with a nonautonomous (random) parabolic Kolmogorov system implies that of the system. Various sufficient conditions in terms of the so-called unsaturatedness and/or Lyapunov exponents for uniform persistence of the skew-product semiflows are then provided. Among others, it is shown that if the associated skew-product semiflow has a global attractor and its restriction to the boundary of the state space has a Morse decomposition which is unsaturated or whose external Lyapunov exponents are positive, then it is uniformly persistent. More specific conditions are discussed for uniform persistence in n-species, particularly 3-species, random competitive systems.     

An analytical proof of Hardy-like inequalities related to the Dirac operator

We prove some sharp Hardy-type inequalities related to the Dirac operator by elementary, direct methods. Some of these inequalities have been obtained previously using spectral information about the Dirac-Coulomb operator. Our results are stated under optimal conditions on the asymptotics of the potentials near zero and near infinity.     

On W-solvability for special vectorial Hamilton-Jacobi systems

We study the solvability of special vectorial Hamilton-Jacobi systems of the form F(Du(x))=0 in a Sobolev space. In this paper we establish the general existence theorems for certain Dirichlet problems using suitable approximation schemes called W^1,p-reduction principles that generalize the similar reduction principle for Lipschitz solutions. Our approach, to a large extent, unifies the existing methods for the existence results of the special Hamilton-Jacobi systems under study. The method relies on a new Baire's category argument concerning the residual continuity of a Baire-one function. Some sufficient conditions for W^1,p-reduction are also given along with certain generalization of some known results and a specific application to the boundary value problem for special weakly quasiregular mappings.     

On a stochastic hyperbolic integro-differential equation

In this paper we study an initial-boundary-value problem for a hyperbolic integro-differential equation with random memory and a random noise. We establish the existence, uniqueness and exponential stability of solutions. Our method consists of finite-dimensional approximation and energy estimates.     

Periodic solutions of a second order forced sublinear differential equation with delay

In this paper, existence criteria are established for the existence of periodic solutions of a second order sublinear differential equation with delay and forcing function. Our method is based on careful a priori estimation and continuation theorems, and our sublinear condition is an improvement of the boundedness condition in some recent results.     

Conley indices on convex sets, attractor-repeller pairs and applications to multiple solutions of nonlinear elliptic equations

We discuss the calculation of homotopy indices on closed convex sets in a Banach space and then use these ideas to prove the existence of multiple solutions of nonlinear elliptic equations. We obtain more information on the solutions than in earlier work. A key idea is to calculate the homotopy index of the stable and mountain pass solutions and the connections joining them. Dedicated to the memory of Jean Leray     

MgO films grown on yttria-stabilized zirconia by molecular beam epitaxy

MgO films were grown on (0 0 1) yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) substrates by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). The crystalline structures of these films were investigated using X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. Growth temperature was varied from 350 to 550 °C, with crystalline quality being improved at higher temperatures. The MgO films had a domain structure: (1 1 1)[1 1 2¯]_MgO(0 0 1)[1 0 0]_YSZ with four twin variants related by a 90° in-plane rotation about the [1 1 1]_MgO axis. The observed epitaxial orientation was compared to previous reports of films grown by pulsed laser deposition and sputtering and explained as resulting in the lowest interface energy.