The asymptotic numbers of regular tournaments,Eulerian digraphs and Eulerian oriented graphs

LetRT(n), ED(n) andEOG(n) be the number of labelled regular tournaments, labelled loop-free simple Eulerian digraphs, and labelled Eulerian oriented simple graphs, respectively, onn vertices. Then, asn,, for any>0. The last two families of graphs are also enumerated by their numbers of edges. The proofs use the saddle point method applied to appropriaten-dimensional integrals.     

A shape-optimization technique for the capillary surface problem

Summary The problem of the construction of an equilibrium surface taking the surface tension into account leads to Laplace-Young equation which is a nonlinear elliptic free-boundary problem. In contrast to Orr et al. where an iterative technique is used for direct solution of the equation for problems with simple geometry, we propose here an alternative approach based on shape optimization techniques. The shape of the domain of the liquid is varied to attain the optimality condition. Using optimal control theory to derive expressions for the gradient, a numerical scheme is proposed and simple model problems are solved to validate the scheme.     

Tracking poles and representing Hankel operators directly from data

Summary We propose and analyse a method of estimating the poles near the unit circleT of a functionG whose values are given at a grid of points onT: we give an algorithm for performing this estimation and prove a convergence theorem. The method is to identify the phase for an estimate by considering the peaks of the absolute value ofG onT, and then to estimate the modulus by seeking a bestL ² fit toG over a small arc by a first order rational function. These pole estimates lead to the construction of a basis ofL ² which is well suited to the numerical representation of the Hankel operator with symbolG and thereby to the numerical solution of the Nehari problem (computing the bestH , analytic, approximation toG relative to theL norm), as analysed in [HY]. We present the results of numerical tests of these algorithms.Partially supported by grants from the AFOSR and NSF     

A survey of Sylvester's problem and its generalizations

Summary LetP be a finite set of three or more noncollinear points in the plane. A line which contains two or more points ofP is called aconnecting line (determined byP), and we call a connecting lineordinary if it contains precisely two points ofP. Almost a century ago, Sylvester posed the disarmingly simple question:Must every set P determine at least one ordinary line? No solution was offered at that time and the problem seemed to have been forgotten. Forty years later it was independently rediscovered by Erdös, and solved by Gallai. In 1943 Erdös proposed the problem in the American Mathematical Monthly, still unaware that it had been asked fifty years earlier, and the following year Gallai's solution appeared in print. Since then there has appeared a substantial literature on the problem and its generalizations.In this survey we review, in the first two sections, Sylvester's problem and its generalization to higher dimension. Then we gather results about the connecting lines, that is, the lines containing two or more of the points. Following this we look at the generalization to finite collections of sets of points. Finally, the points will be colored and the search will be for monochromatic connecting lines.     

Domain imbedding methods for the Stokes equations

Summary We study direct and iterative domain imbedding methods for the Stokes equations on certain non-rectangular domains in two space dimensions. We analyze a continuous analog of numerical domain imbedding for bounded, smooth domains, and give an example of a simple numerical algorithm suggested by the continuous analysis. This algorithms is applicable for simply connected domains which can be covered by rectangular grids, with uniformly spaced grid lines in at least one coordinate direction. We also discuss a related FFT-based fast solver for Stokes problems with physical boundary conditions on rectangles, and present some numerical results.     

Density estimation and adaptive control of markov processes: Average and discounted criteria

We consider a class of discrete-time Markov control processes with Borel state and action spaces, and ^d i.i.d. disturbances with unknown distribution . Under mild semi-continuity and compactness conditions, and assuming that is absolutely continuous with respect to Lebesgue measure, we establish the existence of adaptive control policies which are (1) optimal for the average-reward criterion, and (2) asymptotically optimal in the discounted case. Our results are obtained by taking advantage of some well-known facts in the theory of density estimation. This approach allows us to avoid restrictive conditions on the state space and/or on the system's transition law imposed in recent works, and on the other hand, it clearly shows the way to other applications of nonparametric (density) estimation to adaptive control.Research partially supported by The Third World Academy of Sciences under Research Grant No. MP 898-152.     

The Weierstrass mean

Theorem.Let the sequences {e _i ⁽ⁿ⁾ },i=1, 2, 3,n=0, 1, 2, ...be defined by where the e ⁽⁰⁾ s satisfy and where all square roots are taken positive. Then where the convergence is quadratic and monotone and where The discussions of convergence are entirely elementary. However, although the determination of the limits can be made in an elementary way, an acquaintance with elliptic objects is desirable for real understanding.     

Finding numerical solution of linear partial differential equations of first order with real coefficients

Applying Bittner's operational calculus we present a method to give approximate solutions of linear partial differential equations of first order

An isolic generalization of Cauchy's theorem for finite groups

In his note [5] Hausner states a simple combinatorial principle, namely:

A posteriori error estimates for optimal control problems governed by parabolic equations

Summary. In this paper, we derive a posteriori error estimates for the finite element approximation of quadratic optimal control problem governed by linear parabolic equation. We obtain a posteriori error estimates for both the state and the control approximation. Such estimates, which are apparently not available in the literature, are an important step towards developing reliable adaptive finite element approximation schemes for the control problem. Received July 7, 2000 / Revised version received January 22, 2001 / Published online January 30, 2002 RID="*" ID="*" Supported by EPSRC research grant GR/R31980