Desmond Sheiham, University of California, Riverside, CA

Invariants of Boundary Link Cobordism

Description
An n-dimensional mu-component boundary link is a codimension 2 embedding of spheres L=sqcup_{mu}S^n subset S^{n+2} such that there exist mu disjoint oriented embedded (n+1)-manifolds which span the components of L. An F_mu-link is a boundary link together with a cobordism class of such spanning manifolds.

The F_mu-link cobordism group C_n(F_mu) is known to be trivial when n is even but not finitely generated when n is odd. Our main result is an algorithm to decide whether two odd-dimensional F_mu-links represent the same cobordism class in C_{2q-1}(F_mu) assuming q>1. We proceed to compute the isomorphism class of C_{2q-1}(F_mu), generalizing Levine's computation of the knot cobordism group C_{2q-1}(F_1).

Our starting point is the algebraic formulation of Levine, Ko and Mio who identify C_{2q-1}(F_mu) with a surgery obstruction group, the Witt group G^{(-1)^q,mu}(Z) of mu-component Seifert matrices. We obtain a complete set of torsion-free invariants by passing from integer coefficients to complex coefficients and by applying the algebraic machinery of Quebbemann, Scharlau and Schulte. Signatures correspond to `algebraically integral' simple self-dual representations of a certain quiver (directed graph with loops). These representations, in turn, correspond to algebraic integers on an infinite disjoint union of real affine varieties.

To distinguish torsion classes, we consider rational coefficients in place of complex coefficients, expressing G^{(-1)^q,mu}(mathbb{Q}) as an infinite direct sum of Witt groups of finite-dimensional division mathbb{Q}-algebras with involution. The Witt group of every such algebra appears as a summand infinitely often.

The theory of symmetric and hermitian forms over these division algebras is well-developed. There are five classes of algebras to be considered; complete Witt invariants are available for four classes, those for which the local-global principle applies. An algebra in the fifth class, namely a quaternion algebra with non-standard involution, requires an additional Witt invariant which is defined if all the local invariants vanish.

Contents

Introduction
Main results
Preliminaries
Morita Equivalence
Devissage
Varieties of representations
Generalizing Pfister's theorem
Characters
Detecting rationality and integrality
Representation varieties: Two examples
Number theory invariants
All division algebras occur
Appendix I. Primitive element theorems
Appendix II. Hermitian categories
Bibliography
Index

Details:

Series: Memoirs of the American Mathematical Society, Volume: 165
Publication Year: 2003
ISBN: 0-8218-3340-5
Paging: 110 pp.
Binding: Softcover

R. R. Bruner, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, and J. P. C. Greenlees, University of Sheffield, UK

The Connective K-Theory of Finite Groups

Description

This paper is devoted to the connective K homology and cohomology of finite groups G. We attempt to give a systematic account from several points of view.

In Chapter 1, following Quillen [50, 51], we use the methods of algebraic geometry to study the ring ku^*(BG) where ku denotes connective complex K-theory. We describe the variety in terms of the category of abelian p-subgroups of G for primes p dividing the group order. As may be expected, the variety is obtained by splicing that of periodic complex K-theory and that of integral ordinary homology, however the way these parts fit together is of interest in itself. The main technical obstacle is that the Kunneth spectral sequence does not collapse, so we have to show that it collapses up to isomorphism of varieties.

In Chapter 2 we give several families of new complete and explicit calculations of the ring ku^*(BG). This illustrates the general results of Chapter 1 and their limitations.

In Chapter 3 we consider the associated homology ku_*(BG). We identify this as a module over ku^*(BG) by using the local cohomology spectral sequence. This gives new specific calculations, but also illuminating structural information, including remarkable duality properties.

Finally, in Chapter 4 we make a particular study of elementary abelian groups V. Despite the group-theoretic simplicity of V, the detailed calculation of ku^*(BV) and ku_*(BV) exposes a very intricate structure, and gives a striking illustration of our methods. Unlike earlier work, our description is natural for the action of GL(V).

Contents

Introduction
General properties of the ku-cohomology of finite groups
Examples of ku-cohomology of finite groups
The ku-homology of finite groups
The ku-homology and ku-cohomology of elementary abelian groups
Appendix A. Conventions
Appendix B. Indices
Appendix. Bibliography

Details:

Series: Memoirs of the American Mathematical Society, Volume: 165
Publication Year: 2003
ISBN: 0-8218-3366-9
Paging: 127 pp.
Binding: Softcover

Arnd Scheel, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN

Radially Symmetric Patterns of Reaction-Diffusion Systems

Description

In this paper, bifurcations of stationary and time-periodic solutions to reaction-diffusion systems are studied. We develop a center-manifold and normal form theory for radial dynamics which allows for a complete description of radially symmetric patterns. In particular, we show the existence of localized pulses near saddle-nodes, critical Gibbs kernels in the cusp, focus patterns in Turing instabilities, and active or passive target patterns in oscillatory instabilities.

Contents

Introduction
Instabilities in one space dimension
Stationary radially symmetric patterns
Time-periodic radially symmetric patterns
Discussion
Bibliography

Details:

Series: Memoirs of the American Mathematical Society, Volume: 165
Publication Year: 2003
ISBN: 0-8218-3373-1
Paging: 86 pp.
Binding: Softcover

Michael Cwikel, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel, Per G. Nilsson, Lund, Sweden, and Gideon Schechtman, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

Interpolation of Weighted Banach Lattices /
A Characterization of Relatively Decomposable Banach Lattices

Description

Interpolation of Weighted Banach Lattices

It is known that for many, but not all, compatible couples of Banach spaces (A_{0},A_{1}) it is possible to characterize all interpolation spaces with respect to the couple via a simple monotonicity condition in terms of the Peetre K-functional. Such couples may be termed Calderon-Mityagin couples. The main results of the present paper provide necessary and sufficient conditions on a couple of Banach lattices of measurable functions (X_{0},X_{1}) which ensure that, for all weight functions w_{0} and w_{1}, the couple of weighted lattices (X_{0,w_{0}},X_{1,w_{1}}) is a Calderon-Mityagin couple. Similarly, necessary and sufficient conditions are given for two couples of Banach lattices (X_{0},X_{1}) and (Y_{0},Y_{1}) to have the property that, for all choices of weight functions w_{0}, w_{1}, v_{0} and v_{1}, all relative interpolation spaces with respect to the weighted couples (X_{0,w_{0}},X_{1,w_{1}}) and (Y_{0,v_{0}},Y_{1,v_{1}}) may be described via an obvious analogue of the above-mentioned K-functional monotonicity condition.

A number of auxiliary results developed in the course of this work can also be expected to be useful in other contexts. These include a formula for the K-functional for an arbitrary couple of lattices which offers some of the features of Holmstedt's formula for K(t,f;L^{p},L^{q}), and also the following uniqueness theorem for Calderon's spaces X^{1-theta }_{0}X^{theta }_{1}: Suppose that the lattices X_0, X_1, Y_0 and Y_1 are all saturated and have the Fatou property. If X^{1-theta }_{0}X^{theta }_{1} = Y^{1-theta }_{0}Y^{theta }_{1} for two distinct values of theta in (0,1), then X_{0} = Y_{0} and X_{1} = Y_{1}. Yet another such auxiliary result is a generalized version of Lozanovskii's formula left( X_{0}^{1-theta }X_{1}^{theta }right) ^{prime }=left (X_{0}^{prime }right) ^{1-theta }left( X_{1}^{prime }right) ^{theta } for the associate space of X^{1-theta }_{0}X^{theta }_{1}.

A Characterization of Relatively Decomposable Banach Lattices

Two Banach lattices of measurable functions X and Y are said to be relatively decomposable if there exists a constant D such that whenever two functions f and g can be expressed as sums of sequences of disjointly supported elements of X and Y respectively, f = sum^{infty }_{n=1} f_{n} and g = sum^{infty }_{n=1} g_{n}, such that | g_{n}| _{Y} le | f_{n}| _{X} for all n = 1, 2, ldots, and it is given that f in X, then it follows that g in Y and | g| _{Y} le D| f| _{X}.

Relatively decomposable lattices appear naturally in the theory of interpolation of weighted Banach lattices.

It is shown that X and Y are relatively decomposable if and only if, for some r in [1,infty ], X satisfies a lower r-estimate and Y satisfies an upper r-estimate. This is also equivalent to the condition that X and ell ^{r} are relatively decomposable and also ell ^{r} and Y are relatively decomposable.

Contents

Interpolation of weighted Banach lattices, by Michael Cwikel and Per G. Nilsson
Introduction
Definitions, terminology and preliminary results
The main results
A uniqueness theorem
Two properties of the K-functional for a couple of Banach lattices
Characterizations of couples which are uniformly Calderon-Mityagin for all weights
Some uniform boundedness principles for interpolation of Banach lattices
Appendix: Lozanovskii's formula for general Banach lattices of measurable functions
References
A characterization of relatively decomposable Banach lattices, by Michael Cwikel, Per G. Nilsson and Gideon Schechtman
Introduction
Equal norm upper and lower p-estimates and some other preliminary results
Completion of the proof of the main theorem
Application to the problem of characterizing interpolation spaces
References

Details:

Series: Memoirs of the American Mathematical Society,Volume: 165
Publication Year: 2003
ISBN: 0-8218-3382-0
Paging: 127 pp.
Binding: Softcover

Thomas H. Wolff (edited by Izabella Laba, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada, and Carol Shubin, California State University Northridge)

Lectures on Harmonic Analysis

Expected publication date is October 16, 2003

Description

"There were lots of young analysts who flocked to Chicago in those years, but virtually from the start it was clear that Tom had a special brilliance ... Eventually, the mathematical door would open a crack as Tom discovered a new technique, usually of astonishing originality. The end would now be in sight, as [he] unleashed his tremendous technical abilities ... Time after time, [Wolff] would pick a central problem in an area and solve it. After a few more results, the field would be changed forever ... In the mathematical community, the common and rapid response to these breakthroughs was that they were seen, not just as watershed events, but as lightning strikes that permanently altered the landscape."

--Peter W. Jones, Yale University

"Tom Wolff was not only a deep thinker in mathematics but also a technical master."

--Barry Simon, California Institute of Technology

Thomas H. Wolff was a leading analyst and winner of the Salem and Bocher Prizes. He made significant contributions to several areas of harmonic analysis, in particular to geometrical and measure-theoretic questions related to the Kakeya needle problem. Wolff attacked the problem with awesome power and originality, using both geometric and combinatorial ideas. This book provides an inside look at the techniques used and developed by Wolff. It is based on a graduate course on Fourier analysis he taught at Caltech.

The selection of the material is somewhat unconventional in that it leads the reader, in Wolff's unique and straightforward way, through the basics directly to current research topics. The book demonstrates how harmonic analysis can provide penetrating insights into deep aspects of modern analysis. It is an introduction to the subject as a whole and an overview of those branches of harmonic analysis that are relevant to the Kakeya conjecture.

The first few chapters cover the usual background material: the Fourier transform, convolution, the inversion theorem, the uncertainty principle, and the method of stationary phase. However, the choice of topics is highly selective, with emphasis on those frequently used in research inspired by the problems discussed in later chapters. These include questions related to the restriction conjecture and the Kakeya conjecture, distance sets, and Fourier transforms of singular measures. These problems are diverse, but often interconnected; they all combine sophisticated Fourier analysis with intriguing links to other areas of mathematics, and they continue to stimulate first-rate work.

The book focuses on laying out a solid foundation for further reading and research. Technicalities are kept to a minimum, and simpler but more basic methods are often favored over the most recent methods. The clear style of the exposition and the quick progression from fundamentals to advanced topics ensure that both graduate students and research mathematicians will benefit from the book.

Contents

The L^1 Fourier transform
The Schwartz space
Fourier inversion and the Plancherel theorem
Some specifics, and L^p for p<2
The uncertainty principle
The stationary phase method
The restriction problem
Hausdorff measures
Sets with maximal Fourier dimension and distance sets
The Kakeya problem
Recent work connected with the Kakeya problem
Bibliography for Chapter 11
Historical notes
Bibliography

Details:

Series: University Lecture Series, Volume: 29
Publication Year: 2003
ISBN: 0-8218-3449-5
Paging: 137 pp.
Binding: Softcover