The inverse scattering problem for acoustic waves in shallow oceans are different from that in the spaces of R2 and R3 in the way that the “propagating” far-field pattern can only carry the information from the N +1 propagating modes. This loss of information leads to the fact that the far-field pattern operator is not injective. In this paper, we will present some properties of the far-field pattern operator and use this information to construct an injective far-field pattern operator in a suitable subspace of L2(∂Ω). Based on this construction an optimal scheme for solving the inverse scattering problem is presented using the minimizing Tikhonov functional.

This paper provides mathematical analysis of optical tomography in a situation when the examined object, for example the human brain, is strongly scattering with non-scattering inclusions. Light propagation in biological tissue is often modelled by the diffusion approximation of the radiative transfer equation. To be justified, the diffusion approximation demands that the medium is strongly scattering. Naturally, this is not true for non-scattering inclusions, for which some other model is needed. This is found through geometrical optics. Combination of the two models leads to an elliptic partial differential equation with boundary conditions on the outer boundary as well as on the boundaries of the non-scattering regions. The well-posedness of this forward problem is the main concern of this work.

AMS 2000 Mathematics subject classification: Primary 35Q60; 35R30

We show that if a locally compact group $G$ is non-discrete or has an infinite amenable subgroup, then the second dual algebra $L^1(G)^{**}$ does not admit an involution extending the natural involution of $L^1(G)$. Thus, for the above classes of groups we answer in the negative a question raised by Duncan and Hosseiniun in 1979. We also find necessary and sufficient conditions for the dual of certain left-introverted subspaces of the space $C_b(G)$ (of bounded continuous functions on $G$) to admit involutions. We show that the involution problem is related to a multiplier problem. Finally, we show that certain non-trivial quotients of $L^1(G)^{**}$ admit involutions.

We study the problem −∆pu = f(x, u) + t in Ω with Neumann boundary condition |∇u|p−2(∂u/∂v) = 0 on ∂Ω. There exists a t0 ∈ ℝ such that for t > t0 there is no solution. If t ≤ t0, there is at least a minimal solution, and for t < t0 there are at least two distinct solutions. We use the sub–supersolution method, a priori estimates and degree theory.

In this paper, a theory is developed of generalized oscillatory integrals (OIs) whose phase functions and amplitudes may be generalized functions of Colombeau type. Based on this, generalized Fourier integral operators (FIOs) acting on Colombeau algebras are defined. This is motivated by the need for a general framework for partial differential operators with non-smooth coefficients and distribution dataffi The mapping properties of these FIOs are studied, as is microlocal Colombeau regularity for OIs and the influence of the FIO action on generalized wavefront sets.

In this note all small latin letters denote rational integers. We write k ≧ 1, s ≧ 1 and consider the simultaneous equations

A solution of these equations is said to be non-trivial if no set {xiu} is a permutation of another set {xiv}. In 1851 Prouhet constructed a non-trivial solution of these equations with j = sk and Lehmer has recently found a parametric solution for the same j. Here I give two alternative elementary proofs of Lehmer's result. Lehmer's own proof depends on the ideas of generating functions, exponentials, differentiation, matrices, and complex roots of unity, though all at a fairly simple level. One of my proofs requires only the factor theorem for a polynomial and the other only the multinomial theorem for a positive integral index.

We prove the following theorem, which settles a conjecture made by J. S. Lew (2, p.379).

Let Tn be the operator algebra of upper triangular n × n complex matrices. Three families of limit algebras of the form lim (Tnk) are classified up to isometric algebra isomorphism: (i) the limit algebras arising when the embeddings Tnk→Tnk+1, are alternately of standard and refinement type; (ii) limit algebras associated with refinement embeddings with a single column twist; (iii) limit algebras determined by certain homogeneous embeddings. The last family is related to certain fractal like subsets of the unit square.

A ring R is prime essential if R is semiprime and for each prime ideal P of R, P ∩ I ≠0 whenever I is a nonzero two-sided ideal of R. Examples of prime essential rings include rings of continuous functions and infinite products modulo infinite sums. We show that the class of prime essential rings is closed under many familiar operations; in particular, we consider polynomial rings, matix rings, fixed rings and skew group rings. Also, we explore the relationship between prime essential rings and special radical classes, and we demonstrate how prime essential rings can be used to construct radical classes which are not special.

Corresponding to known results on Orlicz–Sobolev inequalities which are stronger than the Poincaré inequality, this paper studies the weaker Orlicz–Poincaré inequality. More precisely, for any Young function $\varPhi$ whose growth is slower than quadric, the Orlicz–Poincaré inequality

$$ \|f\|_\varPhi^2\le C\E(f,f),\qquad\mu(f):=\int f\,\mathrm{d}\mu=0 $$

is studied by using the well-developed weak Poincaré inequalities, where $\E$ is a conservative Dirichlet form on $L^2(\mu)$ for some probability measure $\mu$. In particular, criteria and concrete sharp examples of this inequality are presented for $\varPhi(r)=r^p$ $(p\in[1,2))$ and $\varPhi(r)= r^2\log^{-\delta}(\mathrm{e} +r^2)$ $(\delta>0)$. Concentration of measures and analogous results for non-conservative Dirichlet forms are also obtained. As an application, the convergence rate of porous media equations is described.

A well known lemma of Burnside is generalised, to give necessary and sufficient conditions for a finite p-group K to be normally embedded in a nilpotent group V, with K⊆ω(V). (Here, ω denotes a single word and ω(V) is the corresponding verbal subgroup.) Our main result is related to earlier work of Blackburn, Gaschütz and Hobby.

Let $\tau$ be a partition of the positive integer $n$. A partition of the set $\{1,2,\dots,n\}$ is said to be of type $\tau$ if the sizes of its classes form the partition $\tau$ of $n$. It is known that the semigroup $S(\tau)$, generated by all the transformations with kernels of type $\tau$, is idempotent generated. When $\tau$ has a unique non-singleton class of size $d$, the difficult Middle Levels Conjecture of combinatorics obstructs the application of known techniques for determining the rank and idempotent rank of $S(\tau)$. We further develop existing techniques, associating with a subset $U$ of the set of all idempotents of $S(\tau)$ with kernels of type $\tau$ a directed graph $D(U)$; the directed graph $D(U)$ is strongly connected if and only if $U$ is a generating set for $S(\tau)$, a result which leads to a proof if the fact that the rank and the idempotent rank of $S(\tau)$ are both equal to

$$ \max\biggl\{\binom{n}{d},\binom{n}{d+1}\biggr\}. $$

AMS 2000 Mathematics subject classification: Primary 20M20; 05A18; 05A17; 05C20

We say that a map $f$ from a Banach space $X$ to another Banach space $Y$ is a phase-isometry if the equality

\[ \{\|f(x)+f(y)\|, \|f(x)-f(y)\|\}=\{\|x+y\|, \|x-y\|\} \]

$x,\,y\in X$

$X$

$Y$

$f : X\rightarrow Y$

$\varepsilon : X \rightarrow \{-1,\,1\}$

$\varepsilon \cdot f$

A ring R has right property (A) whenever a finitely generated two-sided ideal of R consisting entirely of left zero-divisors has a non-zero right annihilator. As the main result of this paper we give answers to two questions related to property (A), raised by Hong et al. One of the questions has a positive answer and we obtain it as a simple conclusion of the fact that if R is a right duo ring and M is a u.p.-monoid (unique product monoid), then R is right M-McCoy and the monoid ring R[M] has right property (A). The second question has a negative answer and we demonstrate this by constructing a suitable example.

In this paper, we study the initial boundary value problem for a class of fourth order damped wave equations with arbitrary positive initial energy. In the framework of the energy method, we further exploit the properties of the Nehari functional. Finally, the global existence and finite time blow-up of solutions are obtained.

The question of whether ribbon-disc complements—or, equivalently, standard 2-complexes over labelled oriented trees—are aspherical is of great importance for Whitehead’s asphericity conjecture and, if solved affirmatively, would imply a combinatorial proof of the asphericity of knot complements. We present here two classes of diagrammatically reducible labelled oriented trees.

AMS 2000 Mathematics subject classification: Primary 57M20; 20F06; 20F05; 20F32

We show that if the summability means in the Fourier inversion formula for a tempered distribution f ∈ S′(ℝn) converge to zero pointwise in an open set Ω, and if those means are locally bounded in L1(Ω), then Ω ⊂ ℝn\supp f. We prove this for several summability procedures, in particular for Abel summability, Cesàro summability and Gauss-Weierstrass summability.

A ring R is called a right QI-ring if every quasi-injective right R-module is injective. The well-known Boyle's Conjecture states that any right QI-ring is right hereditary. In this paper we show that if every continuous right module over a ring R is injective, then R is semisimple artinian. In fact, if every singular continuous right R-module satisfying the restricted semisimple condition is injective, then R is right hereditary. Moreover, in this case, every singular right R-module is injective.

Based on the identification of four-dimensional Möbius transformations

$$ g(x)=(ax+b)(cx+d)^{-1} $$

by the matrix group $\mathrm{PS}_\triangle L(2,\mathbb{H})$ of quaternionic $2\times2$ matrices with Dieudonné determinant equal to $1$, we give an explicit expression for the classification of $g$ in terms of $a$, $b$, $c$ and $d$.

We show that minimal rational components on a complete toric manifold X correspond bijectively to some special primitive collections in the fan defining X, and the associated varieties of minimal rational tangents are linear subspaces. Two applications are given: the first is a classification of n-dimensional toric Fano manifolds with a minimal rational component of degree n, and the second shows that any complete toric manifold satisfying certain combinatorial conditions on the fan has the target rigidity property.