We denote the group of homotopy set [X, U(n)] by the unstable K1-group of X. In this paper, using the unstable K1-group of the multi-suspended CP2, we give a necessary condition for two principal SU(n)-bundles over §4 to have the associated gauge group of the same homotopy type, which is an improvement of the result of Sutherland and, particularly, show the complete classification of homotopy types of SU(3)-gauge groups over S4.

For a real-valued function V of the Faddeev–Marchenko class, we prove the norm-resolvent convergence, as ε → 0, of a family Sε of one-dimensional Schrödinger operators on the line of the form

Under certain conditions, the functions ε−2V (x/ε) converge in the sense of distributions as ε → 0 to δ′ (x), and then the limit S0 of Sε may be considered as a ‘physically motivated’ interpretation of the one-dimensional Schrödinger operator with potential δ′.

We consider the Friedrichs extension A of a minimal Sturm-Liouville operator L0 and show that A admits a Schrödinger factorization, i.e. that one can find first order differential operators Bk with where the μk are suitable numbers which optimally chosen are just the lower eigenvalues of A (if any exist). With the help of this theorem we derive for the special case L0u = −u″ + q(x)u with q(x) → 0 (|x| → ∞) the inequality

σd(A) being the discrete spectrum of A. This inequality is seen to be sharp to some extent.

We consider the fractional Schrödinger equations with focusing Hartree-type nonlinearities. When the energy is negative, we show that the solution blows up in a finite time. For this purpose, based on Glassey’s argument, we obtain a virial-type inequality.

The stability of linear initial–boundary-value problems for hyperbolic systems (with constant coefficients) is linked to the zeros of the so-called Lopatinskii determinant. Depending on the location of these zeros, problems may be either unstable, strongly stable or weakly stable. The first two classes are known to be ‘open’, in the sense that the instability or the strong stability persists under a small change of coefficients in the differential operator and/or in the boundary condition.

Here we show that a third open class exists, which we call ‘weakly stable of real type’. Many examples of physical or mathematical interest depend on one or more parameters, and the determination of the stability class as a function of these parameters usually needs an involved computation. We simplify it by characterizing the transitions from one open class to another one. These boundaries are easier to determine since they must solve some overdetermined algebraic system.

Applications to the wave equation, linear elasticity, shock waves and phase boundaries in fluid mechanics are given.

We study the existence of changing sign solutions of an elliptic semilinear boundary value problem, which arises as a limiting equation of the two species Lotka–Volterra competing equations system. Using variational methods and a result of D'Aujourd'hui, we find conditions which are both sufficient and necessary for this existence problem.

We prove localization estimates for general 2mth-order quasilinear parabolic equations with boundary data blowing up in finite time, as t → T−. The analysis is based on energy estimates obtained from a system of functional inequalities expressing a version of Saint-Venant's principle from the theory of elasticity. We consider a special class of parabolic operators including those having fixed orders of algebraic homogenuity p > 0. This class includes the second-order heat equation and linear 2mth-order parabolic equations (p = 1), as well as many other higher-order quasilinear ones with p ≠ 1. Such homogeneous equations can be invariant under a group of scaling transformations, but the corresponding least-localized regional blow-up regimes are not group invariant and exhibit typical exponential singularities ~ e(T−t)−γ → ∞ as t → T−, with the optimal constant γ = 1/[m(p + 1) − 1] > 0. For some particular equations, we study the asymptotic blow-up behaviour described by perturbed first-order Hamilton–Jacobi equations, which shows that general estimates of exponential type are sharp.

Using techniques of bifurcation theory, we give exact multiplicity and uniqueness results for the fourth-order Dirichlet problem, which describes deflection of an elastic beam, subjected to a nonlinear force, and clamped at the end points. The crucial part of this approach was to show positivity of non-trivial solutions of the corresponding linearized problem.

It is often a matter of considerable importance to decide whether the fluctuations exhibited by a series of observations are random in character, or whether some factor operating according to a definite law must be assumed to exist. One general method of testing a statistical hypothesis is to work out results which would be expected theoretically, and then to compare these with the observations. A statistic such as the mean or standard deviation to be observed on a particular hypothesis may be calculated and compared with the actual mean or standard deviation as evaluated from the observed figures. Agreement does not necessarily imply that the hypothesis is a true one, or even that it is consistent with the observations, because it might be found that when another statistic was calculated, the agreement was no longer satisfactory. Obviously the greater the number of tests applied and found satisfactory, the greater the confidence which can be placed in the conclusions.

The Poincaré-Bendixson theorem, concerning the existence of periodic orbits of plane autonomous systems, is extended to higher order systems under certain conditions. Under similar conditions, a complementary theorem on the existence of recurrent orbits is also proved. For the feedback control equation, these conditions are reduced to a form which can be easily verified in practice.

In this paper we study diffusion-reaction equations arising in the theory of chemical reactions. We prove the global existence and uniqueness of a solution without any restriction for the Lewis number and the Biot numbers. In addition, it is shown that there is at least one stationary state which is globally asymptotically stable (in a rather strong sense) provided the Thiele number is sufficiently small. These results are obtained as special cases from much more general results on semilinear parabolic systems, derived below.

We consider the eigenvalue problem in an arbitrary OrliczSobolev space. We show that the existence of an eigenvalue can be derived from a generalized version of Lagrange multiplier rule. Our approach also applies to more general problems. We emphasize that no 2 condition is imposed.

The stability of linear initial–boundary-value problems for hyperbolic systems (with constant coefficients) is linked to the zeros of the so-called Lopatinskii determinant. Depending on the location of these zeros, problems may be either unstable, strongly stable or weakly stable. The first two classes are known to be ‘open’, in the sense that the instability or the strong stability persists under a small change of coefficients in the differential operator and/or in the boundary condition.

Here we show that a third open class exists, which we call ‘weakly stable of real type’. Many examples of physical or mathematical interest depend on one or more parameters, and the determination of the stability class as a function of these parameters usually needs an involved computation. We simplify it by characterizing the transitions from one open class to another one. These boundaries are easier to determine since they must solve some overdetermined algebraic system.

Applications to the wave equation, linear elasticity, shock waves and phase boundaries in fluid mechanics are given.

We study the indefinite Kirchhoff-type problem where Ω is a smooth bounded domain in and . We require that f is sublinear at the origin and superlinear at infinity. Using the mountain pass theorem and Ekeland variational principle, we obtain the multiplicity of non-trivial non-negative solutions. We improve and extend some recent results in the literature.

Conditions are obtained which ensure that a 2nth order ordinary differential equation on a halfaxis have at most n linearly independent square-integrable solutions. The emphasis is on bounds on the integrals of the coefficients, and on conditions imposed over a sequence of intervals.

We prove weighted norm inequalities for vector-valued commutators of multilinear operators. We first consider the strong $(p,p)$ case with $p>0$ and then the case weak-type estimate.

These well-known figures are generally produced by placing a coin on one side of a piece of glass, and on the other side opposite it another coin or small plate of metal. The coin and the plate are then strongly electrified—the one positively, the other negatively. When the coin is afterwards removed, and the surface of the glass on which it rested is breathed on, there is developed an image of the coin, showing many of the details of the engraving. The image is produced by the condensed moisture being deposited in different-sized patches at different places.

In this paper we consider the problem of accelerating an obstacle in an incompressible viscous fluid from rest to a given speed in a given time with minimum energy expenditure. An existence theorem for the speed trajectory which corresponds to the absolute minimum is provided. The results are valid for arbitrary Reynolds numbers.

We prove new results on the existence, non-existence, localization and multiplicity of non-trivial solutions for perturbed Hammerstein integral equations. Our approach is topological and relies on the classical fixed-point index. Some of the criteria involve a comparison with the spectral radius of some related linear operators. We apply our results to some boundary-value problems with local and non-local boundary conditions of Neumann type. We illustrate in some examples the methodologies used.

We consider atomic chains with nearest neighbour interactions and study periodic travelling waves and homoclinic travelling waves, which are called wavetrains and solitons, respectively. Our main result is a new existence proof which relies on the constrained maximization of the potential energy and exploits the invariance properties of an improvement operator. The approach is restricted to convex interaction potentials but refines the standard results, as it provides the existence of travelling waves with unimodal and even profile functions. Moreover, we discuss both the numerical approximation and the complete localization of wavetrains, and show that wavetrains converge to solitons when the periodicity length tends to infinity.