Digital Commons Network^™

Integrating Path-Dependent Functionals On Yeh-Wiener Space, Ian Pierce, David Skough

Department of Mathematics: Faculty Publications

Denote by Ca,b(Q) the generalized two-parameter Yeh-Wiener space with associated Gaussian measure. We investigate several scenarios in which integrals of functionals on this space can be reduced to integrals of related functionals over an appropriate single-parameter generalized Wiener space Cˆa,ˆb[0, T ]. This extends some interesting results of R. H. Cameron and D. A. Storvick.

Enumeration Of Tilings Of Quartered Aztec Rectangles, Tri Lai

Department of Mathematics: Faculty Publications

We generalize a theorem of W. Jockusch and J. Propp on quartered Aztec diamonds by enumerating the tilings of quartered Aztec rectangles. We use subgraph replacement method to transform the dual graph of a quartered Aztec rectangle to the dual graph of a quartered lozenge hexagon, and then use Lindstr¨om-Gessel- Viennot methodology to find the number of tilings of a quartered lozenge hexagon.

Von Neumann Algebras And Extensions Of Inverse Semigroups, Allan P. Donsig, Adam H. Fuller, David R. Pitts

Department of Mathematics: Faculty Publications

In the 1970s, Feldman and Moore classified separably acting von Neumann algebras containing Cartan MASAs using measured equivalence re- lations and 2-cocycles on such equivalence relations. In this paper, we give a new classification in terms of extensions of inverse semigroups. Our approach is more algebraic in character and less point-based than that of Feldman-Moore. As an application, we give a restatement of the spectral theorem for bimodules in terms of subsets of inverse semigroups. We also show how our viewpoint leads naturally to a description of maximal subdiagonal algebras.

A Game-Theoretic Analysis Of The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, Peter Revesz

CSE Conference and Workshop Papers

Although nuclear non-proliferation is an almost universal human desire, in practice, the negotiated treaties appear unable to prevent the steady growth of the number of states that have nuclear weapons. We propose a computational model for understanding the complex issues behind nuclear arms negotiations, the motivations of various states to enter a nuclear weapons program and the ways to diffuse crisis situations.

A Mentoring Program For Inquiry-Based Teaching In A College Geometry Class, Nathaniel Miller, Nathan Wakefield

Department of Mathematics: Faculty Publications

This paper describes a mentoring program designed to prepare novice instructors to teach a college geometry class using inquiry-based methods. The mentoring program was used in a medium-sized public university with approximately 12,000 undergraduate students and 1,500 graduate students. The authors worked together to implement a mentoring program for the first time. One author was an associate professor and experienced using inquiry-based learning. The other author was a graduate student in mathematics education. During the course of the year the graduate student first observed and then taught a college level inquiry-based geometry course for pre-service teachers. This article describes the …

The Neural Ring: Using Algebraic Geometry To Analyze Neural Codes, Nora Youngs

Department of Mathematics: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Neurons in the brain represent external stimuli via neural codes. These codes often arise from stimulus-response maps, associating to each neuron a convex receptive field. An important problem confronted by the brain is to infer properties of a represented stimulus space without knowledge of the receptive fields, using only the intrinsic structure of the neural code. How does the brain do this? To address this question, it is important to determine what stimulus space features can - in principle - be extracted from neural codes. This motivates us to define the neural ring and a related neural ideal, algebraic objects …

Algebraic Properties Of Ext-Modules Over Complete Intersections, Jason Hardin

Department of Mathematics: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

We investigate two algebraic properties of Ext-modules over a complete intersection R of codimension c. Given an R-module M, Ext(M,k) can be viewed as a graded module over a polynomial ring in c variables with an action given by the Eisenbud operators. We provide an upper bound on the degrees of the generators of this graded module in terms of the regularities of two associated coherent sheaves. In the codimension two case, our bound recovers a bound of Avramov and Buchweitz in terms of the Betti numbers of M. We also provide a description of the differential graded (DG) R-module …

Boundary Value Problems Of Nabla Fractional Difference Equations, Abigail M. Brackins

Department of Mathematics: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

In this dissertation we develop the theory of the nabla fractional self-adjoint difference equation,

∇_a^ν(p∇y)(t)+q(t)y(ρ(t)) = f(t),

where 0 < ν < 1.We begin with an introduction to the nabla fractional calculus. In the second chapter, we show existence and uniqueness of the solution to a fractional self-adjoint initial value problem. We find a variation of constants formula for this fractional initial value problem, and use the variation of constants formula to derive the Green's function for a related boundary value problem. We study the Green's function and its properties in several settings. For a simplified boundary value problem, we show that the Green's function is nonnegative and we find its maximum and the maximum of its integral. For a boundary value problem with generalized boundary conditions, we find the Green's function and show that it is a generalization of the first Green's function. In the third chapter, we use the Contraction Mapping Theorem to prove existence and uniqueness of a positive solution to a forced self-adjoint fractional difference equation with a finite limit. We explore modifications to the forcing term and modifications to the space of functions in which the solution exists, and we provide examples to demonstrate the use of these theorems.

Advisers: Lynn Erbe and Allan Peterson

Results On Edge-Colored Graphs And Pancyclicity, James Carraher

Department of Mathematics: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This thesis focuses on determining when a graph with additional structure contains certain subgraphs, particularly circuits, cycles, or trees. The specific problems and presented results include a blend of many fundamental graph theory concepts such as edge-coloring, routing problems, decomposition problems, and containing cycles of various lengths. The three primary chapters in this thesis address the problems of finding eulerian circuits with additional restrictions, decomposing the edge-colored complete graph K_n into rainbow spanning trees, and showing a 4-connected claw-free and N(3,2,1)-free graph is pancyclic.

Adviser: Stephen G. Hartke

Combinatorial And Algebraic Coding Techniques For Flash Memory Storage, Kathryn A. Haymaker

Department of Mathematics: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Error-correcting codes are used to achieve reliable and efficient transmission when storing or sending information across a noisy channel. This thesis investigates a mathematical approach to coding techniques for storage devices such as flash memory storage, although many of the resulting codes and coding schemes can be applied in other contexts. The main contributions of this work include the design of efficient codes and decoding algorithms using discrete structures such as graphs and finite geometries, and developing a variety of strategies for adapting codes to a multi-level setting.

Information storage devices are prone to errors over time, and the frequency …

A Generalization Of Aztec Diamond Theorem, Part I, Tri Lai

Department of Mathematics: Faculty Publications

We consider a new family of 4-vertex regions with zigzag boundary on the square lattice with diagonals drawn in. By proving that the number of tilings of the new regions is given by a power 2, we generalize both Aztec diamond theorem and Douglas’ theorem. The proof extends an idea of Eu and Fu for Aztec diamonds, by using a bijection between domino tilings and non-intersecting Schr¨oder paths, then applying Lindstr¨om-Gessel-Viennot methodology.

A Simple Proof For The Number Of Tilings Of Quartered Aztec Diamonds, Tri Lai

Department of Mathematics: Faculty Publications

We get four quartered Aztec diamonds by dividing an Aztec diamond region by two zigzag cuts passing its center. W. Jockusch and J. Propp (in an unpublished work) found that the number of tilings of quartered Aztec diamonds is given by simple product formulas. In this paper we present a simple proof for this result.

Downhill Domination In Graphs, Teresa W. Haynes, Stephen T. Hedetniemi, Jessie D. Jamieson, William B. Jamieson

Department of Mathematics: Faculty Publications

A path π = (v₁, v₂, . . . , v_k+1) iun a graph G = (V, E) is a downhill path if for every i, 1 ≤ i ≤ k, deg(v_i) ≥ deg(v_i+1), where deg(vi) denotes the degree of vertex v_i ∈ V. The downhill domination number equals the minimum cardinality of a set S ⊆ V having the property that every vertex v ∈ V lies on a downhill path originating from some vertex in S …