Mathematics Commons^™

Conductors For Maximal Orders Of Group Rings Over Local Fields, Brooke Randazzo

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation examines conductors for maximal orders of group rings, $FD$, contained in integral group rings, $\mathcal{O}_F D$, where $D$ is a finite group, $F$ a local field, and $\mathcal{O}_F$ its discrete valuation ring. (Given two rings $R \subseteq S$, the conductor of $S$ in $R$, if it exists, is the largest ideal of $S$ contained in $R$.) First, we use a theorem of Jacobinski to make this conductor explicit where $F$ is a particular extension of $\mathbb{Q}_p$ of varying ramification index and $D$ is any elementary abelian $p$-group. Next, we examine this conductor problem for this same $F$ within …

Methods For Computing The Global Optimum Of Non-Convex Objectives, Isaac Michael Hawn

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

\begin{abstract}In this thesis, we concern ourselves with solving the unconstrained optimization problem % \begin{gather*} \text{Minimize}\; f(x)\\\text{subject to}\; x\in X \end{gather*} % where $f\colon\mathbb{R}^N\to \mathbb{R}$ is a non-convex function, possibly with infinitely many local minima. Solving such a problem, especially in higher dimensions often proves to be an extraordinarily difficult task, either in time complexity or in the methodology itself. Indeed, mathematicians must often resort to algorithms which make use of problem structure and which may not generalize well. In this thesis, we present two algorithms which solve this problem, albeit with their own shortcomings.

First, we present a new, $N$-dimensional …

Optimization Of Dynamic Objective Functions Using Path Integrals, Paramahansa Pramanik

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Path integrals are used to find an optimal strategy for a firm under a Walrasian system. We define dynamic optimal strategies and develop an integration method to capture all non-additive non-convex strategies. We also show that the method can solve the non-linear case, for example Merton-Garman-Hamiltonian system, which the traditional Pontryagin maximum principle cannot solve in closed form. Furthermore, we assume that the strategy space and time are inseparable with respect to a contract. Under this assumption we show that the strategy spacetime is a dynamic curved Liouville-like 2-brane quantum gravity surface under asymmetric information and that traditional Euclidean geometry …

Some Special Cases Of The Andrews-Bowman Continued Fraction, Bryan Thomas Zollinger

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

One of the most famous results from q-series is that of the Rogers-Ramanujan continued fraction, given by [special characters omitted]. G.E. Andrews and D. Bowman gave a full extension of this continued fraction using G.N. Watson’s nonterminating very well-poised 8φ7 function. As opposed to Ramanujan’s generalization that only used four variables, this generalization is given in seven variables, and certain q-series identities naturally arise from it. As a special case of their theorem, Andrews and Bowman gave the following identity: [special characters omitted]. This thesis will give a full proof of Andrews and Bowman’s result, as well as investigate other …

Steepest Descent, Elastic Energy, And Stability In Infinite Dimensional Hilbert Manifolds, Scott W. Rexford

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Consider constant-speed planar curves $\gamma =(x,y):[0,1]\to\mathbb{R}^2$ subject to $\gamma (0)=(0,0)$ and a prescribed value of $x(1)$, but with $y(1)$ unconstrained. We analyze the existence and the stability of critical curves of the elastic energy. Elastic curves are here thought of as points in an infinite-dimensional Sobolev manifold where the intrinsic gradient of the elastic energy vanishes. The admissible curves subject to constraints are members of a Riemannian submanifold using the ambient metric. A curve is stable with respect to the negative gradient flow if it is global or local minimum, and unstable otherwise. We analyze the stability of the classical …

The Zorich Transform And Generalizing Koenigs Linearization Theorem To Quasiregular Maps, Jacob A. Pratscher

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation investigates the role that a new tool called the Zorich transform plays in quasiregular dynamics as a generalization of the logarithmic transform in complex dynamics. In particular we use the Zorich transform to construct analogues of the logarithmic spiral maps and interpolation between radial stretch maps. These constructions are then used to completely classify the orbit space of a quasiregular map. Also, conditions are given in which a quasiregular map $f:D\to\R^n$, where $D\subset\R^n$ is a domain, that is quasiconformal in a neighborhood of a geometrically attracting fixed point can be conjugated by a quasiconformal map to the asymptotic …

Geometric Properties Of Representation Varieties For An Elementary Abelian Group Of Rank 2 In Positive Characteristic, Eric Johnson

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation’s motivation is the exploration of the irreducible components of Repn(kG), the affine variety whose points are n-dimensional representations of a finite group G over a field k. We let G = Z/pZ×Z/pZ and assume k is algebraically closed with char(k) = p > 0. In this case there is an isomorphism of affine varieties φ : Repn (kG) → C nil 1 (n) where C nil 1 (n) = {(x, y) Mn(k)×Mn(k) | x p = y p = xy−yx = 0}. Hence, for an irreducible component X of Repn (kG), φ(X) is an irreducible component of C nil …

Providing Better Choices: An Exploration Of Solutions In Multi-Objective Optimization And Game Theory Using Variational Analysis, Glenn Matthew Harris

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Multi-objective optimization problems and game theory problems have a wide array of

applications and because of this there are different types of solutions available. This dissertation

explores two areas of optimization and a solution type for each. First, substantial

efficiency (SE) as a type of solution to multi-objective optimization problems that extends

proper efficiency. Secondly, strong Nash equilibria (SNE) as a type of solution to game

theoretic problems that extends Nash equilibria. Substantial efficiency is demonstrated to

be a superior solution to the more rudimentary notion of proper efficiency in solving some

multi-objective financial market and economic problems. Using this …

The Effect Of Self-Reflection On Relative Student Success In Undergraduate Calculus 1, Kevin Shryock

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This thesis examines the effect of completion and self-reflection credit on multiple aspects of undergraduate student success in Calculus 1. Specifically, this study assessed the validity of a plug-and-play classroom framework utilizing a combination of a holistic rubric and corresponding worksheets to direct students’ attention towards their conceptual understanding of material and written work, all while removing the pressure of performance grades on all but four summative assessments. By comparing students’ relative performance on these summative assessments, as well as students’ responses on regular surveys, this study found that students who chose to forego performance grades in favor of completion …

A Computational Study Of Binary Linear And Quadratic Programming And Solvers, William Cody Mackelfresh

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

In this thesis we study and compare computational capability of two solvers, Gurobi and BiqCrunch, and their capabilities to solve various binary quadratic and linear programming problems. We review two types of programming models for three types of combinatorial optimization problems, namely Max-Cut, Max Independent Set, and Max-$k$-Cluster. We also review the Reformulation-Linearization Technique (RLT) and Semidefinite Programming (SDP) approaches for solving these models, go over the software and hardware used to solve these problems, and finally review the numerical results obtained by solving the problems.

Projective Splitting Methods For Maximal Monotone Mappings In Hilbert Spaces, Oday Hazaimah

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

In this dissertation, novel approaches for solving convex nonsmooth optimization, variational inequalities and inclusion problems are studied. The main contributions of the dissertation are given in Chapter 4 and Chapter 5. The two proposed iterations in Chapter 4, Half-Extragradient algorithm (HEG) and its accelerated version, are a natural modification of the classical Extragradient algorithm (EG)

when the composite objective function is a sum of three convex functions. EG evaluates the smooth operator twice per iteration via proximal mappings, and also, it allows larger step sizes. One of the main advantages of the proposed scheme is to avoid evaluating an

extragradient …

A Spider's Web Of Doughnuts, Daniel Stoertz

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation studies an interplay between the dynamics of iterated quasiregular map-

pings and certain topological structures. In particular, the relationship between the Julia set

of a uniformly quasiregular mapping f : R 3 → R 3 and the fast escaping set of its associated

Poincaré linearizer is explored. It is shown that, if the former is a Cantor set, then the latter

is a spider’s web. A new class of uniformly quasiregular maps is constructed to which this

result applies. Toward this, a geometrically self-similar Cantor set of genus 2 is constructed.

It is also shown that for any …

Solving The Semidefinite Programming Relaxation Of Max-Cut Using An Augmented Lagrangian Method, Ahmed Sabah Al-Jilawi

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Semidefinite programming (SDP) problems have been investigated and solved in this work. A novel approach has been introduced and validated to solve SDP relaxations of binary quadratic optimization problems. In the BiqCrunch solver, a penalty method is used to compute the solution of a semidefinite relaxation of a binary quadratic problem. This problem generates a bound on the optimal value of the original problem. A branch-and- bound approach then uses this semidefinite bound to solve the binary quadratic problems. In this study, a new approach has been developed to replace the penalty method with the augmented Lagrangian method. Also, according …