In spite of a large amount of general theory, it remains a surprising fact that the number of known irregular surfaces in space of three dimensions is quite small. Moreover, although the evaluation of the arithmetical genus pα is comparatively direct, it is often a matter of considerable difficulty to calculate the geometrical genus pg. This paper deals with a number of surfaces for which the equations of the canonical system can be written down and their number counted. An extension to primals in higher space is also suggested for the simplest case.

The groups of rotations that transform the regular polygons and polyhedra into themselves have. been studied for many years. Lately, increasing interest has been shown in the “extended” groups, which include reflections (and other congruent transformations of negative determinant). Todd has proved that every such group can be defined abstractly in the form

This group is denoted by [k1, k2, …, kn−1], and is the complete (extended) group of symmetries of either of the reciprocal n.-dimensional polytopes {k1, k2,…, kn−1}, {kn−1, kn−2,…, k1}. There is a sense in which these statements hold for arbitrarily large values of the k's. But here we are concerned only with the cases where the groups and the polytopes are finite. The finite groups are

[k] is simply isomorphic with the dihedral group of order 2k (e.g. [2], the Vierergruppe). [3, 3,…, 3] with n − 1 threes, or briefly [3n−1], is simply isomorphic with the symmetric group of order (n + 1)!.

1. In a former paper we solved the following problem (Problem I). Given k + 1 real numbers co, …, ck, to find necessary and sufficient conditions that there shall exist a function f(x) in (0, 1) which satisfies the conditions

1. Hasse's second proof of the truth of the analogue of Riemann's hypothesis for the congruence zeta-function of an elliptic function-field over a finite field is based on the consideration of the normalized meromorphisms of such a field. The meromorphisms form a ring of characteristic 0 with a unit element and no zero divisors, and have as a subring the natural multiplications n (n = 0, ± 1, …). Two questions concerning the nature of meromorphisms were left open, first whether they are commutative, and secondly whether every meromorphism μ satisfies an algebraic equation

with rational integers n0, … not all zero. I have proved that except in the case (which is equivalent to |N−q|=2 √q, where N is the number of solutions of the Weierstrassian equation in the given finite field of q elements), both these results are true. This proof, of which I give an account in this paper, suggested to Hasse a simpler treatment of the subject, which throws still more light on the nature of meromorphisms. Consequently I only give my proof in full in the case in which the given finite field is the mod p field, and indicate briefly in § 4 how it generalizes to the more complicated case.

It is generally agreed that instants are mathematical constructions, not physical entities. If, therefore, there are instants, they must be classes of events having certain properties. For reasons explained in Our Knowledge of the External World, pp. 116–20, an instant is most naturally defined as a group of events having the following two properties:

(1) Any two members of the group overlap in time, i.e. neither is wholly before the other.

1. This note contains a second proof of a remarkable theorem, announced by W. Killing and first proved by Eugenio-Elia Levi, according to which any infinitesimal group G, in the sense of Lie, contains a subgroup which is simply isomorphic to the factor group G/Γ, where Γ is the greatest integrable invariant subgroup in G§. Also the theorem is sharpened in that it is proved for groups depending on real as well as on complex parameters. In the final section it is seen that the methods used in proving this theorem can be applied to the problem of solving certain equations which are stated in terms of any semi-simple infinitesimal group of linear operators.

In this paper I prove some new Pflastersätze for r−dimensional sets in the n−dimensional Euclidean space Rn belonging to one and the same family, in which Lebesgue's fundamental lemma represents a “0-dimensional” case out of r + 1 possible cases of dimensions 0, 1, 2, …, r.

1. The gliding of bodies on the surface of water has received mathematical treatment by Wagner for both two- and three-dimensional cases. In this note, attention is confined to the two-dimensional gliding of a plane plate on a stream of infinite depth. Wagner's method is approximate and only applies when the angle of incidence of the gliding plate to the stream is small. He expresses such quantities as the total lift on the plate, not in terms of the total length of the plate, but in terms of the length of the pressure surface, which is the distance between the trailing edge of the plate and the point of stagnation. Further, his solution requires that the direction of the jet or spray which is formed should be parallel to the length of the plate. If Lis the total normal lift on the plate, β the small angle of incidence of the plate to the stream, V the velocity of the plate, δ the thickness of the spray and c the length of the pressure surface, then Wagner gives

1. There is a lemma given by Severi which is of importance because it is used by him in his proof that the number of finite Picard integrals belonging to an algebraic surface is equal to the irregularity of the surface; it is also used by Castelnuovo † in his proof of the same result. The lemma is: If upon an algebraic curve there is an irreducible algebraic series, ∞1, of sets of s points, of index r; and if the sets of sr points which consist of all the r sets which contain a given point (this point taken r times) move in a linear series as this point varies, then any one of the r sets of s points separately moves in a linear series. The proof given by Severi was held satisfactory by Castelnuovot, but I find difficulty in stating it with precision; and Castelnuovo gives an entirely different proof, founded on an enumerative formula due to Schubert (loc. cit. p. 341); this is also the course adopted by Enriques-Chisini.

1. The problem of calculating the polarizability of molecular hydrogen has recently been considered by a number of investigators. Steensholt and Hirschfelder use the variational method developed by Hylleras and Hassé. For ψ0, the wave function of the unperturbed molecule when no external field is present, they take either the Rosent or the Wang wave function, while the wave functions of the perturbed molecule were considered in both the one-parameter form, ψ0 [1+A(q1 + q2)] and the two-parameter form, ψ0 [1+A(q1 + q2) + B(r1q1 + r2q2)], where A and B are parameters to be varied so as to give the system a minimum energy, q1 and q2 are the coordinates of the electrons 1 and 2 in the direction of the applied field as measured from the centre of the molecule, and r1 and r2 are their respective distances from the same point. Mrowka, on the other hand, employs a method based on the usual perturbation theory. Their numerical results are given in the following table.

The steady state theory of sound propagation in exponential loud-speaker horns is well known. The problem of transients, however, has not been treated hitherto, so in this paper it is proposed to consider what happens when the air particles at the throat of the horn are suddenly set in motion. To avoid difficulties which arise in treating sound propagation in the horn when the linear dimensions of the cross-section are comparable with the wave-length of the sound, the following

artifice is postulated. The axis of the horn is linear and the air column is divided up into a large number of frictionless conduits by very thin rigid partitions as indicated in Fig. 1. The cross-section of each conduit expands exponentially from the throat towards the mouth of the horn. The major linear dimension of the section of a conduit at the mouth is small in comparison with the wave-length of the highest frequency to be reproduced.

It is well known that the eigen-functions corresponding to the free electrons in a one-dimensional lattice are of the form

where C (x) is a periodic function with period c (the lattice constant), and Kis a continuous variable.

1. As is well known, the electrical resistance of a metal is very greatly in-creased by the addition of a second metal with which it forms a solid solution. The increase Δρ in the resistivity due to the addition of a small percentage of the second metal is in general independent of the temperature (Matthiessen's rule), though there are oertain exceptions (e.g. Cr in Au). The quaritum-mechanical explanation of both these facts was first given by Nordheim, and may be expressed as follows: the electrical conductivity of any metal may be written in the form

where τ is the “time of relaxation”, equal to half the time between collisions, and N is the effective number of free electrons per unit volume: hence, for the resistivity, we have

In the first part of this paper we discuss the radiation from a single charged particle moving in an arbitrary central field of force and obeying Dirac's equation. We consider the electric quadripole and magnetic dipole radiation as well as the electric dipole. We derive the selection rules for the magnetic dipole radiation and collect together for reference the corresponding selection rules for the electric dipole and quadripole radiations. In the second part we discuss the relative intensities of the various types of radiation, treating in detail the cases where the selection rules for magnetic dipole and electric quadripole are simultaneously satisfied. Finally we show that these results have an important bearing on the theory of internal conversion of γ-rays. The internal conversion of soft γ-rays occurs with such high probability that the theory is unable to account for the experimental results unless it is assumed that the radiation is largely magnetic dipole in character. On the other hand, Fisk and Taylor (loc. cit.) were unable to account for the presence of magnetic dipole radiation in appreciable amounts. We show that this is due to the fact that, of the two possible transitions (a and e of § 2) in which both magnetic dipole and electric quadripole radiation can be emitted, Fisk and Taylor considered only the second. In the case of the second, corresponding to a transition between two distinct terms, we show that Fisk and Taylor were correct in predicting a negligible amount of magnetic dipole radiation, but in the case of the first, corresponding to a transition between two levels of one multiplet term, we find that there is indeed a high percentage of magnetic dipole radiation.

It is a well-known fact that the non-conservation of energy during β decay may be explained by assuming the existence of light neutral particles, neutrinos, which are ejected from the nucleus at every act of β emission and which enable all the conservation laws to be fulfilled. A study of the energy distribution of recoil atoms during β decay might furnish some data for testing this hypothesis. However, in order to determine the energy distribution of recoil atoms consider-able experimental difficulties have to be overcome. The energy of recoil atoms of ordinary radioactive substances is of the order of magnitude of 1 volt, i.e. of the same order of magnitude as the adsorption energy of atoms on a surface. Thus, on escaping from the'surface on which they are adsorbed, they will lose an amount of energy of the same order of magnitude as that which they possess, and their velocity distribution will therefore be completely distorted. This difficulty may be met by employing an artificial, light radioactive substance, whose recoil atoms may have energies some ten times greater than 1 volt. For this reason active carbon C, obtained by bombarding boron with deuterons according to the reaction 10B+2H→11C+n, was employed as a radioactive substance. Moreover, the fact that the emission of positrons from 11C is not accompanied by the emission of γ-rays has the advantage of simplifying the interpretation of the results.

Some apparent anomalies in oscillograms obtained in the course of electrical impulse tests of a material used in the construction of lightning arresters have led to a fuller investigation of the behaviour of the test circuit as applied to the study of a material with a non-linear voltage-current characteristic.

This investigation has been carried out by evaluation of solutions of the equations of a simplified form of the circuit numerically and by means of the differential analyser, and by further oscillograms taken under conditions suggested by the behaviour of these solutions.

The apparent anomalies which originally gave rise to the investigation have been shown to be a real feature of the response of the circuit, and not a spurious effect due to the recording apparatus, and the study of the initial response of the circuit to the impulse leads to the interpretation of another feature of the oscillographic records which had been previously regarded as an instrumental error.

1. Let f(x) be a complex function belonging to LP (−∞, ∞); i.e. let f(x) be measurable, and |f(x)|p integrable, over (−∞, ∞). The function

is called the Fourier transform of f(x), if the integral on the right exists, in some sense, for almost every value of y. It is well known that, if 1 ≤ p ≤ 2, the integral (1) converges in mean, with index p′ = p/(p – l)† i.e. that

where

1. Ellis(1) has proposed energy level systems for the bodies of the Thorium series, but the values of the γ-ray intensities forming the basis of this system fail to account satisfactorily for the total energy of the γ-rays emitted by Th C and its products. This is a serious discrepancy which needs examination. Since the publication of these level systems, we have obtained new values for the intensities of the γ-rays from Th C and Th Pb. The details of these measurements are given in the second part of this paper. These γ-ray intensities are, of course, deduced from the intensities of the discrete β-groups by dividing by the appropriate internal conversion coefficient. The changes which we have made in the γ-ray intensities are due first to revised values of the β-ray intensities from Th Pb and secondly to a revised set of values of the internal conversion coefficient (2). We have not however found it necessary to make any change in Ellis and Mott's (3) allocation of lines to dipole or quadripole type. The contributions of the two factors are made clear in Table I.