The properties of (1) consistency and (2) asymptotic normality of maximum likelihood estimates of one unknown parameter, for independent observations, have been discussed rigorously by Cramér ((1), p. 500) and Doob (2). These properties were first stated by Fisher (3).

1. Let z = reiθ, and let h(z) denote a (regular) positive harmonic function in the unit circle r < 1. Then h(r) (1−r) and h(r)/(1 − r) tend to limits as r → 1. The first limit is finite; the second may be infinite. Such properties of h can be obtained in a straightforward way by using the fact that we can write

where α(phgr) is non-decreasing in the closed interval (− π, π). Another method is to write

where h* is a harmonic function conjugate to h. Then the function

has the property | f | < 1 in the unit circle. Such functions have been studied by Julia, Wolff, Carathéodory and others.

1. Introduction. Modern computational machines and methods are conveniently divided into two classes:

(A) Those depending on physical analogues, and therefore restricted in accuracy.

(B) Those depending on digital processes, and so capable of giving any desired accuracy.

A number of important Markoff processes, with a continuous time parameter, can be represented approximately by a discrete process, interesting in its own right, of the following type. A class of individuals gives rise seasonally (in January say) to a number of new individuals (children), the probabilities of an individual having 0, 1, 2, … children being p0, p1, p2, …. These probabilities are the same for all individuals and are independent. The individuals formed each January are regarded as a new generation, and only this generation is capable of reproducing in the next January. Let

so that F(x) is the probability generating function (p.g.f.) of the number of children of an individual. Clearly the series for F(x) is absolutely convergent when |x| < |1.

A method is given for the solution of transient differential equations of the type

where D is a differential operator in one or more dimensions. These equations arise in vibrational problems and problems on the conduction of heat. Some examples on the application of the method are given.

In order to determine the mathematical form of the distribution of gene frequencies in a population, R. A. Fisher (1, 2) applied two different but complementary methods. First, differential equations were set up for certain cases and solved. An extension of these results arose from the expression by Wright (10,11,12) of the conditions as an integral equation. But strictly, neither integral nor differential equations can represent the conditions exactly, since integration is substituted for summation, and differentials for minimum steps (1/2n) in gene frequency. The second method employed by Fisher was exact, even though the solutions involved new functions. The properties of generating functions were utilized to yield functional equations, and the special case of rare mutations was dealt with in detail. In the present paper this powerful method is extended to the general case where mutation rates are not necessarily small.

The ‘phase-space’ method in quantum theory is used to derive exact expressions for the transition probabilities of a perturbed oscillator. Comparison with the approximate results obtained by perturbation methods shows that the latter must be multiplied by an exponential factor exp (− ∊/ℏω), where ∊ is the non-fluctuating part of the work done by the perturbing forces; as long as ∊ is small, exp (− ∊/ℏω) ˜ 1 and only dipole transitions have an appreciable probability. As the perturbation energy increases, however, this is no longer true, and multipole transitions become progressively more probable, the most probable ones being those for which the change in energy is approximately equal to the work done by the perturbing forces.

Let the probability density of observations be denoted by φ(x | θ), where x stands for the variables and θ for the parameters. A function t of the observations is called an unbiased estimate of the function ψ(θ) of the parameters if

where dx stands for the product of differentials.

By the use of an auxiliary independent variable, as well as of auxiliary functions, it may be possible to obtain tables which are very compact and in which, nevertheless, linear interpolation is adequate for most practical purposes. In the case of the Bessel functions of order zero, it is shown that by the use of 1/x2 as auxiliary independent variable, and appropriate auxiliary functions, linear interpolation in two tables of forty-one entries each is sufficient to give x½12J0(x) and x½12Y0(x) with an uncertainty of a unit in the 7th decimal, from x = 5 to ∞, and two tables of only three values each are sufficient to cover the range x = 22·5 to ∞ in the same way. Two possible forms of auxiliary functions for this purpose are considered.

A considerable volume of knowledge is now available on random fluctuations (noise) as regards the behaviour in amplitude. Familiar names in this field are those of Uhlenbeck and Ornstein(7), Fürth(1) and Rice (4), although very many others have made valuable contributions. A particular class of problem, of considerable practical importance, exists when the frequency spectrum is limited to a relatively narrow range. The resulting noise has then the character of a more or less regular oscillation modulated randomly in amplitude and phase. In this case, if we write the fluctuation in the form

(where R(t) and θ(t) are variables changing slowly in comparison with sinω0t), it is clear that the magnitude of the envelope R(t) and the phase θ(t) are now the significant quantities. Rice (4), among others, has made a study of the statistical properties of R, deriving in particular the correlation function R(t) R(t + τ) in terms of the characteristics of the (power) spectrum ω(f). Fürth and the writer (2) have extended this work and carried out a collateral experimental investigation.

1. The boundary value problem of Laplace's equation for two spheres is a classical one, and has been the subject of discussion by many mathematicians (1). The earliest attempt to solve a boundary value problem of this type is due to Poisson (2), but his analysis is applicable only to the electrostatic problem. The first of the methods which can be successfully applied to both electrostatic arid hydrodynamical problems was developed later by Lord Kelvin (3); this procedure, which is known as the ‘method of images’, was first applied to the problem of the motion of two spheres in a perfect fluid by Hicks (4). Another method of great generality, that of transforming Laplace's equation to bipolar coordinates and studying the solutions in these coordinates, was developed about the same time by Neumann (5) and much later by Jeffery (6). More recently a new method has been developed by Mitra (7) for the solution of the problem of two spheres in a potential field. It makes use of two sets of spherical polar coordinate systems; the solution is expressed in terms of infinite series whose coefficients satisfy an infinite set of linear algebraic equations. The chief interest of Mitra's method lies in the fact that he has found it possible to derive exact solutions of this infinite set of equations. All of these methods suffer from the disadvantage that the potential function is obtained in the form of an infinite series so that any numerical calculations are rendered cumbersome.

1. The statement of the problem. A problem which arises in certain physical (5) and astronomical (1, 3) contexts relates to the probability distribution of the infinite sum

where the rj's are the position vectors from a fixed origin of an infinite uniform Poisson distribution of points with a given constant mean space density N. While certain special cases of the sum (1) have been considered in the literature (cf. (2)) the study of the general case discloses properties of a class of probability distributions which appear to have some interest. For example, we shall show that the probability distribution of F exists only for that the moments of F (= |F|) exist only for orders 0 ≤ p < 3/n, and finally that an explicit formula can be given for all the finite moments.

In many compressible fluid flow problems the classical solution breaks down completely owing to the formation of regions of infinite acceleration in the flow field. The actual behaviour of the fluid in such cases does not seem to have been investigated mathematically and this is largely due to the difficulties which enter with non-uniform shocks. It is with these difficulties that this paper is principally concerned.

The way in which discontinuities may arise mathematically in a flow field is first discussed. The equations governing the one-dimensional motion of a gas due to an accelerating piston are then set up. It is shown that when allowance is made for varying entropy conditions due to the presence of non-uniform shocks these differential equations reduce (outside the shock wave) to three first order quasilinear ones.

The initial solution breaks down when a point of infinite acceleration occurs in the flow field. From this point onwards a shock wave grows in the fluid and behind it three different sets of characteristics are required to describe the flow. By working in the plane of two quantities that are constant along two different sets of characteristics, we can use the shock-jump conditions to determine the equation of the shock-line in this plane and to reduce the equations of the characteristics to three differential equations, which would be linear if the relation between the entropy and other flow variables were known.

In the case of a constantly accelerating piston a first approximation is found by neglecting reflexions and entropy variations behind the shock. Using this as a basis we then find a second approximation for the entropy in the neighbourhood of the initial portion of the shock-line and show that the problem reduces to the solution of a second order linear partial differential equation. The introduction of a Riemann function and the satisfaction of the boundary conditions at the shock lead to an integral equation whose solution enables us to determine the position of the shock as a function of the time. The solution is in the form of a power series and is valid provided the shock wave does not become too strong.

Finally, it is shown that if the piston is given a constant terminal velocity a reflected wave from the shock is reflected again from the piston and eventually overtakes the shock and reduces its velocity to a final steady value which is in agreement with the value arising from an impulsive start.

1. It is an interesting fact that in many problems of statistical estimation the results given by the theory of inverse probability (as modified by Jeffreys) are indistinguishable from those given by the methods of ‘fiducial probability’ or ‘confidence intervals’. The derivation of some of the important inverse distributions by Jeffreys(3) arouses one's curiosity. It seems that when this agreement is noticed there are usually sufficient statistics for parameters in the distribution. The object of this note is to throw some light, in general terms, on the similarity in form between the posterior probability-density function of the parameters and the probability-density function of the distribution when it admits sufficient statistics. For convenience the following notation in Jeffreys's probability logic is used below:

P(q | p) is the probability of a proposition q on data p.

In this paper, the general hydrodynamic theory of visco-inelastic, incompressible, non-Newtonian fluids, developed in a previous paper (l), is applied to the problem of the flow of such a fluid through a tube of circular cross-section. It is found that the absolute values of the normal stress components are no longer uniform over a cross-section of the tube normal to its axis, as in the case of Newtonian fluids obeying the laws of classical hydrodynamics.

However, the pressure difference, between points at equal radii on two planes normal to the axis, is independent of the position of these points on the planes.

The choice of a numerical method for the solution of ordinary differential equations depends on the associated boundary conditions. When all the boundary conditions are specified at one end of the range of integration, one of the well-known step-by-step methods will generally be used, while the method of relaxation is reserved for the case in which boundary conditions are specified at more than one point (1). In the latter, simple but inaccurate finite-difference formulae are used to provide a first approximation to the required solution; this approximation is then used to give an estimate of the errors involved in the use of the inaccurate formulae, and successive corrections are obtained until the full, accurate finite-difference equations are satisfied (1). The same principle is followed in this paper with regard to step-by-step methods, the main difference being the way in which approximate solutions are obtained. In relaxation methods simultaneous equations are solved, while in the use of the step-by-step methods suggested here successive pivotal values are built up by the use of recurrence relations. All the methods of this paper follow this principle, differing only in the method of obtaining a recurrence relation, and consequently in the form of the correction terms.

If ηn is the error in the result of repeating an iterative process n times, and ηn+1 is the iterative process is called Kth order. It is shown that if for a given equation there is an iterative process of the (K + 1)th order, the iterative process of the Kth order is not unique, and conversely if an iterative process of the Kth order is not unique, it is generally possible to construct from two of the Kth order processes a process of the (K + 1)th order. As an example, three second-order processes for a square root are exhibited, and a third-order process is derived from two of them.

Iterative processes for positive and negative integer roots are given, of kinds suitable for use on machines in which division is a relatively slow process and one to be used sparingly. It is shown how a second-order process can be derived from the results of two repetitions of a first-order process. The extension of this iterative process for the solution of differential and integral equations is a development which is urgently required.

1. In a steady two-dimensional motion of viscous liquid in the sharp corner formed by the rigid straight boundaries θ = 0, α, where r, θ are plane polar coordinates, it is found that, near enough to the corner, the most important term in the stream-function is of the form rmf(θ). The index m is evaluated in §§ 2–4 for values of α between 360 and 90°, and is found to be complex if α is less than about 146°; the limiting form of the stream-function when α is small is considered in § 5.

In this paper some elastic stability problems are solved for infinitely long, rectangular, isotropic plates, simply supported at the long edges. The problem is solved when the same arbitrarily prescribed distribution of normal stress is applied to each long edge, with no stresses and normal displacement at infinity. The extensional deformation of the middle surface during buckling is neglected; this leads to an underestimation (at most of the order of 10%) of the critical forces, but is unlikely to influence the general conclusions. A strain-energy method of analysis is used. The critical stress distributions are shown to be given by the eigenvalues of an ordinary differential equation, or, alternatively, of an integral equation. The general problem is then specialized to that of sets of concentrated normal forces, and to that of a normal force distributed uniformly over a finite length of each long edge; some numerical results are given for these cases. In the first of these problems there is negligible error in treating pairs of concentrated forces individually when they are separated by distances greater than twice the plate width. In the second problem there is little change in the critical stress when the length of edge stressed exceeds four times the plate width; also, if the length of edge stressed is less than one-quarter of the plate width, the distributed force required to produce instability does not differ appreciably from the concentrated force required to produce instability.

1. Introduction. A considerable amount of attention has been paid to the problem of determining the conditions which decide whether a liquid heated from below is stable or unstable. The motion consequent upon the disturbance of an unstable ideal gas does not, however, seem to have been treated so far, and this problem forms the subject of the present paper. Heat conduction and viscosity are at first neglected, and we are therefore dealing with the small motions of a gas slightly disturbed from a position of equilibrium under the influence of gravity. The condition for the stability of such a gas is well known, namely, the temperature gradient must be less than the adiabatic gradient. Furthermore, it is known that there is a sharp distinction between slow large-scale (meteorological) and rapidly varying small-scale (acoustical) phenomena. The present paper confirms these points and derives the time scale of meteorological phenomena. Heat conduction and viscosity are then shown to set a lower limit to the dimensions of such disturbances, while the effect of the earth's rotation is shown to be negligible.