The isomorphism problem for circulant graphs (Cayley graphs over the cyclic group) which has been open since 1967 is completely solved in this paper. The main result of the paper gives an efficient isomorphism criterion for circulant graphs of arbitrary order. This result also solves an isomorphism problem for colored circulant graphs and some classes of cyclic codes.

Following the work of Chevalley and Warning, Ax obtained a bound on the $p$-divisibility of exponential sums involving multi-variable polynomials of fixed degree $d$ over a finite field of characteristic $p$. This bound was subsequently improved by Katz. More recently, Moreno and Moreno, and Adolphson and Sperber, derived bounds that in many instances improved upon the Ax–Katz result. Here we derive a tight bound on the $p$-divisibility of the exponential sums. While exact computation of this bound requires the solution of a system of modular equations, approximations are provided which in several classes of examples, improve on the results of Chevalley and Warning, Ax and Katz, Adolphson and Sperber, and Moreno and Moreno. All of the above results readily translate into bounds on the $p$-divisibility of the number of zeros of multi-variable polynomials.

An important consequence of one of our main results is a method to find classes of examples for which bounds on divisibility of the number of solutions of a system of polynomial equations over finite fields are tight. In particular, we give classes of examples for which the Moreno–Moreno bound is tight.

It is important to note that we have also found applications of our results to coding theory (computation of the covering radius of certain codes) and to Waring's problem over finite fields. These will be described elsewhere.

A d.c.e. (2-computably enumerable) degree d is pseudo-isolated if d itself is non-isolated (in the sense that no computably enumerable (c.e.) degree below d can bound the c.e. degrees below d) and there is a d.c.e. degree \textbf{b} < \textbf{d} bounding all c.e. degrees below d. We prove in this paper that the pseudo-isolated degrees are densely distributed in the c.e. degrees.

In an earlier paper (see Proc. London Math. Soc. (3) 84 (2002) 257–288) we showed that an irreducible integral binary cubic form $f(x, y)$ attains infinitely many prime values, providing that it has no fixed prime divisor. We now extend this result by showing that $f(m, n)$ still attains infinitely many prime values if $m$ and $n$ are restricted by arbitrary congruence conditions, providing that there is still no fixed prime divisor.

Two immediate consequences for the solvability of diagonal cubic Diophantine equations are given.

We present a new approach to the problem of computing the zeta function of a hypersurface over a finite field. For a hypersurface defined by a polynomial of degree $d$ in $n$ variables over the field of $q$ elements, one desires an algorithm whose running time is a polynomial function of $d^n \log(q)$. (Here we assume $d \geq 2$, for otherwise the problem is easy.) The case $n = 1$ is related to univariate polynomial factorisation and is comparatively straightforward. When $n = 2$ one is counting points on curves, and the method of Schoof and Pila yields a complexity of $\log(q)^{C_d}$, where the function $C_d$ depends exponentially on $d$. For arbitrary $n$, the theorem of the author and Wan gives a complexity which is a polynomial function of $(pd^n \log(q))^n$, where $p$ is the characteristic of the field. A complexity estimate of this form can also be achieved for smooth hypersurfaces using the method of Kedlaya, although this has only been worked out in full for curves. The new approach we present should yield a complexity which is a small polynomial function of $pd^n\log(q)$. In this paper, we work this out in full for Artin–Schreier hypersurfaces defined by equations of the form $Z^p - Z = f$, where the polynomial $f$ has a diagonal leading form. The method utilises a relative $p$-adic cohomology theory for families of hypersurfaces, due in essence to Dwork. As a corollary of our main theorem, we obtain the following curious result. Let $f$ be a multivariate polynomial with integer coefficients whose leading form is diagonal. There exists an explicit deterministic algorithm which takes as input a prime $p$, outputs the number of solutions to the congruence equation $f = 0 \bmod{p}$, and runs in ${\mathcal O}(p^{2 + \varepsilon})$ bit operations, for any $\varepsilon > 0$. This improves upon the elementary estimate of ${\mathcal O}(p^{n-1 + \varepsilon})$ bit operations, where $n$ is the number of variables, which can be achieved using Berlekamp's root counting algorithm.

In 1969, H. Davenport and W. M. Schmidt studied the problem of approximation to a real number $\xi$ by algebraic integers of degree at most 3. They did so, using geometry of numbers, by resorting to the dual problem of finding simultaneous approximations to $\xi$ and $\xi^2$ by rational numbers with the same denominator. In this paper, we show that their measure of approximation for the dual problem is optimal and that it is realized for a countable set of real numbers $\xi$. We give several properties of these numbers including measures of approximation by rational numbers, by quadratic real numbers and by algebraic integers of degree at most 3.

For an arbitrary field $F$ we study the double scissors congruence groups $A_n(F)$ generated by admissible pairs of simplices in the projective $n$-space ${\mathbb P}_F^n$ over $F$. Let $(L, M)$ be an admissible pair of simplices whose faces are defined as hyperplanes in ${\mathbb P}_F^n$ such that they do not have common faces of the same dimension. When $L$ and $M$ are in general positions we define a linearly constructible motivic perverse sheaf producing a motivic cohomology whose Betti realization is the relative cohomology $H^{\ast}({\mathbb P}_F^n\setminus L, M\setminus L; {\mathbb Q})$. The motivic cohomology provides a simple explanation of why the generic part of $A_\bullet$ forms a Hopf algebra with well-defined coproduct. When $n = 2$ we define explicitly the coproduct on $A_2$ which simplifies the approach of Beilinson et al. We also complete the same task for $A_3$ and $A_4$ which enables us to develop further results in another paper connecting Aomoto trilogarithms to the classical ones.

Given a classical Weyl group $W$, that is, a Weyl group of type $A$, $B$ or $D$, one can associate with it a polynomial with integral coefficients $Z_W$ given by the ratio of the Hilbert series of the invariant algebras of the natural action of $W$ and $W^t$ on the ring of polynomials ${\bf C}[x_1, \ldots , x_n]^{\otimes t}$. We introduce and study several statistics on the classical Weyl groups of type $B$ and $D$ and show that they can be used to give an explicit formula for $Z_{D_n}$. More precisely, we define two Mahonian statistics, that is, statistics having the same distribution as the length function, $Dmaj$ and $ned$ on $D_n$. The statistic $Dmaj$, defined in a combinatorial way, has an analogous algebraic meaning to the major index for the symmetric group and the flag-major index of Adin and Roichman for $B_n$; namely, it allows us to find an explicit formula for $Z_{D_n}$. Our proof is based on the theory of $t$-partite partitions introduced by Gordon and further studied by Garsia and Gessel.

Using similar ideas, we define the Mahonian statistic $ned$ also on $B_n$ and we find a new and simpler proof of the Adin–Roichman formula for $Z_{B_n}$.

Finally, we define a new descent number $Ddes$ on $D_n$ so that the pair $(Ddes,Dmaj)$ gives a generalization to $D_n$ of the Carlitz identity on the Eulerian–Mahonian distribution of descent number and major index on the symmetric group.

Let $Y \rightrightarrows X$ be a finite flat groupoid scheme with $X$ a quasi-projective variety and let $S$ be its coarse moduli scheme. We associate to the groupoid scheme a coherent sheaf of algebras $\mathcal{O}_{X / Y}$ on $S$ which we call the non-commutative coordinate ring of the groupoid scheme. We show that when $X$ is a smooth curve and the groupoid action is generically free, the non-commutative coordinate rings which can occur are, up to Morita equivalence, the hereditary orders on smooth curves. This gives a bijective correspondence between smooth one-dimensional Deligne–Mumford stacks of finite type and Morita equivalence classes of hereditary orders on smooth curves.

The moduli space of stable vector bundles on a Riemann surface is smooth when the rank and degree are coprime, and is diffeomorphic to the space of unitary connections of central constant curvature. A classic result of Newstead and Atiyah and Bott asserts that its rational cohomology ring is generated by the universal classes, that is, by the Künneth components of the Chern classes of the universal bundle.

This paper studies the larger, non-compact moduli space of Higgs bundles, as introduced by Hitchin and Simpson, with values in the canonical bundle $K$. This is diffeomorphic to the space of all connections of central constant curvature, whether unitary or not. The main result of the paper is that, in the rank 2 case, the rational cohomology ring of this space is again generated by universal classes.

The spaces of Higgs bundles with values in $K(n)$ for $n > 0$ turn out to be essential to the story. Indeed, we show that their direct limit has the homotopy type of the classifying space of the gauge group, and hence has cohomology generated by universal classes.

We obtain a number of results regarding the freeness of subgroups of Coxeter groups, Artin groups and one-relator groups with torsion. In the case of Coxeter groups, we also obtain results on quasiconvexity and subgroup separability.

Using Grothendieck's semicontinuity theorem for half-exact functors, we derive two semicontinuity results on Hochschild cohomology. We apply these to show that the first Hochschild cohomogy group of the mesh algebra of a translation quiver over a domain vanishes if and only if the translation quiver is simply connected. We then establish an exact sequence relating the first Hochschild cohomology group of an algebra to that of the endomorphism algebra of a module and apply it to study the first Hochschild cohomology group of an Auslander algebra. Our main result shows that for a finite-dimensional and representation-finite algebra algebra $A$ over an algebraically closed field with Auslander algebra $\Lambda$ the following conditions are equivalent:

(1) $A$ admits no outer derivation;

(2) $\Lambda$ admits no outer derivations;

(3) $A$ is simply connected;

(4) $\Lambda$ is strongly simply connected.

The moduli space of principally polarised abelian 4-folds can be compactified in several different ways by toroidal methods. Here we consider in detail the Igusa compactification and the (second) Voronoi compactification. We describe in both cases the cone of nef Cartier divisors. The proof depends on a detailed description of the Voronoi compactification, which makes it possible to proceed by induction, using the known description of the nef cone for compactifications of ${\mathcal A}_3$. The Igusa compactification has a non-${\mathbb Q}$-factorial singularity, which is resolved by a single blow-up: this resolution is the Voronoi compactification. The exceptional divisor $E$ is a toric Fano variety (of dimension 9): the other boundary divisor, $D$, corresponds to degenerations with corank~1. After imposing a level structure in order to avoid certain technical complications, we show that the closure of $D$ in the Voronoi compactification maps to the Voronoi compactification of ${\mathcal A}_3$. The toric description of the exceptional divisor allows us to describe the map in sufficient detail to estimate the intersection numbers needed. This inductive process is only valid for the Voronoi compactification: the result for the Igusa compactification is deduced from the Voronoi compactification.

The Jucys–Murphy elements for wreath products $\Gamma_n = \Gamma \wr S_n $ associated to any finite group $\Gamma$ are introduced and they play an important role in our study of the connections between class algebras of $\Gamma_n$ for all $n$ and vertex algebras. We construct an action of (a variant of) the $\mathcal W_{1 + \infty}$-algebra acting irreducibly on the direct sum ${\mathcal R}_\Gamma$ of the class algebras of $\Gamma_n$ for all $n$ in a group-theoretic manner. We establish various relations between convolution operators using JM elements and Heisenberg algebra operators acting on ${\mathcal R}_\Gamma$. As applications, we obtain two distinct sets of algebra generators for the class algebra of $\Gamma_n$ and establish various stability results concerning products of normalized conjugacy classes of $\Gamma_n$ and the power sums of Jucys--Murphy elements, etc. We introduce a stable algebra which encodes the class algebra structures of $\Gamma_n$ for all $n$, whose structure constants are shown to be non-negative integers. In the symmetric group case (that is, when $\Gamma$ is trivial), we recover and strengthen in a uniform approach various results of Lascoux and Thibon, Kerov and Olshanski, and Farahat and Higman, etc.

The Teichmüller space of a finite-type surface is considered. It is shown that Teichmüller distance is not $C^{2 + \epsilon }$ for any $\epsilon > 0$. Furthermore, Teichmüller distance is not $C^{2 + g}$ for any gauge function $g$ with $\liminf_{u \to 0} g(u)\log (1 / u)=0$.

We define a support variety for a finitely generated module over an artin algebra $\Lambda$ over a commutative artinian ring $k$, with $\Lambda$ flat as a module over $k$, in terms of the maximal ideal spectrum of the algebra ${\rm HH}^*(\Lambda)$ of $\Lambda$. This is modelled on what is done in modular representation theory, and the varieties defined in this way are shown to have many of the same properties as those for group rings. In fact the notions of a variety in our sense and those for principal and non-principal blocks are related by a finite surjective map of varieties. For a finite-dimensional self-injective algebra over a field, the variety is shown to be an invariant of the stable component of the Auslander–Reiten quiver. Moreover, we give information on nilpotent elements in ${\rm HH}^*(\Lambda)$, give a thorough discussion of the ring ${\rm HH}^*(\Lambda)$ on a class of Nakayama algebras, give a brief discussion of a possible notion of complexity, and make a comparison with support varieties for complete intersections.

This paper deals with non-constant positive steady-state solutions of a predator-prey system with non-monotonic functional response, also called Holling type-IV interaction terms, and diffusion under the homogeneous Neumann boundary condition. We first establish positive upper and lower bounds for such solutions, and then study their non-existence, global existence and bifurcation.

We make the category $\textbf{BGrb}_M$ of bundle gerbes on a manifold $M$ into a $2$-category by providing $2$-cells in the form of transformations of bundle gerbe morphisms. This description of $\textbf{BGrb}_M$ as a $2$-category is used to define the notion of a bundle $2$-gerbe. To every bundle $2$-gerbe on $M$ is associated a class in $H^4(M ; \mathbb{Z})$. We define the notion of a bundle $2$-gerbe connection and show how this leads to a closed, integral, differential $4$-form on $M$ which represents the image in real cohomology of the class in $H^4(M ; \mathbb{Z})$. Some examples of bundle $2$-gerbes are discussed, including the bundle $2$-gerbe associated to a principal $G$ bundle $P \to M$. It is shown that the class in $H^4(M ; \mathbb{Z})$ associated to this bundle $2$-gerbe coincides with the first Pontryagin class of $P$: this example was previously considered from the point of view of $2$-gerbes by Brylinski and McLaughlin.

We study ergodic random Schrödinger operators on a covering manifold, where the randomness enters both via the potential and the metric. We prove measurability of the random operators, almost sure constancy of their spectral properties, the existence of a self-averaging integrated density of states and a Pastur–šubin type trace formula.

We study germs of $n$-parameter families of functions, that is, function-germs of the type $f : (\mathbb{R}^n \times \mathbb{R}, 0) \to (\mathbb{R}, 0)$ defined on the total space of the trivial bundle $ \mathbb{R}^n \times \mathbb{R} \to \mathbb{R}^n $. There is a natural notion of $V$-equivalence for such function-germs. We introduce the Young diagram of $n$-parameter families satisfying a non-degeneracy condition. We classify all such simple $n$-parameter families and give their versal deformations. This result has direct applications to contact and projective geometry.