In various contexts of topology, algebraic geometry, and algebra (e.g. group representations), one meets the following situation. One has two contravariant functors K and A from a certain category to the category of rings, and a natural transformation p: K--+A of contravariant functors. The Chern character being the central exam ple, we call the homomorphisms Px: K(X)--+ A(X) characters. Given f: X--+ Y, we denote the pull-back homomorphisms by and fA: A(Y)--+ A(X). As functors to abelian groups, K and A may also be covariant, with push-forward homomorphisms and fA: A( X)--+ A(Y). Usually these maps do not commute with the character, but there is an element r f E A(X) such that the following diagram is commutative: K(X) A(X) fK j J A K( Y) ------p;-+ A( Y) The map in the top line is p x multiplied by r f. When such commutativity holds, we say that Riemann-Roch holds for f. This type of formulation was first given by Grothendieck, extending the work of Hirzebruch to such a relative, functorial setting. Since then viii INTRODUCTION several other theorems of this Riemann-Roch type have appeared. Un derlying most of these there is a basic structure having to do only with elementary algebra, independent of the geometry. One purpose of this monograph is to describe this algebra independently of any context, so that it can serve axiomatically as the need arises."

Considering integral transformations of Volterra type, F. Riesz and B. Sz.-Nagy no ticed in 1952 that [49]: "The existence of such a variety of linear transformations, having the same spectrum concentrated at a single point, brings out the difficulties of characterization of linear transformations of general type by means of their spectra." Subsequently, spectral analysis has been developed for different classes of non selfadjoint operators [6,7,14,20,21,36,44,46,54]. It was then realized that this analysis forms a natural basis for the theory of systems interacting with the environment. The success of this theory in the single operator case inspired attempts to create a general theory in the much more complicated case of several commuting operators with finite-dimensional imaginary parts. During the past 10-15 years such a theory has been developed, yielding fruitful connections with algebraic geometry and sys tem theory. Our purpose in this book is to formulate the basic problems appearing in this theory and to present its main results. It is worth noting that, in addition to the joint spectrum, the corresponding algebraic variety and its global topological characteristics play an important role in the classification of commuting operators. For the case of a pair of operators these are: 1. The corresponding algebraic curve, and especially its genus. 2. Certain classes of divisors - or certain line bundles - on this curve.

While in classical (abelian) homological algebra additive functors from abelian (or additive) categories to abelian categories are investigated , non- abelian homological algebra deals with non-additive functors and their homological properties , in particular with functors having values in non-abelian categories. Such functors haveimportant applications in algebra, algebraic topology, functional analysis, algebraic geometry and other principal areas of mathematics. To study homological properties of non-additive functors it is necessary to define and investigate their derived functors and satellites. It will be the aim of this book based on the results of researchers of A. Razmadze Mathematical Institute of the Georgian Academy of Sciences devoted to non-abelian homological algebra. The most important considered cases will be functors from arbitrary categories to the category of modules, group valued functors and commutative semigroup valued functors. In Chapter I universal sequences of functors are defined and in- vestigated with respect to (co)presheaves of categories, extending in a natural way the satellites of additive functors to the non-additive case and generalizing the classical relative homological algebra in additive categories to arbitrary categories. Applications are given in the furth- coming chapters. Chapter II is devoted to the non-abelian derived functors of group valued functors with respect to projective classes using projective pseu- dosimplicial resolutions. Their functorial properties (exactness, Milnor exact sequence, relationship with cotriple derived functors, satellites and Grothendieck cohomology, spectral sequence of an epimorphism, degree of an arbitrary functor) are established and applications to ho- mology and cohomology of groups are given.

The Curves The Point of View of Max Noether Probably the oldest references to the problem of resolution of singularities are found in Max Noether's works on plane curves [cf. [148], [149]]. And probably the origin of the problem was to have a formula to compute the genus of a plane curve. The genus is the most useful birational invariant of a curve in classical projective geometry. It was long known that, for a plane curve of degree n having l m ordinary singular points with respective multiplicities ri, i E {1, . . . , m}, the genus p of the curve is given by the formula = (n - l)(n - 2) _ ~ "r. (r. _ 1) P 2 2 L. . ,. ** . Of course, the problem now arises: how to compute the genus of a plane curve having some non-ordinary singularities. This leads to the natural question: can we birationally transform any (singular) plane curve into another one having only ordinary singularities? The answer is positive. Let us give a flavor (without proofs) 2 on how Noether did it * To solve the problem, it is enough to consider a special kind of Cremona trans formations, namely quadratic transformations of the projective plane. Let ~ be a linear system of conics with three non-collinear base points r = {Ao, AI, A }, 2 and take a projective frame of the type {Ao, AI, A ; U}.

Steiner's Problem concerns finding a shortest interconnecting network for a finite set of points in a metric space. A solution must be a tree, which is called a Steiner Minimal Tree (SMT), and may contain vertices different from the points which are to be connected. Steiner's Problem is one of the most famous combinatorial-geometrical problems, but unfortunately it is very difficult in terms of combinatorial structure as well as computational complexity. However, if only a Minimum Spanning Tree (MST) without additional vertices in the interconnecting network is sought, then it is simple to solve. So it is of interest to know what the error is if an MST is constructed instead of an SMT. The worst case for this ratio running over all finite sets is called the Steiner ratio of the space. The book concentrates on investigating the Steiner ratio. The goal is to determine, or at least estimate, the Steiner ratio for many different metric spaces. The author shows that the description of the Steiner ratio contains many questions from geometry, optimization, and graph theory. Audience: Researchers in network design, applied optimization, and design of algorithms.

The common solutions of a finite number of polynomial equations in a finite number of variables constitute an algebraic variety. The degrees of freedom of a moving point on the variety is the dimension of the variety. A one-dimensional variety is a curve and a two-dimensional variety is a surface. A three-dimensional variety may be called asolid. Most points of a variety are simple points. Singularities are special points, or points of multiplicity greater than one. Points of multiplicity two are double points, points of multiplicity three are tripie points, and so on. A nodal point of a curve is a double point where the curve crosses itself, such as the alpha curve. A cusp is a double point where the curve has a beak. The vertex of a cone provides an example of a surface singularity. A reversible change of variables gives abirational transformation of a variety. Singularities of a variety may be resolved by birational transformations.

This book grew out of our lectures given in the Oberseminar on 'Cod ing Theory and Number Theory' at the Mathematics Institute of the Wiirzburg University in the Summer Semester, 2001. The coding the ory combines mathematical elegance and some engineering problems to an unusual degree. The major advantage of studying coding theory is the beauty of this particular combination of mathematics and engineering. In this book we wish to introduce some practical problems to the math ematician and to address these as an essential part of the development of modern number theory. The book consists of five chapters and an appendix. Chapter 1 may mostly be dropped from an introductory course of linear codes. In Chap ter 2 we discuss some relations between the number of solutions of a diagonal equation over finite fields and the weight distribution of cyclic codes. Chapter 3 begins by reviewing some basic facts from elliptic curves over finite fields and modular forms, and shows that the weight distribution of the Melas codes is represented by means of the trace of the Hecke operators acting on the space of cusp forms. Chapter 4 is a systematic study of the algebraic-geometric codes. For a long time, the study of algebraic curves over finite fields was the province of pure mathematicians. In the period 1977 - 1982, V. D. Goppa discovered an amazing connection between the theory of algebraic curves over fi nite fields and the theory of q-ary codes."

Consider a linear partial differential operator A that maps a vector-valued function Y = (Yl,"" Ym) into a vector-valued function I = (h, ..., II). We assume at first that all the functions, as well as the coefficients of the differen tial operator, are defined in an open domain Jl in the n-dimensional Euclidean n space IR, and that they are smooth (infinitely differentiable). A is called an overdetermined operator if there is a non-zero differential operator A' such that the composition A' A is the zero operator (and underdetermined if there is a non-zero operator A" such that AA" = 0). If A is overdetermined, then A'I = 0 is a necessary condition for the solvability of the system Ay = I with an unknown vector-valued function y. 3 A simple example in 1R is the operator grad, which maps a scalar func tion Y into the vector-valued function (8y/8x , 8y/8x2, 8y/8x3)' A necessary solvability condition for the system grad y = I has the form curl I = O."

One of the major discoveries of the last two decades of the twentieth century in algebraic geometry is the realization that the theory of minimal models of surfaces can be generalized to higher dimensional varieties. This generalization, called the minimal model program or Mori's program, has developed into a powerful tool with applications to diverse questions in algebraic geometry and beyond. This book provides the a comprehensive introduction to the circle of ideas developed around the program, the prerequisites being only a basic knowledge of algebraic geometry. It will be of great interest to graduate students and researchers working in algebraic geometry and related fields.

Over the last 15 years important results have been achieved in the field of "Hilbert Modular" Varieties. Though the main emphasis of this book is on the geometry of Hilbert modular surfaces, both geometric and arithmetic aspects are treated. An abundance of examples - in fact a whole chapter - completes this competent presentation of the subject. This "Ergebnisbericht" will soon become an indispensible tool for graduate students and researchers in this field.

Automorphisms of Affine Spaces describes the latest results concerning several conjectures related to polynomial automorphisms: the Jacobian, real Jacobian, Markus-Yamabe, Linearization and tame generators conjectures. Group actions and dynamical systems play a dominant role. Several contributions are of an expository nature, containing the latest results obtained by the leaders in the field. The book also contains a concise introduction to the subject of invertible polynomial maps which formed the basis of seven lectures given by the editor prior to the main conference. Audience: A good introduction for graduate students and research mathematicians interested in invertible polynomial maps.

Following Quillen's approach to complex cobordism, the authors introduce the notion of oriented cohomology theory on the category of smooth varieties over a fixed field. They prove the existence of a universal such theory (in characteristic 0) called Algebraic Cobordism. The book also contains some examples of computations and applications.

Neron models were invented by A. Neron in the early 1960s in order to study the integral structure of abelian varieties over number fields. Since then, arithmeticians and algebraic geometers have applied the theory of Neron models with great success. Quite recently, new developments in arithmetic algebraic geometry have prompted a desire to understand more about Neron models, and even to go back to the basics of their construction. The authors have taken this as their incentive to present a comprehensive treatment of Neron models. This volume of the renowned "Ergebnisse" series provides a detailed demonstration of the construction of Neron models from the point of view of Grothendieck's algebraic geometry. In the second part of the book the relationship between Neron models and the relative Picard functor in the case of Jacobian varieties is explained. The authors helpfully remind the reader of some important standard techniques of algebraic geometry. A special chapter surveys the theory of the Picard functor.

Geometrie inequalities have a wide range of applieations-within geometry itself as weIl as beyond its limits. The theory of funetions of a eomplex variable, the ealculus of variations in the large, embedding theorems of funetion spaees, a priori estimates for solutions of differential equations yield many sueh examples. We have attempted to piek out the most general inequalities and, in model eases, we exhibit effeetive geometrie eonstruetions and the means of proving sueh inequalities. A substantial part of this book deals with isoperimetrie inequalities and their generalizations, but, for all their variety, they do not exhaust the eontents ofthe book. The objeets under eonsideration, as a rule, are quite general. They are eurves, surfaees and other manifolds, embedded in an underlying space or supplied with an intrinsie metrie. Geometrie inequalities, used for different purposes, appear in different eontexts-surrounded by a variety ofteehnieal maehinery, with diverse require- ments for the objeets under study. Therefore the methods of proof will differ not only from ehapter to ehapter, but even within individual seetions. An inspeetion of monographs on algebraie and funetional inequalities ([HLP], [BeB], [MV], [MM]) shows that this is typical for books of this type.

Convex and Discrete Geometry is an area of mathematics situated between analysis, geometry and discrete mathematics with numerous relations to other areas. The book gives an overview of major results, methods and ideas of convex and discrete geometry and its applications. Besides being a graduate-level introduction to the field, it is a practical source of information and orientation for convex geometers. It should also be of use to people working in other areas of mathematics and in the applied fields.

Recent advances in both the theory and implementation of computational algebraic geometry have led to new, striking applications to a variety of fields of research. The articles in this volume highlight a range of these applications and provide introductory material for topics covered in the IMA workshops on "Optimization and Control" and "Applications in Biology, Dynamics, and Statistics" held during the IMA year on Applications of Algebraic Geometry. The articles related to optimization and control focus on burgeoning use of semidefinite programming and moment matrix techniques in computational real algebraic geometry. The new direction towards a systematic study of non-commutative real algebraic geometry is well represented in the volume. Other articles provide an overview of the way computational algebra is useful for analysis of contingency tables, reconstruction of phylogenetic trees, and in systems biology. The contributions collected in this volume are accessible to non-experts, self-contained and informative; they quickly move towards cutting edge research in these areas, and provide a wealth of open problems for future research.

Systems of polynomial equations arise throughout mathematics, science, and engineering. Algebraic geometry provides powerful theoretical techniques for studying the qualitative and quantitative features of their solution sets. Re cently developed algorithms have made theoretical aspects of the subject accessible to a broad range of mathematicians and scientists. The algorith mic approach to the subject has two principal aims: developing new tools for research within mathematics, and providing new tools for modeling and solv ing problems that arise in the sciences and engineering. A healthy synergy emerges, as new theorems yield new algorithms and emerging applications lead to new theoretical questions. This book presents algorithmic tools for algebraic geometry and experi mental applications of them. It also introduces a software system in which the tools have been implemented and with which the experiments can be carried out. Macaulay 2 is a computer algebra system devoted to supporting research in algebraic geometry, commutative algebra, and their applications. The reader of this book will encounter Macaulay 2 in the context of concrete applications and practical computations in algebraic geometry. The expositions of the algorithmic tools presented here are designed to serve as a useful guide for those wishing to bring such tools to bear on their own problems. A wide range of mathematical scientists should find these expositions valuable. This includes both the users of other programs similar to Macaulay 2 (for example, Singular and CoCoA) and those who are not interested in explicit machine computations at all."

The theory and practice of computation in algebraic geometry and related domains, from a mathematical point of view, has generated an increasing interest both for its rich theoretical possibilities and its usefulness in applications in science and engineering. In fact, it is one of the master keys for future significant improvement of the computer algebra systems (e.g., Reduce, Macsyma, Maple, Mathematica, Axiom, Macaulay, etc.) that have become such useful tools for many scientists in a variety of disciplines. The major themes covered in this volume, arising from papers p- sented at the conference MEGA-92 were: - Effective methods and complexity issues in commutative algebra, projective geometry, real geometry, and algebraic number theory - Algebra-geometric methods in algebraic computing and applica- tions. MEGA-92 was the second of a new series of European conferences on the general theme of Effective Methods in Algebraic Geometry. It was held in Nice, France, on April 21-25, 1992 and built on the themes presented at MEGA-90 (Livomo, Italy, April 17-21, 1990). The next conference - MEGA-94 - will be held in Santander, Spain in the spring of 1994. The Organizing committee that initiatiod and supervises this bi- enniel conference consists of A. Conte (Torino), J. H. Davenport (Bath), A. Galligo (Nice), D. Yu. Grigoriev (Petersburg), J. Heintz (Buenos Aires), W. Lassner (Leipzig), D. Lazard (paris), H. M. MOller (Hagen), T. Mora (Genova), M. Pohst (DUsseldort), T. Recio (Santander), J. J.

The modern theory of Kleinian groups starts with the work of Lars Ahlfors and Lipman Bers; specifically with Ahlfors' finiteness theorem, and Bers' observation that their joint work on the Beltrami equation has deep implications for the theory of Kleinian groups and their deformations. From the point of view of uniformizations of Riemann surfaces, Bers' observation has the consequence that the question of understanding the different uniformizations of a finite Riemann surface poses a purely topological problem; it is independent of the conformal structure on the surface. The last two chapters here give a topological description of the set of all (geometrically finite) uniformizations of finite Riemann surfaces. We carefully skirt Ahlfors' finiteness theorem. For groups which uniformize a finite Riemann surface; that is, groups with an invariant component, one can either start with the assumption that the group is finitely generated, and then use the finiteness theorem to conclude that the group represents only finitely many finite Riemann surfaces, or, as we do here, one can start with the assumption that, in the invariant component, the group represents a finite Riemann surface, and then, using essentially topological techniques, reach the same conclusion. More recently, Bill Thurston wrought a revolution in the field by showing that one could analyze Kleinian groups using 3-dimensional hyperbolic geome try, and there is now an active school of research using these methods."

In the spring of 1976, George Andrews of Pennsylvania State University visited the library at Trinity College, Cambridge, to examine the papers of the late G.N. Watson. Among these papers, Andrews discovered a sheaf of 138 pages in the handwriting of Srinivasa Ramanujan. This manuscript was soon designated "Ramanujan's lost notebook." The "lost notebook" contains considerable material on mock theta functions and so undoubtedly emanates from the last year of Ramanujan's life. It should be emphasized that the material on mock theta functions is perhaps Ramanujan's deepest work.

Exploring the connections between arithmetic and geometric properties of algebraic varieties has been the object of much fruitful study for a long time, especially in the case of curves. The aim of the Summer School and Conference on "Higher Dimensional Varieties and Rational Points" held in Budapest, Hungary during September 2001 was to bring together students and experts from the arithmetic and geometric sides of algebraic geometry in order to get a better understanding of the current problems, interactions and advances in higher dimension. The lecture series and conference lectures assembled in this volume give a comprehensive introduction to students and researchers in algebraic geometry and in related fields to the main ideas of this rapidly developing area.

This monograph brings together a collection of results on the non-vanishing of- functions.Thepresentation, thoughbasedlargelyontheoriginalpapers, issuitable forindependentstudy.Anumberofexerciseshavealsobeenprovidedtoaidinthis endeavour. The exercises are of varying di?culty and those which require more e?ort have been marked with an asterisk. The authors would like to thank the Institut d'Estudis Catalans for their encouragementof thiswork throughtheFerranSunyeriBalaguerPrize.Wewould also like to thank the Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton for the excellent conditions which made this work possible, as well as NSERC, NSF and FCAR for funding. Princeton M. Ram Murty August, 1996 V. Kumar Murty xi Introduction Since the time of Dirichlet and Riemann, the analytic properties of L-functions have been used to establish theorems of a purely arithmetic nature. The dist- bution of prime numbers in arithmetic progressions is intimately connected with non-vanishing properties of various L-functions. With the subsequent advent of the Tauberian theory as developed by Wiener and Ikehara, these arithmetical t- orems have been shown to be equivalent to the non-vanishing of these L-functions on the line Re(s)=1. In the 1950's, a new theme was introduced by Birch and Swinnerton-Dyer. Given an elliptic curve E over a number ?eld K of ?nite degree over Q, they associated an L-function to E and conjectured that this L-function extends to an entire function and has a zero at s = 1 of order equal to the Z-rank of the group of K-rational points of E. In particular, the L-function vanishes at s=1ifand only if E has in?nitely many K-rational points.

Generalized Polygons is the first book to cover, in a coherent manner, the theory of polygons from scratch. In particular, it fills elementary gaps in the literature and gives an up-to-date account of current research in this area, including most proofs, which are often unified and streamlined in comparison to the versions generally known. Generalized Polygons will be welcomed both by the student seeking an introduction to the subject as well as the researcher who will value the work as a reference. In particular, it will be of great value for specialists working in the field of generalized polygons (which are, incidentally, the rank 2 Tits-buildings) or in fields directly related to Tits-buildings, incidence geometry and finite geometry. The approach taken in the book is of geometric nature, but algebraic results are included and proven (in a geometric way ). A noteworthy feature is that the book unifies and generalizes notions, definitions and results that exist for quadrangles, hexagons, octagons - in the literature very often considered separately - to polygons. Many alternative viewpoints given in the book heighten the sense of beauty of the subject and help to provide further insight into the matter. "

The first of two volumes offering a modern introduction to Kaehlerian geometry and Hodge structure. The book starts with basic material on complex variables, complex manifolds, holomorphic vector bundles, sheaves and cohomology theory, the latter being treated in a more theoretical way than is usual in geometry. The author then proves the Kaehler identities, which leads to the hard Lefschetz theorem and the Hodge index theorem. The book culminates with the Hodge decomposition theorem. The meanings of these results are investigated in several directions. Completely self-contained, the book is ideal for students, while its content gives an account of Hodge theory and complex algebraic geometry as has been developed by P. Griffiths and his school, by P. Deligne, and by S. Bloch. The text is complemented by exercises which provide useful results in complex algebraic geometry.