Numerical Methods for the Fractional Laplacian: a Finite Difference-quadrature Approach

The fractional Laplacian $(-\Delta)^{\alpha/2}$ is a non-local operator which depends on the parameter $\alpha$ and recovers the usual Laplacian as $\alpha \to 2$. A numerical method for the fractional Laplacian is proposed, based on the singular integral representation for the operator. The method combines finite difference with numerical quadrature, to obtain a discrete convolution operator with positive weights. The accuracy of the method is shown to be $O(h^{3-\alpha})$. Convergence of the method is proven. The treatment of far field boundary conditions using an asymptotic approximation to the integral is used to obtain an accurate method. Numerical experiments on known exact solutions validate the predicted convergence rates. Computational examples include exponentially and algebraically decaying solution with varying regularity. The generalization to nonlinear equations involving the operator is discussed: the obstacle problem for the fractional Laplacian is computed.Comment: 29 pages, 9 figure

Lower bounds on nodal sets of eigenfunctions via the heat flow

We study the size of nodal sets of Laplacian eigenfunctions on compact Riemannian manifolds without boundary and recover the currently optimal lower bound by comparing the heat flow of the eigenfunction with that of an artifically constructed diffusion process. The same method should apply to a number of other questions; for example, we prove a sharp result saying that a nodal domain cannot be entirely contained in a small neighbourhood of a 'reasonably flat' surface. We expect the arising concepts to have more connections to classical theory and pose some conjectures in that direction

Hyperbolic Multi-Monopoles With Arbitrary Mass

On a complete manifold, such as Euclidean 3-space or hyperbolic 3-space, the limit at infinity of the norm of the Higgs field is called the mass of the monopole. We show the existence, on hypebolic 3-space, of monopoles with given magnetic charge and arbitrary mass. Previously, aside from charge one monopoles, existence was known only for monopoles with integral mass (since these arise from U(1) invariant instantons on Euclidean 4-space). The method of proof is based on Taubes' gluing procedure, using well-separated, explicit, charge one monopoles. The analysis is carried out in a weighted Sobolev space and necessitates eliminating the possibility of point spectra.Comment: 20 page

Charged-Surface Instability Development in Liquid Helium; Exact Solutions

The nonlinear dynamics of charged-surface instability development was investigated for liquid helium far above the critical point. It is found that, if the surface charge completely screens the field above the surface, the equations of three-dimensional (3D) potential motion of a fluid are reduced to the well-known equations describing the 3D Laplacian growth process. The integrability of these equations in 2D geometry allows the analytic description of the free-surface evolution up to the formation of cuspidal singularities at the surface.Comment: latex, 5 pages, no figure

On the Cauchy problem for a general fractional porous medium equation with variable density

We study the well-posedness of the Cauchy problem for a fractional porous medium equation with a varying density. We establish existence of weak energy solutions; uniqueness and nonuniqueness is studied as well, according with the behavior of the density at infinity