Geodesic growth in virtually abelian groups

We show that the geodesic growth function of any finitely generated virtually abelian group is either polynomial or exponential; and that the geodesic growth series is holonomic, and rational in the polynomial growth case. In addition, we show that the language of geodesics is blind multicounter.Comment: 23 pages, 1 figure, improved readabilit

On the non-holonomic character of logarithms, powers, and the n-th prime function

We establish that the sequences formed by logarithms and by "fractional" powers of integers, as well as the sequence of prime numbers, are non-holonomic, thereby answering three open problems of Gerhold [Electronic Journal of Combinatorics 11 (2004), R87]. Our proofs depend on basic complex analysis, namely a conjunction of the Structure Theorem for singularities of solutions to linear differential equations and of an Abelian theorem. A brief discussion is offered regarding the scope of singularity-based methods and several naturally occurring sequences are proved to be non-holonomic.Comment: 13 page

Generating functions for generating trees

Certain families of combinatorial objects admit recursive descriptions in terms of generating trees: each node of the tree corresponds to an object, and the branch leading to the node encodes the choices made in the construction of the object. Generating trees lead to a fast computation of enumeration sequences (sometimes, to explicit formulae as well) and provide efficient random generation algorithms. We investigate the links between the structural properties of the rewriting rules defining such trees and the rationality, algebraicity, or transcendence of the corresponding generating function.Comment: This article corresponds, up to minor typo corrections, to the article submitted to Discrete Mathematics (Elsevier) in Nov. 1999, and published in its vol. 246(1-3), March 2002, pp. 29-5

Weakly-Unambiguous Parikh Automata and Their Link to Holonomic Series

We investigate the connection between properties of formal languages and properties of their generating series, with a focus on the class of holonomic power series. We first prove a strong version of a conjecture by Castiglione and Massazza: weakly-unambiguous Parikh automata are equivalent to unambiguous two-way reversal bounded counter machines, and their multivariate generating series are holonomic. We then show that the converse is not true: we construct a language whose generating series is algebraic (thus holonomic), but which is inherently weakly-ambiguous as a Parikh automata language. Finally, we prove an effective decidability result for the inclusion problem for weakly-unambiguous Parikh automata, and provide an upper-bound on its complexity

Explicit formula for the generating series of diagonal 3D rook paths

Let $a_n$ denote the number of ways in which a chess rook can move from a corner cell to the opposite corner cell of an $n \times n \times n$ three-dimensional chessboard, assuming that the piece moves closer to the goal cell at each step. We describe the computer-driven \emph{discovery and proof} of the fact that the generating series $G(x)= \sum_{n \geq 0} a_n x^n$ admits the following explicit expression in terms of a Gaussian hypergeometric function: G(x) = 1 + 6 \cdot \int_0^x \frac{\,\pFq21{1/3}{2/3}{2} {\frac{27 w(2-3w)}{(1-4w)^3}}}{(1-4w)(1-64w)} \, dw.Comment: To appear in "S\'eminaire Lotharingien de Combinatoire

Computational methods and software systems for dynamics and control of large space structures

Two key areas of crucial importance to the computer-based simulation of large space structures are discussed. The first area involves multibody dynamics (MBD) of flexible space structures, with applications directed to deployment, construction, and maneuvering. The second area deals with advanced software systems, with emphasis on parallel processing. The latest research thrust in the second area involves massively parallel computers

Analytic combinatorics : functional equations, rational and algebraic functions

This report is part of a series whose aim is to present in a synthetic way the major methods and models in analytic combinatorics. Here, we detail the case of rational and algebraic functions and discuss systematically closure properties, the location of singularities, and consequences regarding combinatorial enumeration. The theory is applied to regular and context-free languages, finite state models, paths in graphs, locally constrained permutati- ons, lattice paths and walks, trees, and planar maps