Generalizations of the Kolmogorov-Barzdin embedding estimates

We consider several ways to measure the `geometric complexity' of an embedding from a simplicial complex into Euclidean space. One of these is a version of `thickness', based on a paper of Kolmogorov and Barzdin. We prove inequalities relating the thickness and the number of simplices in the simplicial complex, generalizing an estimate that Kolmogorov and Barzdin proved for graphs. We also consider the distortion of knots. We give an alternate proof of a theorem of Pardon that there are isotopy classes of knots requiring arbitrarily large distortion. This proof is based on the expander-like properties of arithmetic hyperbolic manifolds.Comment: 45 page

Isoperimetric inequalities and mixing time for a random walk on a random point process

We consider the random walk on a simple point process on $\Bbb{R}^d$, $d\geq2$, whose jump rates decay exponentially in the $\alpha$-power of jump length. The case $\alpha =1$ corresponds to the phonon-induced variable-range hopping in disordered solids in the regime of strong Anderson localization. Under mild assumptions on the point process, we show, for $\alpha\in(0,d)$, that the random walk confined to a cubic box of side $L$ has a.s. Cheeger constant of order at least $L^{-1}$ and mixing time of order $L^2$. For the Poisson point process, we prove that at $\alpha=d$, there is a transition from diffusive to subdiffusive behavior of the mixing time.Comment: Published in at http://dx.doi.org/10.1214/07-AAP442 the Annals of Applied Probability (http://www.imstat.org/aap/) by the Institute of Mathematical Statistics (http://www.imstat.org