The Mermin fixed point

The most efficient known method for solving certain computational problems is to construct an iterated map whose fixed points are by design the problem's solution. Although the origins of this idea go back at least to Newton, the clearest expression of its logical basis is an example due to Mermin. A contemporary application in image recovery demonstrates the power of the method.Comment: Contribution to Mermin Festschrift; 8 pages, 5 figure

Stochastic Models for the 3x+1 and 5x+1 Problems

This paper discusses stochastic models for predicting the long-time behavior of the trajectories of orbits of the 3x+1 problem and, for comparison, the 5x+1 problem. The stochastic models are rigorously analyzable, and yield heuristic predictions (conjectures) for the behavior of 3x+1 orbits and 5x+1 orbits.Comment: 68 pages, 9 figures, 4 table

Benford's Law, Values of L-functions and the 3x+1 Problem

We show the leading digits of a variety of systems satisfying certain conditions follow Benford's Law. For each system proving this involves two main ingredients. One is a structure theorem of the limiting distribution, specific to the system. The other is a general technique of applying Poisson Summation to the limiting distribution. We show the distribution of values of L-functions near the central line and (in some sense) the iterates of the 3x+1 Problem are Benford.Comment: 25 pages, 1 figure; replacement of earlier draft (corrected some typos, added more exposition, added results for characteristic polynomials of unitary matrices

Nonextensivity at the edge of chaos of a new universality class of one-dimensional unimodal dissipative maps

We introduce a new universality class of one-dimensional unimodal dissipative maps. The new family, from now on referred to as the ($z_1,z_2$)-{\it logarithmic map}, corresponds to a generalization of the $z$-logistic map. The Feigenbaum-like constants of these maps are determined. It has been recently shown that the probability density of sums of iterates at the edge of chaos of the $z$-logistic map is numerically consistent with a $q$-Gaussian, the distribution which, under appropriate constraints, optimizes the nonadditive entropy $S_q$. We focus here on the presently generalized maps to check whether they constitute a new universality class with regard to $q$-Gaussian attractor distributions. We also study the generalized $q$-entropy production per unit time on the new unimodal dissipative maps, both for strong and weak chaotic cases. The $q$-sensitivity indices are obtained as well. Our results are, like those for the $z$-logistic maps, numerically compatible with the $q$-generalization of a Pesin-like identity for ensemble averages.Comment: 17 pages, 10 figures. To appear in European Physical Journal