9,641 research outputs found
Noise-stability and central limit theorems for effective resistance of random electric networks
We investigate the (generalized) Walsh decomposition of point-to-point
effective resistances on countable random electric networks with i.i.d.
resistances. We show that it is concentrated on low levels, and thus
point-to-point effective resistances are uniformly stable to noise. For graphs
that satisfy some homogeneity property, we show in addition that it is
concentrated on sets of small diameter. As a consequence, we compute the right
order of the variance and prove a central limit theorem for the effective
resistance through the discrete torus of side length in ,
when goes to infinity.Comment: Published at http://dx.doi.org/10.1214/14-AOP996 in the Annals of
Probability (http://www.imstat.org/aop/) by the Institute of Mathematical
Statistics (http://www.imstat.org
Threshold for monotone symmetric properties through a logarithmic Sobolev inequality
Threshold phenomena are investigated using a general approach, following
Talagrand [Ann. Probab. 22 (1994) 1576--1587] and Friedgut and Kalai [Proc.
Amer. Math. Soc. 12 (1999) 1017--1054]. The general upper bound for the
threshold width of symmetric monotone properties is improved. This follows from
a new lower bound on the maximal influence of a variable on a Boolean function.
The method of proof is based on a well-known logarithmic Sobolev inequality on
. This new bound is shown to be asymptotically optimal.Comment: Published at http://dx.doi.org/10.1214/009117906000000287 in the
Annals of Probability (http://www.imstat.org/aop/) by the Institute of
Mathematical Statistics (http://www.imstat.org
Lower large deviations and laws of large numbers for maximal flows through a box in first passage percolation
We consider the standard first passage percolation model in
for . We are interested in two quantities, the maximal flow
between the lower half and the upper half of the box, and the maximal flow
between the top and the bottom of the box. A standard subadditive
argument yields the law of large numbers for in rational directions.
Kesten and Zhang have proved the law of large numbers for and
when the sides of the box are parallel to the coordinate hyperplanes: the two
variables grow linearly with the surface of the basis of the box, with the
same deterministic speed. We study the probabilities that the rescaled
variables and are abnormally small. For , the box can
have any orientation, whereas for , we require either that the box is
sufficiently flat, or that its sides are parallel to the coordinate
hyperplanes. We show that these probabilities decay exponentially fast with
, when grows to infinity. Moreover, we prove an associated large
deviation principle of speed for and , and we improve
the conditions required to obtain the law of large numbers for these variables.Comment: 39 pages, 4 figures; improvement of the moment conditions and
introduction of new results in the revised versio
Law of large numbers for the maximal flow through tilted cylinders in two-dimensional first passage percolation
Equip the edges of the lattice with i.i.d. random capacities.
We prove a law of large numbers for the maximal flow crossing a rectangle in
when the side lengths of the rectangle go to infinity. The value
of the limit depends on the asymptotic behaviour of the ratio of the height of
the cylinder over the length of its basis. This law of large numbers extends
the law of large numbers obtained by Grimmett and Kesten (1984) for rectangles
of particular orientation.Comment: 27 pages, 4 figures; minor modification
Clarifying creative nonfiction through the personal essay
In a recent issue of TEXT, Matthew Ricketson sought to clarify the ‘boundaries between fiction and nonfiction’. In his capacity as a teacher of the creative nonfiction form he writes, ‘I have lost count of the number of times, in classes and in submitted work, that students have described a piece of nonfiction as a novel’. The confusion thus highlighted is not restricted to Ricketson’s journalism students. In our own university’s creative writing cohort, students also struggle with difficulties in melding the research methodology of the journalist with the language and form of creative writing required to produce nonfiction stories for a 21st century readership.Currently in Australia creative nonfiction is enthusiastically embraced by publishers and teaching institutions. Works of memoir proliferate in the lists of mainstream publishers, as do anthologies of the essay form. During a time of increasing competition and desire for differentiation between institutions, when graduate outcomes form a basis for marketing university degrees, it is hardly surprising that, increasingly, tertiary writing teachers focus on this genre in their writing programs. A second tension has arisen in higher education more generally, which affects our writing students’ approaches to tertiary study. The student writers of the 21st century emerge from a digitally literate and socially collaborative generation: the NetGen(eration). From a learner-centric viewpoint, they could be described as time-poor, and motivated by work-integrated learning with its perceived close links to workplace contexts and to writing genres. They seek just-in-time learning to meet their immediate employment needs, which inhibits the development of their capacity to adapt their researching and writing to various genres and audiences. This article examines issues related to moving these NetGen student writers into the demanding and rapidly expanding creative nonfiction market. It is form rather than genre that denotes creative nonfiction and, we argue, it is the unique features of the personal essay, based as it is on doubt, discovery and the writer’s personal voice that can be instrumental in teaching creative nonfiction writing to our digitally and socially literate cohort of students.<br /
Is inequality harmful for the environment in a growing economy ?
In this paper we investigate the relationship between inequality and the environment in a growing economy from a political economy perspective. We consider an endogenous growth economy, where growth generates pollution and a deterioration of the environment. Public expenditures may either be devoted to supporting growth or abating pollution. The decision over the public programs is done in a direct democracy, with simple majority rule. We prove that the median voter is decisive and show that inequality is harmful for the environment : the poorer the median voter relative to the average individual, the less she will tax and devote resources to the environment, preferring to support growth.Inequality, growth, environmental policy, political economy.
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