The Euler characteristic as a basis for teaching topology concepts to crystallographers

The simple Euler polyhedral formula, expressed as an alternating count of the bounding faces, edges and vertices of any polyhedron, V − E + F = 2, is a fundamental concept in several branches of mathematics. Obviously, it is important in geometry, but it is also well known in topology, where a similar telescoping sum is known as the Euler characteristic χ of any finite space. The value of χ can also be computed for the unit polyhedra (such as the unit cell, the asymmetric unit or Dirichlet domain) which build, in a symmetric fashion, the infinite crystal lattices in all space groups. In this application χ has a modified form (χm) and value because the addends have to be weighted according to their symmetry. Although derived in geometry (in fact in crystallography), χm has an elegant topological interpretation through the concept of orbifolds. Alternatively, χm can be illustrated using the theorems of Harriot and Descartes, which predate the discovery made by Euler. Those historical theorems, which focus on angular defects of polyhedra, are beautifully expressed in the formula of de Gua de Malves. In a still more general interpretation, the theorem of Gauss–Bonnet links the Euler characteristic with the general curvature of any closed space. This article presents an overview of these interesting aspects of mathematics with Euler's formula as the leitmotif. Finally, a game is designed, allowing readers to absorb the concept of the Euler characteristic in an entertaining way.

Nonlocal quantum computing theory and Poincare cycle in spherical states

Four new fundamental nonlocal quantum computing diagonal operator-state relations are derived which model the interaction between two adjacent atoms of an entangled atomic chain. Each atom possesses four eigen-states. These relations lead to four momentum-space cyclic transformations and are used as the computation states in one-dimensional cellular automaton. Four interacting half-observable periodic planar states appear with the same Poincare cycle. Due to the space-time rotational symmetry of these operator-state relations, a new type of periodic spherical state can be constructed consisting of eight finite space-time quadrants as the special quantum computing result.

On the Entropy of a One-Dimensional Gas with and without Mixing Using Sinai Billiard

A one-dimensional gas comprising N point particles undergoing elastic collisions within a finite space described by a Sinai billiard generating identical dynamical trajectories are calculated and analyzed with regard to strict extensivity of the entropy definitions of Boltzmann–Gibbs. Due to the collisions, trajectories of gas particles are strongly correlated and exhibit both chaotic and periodic properties. Probability distributions for the position of each particle in the one-dimensional gas can be obtained analytically, elucidating that the entropy in this special case is extensive at any given number N. Furthermore, the entropy obtained can be interpreted as a measure of the extent of interactions between molecules. The results obtained for the non-mixable one-dimensional system are generalized to mixable one- and two-dimensional systems, the latter by a simple example only providing similar findings.

Scotland's Gàidhealtachd Futures: an introduction

This special issue of Scottish Affairs is the first to be solely dedicated to matters relating to Scotland's Gàidhealtachd. Scottish Affairs has a broad, interdisciplinary readership and this informs our approach as guest editors for the special issue. As such, the focus for the issue is to be future-oriented, whilst necessarily being informed by cultural context, contemporary society and lived experience. By curating the articles in these terms, an aim is to encourage an ethic of engagement with a spectrum of topics (not exhaustive) of contemporary research and debate of relevance to the Gàidhealtachd, and to encourage relational perspectives and creative horizons across that spectrum. Therefore, the special issue is not constrained by a single disciplinary focus or structure; although, in important, different ways, the articles are oriented to forms of disciplinarity and practice. This emphasis on emerging debates within the Gàidhealtachd includes their intersections and orientations with situated experiences, subjectivities and voices. Whilst the theme of the special issue is ‘futures’, this is not in a superficially speculative or unproductive sense. Rather, it is ontologically oriented: to the spaces and cultural articulations of encounters and entanglements of people, places and social or community networks. Nevertheless, and not least because of the finite space afforded in a collection or volume of writing, the special issue does not claim to be representative of all dimensions, experiences or understandings of the Gàidhealtachd. Some are yet to come – sin mar a tha e.

DIRECT AND INVERSE PROBLEMS FOR THERMAL GROOVING BY SURFACE DIFFUSION WITH TIME DEPENDENT MULLINS COEFFICIENT

We consider the Mullins’ equation of a single surface grooving when the surface diffusion is not considered as very slow. This problem can be formed by a surface grooving of profiles in a finite space region. The finiteness of the space region allows to apply the Fourier series analysis for one groove and also to consider the Mullins coefficient as well as slope of the groove root to be time-dependent. We also solve the inverse problem of finding time-dependent Mullins coefficient from total mass measurement. For both of these problems, the grooving side boundary conditions are identical to those of Mullins, and the opposite boundary is accompanied by a zero position and zero curvature which both together arrive at self adjoint boundary conditions.

An extension of the entropic chaos degree and its positive effect

The Lyapunov exponent is used to quantify the chaos of a dynamical system, by characterizing the exponential sensitivity of an initial point on the dynamical system. However, we cannot directly compute the Lyapunov exponent for a dynamical system without its dynamical equation, although some estimation methods do exist. Information dynamics introduces the entropic chaos degree to measure the strength of chaos of the dynamical system. The entropic chaos degree can be used to compute the strength of chaos with a practical time series. It may seem like a kind of finite space Kolmogorov-Sinai entropy, which then indicates the relation between the entropic chaos degree and the Lyapunov exponent. In this paper, we attempt to extend the definition of the entropic chaos degree on a d-dimensional Euclidean space to improve the ability to measure the stength of chaos of the dynamical system and show several relations between the extended entropic chaos degree and the Lyapunov exponent.

Spectral action in matrix form

Quantization of the noncommutative geometric spectral action has so far been performed on the final component form of the action where all traces over the Dirac matrices and symmetry algebra are carried out. In this work, in order to preserve the noncommutative geometric structure of the formalism, we derive the quantization rules for propagators and vertices in matrix form. We show that the results in the case of a product of a four-dimensional Euclidean manifold by a finite space, could be cast in the form of that of a Yang–Mills theory. We illustrate the procedure for the toy electroweak model.

Integral Representation of Coherent Lower Previsions by Super-Additive Integrals

Coherent lower previsions generalize the expected values and they are defined on the class of all real random variables on a finite non-empty set. Well known construction of coherent lower previsions by means of lower probabilities, or by means of super-modular capacities-based Choquet integrals, do not cover this important class of functionals on real random variables. In this paper, a new approach to the construction of coherent lower previsions acting on a finite space is proposed, exemplified and studied. It is based on special decomposition integrals recently introduced by Even and Lehrer, in our case the considered decomposition systems being single collections and thus called collection integrals. In special case when these integrals, defined for non-negative random variables only, are shift-invariant, we extend them to the class of all real random variables, thus obtaining so called super-additive integrals. Our proposed construction can be seen then as a normalized super-additive integral. We discuss and exemplify several particular cases, for example, when collections determine a coherent lower prevision for any monotone set function. For some particular collections, only particular set functions can be considered for our construction. Conjugated coherent upper previsions are also considered.