arXiv subjects

David Savitt

Publications and source records attributed to David Savitt.

23 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2007

Polynomials, meanders, and paths in the lattice of noncrossing partitions

For every polynomial f of degree n with no double roots, there is an associated family C(f) of harmonic algebraic curves, fibred over the circle, with at most n-1 singular fibres. We study the combinatorial topology of C(f) in the generic case when there are exactly n-1 singular fibres. In this case, the topology of C(f) is determined by the data of an n-tuple of noncrossing matchings on the set {0,1,...,2n-1} with certain extra properties. We prove that there are 2(2n)^{n-2} such n-tuples, and that all of them arise from the topology of C(f) for some polynomial f.

math.CO↗

arXiv2005

Harmonic algebraic curves and noncrossing partitions

Motivated by Gauss's first proof of the Fundamental Theorem of Algebra, we study the topology of harmonic algebraic curves. By the maximum principle, a harmonic curve has no bounded components; its topology is determined by the combinatorial data of a noncrossing matching. Similarly, every complex polynomial gives rise to a related combinatorial object that we call a basketball, consisting of a pair of noncrossing matchings satisfying one additional constraint. We prove that every noncrossing matching arises from some harmonic curve, and deduce from this that every basketball arises from some polynomial.

math.CO↗

arXiv2002

The maximum number of points on a curve of genus 4 over F_8 is 25

This paper proves that the maximum number of rational points on a smooth, absolutely irreducible genus 4 curve over the field of 8 elements is 25. The body of the paper shows that 27 points is not possible using techniques from algebraic geometry. The appendix shows that 26 points is not possible by examining the zeta functions.

math.NT↗

arXiv2002

Modularity of some potentially Barsotti-Tate Galois representations

We prove a portion of a conjecture of B. Conrad, F. Diamond, and R. Taylor, yielding some new cases of the Fontaine-Mazur conjectures, specifically, the modularity of certain potentially Barsotti-Tate Galois representations. The proof follows the template of Wiles, Taylor-Wiles, and Breuil-Conrad-Diamond-Taylor, and relies on a detailed study of the descent, across tamely ramified extensions, of finite flat group schemes over the integers of a local field. This makes crucial use of the filtered ϕ_1-modules of C. Breuil.

math.NT↗

arXiv2000

A Note on the Symmetric Powers of the Standard Representation of S_n

In this paper, we prove that the dimension of the space spanned by the characters of the symmetric powers of the standard n-dimensional representation of the symmetric group S_n is asymptotic to n^2/2. This is proved by using generating functions to obtain formulas for upper and lower bounds, both asymptotic to n^2/2, for this dimension. In particular, for n>6, these characters do not span the full space of class functions on S_n.

math.CO↗