arXiv subjects

Sunil K. Chebolu

Publications and source records attributed to Sunil K. Chebolu.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Half of finite abelian groups are unit groups

A group is called realizable if it is the group of units in a ring with identity. The classification of realizable groups is a difficult open problem -- originally posed by László Fuchs -- and is an active area of research. Realizable groups seem rare, but their proportion within a fixed class of groups (cyclic, dihedral, finite abelian, etc.) varies. To quantify this proportion, we introduce the realizable density of a class of finite groups as an analog of natural density for subsets of the natural numbers. The realizable finite cyclic groups and the realizable finite abelian $p$-groups for $p$ odd have been classified; we prove that their realizable densities are 1/4 and 0, respectively. The realizable finite abelian 2-groups -- and more generally the realizable finite abelian groups -- have not been fully classified, and these special cases appear quite difficult. Nonetheless, we prove that the realizable density of finite abelian 2-groups is 1 and the realizable density of finite abelian groups is 1/2. Our work combines existing classification theorems for realizable groups with tools from analytic number theory.

math.GR↗

arXiv2026

Analytic Properties of Necklace Polynomials

The necklace polynomials \[ M_n(x)=\frac1n\sum_{d\mid n}μ(d)x^{n/d} \] play a central role in discrete mathematics: they count aperiodic necklaces, enumerate monic irreducible polynomials over finite fields, and give the dimensions of homogeneous components of free Lie algebras. Despite their inherently discrete origins, we show that treating $M_n(x)$ as a function of a real variable $x$ unlocks surprising structural properties that answer natural enumerative questions. In this paper, we study $M_n(x)$ as a real-variable function and establish several new analytical and monotonicity properties. We prove that the normalized functions $M_n(x)/x^n$ and their higher normalized derivatives are strictly increasing on $[1,\infty)$. As a consequence, we show that the proportion of irreducible polynomials of fixed degree over $\mathbf F_q$ increases with $q$. We also establish strict growth with respect to the degree $n$ for $x\ge2$. In addition, we determine a sharp threshold for log-convexity: the sequence $\{M_n(x)\}_{n\ge2}$ is uniformly log-convex if and only if $x>8$. These results reveal unexpected analytic structure underlying necklace polynomials and show how real-variable methods can yield new information about discrete enumeration problems. For instance, it is shown that adding one more bead to a sufficiently long necklace will approximately increase the total number of primitive, rotationally distinct configurations by a factor of the number of available colors.

math.CO↗

arXiv2026

On the arithmetic of the join rings over finite fields

Given a collection $\{ G_i\}_{i=1}^d$ of finite groups and a ring $R$, we have previously introduced and studied certain foundational properties of the join ring $\mathcal{J}_{G_1, G_2, \ldots, G_d}(R)$. This ring bridges two extreme worlds: matrix rings $M_n(R)$ on one end, and group rings $R[G]$ on the other. The construction of this ring was motivated by various problems in graph theory, network theory, nonlinear dynamics, and neuroscience. In this paper, we continue our investigations of this ring, focusing more on its arithmetic properties. We begin by constructing a generalized augmentation map that gives a structural decomposition of this ring. This decomposition allows us to compute the zeta function of the join of group rings. We show that the join of group rings is a natural home for studying the concept of simultaneous primitive roots for a given set of primes. This concept is related to the order of the unit group of the join of group rings. Finally, we characterize the join of group rings over finite fields with the property that the order of every unit divides a fixed number. Remarkably, Mersenne and Fermat primes unexpectedly emerge within the context of this exploration.

math.RA↗

arXiv2026

The Bloch--Kato conjecture, decomposing fields, and generating cohomology in degree one

The famous Bloch--Kato conjecture implies that for a field $F$ containing a primitive $p$th root of unity, the cohomology ring of the absolute Galois group $G_F$ of $F$ with $\mathbb{F}_p$ coefficients is generated by degree one elements. We investigate other groups with this property and characterize all such groups that are finite. Restricting to the case of $p$-groups, our work answers a question of Quadrelli, Snopce and Vanacci posed in 2022. As a further step in this program, we study implications of the Bloch--Kato conjecture to cohomological invariants of finite field extensions. Conversely, these cohomological invariants have implications for refining the Bloch--Kato conjecture. In service of such a refinement, we define the notion of a decomposing field for a cohomology class of a finite field extension and study minimal decomposing fields of degree two cohomology classes arising from degree $p$ extensions. We illustrate this refinement by explicitly computing the cohomology rings of superpythagorean fields and $p$-rigid fields. Finally, we construct nontrivial examples of cohomology classes and their decomposing fields, which rely on computations by David Benson in the appendix.

math.NT↗

arXiv2024

Fuchs' problem for endomorphisms of nonabelian groups

In 1960, László Fuchs posed the problem of determining which groups $G$ are realizable as the group of units in some ring $R$. In \cite{chebolu2022fuchs}, we investigated the following variant of Fuchs' problem, for abelian groups: which groups $G$ are realized by a ring $R$ where every group endomorphism of $G$ is induced by a ring endomorphism of $R$? Such groups are called fully realizable. In this paper, we answer the aforementioned question for several families of nonabelian groups: symmetric, dihedral, quaternion, alternating, and simple groups; almost cyclic $p$-groups; and groups whose Sylow $2$-subgroup is either cyclic or normal and abelian. We construct three infinite families of fully realizable nonabelian groups using iterated semidirect products.

math.GR↗

arXiv2023

Generalized Sine Functions, Complexified

Generalized sine and cosine functions, $\sin_{n}$ and $\cos_{n}$, that parametrize the generalized unit circle $x^n+y^n=1$ are, much like their classical circular counterparts, extendable as complex analytic functions. In this article, we identify the natural domain on which $\sin_{n}$ is a conformal equivalence from a polygon to the complex plane with $n$ slits. We also give some geometric and analytic applications.

math.CV↗

arXiv2023

Fuchs' problem for endomorphisms of abelian groups

László Fuchs posed the following question: which abelian groups arise as the group of units in a ring? In this paper, we investigate a related question: for such realizable groups $G$, when is there a ring $R$ with unit group $G$ such that every group endomorphism of $G$ is induced by a ring endomorphism of $R$? We answer this question for four common classes of groups: torsion-free abelian groups, groups of odd order, torsion abelian groups, and finitely generated abelian groups.

math.AC↗

arXiv2023

On the joins of group rings

Given a collection $\{ G_i\}_{i=1}^d$ of finite groups and a ring $R$, we define a subring of the ring $M_n(R)$ ($n = \sum_{i=1}^d|G_i|)$ that encompasses all the individual group rings $R[G_i]$ along the diagonal blocks as $G_i$-circulant matrices. The precise definition of this ring was inspired by a construction in graph theory known as the joined union of graphs. We call this ring the join of group rings and denote it by $\mathcal{J}_{G_1,\dots, G_d}(R)$. In this paper, we present a systematic study of the algebraic structure of $\mathcal{J}_{G_1,\dots, G_d}(R)$. We show that it has a ring structure and characterize its center, group of units, and Jacobson radical. When $R=k$ is an algebraically closed field, we derive a formula for the number of irreducible modules over $\mathcal{J}_{G_1,\dots, G_d}(k)$. We also show how a blockwise extension of the Fourier transform provides both a generalization of the Circulant Diagonalization Theorem to joins of circulant matrices and an explicit isomorphism between the join algebra and its Wedderburn components.

math.RA↗

arXiv2022

Rings with an elementary abelian $p$-group of units

What are all rings $R$ for which $R^*$ (the group of invertible elements of $R$ under multiplication) is an elementary abelian $p$-group? We answer this question for finite-dimensional commutative $k$-algebras, finite commutative rings, modular group algebras, and path algebras. Two interesting byproducts of this work are a characterization of Mersenne primes and a connection to Dedekind's problem.

math.AC↗

arXiv2022

Is there an infinite field whose multiplicative group is indecomposable?

In an earlier paper, we determined the finite fields with indecomposable multiplicative groups and conjectured that there is no infinite field whose multiplicative group is indecomposable. In this paper, we prove this conjecture for several popular classes of fields, including finitely generated fields, discrete valued fields, fields of Hahn series, local fields, global fields, and function fields.

math.NT↗

arXiv2022

A clock model for planetary conjunctions

This article is inspired by the great conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn on December 21st, 2020. We will address the following questions from a mathematical standpoint. What is a conjunction? How often do we have a conjunction of two planets? How are great conjunctions distributed in the sky? How long will it take for a cycle of great conjunctions to return to the same point in the sky and time of the year? Can there be a conjunction of 3 outer planets? How often can that happen? We will begin by setting up the geometric framework for formulating these questions. Then we will analyze these questions by first examining similar questions in a more mundane context: the three hands in a clock. Even though the clock model is a simple model that ignores the more subtle and complex elements of planets' cosmic dance, it captures the main ideas succinctly.

math.HO↗

arXiv2022

Zero-sum-free tuples and hyperplane arrangements

A vector $(v_{1}, v_{2}, \cdots, v_{d})$ in $\mathbb{Z}_n^{d}$ is said to be a zero-sum-free $d$-tuple if there is no non-empty subset of its components whose sum is zero in $\mathbb{Z}_n$. We denote the cardinality of this collection by $α_n^d$. We let $β_n^d$ denote the cardinality of the set of zero-sum-free tuples in $\mathbb{Z}_n^{d}$ where $\gcd(v_1, \cdots,v_d, n) = 1$. We show that $α_n^d=ϕ(n)\binom{n-1}{d}$ when $d > n/2$, and in the general case, we prove recursive formulas, divisibility results, bounds, and asymptotic results for $α_n^d$ and $β_n^d$. In particular, $α_n^{n-1} = β_n^1= ϕ(n)$, suggesting that these sequences can be viewed as generalizations of Euler's totient function. We also relate the problem of computing $α_n^d$ to counting points in the complement of a certain hyperplane arrangement defined over $\mathbb{Z}_n$. It is shown that the hyperplane arrangement's characteristic polynomial captures $α_n^d$ for all integers $n$ that are relatively prime to some determinants. We study the row and column patterns in the numbers $α_n^{d}$. We show that for any fixed $d$, $\{α_n^d \}$ is asymptotically equivalent to $\{ n^d\}$. We also show a connection between the asymptotic growth of $β_n^d$ and the value of the Riemann zeta function $ζ(d)$. Finally, we show that $α_n^d$ arises naturally in the study of Mathieu-Zhao subspaces in products of finite fields.

math.NT↗

arXiv2021

Gaussian Binomial Coefficients in Group Theory, Field Theory, and Topology

In this article, we offer group-theoretic, field-theoretic, and topological interpretations of the Gaussian binomial coefficients and their sum. For a finite $p$-group $G$ of rank $n$, we show that the Gaussian binomial coefficient $\binom{n}{k}_p$ is the number of subgroups of $G$ that are minimally expressible as an intersection of $n - k$ maximal subgroups of $G$, and their sum is precisely the number of subgroups that are either $G$ or an intersection of maximal subgroups of $G$. We provide a field-theoretic interpretation of these quantities through the lens of Galois theory and a topological interpretation involving covering spaces

math.GR↗

arXiv2020

Packing Moons Inside the Earth

Using ideas of sphere packing problem we estimate the number of solid moons that can be packed inside the Earth, assuming that both the Moon and the Earth are perfect sphere.

physics.pop-ph↗

arXiv2019

Measuring Mountains on the Moon

Following a technique of Galileo we compute the height on a mountain on the Moon. It is based on a simple observation that precisely on a half Moon day, the Earth, the Moon, and the Sun form the vertices of a right triangle with the Moon at the 90 degree vertex.

physics.pop-ph↗

arXiv2019

Fuchs' problem for $p$-groups

Which groups can be the group of units in a ring? This open question, posed by László Fuchs in 1960, has been studied by the authors and others with a variety of restrictions on either the class of groups or the class of rings under consideration. In the present work, we investigate Fuchs' problem for the class of $p$-groups. Ditor provided a solution in the finite, odd-primary case in 1970. Our first main result is that a finite $2$-group $G$ is the group of units of a ring of odd characteristic if and only if $G$ is of the form $C_8^t \times \prod_{i = 1}^k C_{2^{n_i}}^{s_i},$ where $t$ and $s_i$ are non-negative integers and $2^{n_i}+1$ is a Fermat prime for all $i$. We also determine the finite abelian $2$-groups of rank at most 2 that are realizable over the class of rings of characteristic 2, and we give some results concerning the realizability of $2$-groups in characteristic 0 and $2^n$. Finally, we show that the only almost cyclic $2$-groups which appear as the group of units in a ring are $C_2, C_4, C_8, C_{q-1}$ ($q$ a Fermat prime), $C_2 \times C_{2^n} (n \ge 1)$, $D_8$, and $Q_8$. From this list we obtain the $p$-groups with periodic cohomology which arise as the group of units in a ring.

math.RA↗

arXiv2017

How many units can a commutative ring have?

Laszlo Fuchs posed the following problem in 1960, which remains open: classify the abelian groups occurring as the group of all units in a commutative ring. In this note, we provide an elementary solution to a simpler, related problem: find all cardinal numbers occurring as the cardinality of the group of all units in a commutative ring. As a by-product, we obtain a solution to Fuchs' problem for the class of finite abelian $p$-groups when $p$ is an odd prime.

math.AC↗

arXiv2016

Witt's cancellation theorem seen as a cancellation

The year 2017 marks the 80th anniversary of Witt's famous paper containing key results, including the Witt cancellation theorem, which form the foundation for the algebraic theory of quadratic forms. We pay homage to this paper by presenting a transparent and algebraic proof of the Witt cancellation theorem, which itself is based on a cancellation. We also present an overview of some recent spectacular work which is still building on Witt's original creation of the algebraic theory of quadratic forms.

math.NT↗