Unanswered Questions
49,211 questions with no upvoted or accepted answers
21
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Can we describe equivariant vector bundles of free group action in terms of descent theory (Barr-Beck theorem)?
It is well known that for a compact topological group $G$ acts (say, from the right) freely on a compact space $X$. Then the category of equivariant complex vector bundles on $X$, $\text{Vect}_G(X)$, ...
- 9,019
21
votes
0
answers
672
views
Avoidable words
Let $u(x_1,...,x_n)$ be a word, $k\in \mathbb{N}$. We say that $u$ is $k$-avoidable if there exists an infinite word in $k$ letters $\{a_1,...,a_k\}$ which does not contain values of $u$ (i.e. words ...
user6976
21
votes
0
answers
1k
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Almost everywhere differentiability for a class of functions on $\mathbb{R}^2$
A while ago, I came across the following problem, which I was not able to resolve one way or the other.
Let $f,g\colon\mathbb{R}^2\to\mathbb{R}$ be continuous functions such that $f(t,x)$ and $g(t,...
- 17.1k
21
votes
0
answers
2k
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K-theory and rings of integers
From the works of Borel and Quillen there is a connection between the $K$-theory of the ring of integers $\mathfrak{o}_K$ in a number field $K$ and the arithmetic of the number field. In fact, it is ...
- 1,841
21
votes
0
answers
588
views
p-groups as rational points of unipotent groups
Is it true that every finite p-group can be realized as the group of rational points over $\mathbb{F_p}$ of some connected unipotent algebraic group defined over $\mathbb{F_p}$? For abelian p-groups, ...
- 221
21
votes
0
answers
1k
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Schemification (schematization?) of locally ringed spaces
Motivation:
Say $F: D \to Sch$ is a diagram in the category of schemes, and we're interested in whether it has a colimit (gluings, pushouts, and "categorical" quotients are all examples of colimits)....
- 11.3k
21
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0
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900
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Deciding whether a given power series is modular or not
The degree 3 modular equation for the Jacobi modular invariant
$$
\lambda(q)=\biggl(\frac{\sum_{n\in\mathbb Z}q^{(n+1/2)^2}}{\sum_{n\in\mathbb Z}q^{n^2}}\biggr)^4
$$
is given by
$$
(\alpha^2+\beta^2+6\...
- 13.5k
21
votes
0
answers
732
views
Closed connected additive subgroups of the Hilbert space
It is a classical result that a closed and connected additive subgroup of $\mathbb{R}^n$ is necessarily a linear subspace. However, this is no longer true in infinite dimension: a very easy example is ...
- 60.6k
21
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0
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578
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Density of first-order definable sets in a directed union of finite groups
This is a generalization of the following question by John Wiltshire-Gordon.
Consider an inductive family of finite groups:
$$
G_0 \hookrightarrow G_1 \hookrightarrow \ldots \hookrightarrow G_i \...
- 2,210
21
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0
answers
1k
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Homotopy flat DG-modules
A right DG-module $F$ over an associative DG-algebra (or DG-category) $A$ is said to be homotopy flat (h-flat for brevity) if for any acyclic left DG-module $M$ over $A$ the complex of abelian groups $...
- 15.6k
21
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0
answers
876
views
Are the eigenvalues of the Laplacian of a generic Kähler metric simple?
It is a theorem of Uhlenbeck that for a generic Riemannian metric, the Laplacian acting on functions has simple eigenvalues, i.e., all the eigenspaces are 1-dimensional. (Here "generic" means the set ...
- 6,247
21
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0
answers
1k
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What is the current knowledge of equivariant cohomology operations?
In Caruso's paper, "Operations in equivariant $Z/p$-cohomology," http://www.ams.org/mathscinet-getitem?mr=1684248, he shows that the integer-graded stable cohomology operations in $RO(\mathbb{Z}/p)$-...
- 865
21
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1
answer
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Tiling rectangle with trominoes — an invariant
There are two types of trominoes, straight shapes and L-shaped. Suppose a rectangle $R$ admits at least one tiling using trominoes, with an even number of L-trominoes.
EDIT: we do not admit ALL ...
- 15.8k
20
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0
answers
408
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Ado's theorem and the reduction to positive characteristic
The synopsis: proofs of Ado theorem in positive characteristic are simple, and in characteristic $0$ are difficult. Can one infer the characteristic $0$ case from the positive characteristic case?
The ...
- 2,934
20
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+200
What does a product of many Gaussian matrices converge to?
Let $A$ be a product of $n$ $d\times d$ matrices with IID standard Gaussian entries and consider the value of $g(x)=x f(x)$ where $f(x)$ is the density of squared singular values of $A/\|A\|$.
Is ...
- 2,252
20
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answers
433
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Is the dodecahedron flexible (as a polytope with fixed edge-lengths)?
Consider the (regular) dodecahedron $D\subset\Bbb R^3$. I want to continuously deform it so that throughout the deformation
it stays a convex polytope,
it stays a combinatorial dodecahedron (i.e. its ...
- 13.6k
20
votes
0
answers
451
views
Row of the character table of symmetric group with most negative entries
The row of the character table of $S_n$ corresponding to the trivial representation has all entries positive, and by orthogonality clearly it is the only one like this.
Is it true that for $n\gg 0$, ...
- 24.2k
20
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0
answers
598
views
Your favourite alternative proof of Borel–Weil–Bott
There is a really nice proof of Borel–Weil–Bott, essentially using parabolic induction (see Proof of Borel-Weil-Bott Theorem, Lurie - A proof of the Borel–Weil–Bott theorem or Demazure - A very simple ...
20
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answers
1k
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Reference request: deforming a G-local system to a variation of Hodge structure
Let $X$ be a smooth connected quasiprojective variety over $\mathbb{C}$ and let $G$ be a complex reductive group. Let $$\iota: G\to GL_N$$ be a representation and let $$\rho: \pi_1(X(\mathbb{C}))\to G(...
- 23k
20
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answers
334
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Existence of orthonormal basis for $L^2(G)$ in $C_c(G)$
Remark: I cross-posted this question on MSE and added a bounty to it.
Suppose that $G$ is a locally compact (Hausdorff) group endowed with the Haar measure. It is well-known that the compactly ...
- 321
20
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0
answers
445
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Which classes in $\mathrm{H}^4(B\mathrm{Exceptional}; \mathbb{Z})$ are classical characteristic classes?
Let $G$ be a compact connected Lie group. Recall that $\mathrm{H}^4(\mathrm{B}G;\mathbb{Z})$ is then a free abelian group of finite rank. Let us say that a class $c \in \mathrm{H}^4(\mathrm{B}G;\...
- 54.6k
20
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0
answers
471
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monoidal (∞,1)-categories from weakly monoidal model categories
In Higher Algebra section 4.1.7, Jacob Lurie proves that the underlying $(\infty,1)$-category of a monoidal model category is a monoidal $(\infty,1)$-category.
Dominic Verity and Yuki Maehara have (...
- 1,569
20
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0
answers
2k
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Schoen and Yau's proof of the higher dimensional positive mass theorem
In April 2017 Schoen and Yau posted on the arxiv their solution of the time-symmetric positive mass theorem in all dimensions, which has been a significant conjecture since the 70s. As of now, July ...
- 2,247
20
votes
0
answers
625
views
Infinitely generated non-free group with all proper subgroups free
Is there any example of group $G$ satisfying the following properties?
$G$ is non-abelian, infinitely generated (i.e. it is not finitely generated) and not a free group.
$H< G$ implies that $H$ is ...
- 599
20
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0
answers
487
views
Is every positive integer the rank of an elliptic curve over some number field?
For every positive integer $n$, is there some number field $K$ and elliptic curve $E/K$ such that $E(K)$ has rank $n$?
It's easy to show that the set of such $n$ is unbounded. But can one show that ...
- 15.4k
20
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0
answers
394
views
A spin extension of a Coxeter group?
Consider a Coxeter group $W$ with simple generators $S$ and Coxeter matrix $\left( m_{s,t}\right) _{\left( s,t\right) \in S\times S}$.
Let $\mathfrak{M}$ be the set of all pairs $\left(s, t\right) ...
- 33.8k
20
votes
0
answers
407
views
Does the pointclass of universally Baire sets always have the uniformization property?
A set of reals, or binary relation on the reals, etc., is called universally Baire if and only if every continuous preimage of it in every topological space has the property of Baire. (There is also ...
- 5,471
20
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0
answers
994
views
Finiteness of etale cohomology for arithmetic schemes
By an arithmetic scheme I mean a finite type flat regular integral scheme over $\mathrm{Spec} \, \mathbb{Z}$.
Let $X$ be an arithmetic scheme. Then is $H_{et}^2(X,\mathbb{Z}/n\mathbb{Z})$ finite ...
- 21.3k
20
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0
answers
460
views
Hahn-Banach and the "Axiom of Probabilistic Choice"
Stipulate that the Axiom of Probabilistic Choice (APC) says that for every collection $\{ A_i : i \in I \}$ of non-empty sets, there is a function on $I$ that assigns to $i$ a finitely-additive ...
- 2,555
20
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0
answers
634
views
Is $\sum_{n=1}^\infty \frac{n!}{n^n}$ rational?
Is $\displaystyle \sum_{n=1}^\infty \frac{n!}{n^n}$ rational?
This question has been posted in MSE for two years without an answer. A094082 seems to suggest that it is not rational. Is it still an ...
user14319
20
votes
0
answers
1k
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How to approach the Mazur-Wiles paper on Iwasawa theory?
I would like to read and understand the Mazur-Wiles paper on Iwasawa theory: "Class Fields of Abelian Extensions of $\Bbb Q$". What would be the right way to approach this paper?
Currently, my ...
- 7,746
20
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0
answers
304
views
Modified Willmore energy and surfaces with infinitesimally narrow necks
Disclaimer: This is a copy of a question that I asked on the Mathematics Stack Exchange. It was suggested to me there that the question was worth asking over here.
There is an open problem in ...
- 323
20
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0
answers
540
views
Homeomorphisms of the sphere mapping a geodesic triangulation to another one
Consider the standard Riemannian 2-sphere $S$, equipped with a geodesic triangulation $T$. Let $L(S,T)$ be the space of homeomorphisms of $S$ which map
$T$ to a geodesic triangulation. What is the ...
20
votes
0
answers
348
views
Homotopic version of Freyd's AT category observations
Freyd was the first to formalize a striking comparison between abelian categories and topoi, showing that their exactness properties can be jointly captured by the axioms of AT categories, and the ...
- 713
20
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0
answers
568
views
Has the following problem posed by Deligne in the official description of the Hodge conjecture been solved?
Towards the end of his official description of the Hodge conjecture, Deligne asked the following question:
Let $A$ be an abelian variety over the algebraic closure $\mathbb{F}$
of a finite field $...
user94803
20
votes
0
answers
789
views
Is the determinant of cohomology a TQFT?
If $M$ is an oriented $d$-manifold, let $D(M)$ denote the top exterior power of $H^*(M,\mathbf{C})$. Then $D(M_1 \amalg M_2) = D(M_1) \otimes D(M_2)$. Is there a good recipe for a map $D(M) \to D(N)$...
- 4,949
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0
answers
917
views
Looking for an effective irrationality measure of $\pi$
Most standard summaries of the literature on irrationality measure simply say, e.g., that
$$
\left| \pi - \frac{p}{q}\right| > \frac{1}{q^{7.6063}}
$$
for all sufficiently large $q$, without giving ...
- 303
20
votes
0
answers
2k
views
Etale fundamental group of a curve in characteristic $p$
Let $C$ be a connected, smooth, proper curve of genus $g$ over an algebraically closed field $k$ of characteristic $p>0$. Let $\pi_1(C)$ be the etale fundamental group of $C$ - I only care about ...
- 2,824
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0
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495
views
Topological description of inverting a knot
The first figure shows an offset overhand knot. To tie it, you simply bring the two cords together and make an overhand knot in them. It's more secure than it looks, and several climbers have been ...
user21349
20
votes
0
answers
890
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Epsilon factors - a la Beilinson - What is it?
I understand, to some extent, Tate's thesis. Could somebody explain perhaps what are the epsilon factors in Beilinson's works, such as "$\epsilon$-factors for Gauss-Manin determinants", or "...
- 5,562
20
votes
0
answers
617
views
On a homological finiteness condition
Assumption: $X$ is a connected CW complex, and $H_{\ast}(X;\mathbb{Z})=\bigoplus_{n \geq 0} H_n (X; \mathbb{Z})$ is finitely generated.
Question: does there exist a finite CW complex $Y$ and a map $f:...
- 20.9k
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567
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Hall's Marriage Theorem and intervals
In Hall's Marriage Theorem, we have a set $B$ of brides and $G$ of
grooms, where each bride $b$ has an acceptable set $A_b \subseteq G$
of grooms. A matching $m:B\to G$ is an injection such that $m(b)
...
- 27.9k
20
votes
0
answers
814
views
Series for envelope of triangle area bisectors
The lines which bisect the area of a triangle form an envelope as shown in this picture
It is not difficult to show that the ratio of the area of the red deltoid to the area of the triangle is $$\...
- 842
20
votes
0
answers
1k
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Could unramified Galois groups satisfy a version of property tau?
This is an experiment: there is a question I want to mention in an article I'm writing, and I am not sure it's a sensible question, so I will ask it here first, in the hopes that if it's insensible ...
- 19.2k
20
votes
0
answers
458
views
Negative Einstein manifolds
In Besse's "EInstein manifolds", p. 354, the question is posed if the volume of Einstein metrics on a given compact manifold (normalized such that $Ric=\pm(n-1)g$) take only finitely many values.
For ...
- 708
20
votes
0
answers
2k
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Can the similarity between the Riesz representation theorem and the Yoneda embedding lemma be given a formal undergirding?
For example, by viewing Hilbert spaces as enriched categories in some fashion? (I suppose the same idea of considering the inner product of a Hilbert space as a generalized Hom-set has also been ...
- 5,827
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0
answers
764
views
Should the Dynkin diagrams of types $A_1$ and $B_2$ be labelled $C_1$ and $C_2$?
The labels $A$--$G$ attached to connected Dynkin diagrams are of course arbitrary,
the result of historical accidents. In order to avoid repetitions, the four infinite
families $A_\ell, B_\ell, C_\...
- 52.9k
20
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0
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827
views
Can we define spectral triples using the language of rigged Hilbert spaces?
The traditional mathematical approach to quantum mechanics,
as developed by von Neumann, is based on Hilbert spaces and unbounded self-adjoint operators.
Another approach, which more closely resembles ...
- 37.8k
20
votes
0
answers
724
views
Characteristic subgroups and direct powers
Solved question: Suppose H is a characteristic subgroup of a group G. Is it then necessary that, for every natural number n, in the group $G^n$ (the external direct product of $G$ with itself $n$ ...
- 7,320
20
votes
0
answers
3k
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Idea of presheaf cohomology vs. sheaf cohomology
Let $X$ be a topological space and $U$ an open cover of $X$.
In this thread Angelo explained beautifully how presheaf cohomology (Cech cohomology) relates to sheaf cohomology:
The zeroth Cech ...
- 319