Suppose we are given a finite-dimensional vector space $V$ equipped with an $F$-rational action of a linearly algebraic group $G$, with $F$ a characteristic zero field. We conjecture the following: to each vector $v\in V(F)$ there corresponds a canonical $G(F)$-orbit of semisimple vectors of $V$. In the case of the adjoint action, this orbit is the $G(F)$-orbit of the semisimple part of $v$, so this conjecture can be considered a generalization of the Jordan decomposition. We prove some cases of the conjecture.

We determine an explicit cell decomposition of the wonderful compactification of a semi\-simple algebraic group. To do this we first identify the $B\times B$-orbits using the generalized Bruhat decomposition of a reductive monoid. From there we show how each cell is made up from $B\times B$-orbits.

We embed the moduli space $Q$ of 5 points on the projective line $S_5$-equivariantly into $\mathbb{P} (V)$, where $V$ is the 6-dimensional irreducible module of the symmetric group $S_5$. This module splits with respect to the icosahedral group $A_5$ into the two standard 3-dimensional representations. The resulting linear projections of $Q$ relate the action of $A_5$ on $Q$ to those on the regular icosahedron.

Let $\mathbf{P}^n$ be the $n$-dimensional projective space over some algebraically closed field $k$ of characteristic $0$. For an integer $t\geq 3$ consider the invertible sheaf $O(t)$ on $\mathbf{P}^n$ (Serre twist of the structure sheaf). Let $N = \binom{t+n}{n}$, the dimension of the space of global sections of $O(t)$, and let $k$ be an integer satisfying $0\leq k\leq N - (2n+2)$. Let $P_1,\dots,P_k$ be general points on $\mathbf{P}^n$ and let $\pi \colon X \to \mathbf{P}^n$ be the blowing-up of $\mathbf{P}^n$ at those points. Let $E_i = \pi^{-1} (P_i)$ with $1\leq i\leq k$ be the exceptional divisor. Then $M = \pi^* \bigl( O(t) \bigr) \otimes O_X (-E_1 - \cdots -E_k)$ is a very ample invertible sheaf on $X$.

For an integer $n \geq 3$, let $M_n$ be the moduli space of spatial polygons with $n$ edges. We consider the case of odd $n$. Then $M_n$ is a Fano manifold of complex dimension $n-3$. Let $\Theta_{M_n}$ be the sheaf of germs of holomorphic sections of the tangent bundle $TM_n$. In this paper, we prove $H^q (M_n,\Theta_{M_n})=0$ for all $q \geq 0$ and all odd $n$. In particular, we see that the moduli space of deformations of the complex structure on $M_n$ consists of a point. Thus the complex structure on $M_n$ is locally rigid.

A new construction of the ordinary residue of differential forms is given. This construction is intrinsic, \ie, it is defined without local coordinates, and it is geometric: it is constructed out of the geometric structure of the local and global cohomology groups of the differentials. The Residue Theorem and the local calculation then follow from geometric reasons.

The Griffiths group $\Gr^r(X)$ of a smooth projective variety $X$ over an algebraically closed field is defined to be the group of homologically trivial algebraic cycles of codimension $r$ on $X$ modulo the subgroup of algebraically trivial algebraic cycles. The main result of this paper is that the Griffiths group $\Gr^2 (A_{\bar{k}})$ of a supersingular abelian variety $A_{\bar{k}}$ over the algebraic closure of a finite field of characteristic $p$ is at most a $p$-primary torsion group. As a corollary the same conclusion holds for supersingular Fermat threefolds. In contrast, using methods of C.~Schoen it is also shown that if the Tate conjecture is valid for all smooth projective surfaces and all finite extensions of the finite ground field $k$ of characteristic $p>2$, then the Griffiths group of any ordinary abelian threefold $A_{\bar{k}}$ over the algebraic closure of $k$ is non-trivial; in fact, for all but a finite number of primes $\ell\ne p$ it is the case that $\Gr^2 (A_{\bar{k}}) \otimes \Z_\ell \neq 0$.

We compute the rational Chow groups of supersingular abelian varieties and some other related varieties, such as supersingular Fermat varieties and supersingular $K3$ surfaces. These computations are concordant with the conjectural relationship, for a smooth projective variety, between the structure of Chow groups and the coniveau filtration on the cohomology.

Using a classical generalization of Jacobi's derivative formula, we give an explicit expression for Gunning's prime form in genus 2 in terms of theta functions and their derivatives.

Let $\ce$ be an ample vector bundle of rank $r$ on a projective variety $X$ with only log-terminal singularities. We consider the nefness of adjoint divisors $K_X + (t-r) \det \ce$ when $t \ge \dim X$ and $t>r$. As an application, we classify pairs $(X,\ce)$ with $c_r$-sectional genus zero.

We give canonical resolutions of singularities of several cone varieties arising from invariant theory. We establish a connection between our resolutions and resolutions of singularities of closure of conjugacy classes in classical Lie algebras.

Let $X$ be a reduced nonsingular quasiprojective scheme over ${\mathbb R}$ such that the set of real rational points $X({\mathbb R})$ is dense in $X$ and compact. Then $X({\mathbb R})$ is a real algebraic variety. Denote by $H_k^{\alg}(X({\mathbb R}), {\mathbb Z}/2)$ the group of homology classes represented by Zariski closed $k$-dimensional subvarieties of $X({\mathbb R})$. In this note we show that $H_1^{\alg} (X({\mathbb R}), {\mathbb Z}/2)$ is a proper subgroup of $H_1(X({\mathbb R}), {\mathbb Z}/2)$ for a nonorientable hyperelliptic surface $X$. We also determine all possible groups $H_1^{\alg}(X({\mathbb R}), {\mathbb Z}/2)$ for a real ruled surface $X$ in connection with the previously known description of all possible topological configurations of $X$.

We give an explicit recipe for the determination of the images associated to the Galois action on $p$-torsion points of elliptic curves. We present a table listing the image for all the elliptic curves defined over $\QQ$ without complex multiplication with conductor less than 200 and for each prime number~$p$.

A generalization of Schm\"udgen's Positivstellensatz is given which holds for any basic closed semialgebraic set in $\mathbb{R}^n$ (compact or not). The proof is an extension of W\"ormann's proof.

If $n$ and $m$ are positive integers, necessary and sufficient conditions are given for the existence of a finite commutative ring $R$ with exactly $n$ elements and exactly $m$ prime ideals. Next, assuming the Axiom of Choice, it is proved that if $R$ is a commutative ring and $T$ is a commutative $R$-algebra which is generated by a set $I$, then each chain of prime ideals of $T$ lying over the same prime ideal of $R$ has at most $2^{|I|}$ elements. A polynomial ring example shows that the preceding result is best-possible.

Soient $r$ et $p$ deux nombres premiers distincts, soit $K = \Q(\cos \frac{2\pi}{r})$, et soit $\F$ le corps r\'esiduel de $K$ en une place au-dessus de $p$. Lorsque l'image de $(2 - 2\cos \frac{2\pi}{r})$ dans $\F$ n'est pas un carr\'e, nous donnons une construction g\'eom\'etrique d'une extension r\'eguliere de $K(t)$ de groupe de Galois $\PSL_2 (\F)$. Cette extension correspond \`a un rev\^etement de $\PP^1_{/K}$ de \og{} signature $(r,p,p)$ \fg{} au sens de [3, sec.~6.3], et son existence est pr\'edite par le crit\`ere de rigidit\'e de Belyi, Fried, Thompson et Matzat. Sa construction s'obtient en tordant la representation galoisienne associ\'ee aux points d'ordre $p$ d'une famille de vari\'et\'es ab\'eliennes \`a multiplications r\'eelles par $K$ d\'ecouverte par Tautz, Top et Verberkmoes [6]. Ces vari\'et\'es ab\'eliennes sont d\'efinies sur un corps quadratique, et sont isog\`enes \`a leur conjugu\'e galoisien. Notre construction g\'en\'eralise une m\'ethode de Shih [4], [5], que l'on retrouve quand $r = 2$ et $r = 3$. Let $r$ and $p$ be distinct prime numbers, let $K = \Q(\cos \frac{2\pi}{r})$, and let $\F$ be the residue field of $K$ at a place above $p$. When the image of $(2 - 2\cos \frac{2\pi}{r})$ in $\F$ is not a square, we describe a geometric construction of a regular extension of $K(t)$ with Galois group $\PSL_2 (\F)$. This extension corresponds to a covering of $\PP^1_{/K}$ of ``signature $(r,p,p)$'' in the sense of [3, sec.~6.3], and its existence is predicted by the rigidity criterion of Belyi, Fried, Thompson and Matzat. Its construction is obtained by twisting the mod $p$ galois representation attached to a family of abelian varieties with real multiplications by $K$ discovered by Tautz, Top and Verberkmoes [6]. These abelian varieties are defined in general over a quadratic field, and are isogenous to their galois conjugate. Our construction generalises a method of Shih [4], [5], which one recovers when $r = 2$ and $r = 3$.

The purpose of this note is to give a simple combinatorial construction of the map from the canonically compactified moduli spaces of punctured complex projective lines to the moduli spaces $\P_r$ of polygons with fixed side lengths in the Euclidean space $\E^3$. The advantage of this construction is that one can obtain a complete set of linear relations among the cycles that generate homology of $\P_r$. We also classify moduli spaces of pentagons.

For an integer $n$, let $d(n)$ denote the ordinary divisor function. This paper studies the asymptotic behavior of the sum $$ S(x) := \sum_{m\leq x, n\leq x} d(m^2 + n^2). $$ It is proved in the paper that, as $x \to \infty$, $$ S(x) := A_1 x^2 \log x + A_2 x^2 + O_\epsilon (x^{\frac32 + \epsilon}), $$ where $A_1$ and $A_2$ are certain constants and $\epsilon$ is any fixed positive real number. The result corrects a false formula given in a paper of Gafurov concerning the same problem, and improves the error $O \bigl( x^{\frac53} (\log x)^9 \bigr)$ claimed by Gafurov.

We show that the use of orbifold bundles enables some questions to be reduced to the case of flat bundles. The identification of moduli spaces of certain parabolic bundles over elliptic surfaces is achieved using this method.

Let $E$ be a stable rank 2 vector bundle on a smooth projective curve $X$ and $V(E)$ be the set of all rank~1 subbundles of $E$ with maximal degree. Here we study the varieties (non-emptyness, irreducibility and dimension) of all rank~2 stable vector bundles, $E$, on $X$ with fixed $\deg(E)$ and $\deg(L)$, $L \in V(E)$ and such that $\card \bigl( V(E) \bigr) \geq 2$ (resp. $\card \bigl( V(E) \bigr) = 2$).

A line singularity is a function germ $f\colon(\CC ^{n+1},0) \lra\CC$ with a smooth $1$-dimensional critical set $\Sigma=\{(x,y)\in \CC\times \CC^n \mid y=0\}$. An isolated line singularity is defined by the condition that for every $x \neq 0$, the germ of $f$ at $(x,0)$ is equivalent to $y_1^2 +\cdots+y_n ^2$. Simple isolated line singularities were classified by Dirk Siersma and are analogous of the famous $A-D-E$ singularities. We give two new characterizations of simple isolated line singularities.

Let $X$ be a compact nonsingular real algebraic variety and let $Y$ be either the blowup of $\mathbb{P}^n(\mathbb{R})$ along a linear subspace or a nonsingular hypersurface of $\mathbb{P}^m(\mathbb{R}) \times \mathbb{P}^n(\mathbb{R})$ of bidegree $(1,1)$. It is proved that a $\mathcal{C}^\infty$ map $f \colon X \rightarrow Y$ can be approximated by regular maps if and only if $f^* \bigl( H^1(Y, \mathbb{Z}/2) \bigr) \subseteq H^1_{\alg} (X,\mathbb{Z}/2)$, where $H^1_{\alg} (X,\mathbb{Z}/2)$ is the subgroup of $H^1 (X, \mathbb{Z}/2)$ generated by the cohomology classes of algebraic hypersurfaces in $X$. This follows from another result on maps into generalized flag varieties.

We give a ``wall-crossing'' formula for computing the topology of the moduli space of a closed $n$-gon linkage on $\mathbb{S}^2$. We do this by determining the Morse theory of the function $\rho_n$ on the moduli space of $n$-gon linkages which is given by the length of the last side---the length of the last side is allowed to vary, the first $(n - 1)$ side-lengths are fixed. We obtain a Morse function on the $(n - 2)$-torus with level sets moduli spaces of $n$-gon linkages. The critical points of $\rho_n$ are the linkages which are contained in a great circle. We give a formula for the signature of the Hessian of $\rho_n$ at such a linkage in terms of the number of back-tracks and the winding number. We use our formula to determine the moduli spaces of all regular pentagonal spherical linkages.

A preordering $T$ is constructed in the polynomial ring $A = \R [t_1,t_2, \dots]$ (countably many variables) with the following two properties: (1)~~For each $f \in A$ there exists an integer $N$ such that $-N \le f(P) \le N$ holds for all $P \in \Sper_T(A)$. (2)~~For all $f \in A$, if $N+f, N-f \in T$ for some integer $N$, then $f \in \R$. This is in sharp contrast with the Schm\"udgen-W\"ormann result that for any preordering $T$ in a finitely generated $\R$-algebra $A$, if property~(1) holds, then for any $f \in A$, $f > 0$ on $\Sper_T(A) \Rightarrow f \in T$. Also, adjoining to $A$ the square roots of the generators of $T$ yields a larger ring $C$ with these same two properties but with $\Sigma C^2$ (the set of sums of squares) as the preordering.

We define generalized Mellin transforms of mixed cusp forms, show their convergence, and prove that the function obtained by such a Mellin transform of a mixed cusp form satisfies a certain functional equation. We also prove that a mixed cusp form can be identified with a holomorphic form of the highest degree on an elliptic variety.