Related papers: On Blocking Numbers of Surfaces

A strong blocking set in a finite projective space is a set of points that intersects each hyperplane in a spanning set. We provide a new graph theoretic construction of such sets: combining constant-degree expanders with asymptotically…

Let $\mathcal{L}$ be a pencil of plane curves defined over $\mathbb{F}_q$ with no $\mathbb{F}_q$-points in its base locus. We investigate the number of curves in $\mathcal{L}$ whose $\mathbb{F}_q$-points form a blocking set. When the degree…

In this paper we discuss face numbers of generalised triangulations of manifolds in arbitrary dimensions. This is motivated by the study of triangulations of simply connected $4$-manifolds: We observe that, for a triangulation $\mathcal{T}$…

A fundamental theorem of Laman characterises when a bar-joint framework realised generically in the Euclidean plane admits a non-trivial continuous deformation of its vertices. This has recently been extended in two ways. Firstly to…

We give an upper bound for the number of points of a hypersurface over a finite field that has no lines on, in terms of the dimension, the degree, and the number of the elements of the finite field.

A maniplex of rank n s an n-valent properly edge-coloured graph that generalises, simultaneously, maps on surfaces and abstract polytopes. The problem of stability in maniplexes is a natural variant of the problem of stability in graphs. A…

Let x and y be points in a billiard table M that is bounded by a curve sigma. We assume that sigma is a simple closed C^r curve with positive curvature, where r is at least 2. A subset B of M\{x,y} is called a blocking set for the pair…

We show that if a closed $C^1$-smooth surface in a Riemannian manifold has bounded Kolasinski--Menger energy, then it can be triangulated with triangles whose number is bounded by the energy and the area. Each of the triangles is an image…

We define a laminar branched surface to be a branched surface satisfying the following conditions: (1) Its horizontal boundary is incompressible; (2) there is no monogon; (3) there is no Reeb component; (4) there is no sink disk (after…

This is the beginning of an obstruction theory for deciding whether a map f:S^2 --> X^4 is homotopic to a topologically flat embedding, in the presence of fundamental group and in the absence of dual spheres. The first obstruction is Wall's…

We derive constraints on the existence of walls for Bridgeland stability conditions for general projective surfaces. We show that in suitable planes of stability conditions the walls are bounded and derive conditions for when the number of…

This article has two interpenetrating motifs. One is an exposition of some major ideas and techniques behind the use of block matrices, and especially their positivity properties. This is done by focussing on one major problem:…

A graph is an apex graph if it contains a vertex whose deletion leaves a planar graph. The family of apex graphs is minor-closed and so it is characterized by a finite list of minor-minimal non-members. The long-standing problem of…

We demonstrate an obstruction to finding certain splittings of four-manifolds along sufficiently twisted circle bundles over Riemann surfaces, arising from Seiberg-Witten theory. These obstructions are used to show a non-splitting result…

Let $M$ be a connected, closed, oriented three-manifold and $K$, $L$ two rationally null-homologous oriented simple closed curves in $M$. We give an explicit algorithm for computing the linking number between $K$ and $L$ in terms of a…

We prove three theorems giving extremal bounds on the incidence structures determined by subsets of the points and blocks of a balanced incomplete block design (BIBD). These results generalize and strengthen known bounds on the number of…

The cut number of a manifold M, c(M), is the largest number of disjoint two-sided hypersurfaces in M which do not separate M. Equivalently, it is the largest rank of a free group being an epimorphic image of pi_1(M). We investigate the…

We consider the following question: Given $n$ lines and $n$ circles in $\mathbb{R}^3$, what is the maximum number of intersection points lying on at least one line and on at least one circle of these families. We prove that if there are no…

A pair of points in a riemannian manifold $M$ is secure if the geodesics between the points can be blocked by a finite number of point obstacles; otherwise the pair of points is insecure. A manifold is secure if all pairs of points in $M$…

An exact solution is presented for the resistance of an orifice in a 2D membrane separating two infinitely large conductive reservoirs and obstructed by an infinitely long cylinder. The solution is obtained by constructing a curvilinear…