An Isoperimetric Problem in Cayley Graphs

Abstract Does every $n$-vertex Cayley graph have an orthonormal eigenbasis all of whose coordinates are $O(1/\sqrt{n})$? While the answer is yes for abelian groups, we show that it is no in general. On the other hand, we show that every $n$-vertex Cayley graph (and more generally, vertex-transitive graph) has an orthonormal basis whose coordinates are all $O(\sqrt{\log n / n})$, and that this bound is nearly best possible. Our investigation is motivated by a question of Assaf Naor, who proved that random abelian Cayley graphs are small-set expanders, extending a classic result of Alon–Roichman. His proof relies on the existence of a bounded eigenbasis for abelian Cayley graphs, which we now know cannot hold for general groups. On the other hand, we navigate around this obstruction and extend Naor’s result to nonabelian groups.

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Pansu–Wulff shapes in ℍ1

Advances in Calculus of Variations ◽

10.1515/acv-2020-0093 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 0 (0) ◽

Author(s):

Julián Pozuelo ◽

Manuel Ritoré

Keyword(s):

Mean Curvature ◽

Isoperimetric Problem ◽

Variational Formula ◽

Geodesic Curvature ◽

Vertical Axis ◽

Singular Part ◽

Tangent Plane ◽

Curvature Function ◽

Invariant Norm ◽

The First Variation

Abstract We consider an asymmetric left-invariant norm ∥ ⋅ ∥ K {\|\cdot\|_{K}} in the first Heisenberg group ℍ 1 {\mathbb{H}^{1}} induced by a convex body K ⊂ ℝ 2 {K\subset\mathbb{R}^{2}} containing the origin in its interior. Associated to ∥ ⋅ ∥ K {\|\cdot\|_{K}} there is a perimeter functional, that coincides with the classical sub-Riemannian perimeter in case K is the closed unit disk centered at the origin of ℝ 2 {{\mathbb{R}}^{2}} . Under the assumption that K has C 2 {C^{2}} boundary with strictly positive geodesic curvature we compute the first variation formula of perimeter for sets with C 2 {C^{2}} boundary. The localization of the variational formula in the non-singular part of the boundary, composed of the points where the tangent plane is not horizontal, allows us to define a mean curvature function H K {H_{K}} out of the singular set. In the case of non-vanishing mean curvature, the condition that H K {H_{K}} be constant implies that the non-singular portion of the boundary is foliated by horizontal liftings of translations of ∂ ⁡ K {\partial K} dilated by a factor of 1 H K {\frac{1}{H_{K}}} . Based on this we can define a sphere 𝕊 K {\mathbb{S}_{K}} with constant mean curvature 1 by considering the union of all horizontal liftings of ∂ ⁡ K {\partial K} starting from ( 0 , 0 , 0 ) {(0,0,0)} until they meet again in a point of the vertical axis. We give some geometric properties of this sphere and, moreover, we prove that, up to non-homogeneous dilations and left-translations, they are the only solutions of the sub-Finsler isoperimetric problem in a restricted class of sets.

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