Laminar motion of a conducting fluid in a rectangular duct is discussed. The applied magnetic field is uniform and parallel to one pair of sides of the duct. Classical theory is used and it is shown that the two successive limiting processes, lim (σwall → ∞; hσ wall → a finite, constant limit) and lim (M → ∞) are not always freely interchangeable; M being the Hartmann number, σwall the electrical conductivity of the duct wall and h the typical ratio of (wall thickness/duct width). A general expansion procedure for M ≫ 1, valid for all types of wall conductivities, is devised. A critical discussion of the deficiencies in the classical model is given.

Let α1, …, αn be n ≥ 2 algebraic numbers such that log α1,…, log αn and 2πi are linearly independent over the field of rational numbers Q. It is well known (see (6), Ch. 1) that the Thue–Siegel–Roth theorem implies that, for each positive number δ, there are only finitely many integers b1,…, bn satisfying

where H denotes the maximum of the absolute values of b1, …, bn. However, such an argument cannot provide an explicit upper bound for the solutions of (1), because of the non-effective nature of the theorem of Thue–Siegel–Roth. An effective proof that (1) has only a finite number of solutions was given by Gelfond (6) in the case n = 2, and by Baker(1) for arbitrary n. The work of both these authors is based on arguments from the theory of transcendental numbers. Baker's effective proof of (1) has important applications to other problems in number theory; in particular, it provides an algorithm for solving a wide class of diophantine equations in two variables (2).

1. Introduction. The underlying problem is to deduce the shape of a drum or plane uniform membrane from the knowledge of its spectrum of eigenvalues ωn = i√λn. It has been shown by Kac(3) that some progress is possible on establishing the leading terms of the asymptotic expansion of the trace function for small positive t. In particular, for a simply connected membrane Ω bounded by a smooth convex curve Γ for which the displacement satisfies the wave equation ∇2ø = ∂2ø/∂t2 and Dirichlet conditions on Γ

where |Ω| = area of Ω, L = length of Γ, and the constant ⅙ is determined (apart from a factor) on integrating the curvature of the boundary; moreover, if Ω is permitted to have a finite number of smooth convex holes then the constant becomes ⅙(1–r), where r = number of holes.

Let p be an odd prime and G = HB be a semi-direct product where H is a cyclic, p-Sylow subgroup and B is finite Abelian. If K is a field of characteristic p the isomorphism classes of KG-modules relative to direct sum and tensor product generate a ring a(G) called the representation ring of G over K. If K is algebraically closed it is shown in (4) that there is a ring isomorphism a(G) ≃ a(HB2)⊗a(B1) where B1 is the kernel of the action of B on H and B2 = B/B1.> 2, Aut (H) is cyclic thus HB2 is metacyclic. The study of the multiplicative structure of a(G) is thus reduced to that of the known rings a(B1) and a(HB2) (see (3)).

The differential equation

defining the function of the amplitude sL is integrated by an iterative procedure. An expression for the phase

is obtained in terms of integrals of ωL and its derivatives. The method is applied to the numerical calculation of Coulomb functions and the accuracy of the results is discussed. Recurrence relations are used to obtain øL, L ≽ 1.

1. Let Γn be the representation group or spin group (4, 9) of Sn. Then the irreducible representations of Γn are of two distinct types. These are (a) ordinary representations, which are the irreducible representations of the symmetric group and (b) spin or projective representations. Corresponding to every partition (λ) = (λ1, λ2, …, λm) of n with λ1 > λ2 > … > λm > 0 there is an irreducible spin representation 〈λ〉 of Γn.

A technique for locating possible singularities of two-dimensional ex-terior harmonic functions was discussed in a previous paper. In the present work, the method is generalized to exterior solutions of the Helmholtz equation. Although the procedure deviates in some of its details from the earlier exposition, the conclusions are similar. In particular, it is verified that solutions of the Laplace and Helmholtz equations that satisfy the same Dirichlet boundary condition on the same boundary, possess the same convex hull of singularities. The possibility of extending the method to more general equations is raised.

1. Introduction. Flow of viscous fluid at low Reynolds number has attracted a great deal of attention over the last hundred years or so and is still an area of active research at the present time. For a general background on this field, we refer the reader to Langois(4). The present paper is concerned with steady flow past a finite flat plate which spans a long rectangular channel, of large aspect-ratio, at the centre ‘line’ (see Fig. 1). The flow is motivated by a constant pressure difference which is applied

between the ends of the channel. We examine such flows when the Reynolds number based on the semi-channel height, a, is much less than 1. Our main task is to show that Stokes approximation, i.e. neglection of the inertia terms, is uniformly valid † over the whole flow field. (†Such a result contrasts with the non-uniformity of the approximation when the channel walls are removed and the external flow is a uniform stream.) Harper & Chang (1) who treat the corresponding problem for a circular cylinder, give a full account of recent theoretical and experimental work on this class of fluid flows. We shall therefore defer comments on related papers until the appropriate part of the text.

1. Introduction. The historical basis for the work in this paper lies in a remarkable fact discovered by Dean in 1948. He found that time-periodic surface waves in an ideal fluid experience no reflexion when they encounter normally a fixed, submerged, right-circular cylinder. We might reasonably ask if a similar non-reflective property carries over to different geometrical configurations of submerged objects, for example, two or more cylinders. This question motivates the investigation which follows.

The Rayleigh assumption, which concerns the domain of validity of a representation for the field scattered by a periodic surface under time-harmonic plane-wave excitation, is re-examined. The analysis employs a technique developed to locate singularities of solutions to the Helmholtz equation. When applied to the surface profile v = b cos κu (-∞ < u < ∞) considered originally by Lord Rayleigh, it is found that the Rayleigh assumption is valid if 0 ≤ κb < 0·448 and is not valid if κb > 0·448; this is more precise than an earlier result. It is shown how these findings may be reconciled with the work of others who have suggested, or concluded, that the Rayleigh assumption is never valid.

Within the scope of the linear isothermal theory of an elastic Cosserat surface, constitutive equations are derived for an initially flat Cosserat surface in which the initial director (along the normal to the initial surface) is allowed to depend on the surface coordinates. These constitutive equations correspond to those for bending and stretching of a transversely isotropic three-dimensional plate. Special attention is given to the relevance and applicability of the results to bending of (three-dimensional) plates of variable thickness and comparison is made with a set of equations for elastic plates of variable thickness obtained, by an approximation procedure, from the three-dimensional equations.