Let $K$ be a self-similar set satisfying the open set condition. Following Kaimanovich’s elegant idea, it has been proved that on the symbolic space $X$ of $K$ a natural augmented tree structure $E$ exists; it is hyperbolic, and the hyperbolic boundary $\partial_H X$ with the Gromov metric is H\"older equivalent to $K$. In this paper we consider certain reversible random walks with return ratio $0 < \lambda < 1$ on $(X,E)$. We show that the Martin boundary ${\mathcal M}$ can be identified with $\partial_H X$ and $K$. With this setup and a device of Silverstein, we obtain precise estimates of the Martin kernel and the Na\"im kernel in terms of the Gromov product. Moreover, the Naïm kernel turns out to be a jump kernel satisfying the estimate $\Theta (\xi,\eta) \asymp |\xi-\eta|^{-(\alpha+\beta)}$, where $\alpha$ is the Hausdorff dimension of $K$ and $\beta$ depends on $\lambda$. For suitable $\beta$, the kernel defines a regular non-local Dirichlet form on $K$. This extends the results of Kigami concerning random walks on certain trees with Cantor-type sets as boundaries.

We consider weighted ray-transforms PW (weighted Radon transforms along oriented straight lines) in Rd,d≥2, with strictly positive weights W. We construct an example of such a transform with non-trivial kernel in the space of infinitely smooth compactly supported functions on Rd. In addition, the constructed weight W is rotation-invariant continuous and is infinitely smooth almost everywhere on Rd×Sd−1. In particular, by this construction we give counterexamples to some well-known injectivity results for weighted ray transforms for the case when the regularity of W is slightly relaxed. We also give examples of continous strictly positive W such that dimkerPW≥n in the space of infinitely smooth compactly supported functions on Rd for arbitrary n∈N∪{∞}, where W are infinitely smooth for d=2 and infinitely smooth almost everywhere for d≥3.

We obtain characterizations of positive Borel measures$μ$on$B$^{$n$}so that some weighted holomorphic Besov spaces$B$_{$s$}^{$p$}($ω$,$B$^{$n$}) are embedded in$L$^{$p$}($d$$μ$).

We prove the existence of a resonance-free region in scattering by a strictly convex obstacle $\mathcal{O}$ with the Robin boundary condition $\partial_{\nu}u+\gamma u|_{\partial\mathcal{O}}=0$ . More precisely, we show that the scattering resonances lie below a cubic curve ℑ$ζ$=−$S$|$ζ$|^{1/3}+$C$. The constant$S$is the same as in the case of the Neumann boundary condition$γ$=0. This generalizes earlier results on cubic pole-free regions obtained for the Dirichlet boundary condition.

Consider an age-dependent, single-species branching process defined by a progeny number distribution, and a lifetime distribution associated with each independent particle. In this paper, we focus on the associated inverse problem where one wishes to formally solve for the progeny number distribution or the lifetime distribution that defines the Bellman-Harris branching process. We derive results for the existence and uniqueness (the identifiability) of these two distributions given one of two types of information: the extinction time probability of the entire process (extinction time distribution), or the distribution of the total number of particles at one fixed time. We demonstrate that perfect knowledge of the distribution of extinction times allows us to formally determine either the progeny number distribution or the lifetime distribution. Furthermore, we show that these constructions are unique. We then consider “data” consisting of a perfectly known total number distribution given at one specific time. For a process with known progeny number distribution and exponentially distributed lifetimes, we show that the rate parameter is identifiable. For general lifetime distributions, we also show that the progeny distribution is globally unique. Our results are presented through four theorems, each describing the constructions in the four distinct cases.