For a fractal Schrodinger operator with a continuous potential and a coupling parameter, we obtain an analog of a semi-classical asymptotic formula for the number of bound states as the parameter tends to infinity. We also study Bohr's formula for Schrodinger operators on blowups of self-similar sets. For a Schrodinger operator defined by a fractal measure and a locally bounded potential that tends to infinity, we derive an analog of Bohr's formula under various assumptions. We demonstrate how these results can be applied to self-similar measures with overlaps, including the infinite Bernoulli convolution associated with the golden ratio, a family of convolutions of Cantor-type measures, and a family of measures that we call essentially of finite type.

We consider two-dimensional critical bond percolation. Conditioned on the existence of an open circuit in an annulus, we show that the ratio of the expected size of the shortest open circuit to the expected size of the innermost circuit tends to zero as the side length of the annulus tends to infinity, the aspect ratio remaining fixed. The same proof yields a similar result for the lowest open crossing of a rectangle. In this last case, we answer a question of Kesten and Zhang by showing in addition that the ratio of the length of the shortest crossing to the length of the lowest tends to zero in probability. This suggests that the chemical distance in critical percolation is given by an exponent strictly smaller than that of the lowest path.

We obtain two-sided sub-Gaussian estimates of heat kernels for strongly local Dirichlet forms on intervals, equipped with self-similar measures generated by iterated function systems (IFS's) that do not satisfy the open set condition (OSC) and have overlaps. We first give a framework for heat kernel estimates on intervals, and then consider examples of self-similar measures to illustrate this phenomenon. These examples include the infinite Bernoulli convolution associated with the golden ratio, and a family of convolutions of Cantor-type measures. We make use of Strichartz second-order identities defined by auxiliary IFS's to compute measures of cells on different levels. These auxiliary IFS's do satisfy the OSC and are used to define new metrics. The walk dimensions obtained under these new metrics are strictly greater than 2 and are closely related to the spectral dimension of fractal Laplacians.

No abstract uploaded!

Over time, a population acquires neutral genetic substitutions as a consequence of random drift. A famous result in population genetics asserts that the rate, K, at which these substitutions accumulate in the population coincides with the mutation rate, u, at which they arise in individuals: K = u. This identity enables genetic sequence data to be used as a “molecular clock” to estimate the timing of evolutionary events. While the molecular clock is known to be perturbed by selection, it is thought that K = u holds very generally for neutral evolution. Here we show that asymmetric spatial population structure can alter the molecular clock rate for neutral mutations, leading to either K<u or K>u. Our results apply to a general class of haploid, asexually reproducing, spatially structured populations. Deviations from K = u occur because mutations arise unequally at different sites and have different probabilities of fixation depending on where they arise. If birth rates are uniform across sites, then K
u. In general, K can take any value between 0 and Nu. Our model can be applied to a variety of population structures. In one example, we investigate the accumulation of genetic mutations in the small intestine. In another application, we analyze over 900 Twitter networks to study the effect of network topology on the fixation of neutral innovations in social evolution.