We show that a compact operator A is a multiple of a positive semi-definite operator if and only if (A B) W (A) W (B), for all (rank one) operators B. An example of a normal operator is given to show that the equivalence conditions may fail in general. We then obtain conditions to identify other classes of operators A so that equivalence conditions hold.

Let T be a locally compact Hausdorff space, called base space. Suppose for each t in T there is a (real or complex) Banach space Et. A vector field x is an element in the product space t T Et, that is, x (t) Et, for all t T.

In two very detailed, technical, and fundamental works, Jun Li constructed a theory of Gromov-Witten invariants for a singular scheme of the gluing form Y_1\cup_D Y_2 that arises from a degeneration Y_1\cup_D Y_2 and a theory of relative Gromov-Witten invariants for a codimension-1 relative pair Y_1\cup_D Y_2 . As a summit, he derived a degeneration formula that relates a finite summation of the usual Gromov-Witten invariants of a general smooth fiber Y_1\cup_D Y_2 of Y_1\cup_D Y_2 to the Gromov-Witten invariants of the singular fiber Y_1\cup_D Y_2 via gluing the relative pairs Y_1\cup_D Y_2 and Y_1\cup_D Y_2 . The finite sum mentioned above depends on a relative ample line bundle Y_1\cup_D Y_2 on Y_1\cup_D Y_2 . His theory has already applications to string theory and mathematics alike. For other new applications of Jun Li's theory, one needs a refined degeneration formula that depends on a curve class Y_1\cup_D Y_2 in Y_1\cup_D Y_2 or Y_1\cup_D Y_2 , rather than on the line bundle Y_1\cup_D Y_2 . Some monodromy effect has to be taken care of to deal with this. For the simple but useful case of a degeneration Y_1\cup_D Y_2 that arises from blowing up a trivial family Y_1\cup_D Y_2 , we explain how the details of Jun Li's work can be employed to reach such a desired degeneration formula. The related set Y_1\cup_D Y_2 of admissible triples adapted to Y_1\cup_D Y_2 that appears in the formula can be obtained via an analysis on the intersection numbers of relevant cycles and a study of Mori cones that appear in the problem. This set is intrinsically determined by Y_1\cup_D Y_2 and the normal bundle Y_1\cup_D Y_2 of the smooth subscheme Y_1\cup_D Y_2 in Y_1\cup_D Y_2 to be blown up.

We consider the zero heat conductivity limit to a contact discontinuity for the mono-dimensional full compressible Navier--Stokes--Fourier system. The method is based on the relative entropy method and does not assume any smallness conditions on the discontinuity nor on the bounded variation norm of the initial data. It is proved that for any viscosity , the solution of the compressible Navier--Stokes--Fourier system (with well-prepared initial value) converges, when the heat conductivity tends to zero, to the contact discontinuity solution to the corresponding Euler system. We obtain the decay rate . It implies that the heat conductivity dominates the dissipation in the regime of the limit to a contact discontinuity. This is the first result, based on the relative entropy, of an asymptotic limit to a discontinuous solution for a system.

G-equations are popular front propagation models in combustion literature and describe the front motion law of normal velocity equal to a constant plus the normal projection of fluid velocity. G-equations are Hamilton-Jacobi equations with convex but non-coercive Hamiltonians. We prove homogenization of the inviscid G-equation for space periodic incompressible flows. This extends a two space dimensional result in" Periodic homogenization of G-equations and viscosity effects," Nonlinearity, to appear. We construct approximate correctors to bypass the lack of compactness due to the non-coercive Hamiltonian. The existence of approximate correctors rely on a local reachability property of the controlled flow trajectory as well as incompressibility of the flow. Homogenization then follows from the comparison principle and the perturbed test function method. The effective Hamiltonian is convex and homogeneous of