For a wide class of 2-dimensional periodic elliptic operators, we show that the global extrema of all spectral band functions are isolated.

We establish new bounds on character values and character ratios for finite groups G of Lie type, which are considerably stronger than previously known bounds, and which are best possible in many cases. These bounds have the form |χ(g)|⩽cχ(1)αg, and give rise to a variety of applications, for example to covering numbers and mixing times of random walks on such groups. In particular, we deduce that, if G is a classical group in dimension n, then, under some conditions on G and g∈G, the mixing time of the random walk on G with the conjugacy class of g as a generating set is (up to a small multiplicative constant) n/s, where s is the support of g.

Let M⊂CN be a generic real-analytic submanifold of finite type, M′⊂CN′ be a real-analytic set, and p∈M, where we assume that N,N′⩾2. Let H:(CN,p)→CN′ be a formal holomorphic mapping sending M into M′, and let EM′ denote the set of points in M′ through which there passes a complex-analytic subvariety of positive dimension contained in M′. We show that, if H does not send M into EM′, then H must be convergent. As a consequence, we derive the convergence of all formal holomorphic mappings when M′ does not contain any complex-analytic subvariety of positive dimension, answering by this a long-standing open question in the field. More generally, we establish necessary conditions for the existence of divergent formal maps, even when the target real-analytic set is foliated by complex-analytic subvarieties, allowing us to settle additional convergence problems such as e.g. for transversal formal maps between Levi-non-degenerate hypersurfaces and for formal maps with range in the tube over the light cone.

We study rationality properties of quadric surface bundles over the projective plane. We exhibit families of smooth projective complex fourfolds of this type over connected bases, containing both rational and non-rational fibers.

Given a closed exact Lagrangian in the cotangent bundle of a closed smooth manifold, we prove that the projection to the base is a simple homotopy equivalence.