We investigate the horizontal distribution of zeros of the derivative of the Riemann zeta function and compare this to the radial distribution of zeros of the derivative of the characteristic polynomial of a random unitary matrix. Both cases show a surprising bimodal distribution which has yet to be explained. We show by example that the bimodality is a general phenomenon. For the unitary matrix case we prove a conjecture of Mezzadri concerning the leading order behavior, and we show that the same follows from the random matrix conjectures for the zeros of the zeta function.

This paper extends, to a class of systems of semi-linear hyperbolic second order PDEs in three variables, the geometric study of a single nonlinear hyperbolic PDE in the plane as presented in [Anderson I.M., Kamran N., Duke Math. J. 87 (1997), 265-319]. The constrained variational bi-complex is introduced and used to define form-valued conservation laws. A method for generating conservation laws from solutions to the adjoint of the linearized system associated to a system of PDEs is given. Finally, Darboux integrability for a system of three equations is discussed and a method for generating infinitely many conservation laws for such systems is described.