Asymptotic Behavior of the Value Functions of Discrete-Time Discounted Optimal Control

We study deterministic discounted optimal control problems associated with discrete-time systems. It is shown that, for small discount rates, the controllability properties of the underlying system can guarantee the convergence of the discounted value function to the value function of the average yield. An application in the theory of exponential growth rates of discrete inclusions is presented. This application motivates the analysis of infinite-horizon optimal control problems with running yields that are unbounded from below.     

Electromagnetic and nuclear fission of238U in the reaction of 100, 500, and 1000 A·MeV208Pb with238U

The folding- and azimuthal-angle and velocity distributions for the²³⁸U fission fragments have been measured in reactions with 100, 500, and 1000 A·MeV²⁰⁸Pb. These distributions were used to decompose the fission cross section into its electromagnetic and nuclear components. The fraction of electromagnetic fission was found to be 0.16±0.07, 0.48±0.08, and 0.60±0.04, respectively. The electromagnetic fission cross section as a function of the²⁰⁸Pb nucleus energy is compared with theoretical predictions. The measured fission cross section from nuclear reactions (≈1.5 b) is approximately constant between 100 and 1000 A·MeV.     

Adlayers of dimannoside thiols on gold: surface chemical analysis

Carbohydrate films on gold based on dimannoside thiols (DMT) were prepared, and a complementary surface chemical analysis was performed in detail by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS), near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS), FT-IR, and contact angle measurements in order to verify formation of ω-carbohydrate-functionalized alkylthiol films. XPS (C 1s, O 1s, and S 2p) reveals information on carbohydrate specific alkoxy (C-O) and acetal moieties (O-C-O) as well as thiolate species attached to gold. Angle-resolved synchrotron XPS was used for chemical speciation at ultimate surface sensitivity. Angle-resolved XPS analysis suggests the presence of an excess top layer composed of unbound sulfur components combined with alkyl moieties. Further support for DMT attachment on Au is given by ToF-SIMS and FT-IR analysis. Carbon and oxygen K-edge NEXAFS spectra were interpreted by applying the building block model supported by comparison to data of 1-undecanethiol, poly(vinyl alcohol), and polyoxymethylene. No linear dichroism effect was observed in the angle-resolved C K-edge NEXAFS.     

The imaging ammeter

A method for measuring local current density, not requiring segmentation of the electrode or spatial scanning, is presented. The motion of colloidal particles in response to local current density, characterized by the intensity of the light they scatter, is the fundamental phenomenon of the technique. The scattering was produced and measured with the electrochemical total internal reflection microscope, a tool that places an electrochemical cell within a total internal reflection apparatus. The electrolysis of water and the oxidation of ferrocene monocarboxylic acid were used as test reactions. Light scattered by a probe particle produced an "image" of current density; scattered light was converted to local current density by a function derived herein. Numerical simulations supplemented experimental evidence that local current density controlled the probe particle's vertical motion. The spatial resolution of the method was approximately the length scale of the probe particle, in this case 5.7 μm. The resolution of current density was better than 100 nA cm(-2). The method might find use in high throughput screening of electrocatalysts.     

Angular distributions in quasi-fission reactions: Evidence for incomplete relaxation of the tilting mode

The integral β^?-spectra of²³⁵U and²³⁹Pu fission products have been measured with a plastic scintillator telescope at an external neutron guide tube at the high flux reactor of the ILL in Grenoble. The highly enriched targets (150 – 800 γg/cm²) were placed in a fission chamber at a distance of approximately 110 m from the reactor core. From the measured beta-spectra absolute counting rates per MeV and fission have been calculated, which are compared with the results of earlier experiments of other authors and with recent theoretical calculations.     

A New Heuristic for a Single Machine Scheduling Problem with Set-up Times

This paper examines the problem of scheduling jobs on a single machine with set-up times. The jobs are divided into mutually exclusive classes and a set-up task is required when processing switches from a job of one class to a job of another class. The set-up times are assumed to be sequence independent. A number of necessary conditions for a schedule to minimize mean flow time have previously been stated, but do not uniquely define the optimal solution, and the problem is apparently NP-complete. We propose a new polynomial-time heuristic, based on these conditions, and compare its performance with some existing heuristics.     

Control of manpower systems by recruitment

This paper examines the attainable and maintainable states of a graded manpower system, where control is imposed through recruitment. Whilst certain constraints are imposed on the recruitment vector it is not assumed that the total size of the system is fixed nor that it grows at a fixed rate.

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Zusammenfassung Diese Arbeit untersucht die erreichbaren und erhaltbaren Zustände eines gestuften Systems von Arbeitskräten, wobei mit Hilfe gezielter Einstellung gesteuert wird. Während dem Einstellungssteuerungsvektor gewisse Bedingungen auferlegt werden, werden weder ein fixierter Gesamtumfang noch ein Anwachsen des Systems in festen Raten angenommen.

     

Organothiolatostibane und -bismutane

Organothiolatostibanes and -bismutanes . For the title compounds there are two simple methods for preparation: (a) reaction of organodiethoximetallane with thiols and (b) reaction of organodibromometallane with sodium thiolates in the ratio 1:2. Some compounds of the general formula RMe(SR′)₂, whereby R=CH₃, C₆H₅ and R′ = heterocyclic ring systems, were synthesized by (a) with Me?Sb, by (b) with Me?Bi and characterized by ¹H-n.m.r., elementary analysis, and differential thermoanalysis.