Interlaboratory comparisons and improvements of methods for acid number determination in used motor oils

The results of two interlaboratory comparisons of acid number determinations in used motor oils are discussed. It is shown that the comparability of the measurement results is not as good as that required by known standards for petroleum products. The problem is motor oil contaminants which accumulated during use, and which are the source of a matrix effect in the acid number determination. The standard methods’ drawbacks are analyzed and some improvements are proposed. Repeatability and accuracy of the improved methods are evaluated. Received: 11 December 2001 Accepted: 15 February 2002     

A stochastic algorithm using one sample point per iteration and diminishing stepsizes

A stochastic algorithm for finding stationary points of real-valued functions defined on a Euclidean space is analyzed. It is based on the Robbins-Monro stochastic approximation procedure. Gradient evaluations are done by means of Monte Carlo simulations. At each iteratex _i , one sample point is drawn from an underlying probability space, based on which the gradient is approximated. The descent direction is against the approximation of the gradient, and the stepsize is 1/i. It is shown that, under broad conditions, w.p.1 if the sequence of iteratesx ₁,x ₂,...generated by the algorithm is bounded, then all of its accumulation points are stationary.     

Adaptive Algorithm for Constrained Least-Squares Problems

This paper is concerned with the implementation and testing of an algorithm for solving constrained least-squares problems. The algorithm is an adaptation to the least-squares case of sequential quadratic programming (SQP) trust-region methods for solving general constrained optimization problems. At each iteration, our local quadratic subproblem includes the use of the Gauss–Newton approximation but also encompasses a structured secant approximation along with tests of when to use this approximation. This method has been tested on a selection of standard problems. The results indicate that, for least-squares problems, the approach taken here is a viable alternative to standard general optimization methods such as the Byrd–Omojokun trust-region method and the Powell damped BFGS line search method.     

Algebraic methods in quantum mechanics: from molecules to polymers

We present a brief review of algebraic techniques developed and applied in molecular spectroscopy in the last five years. We also outline perspectives for new applications of the Lie algebraic method in the first decade of the new century. Received 21 November 2001     

On one generalization of a DiPerna and Majda theorem

The weak limits of sequences {f(u^ν)}_ν∈? where u^ν's are vector‐valued µ‐measurable functions defined on a compact set Ω and f is (possibly) discontinuous are investigated. As shown by the author (J. Conv. Anal. (to appear)), they are described in terms of integral formulae involving parametrized measures independent of f, similarly as in the classical theorem by Young and its generalization due to DiPerna and Majda. In the present paper we describe the supports of the involved parametrized measures. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Discretization of the solutions to Poisson’s equation

Sharp estimates (in the power scale) are obtained for the discretization error in the solutions to Poisson’s equation whose right-hand side belongs to a Korobov class. Compared to the well-known Korobov estimate, the order is almost doubled and has an ultimate value in the power scale.     

Differential Entropy and Dynamics of Uncertainty

We analyze the functioning of Gibbs-type entropy functionals in the time domain, with emphasis on Shannon and Kullback-Leibler entropies of time-dependent continuous probability distributions. The Shannon entropy validity is extended to probability distributions inferred from L ²(R ⁿ ) quantum wave packets. In contrast to the von Neumann entropy which simply vanishes on pure states, the differential entropy quantifies the degree of probability (de)localization and its time development. The associated dynamics of the Fisher information functional quantifies nontrivial power transfer processes in the mean, both in dissipative and quantum mechanical cases. PACS NUMBERS: 05.45.+b, 02.50.-r, 03.65.Ta, 03.67.-a     

电子回旋共振放电的电离特性PIC/MCC模拟(Ⅰ)——物理模型与理论方法

采用粒子模拟与蒙特卡罗相结合(PIC/MCC)的方法对电子回旋共振(ECR)放电中的电离过程进行了模拟，其中带电粒子与微波的相互作用由PIC方法的电磁模型描述，粒子间的碰撞过程由MCC方法描述.考虑的碰撞类型有电子与中性粒子的弹性、激发、电离碰撞，离子与中性粒子的弹性、电荷交换碰撞，碰撞截面均依赖于能量而变化.阐述了理论分析的过程，为数值模拟ECR放电奠定了基础. 关键词： 电子回旋共振放电 粒子模拟 蒙特卡罗 电离     

Approximate Inverse Preconditioners for Some Large Dense Random Electrostatic Interaction Matrices

A sparse mesh-neighbour based approximate inverse preconditioner is proposed for a type of dense matrices whose entries come from the evaluation of a slowly decaying free space Green’s function at randomly placed points in a unit cell. By approximating distant potential fields originating at closely spaced sources in a certain way, the preconditioner is given properties similar to, or better than, those of a standard least squares approximate inverse preconditioner while its setup cost is only that of a diagonal block approximate inverse preconditioner. Numerical experiments on iterative solutions of linear systems with up to four million unknowns illustrate how the new preconditioner drastically outperforms standard approximate inverse preconditioners of otherwise similar construction, and especially so when the preconditioners are very sparse. AMS subject classification (2000) 65F10, 65R20, 65F35, 78A30