Reliability and expectation bounds for coherent systems with exchangeable components

Sharp upper and lower bounds are obtained for the reliability functions and the expectations of lifetimes of coherent systems based on dependent exchangeable absolutely continuous components with a given marginal distribution function, by use of the concept of Samaniego's signature. We first show that the distribution of any coherent system based on exchangeable components with absolutely continuous joint distribution is a convex combination of distributions of order statistics (equivalent to the k-out-of-n systems) with the weights identical with the values of the Samaniego signature of the system. This extends the Samaniego representation valid for the case of independent and identically distributed components. Combining the representation with optimal bounds on linear combinations of distribution functions of order statistics from dependent identically distributed samples, we derive the corresponding reliability and expectation bounds, dependent on the signature of the system and marginal distribution of dependent components. We also present the sequences of exchangeable absolutely continuous joint distributions of components which attain the bounds in limit. As an application, we obtain the reliability bounds for all the coherent systems with three and four exchangeable components, expressed in terms of the parent marginal reliability function and specify the respective expectation bounds for exchangeable exponential components, comparing them with the lifetime expectations of systems with independent and identically distributed exponential components.     

The q-numerical radius of weighted shift operators with periodic weights

We deal with the q-numerical radius of weighted unilateral and bilateral shift operators. In particular, the q-numerical radius of weighted shift operators with periodic weights is discussed and computed.     

Continuous modified Newton’s-type method for nonlinear operator equations

A nonlinear operator equation F(x)=0, F:H→H, in a Hilbert space is considered. Continuous Newton’s-type procedures based on a construction of a dynamical system with the trajectory starting at some initial point x ₀ and becoming asymptotically close to a solution of F(x)=0 as t→+∞ are discussed. Well-posed and ill-posed problems are investigated. Received: June 29, 2001; in final form: February 26, 2002?Published online: February 20, 2003 This paper was finished when AGR was visiting Institute for Theoretical Physics, University of Giessen. The author thanks DAAD for support     

Runge–Kutta convolution quadrature methods for well-posed equations with memory

Runge–Kutta based convolution quadrature methods for abstract, well-posed, linear, and homogeneous Volterra equations, non necessarily of sectorial type, are developed. A general representation of the numerical solution in terms of the continuous one is given. The error and stability analysis is based on this representation, which, for the particular case of the backward Euler method, also shows that the numerical solution inherits some interesting qualitative properties, such as positivity, of the exact solution. Numerical illustrations are provided.     

The category of varieties and interpretations is alg-universal

A category is said to be alg-universal if every category of universal algebras can be fully embedded into it. We prove here that the category of varieties and interpretations, or in other words, the category of abstract clones and clone homomorphisms, is alg-universal.     

A fictitious domain approach to the numerical solution of PDEs in stochastic domains

We present an efficient method for the numerical realization of elliptic PDEs in domains depending on random variables. Domains are bounded, and have finite fluctuations. The key feature is the combination of a fictitious domain approach and a polynomial chaos expansion. The PDE is solved in a larger, fixed domain (the fictitious domain), with the original boundary condition enforced via a Lagrange multiplier acting on a random manifold inside the new domain. A (generalized) Wiener expansion is invoked to convert such a stochastic problem into a deterministic one, depending on an extra set of real variables (the stochastic variables). Discretization is accomplished by standard mixed finite elements in the physical variables and a Galerkin projection method with numerical integration (which coincides with a collocation scheme) in the stochastic variables. A stability and convergence analysis of the method, as well as numerical results, are provided. The convergence is “spectral” in the polynomial chaos order, in any subdomain which does not contain the random boundaries.     

Buchsbaum homogeneous algebras with minimal multiplicity

In this paper we first give a lower bound on multiplicities for Buchsbaum homogeneous k-algebras A in terms of the dimension d, the codimension c, the initial degree q, and the length of the local cohomology modules of A. Next, we introduce the notion of Buchsbaum k-algebras with minimal multiplicity of degree q, and give several characterizations for those rings. In particular, we will show that those algebras have linear free resolutions. Further, we will give many examples of those algebras.     

Primes in quadratic progressions on average

In this paper, we establish a theorem on the distribution of primes in quadratic progressions on average.     

Inherited LU-factorizations of matrices

Various types of LU-factorizations for nonsingular matrices, where L is a lower triangular matrix and U is an upper triangular matrix, are defined and characterized. These types of LU-factorizations are extended to the general m × n case. The more general conditions are considered in the light of the structures of [C.R. Johnson, D.D. Olesky, P. Van den Driessche, Inherited matrix entries: LU factorizations, SIAM J. Matrix Anal. Appl. 10 (1989) 99-104]. Applications to graphs and adjacency matrices are investigated. Conditions for the product of a lower and an upper triangular matrix to be the zero matrix are also obtained.     

Asymptotic Distribution of Nodes for Near-Optimal Polynomial Interpolation on Certain Curves in R 2

Let E\subset \Bbb R ^s be compact and let d _n ^E denote the dimension of the space of polynomials of degree at most n in s variables restricted to E . We introduce the notion of an asymptotic interpolation measure (AIM). Such a measure, if it exists , describes the asymptotic behavior of any scheme τ _n ={ \bf x _k,n } _k=1 ^dnE , n=1,2,\ldots , of nodes for multivariate polynomial interpolation for which the norms of the corresponding interpolation operators do not grow geometrically large with n . We demonstrate the existence of AIMs for the finite union of compact subsets of certain algebraic curves in R ² . It turns out that the theory of logarithmic potentials with external fields plays a useful role in the investigation. Furthermore, for the sets mentioned above, we give a computationally simple construction for ``good' interpolation schemes. November 9, 2000. Date revised: August 4, 2001. Date accepted: September 14, 2001.