3-D vertical ray shooting and 2-D point enclosure, range searching, and arc shooting amidst convex fat objects

We present a new data structure for a set of n convex simply-shaped fat objects in the plane, and use it to obtain efficient and rather simple solutions to several problems including (i) vertical ray shooting—preprocess a set of n non-intersecting convex simply-shaped flat objects in 3-space, whose xy-projections are fat, for efficient vertical ray shooting queries, (ii) point enclosure—preprocess a set C of n convex simply-shaped fat objects in the plane, so that the k objects containing a query point p can be reported efficiently, (iii) bounded-size range searching— preprocess a set C of n convex fat polygons, so that the k objects intersecting a “not-too-large” query polygon can be reported efficiently, and (iv) bounded-size segment shooting—preprocess a set C as in (iii), so that the first object (if exists) hit by a “not-too-long” oriented query segment can be found efficiently. For the first three problems we construct data structures of size O(λ_s(n)log³n), where s is the maximum number of intersections between the boundaries of the (xy-projections) of any pair of objects, and λ_s(n) is the maximum length of (n, s) Davenport-Schinzel sequences. The data structure for the fourth problem is of size O(λ_s(n)log²n). The query time in the first problem is O(log⁴n), the query time in the second and third problems is O(log³n + klog²n), and the query time in the fourth problem is O(log³n).

We also present a simple algorithm for computing a depth order for a set as in (i), that is based on the solution to the vertical ray shooting problem. (A depth order for , if exists, is a linear order of , such that, if K₁, K₂ and K₁ lies vertically above K₂, then K₁ precedes K₂.) Unlike the algorithm of Agarwal et al. (1995) that might output a false order when a depth order does not exist, the new algorithm is able to determine whether such an order exists, and it is often more efficient in practical situations than the former algorithm.     

A delta white noise functional

The additive renormalization% MathType!MTEF!2!1!+-% feaafeart1ev1aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn% hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXafv3ySLgzGmvETj2BSbqefm0B1jxALjhiov2D% aebbfv3ySLgzGueE0jxyaibaiGc9yrFr0xXdbba91rFfpec8Eeeu0x% Xdbba9frFj0-OqFfea0dXdd9vqaq-JfrVkFHe9pgea0dXdar-Jb9hs% 0dXdbPYxe9vr0-vr0-vqpWqaaeaabiGaciaacaqabeaadaqaaqGaaO% qaaiaabs7adaWgaaWcbaGaaeySdiaab6cacaqG0bqefeKCPfgBaGqb% diaa-bcaaeqaaOGaeyypa0Jaa8hiaiaacIcacaaIYaGaeqiWdaNaai% ykamaaCaaaleqabaGaeyOeI0IaaGymaiaac+cacaaIYaaaaGqadOGa% a4hiaiGacwgacaGG4bGaaiiCaiaacIcacqGHsislcaqGXoWaaWbaaS% qabeaacaqGYaaaaOGaai4laiaaikdacaGGPaGaa4hiaiaacQdaciGG% LbGaaiiEaiaacchacqGHXcqSdaWadiqaaiabgkHiTiaadkeacaGGNa% GaaiikaiaadshacaGGPaWaaWbaaSqabeaacaaIYaaaaOGaai4laiaa% ikdacaGFGaGaey4kaSIaa4hiaiaabg7acaWGcbGaai4jaiaacIcaca% WG0bGaaiykaaGaay5waiaaw2faaiaacQdaaaa!6C5C!\[{\rm{\delta }}_{{\rm{\alpha }}{\rm{.t}} } = (2\pi )^{ - 1/2} \exp ( - {\rm{\alpha }}^{\rm{2}} /2) :\exp \pm \left[ { - B'(t)^2 /2 + {\rm{\alpha }}B'(t)} \right]:\]is shown to be a generalized Brownian functional. Some of its properties are derived. is shown to be a generalized Brownian functional. Some of its properties are derived.On leave from Universidade do Minho, Area de Matematica, Largo Carlos Amarante, P-4700 Braga, Portugal.     

A simple low-vacuum environmental cell.

The environmental cell device discussed in this paper provides a modest low-vacuum scanning electron microscopy (SEM) capability to a standard SEM without requiring additional pumping. This environmental cell confines a volume of low vacuum in contact with the sample surface using a container that has an aperture for admitting the primary electron beam. The aperture is large enough to permit a limited field of view of the sample, and small enough to limit the outflow of gas into the SEM chamber to that which can be accommodated by the standard SEM pumping system. This environmental cell also functions as a gaseous detector device.     

A new Löwenheim-Skolem theorem

This paper establishes a refinement of the classical Löwenheim-Skolem theorem. The main result shows that any first order structure has a countable elementary substructure with strong second order properties. Several consequences for Singular Cardinals Combinatorics are deduced from this.

     

On gravitational radiation and the energy flux of matter

A suitable derivative of Einstein's equations in the framework of the teleparallel equivalent of general relativity (TEGR) yields a continuity equation for the gravitational energy‐momentum. In particular, the time derivative of the total gravitational energy is given by the sum of the total fluxes of gravitational and matter fields energy. We carry out a detailed analysis of the continuity equation in the context of Bondi and Vaidya's metrics. In the former space‐time the flux of gravitational energy is given by the well known expression in terms of the square of the news function. It is known that the energy definition in the realm of the TEGR yields the ADM (Arnowitt‐Deser‐Misner) energy for appropriate boundary conditions. Here we show that the same energy definition also describes the Bondi energy. The analysis of the continuity equation in Vaidya's space‐time shows that the variation of the total gravitational energy is determined by the energy flux of matter only.