Solving an Inverse First-Passage-Time Problem for Wiener Process Subject to Random Jumps from a Boundary

We study an inverse first-passage-time problem for Wiener process X(t) subject to random jumps from a boundary c. Let be given a threshold S > X(0); and a distribution function F on [0, + ∞). The problem consists of finding the distribution of the jumps which occur when X(t) hits c, so that the first-passage time of X(t) through S has distribution F.     

A randomized first-passage problem for drifted Brownian motion subject to hold and jump from a boundary

We study an inverse first-passage-time problem for Wiener process X(t) subject to hold and jump from a boundary c. Let be given a threshold S > X(0) ≥ c, and a distribution function F on [0, +∞). The problem consists in finding the distribution of the holding time at c and the distribution of jumps from c, so that the first-passage time of X(t) through S has distribution F.     

Boundary control problem for the one-dimensional Klein-Gordon-Fock equation with a variable coefficient. The case of control by displacement at one endpoint with the other endpoint being fixed

We consider the problem of boundary control by displacement at one boundary point x = 0 for a process described by the Klein-Gordon-Fock equation with a variable coefficient on a finite interval 0 ≤ x ≤ l with the Dirichlet condition u(l, t) = 0 at the other boundary point. For the critical time interval T = 2l, we show that there exists a unique boundary function u(0, t) = µ(t) bringing the system from an arbitrary initial state into an arbitrary terminal state.     

An inverse first-passage problem for one-dimensional diffusions with random starting point

We consider an inverse first-passage time (FPT) problem for a homogeneous one-dimensional diffusion X(t), starting from a random position η. Let S(t) be an assigned boundary, such that P(η≥S(0))=1, and F an assigned distribution function. The problem consists of finding the distribution of η such that the FPT of X(t) below S(t) has distribution F. We obtain some generalizations of the results of Jackson et al., 2009, which refer to the case when X(t) is Brownian motion and S(t) is a straight line across the origin.     

Optimal boundary control of forced vibrations by the displacement at one end of the string with the other end fixed

For a string vibration process described by an inhomogeneous wave equation, we consider the problem of boundary control at one end of the string with the other end being fixed. For any time interval T > 2l, where l is the string length, we find a function u(0, t) = µ(t) bringing the vibration system from a given initial state into a given terminal state and minimizing the boundary energy integral.     

A simultaneous approach to inverse source problem by Green's function

In this paper, we consider an inverse source problem of identification of F(t) function in the linear parabolic equation u_t = u_xx + F(t) and u₀(x) function as the initial condition from the measured final data and local boundary data. Based on the optimal control framework by Green's function, we construct Fréchet derivative of Tikhonov functional. The stability of the minimizer is established from the necessary condition. The CG algorithm based on the Fréchet derivative is applied to the inverse problem, and results are presented for a test example. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

First Order Differential Operators Associated to the Cauchy—Riemann Operator in the Plane

The article deals with initial value problems of type δw/δt = Fw, w(0, ·) = φ where t is the time and F is a linear first order operator acting in the z = x ? iy-plane. In view of the classical Cauchy-Kovalevkaya Theorem, the initial value problem is solvable provided F has holomorphic coefficients and the initial function is holomorphic. On the other hand, the Lewy example [H. Lewy (1957). An example of a smooth linear partial differential equation without solution. Ann. of Math., 66, 155–158.] shows that there are equations of the above form with infinitely differentiable coefficients not having any solutions. The article in hand constructs, conversely, all linear operators F for which the initial value problem with an arbitrary holomorphic initial function is always solvable. In particular, we shall see that there are equations of that type whose coefficients are only continuous.     

Bayesian testing of nonparametric hypotheses and its application to global optimization

Random distribution functions are the basic tool for solving nonparametric decision-theoretic problems. In 1974, Doksum introduced the family of distributions neutral to the right, that is, distributions such thatF(t ₁),[F(t ₂)–F(t ₁)]/[1 –F(t ₁)],...,[F(t _k)–F(t _{k – 1})]/[1 –F(t _{k – 1})] are independent whenevert ₁ < ... <t _kIn practice, application of distributions neutral to the right has been prevented by the lack of a manageable analytical expression for probabilities of the typeP(F(t)<q) for fixedt andq. A subclass of such distributions can be provided which allows for a close expression of the characteristic function of log[1–F(t)], given the sample. Then, thea posteriori distribution ofF(t) is obtained by numerical evaluation of a Fourier integral. As an application, the global optimization problem is formulated as a problem of inference about the quantiles of the distributionF(y) of the random variableY=f(X), wheref is the objective function andX is a random point in the search domain.The author thanks J. Koronacki and R. Zielinski of the Polish Academy of Sciences for their valuable criticism during the final draft of the paper.     

Optimal boundary control by an elastic force at one end and a displacement at the other end for an arbitrary sufficiently large time interval in the string vibration problem

We consider a boundary value problem for the wave equation with given initial conditions and with boundary conditions of the second kind at one end of the string and boundary conditions of the first kind at the other end of the string. We assume the boundary conditions to ensure that the solution of the problem (in the class of generalized functions) satisfying the initial conditions at the initial time t = 0 satisfies given terminal conditions at the terminal time t = T. We clarify the relationship between the functions µ(t) and ν(t) in the boundary conditions and the given functions specifying the initial and terminal states. We obtain closed-form analytic expressions for the functions µ(t) and ν(t) minimizing the boundary energy functional.     

Convergence Rate of Galerkin Method for a Certain Class of Nonlinear Operator-Differential Equations

In this article, we study a Galerkin method for a nonstationary operator equation with a leading self-adjoint operator A(t) and a subordinate nonlinear operator F. The existence of the strong solutions of the Cauchy problem for differential and approximate equations are proved. New error estimates for the approximate solutions and their derivatives are obtained. The developed method is applied to an initial boundary value problem for a partial differential equation of parabolic type.     

Fragmentation Processes with an Initial Mass Converging to Infinity

We consider a family of fragmentation processes where the rate at which a particle splits is proportional to a function of its mass. Let F ₁^(m)(t),F ₂^(m)(t),… denote the decreasing rearrangement of the masses present at time t in a such process, starting from an initial mass m. Let then m→∞. Under an assumption of regular variation type on the dynamics of the fragmentation, we prove that the sequence (F ₂^(m),F ₃^(m),…) converges in distribution, with respect to the Skorohod topology, to a fragmentation with immigration process. This holds jointly with the convergence of m−F ₁^(m) to a stable subordinator. A continuum random tree counterpart of this result is also given: the continuum random tree describing the genealogy of a self-similar fragmentation satisfying the required assumption and starting from a mass converging to ∞ will converge to a tree with a spine coding a fragmentation with immigration. Research supported in part by EPSRC GR/T26368.     

The Generalized Dirichlet to Neumann Map for the KdV Equation on the Half-Line

For the two versions of the KdV equation on the positive half-line an initial-boundary value problem is well posed if one prescribes an initial condition plus either one boundary condition if q _t and q _xxx have the same sign (KdVI) or two boundary conditions if q _t and q _xxx have opposite sign (KdVII). Constructing the generalized Dirichlet to Neumann map for the above problems means characterizing the unknown boundary values in terms of the given initial and boundary conditions. For example, if {q(x,0),q(0,t)} and {q(x,0),q(0,t),q _x (0,t)} are given for the KdVI and KdVII equations, respectively, then one must construct the unknown boundary values {q _x (0,t),q _xx (0,t)} and {q _xx (0,t)}, respectively. We show that this can be achieved without solving for q(x,t) by analysing a certain “global relation” which couples the given initial and boundary conditions with the unknown boundary values, as well as with the function Φ ^(t)(t,k), where Φ ^(t) satisfies the t-part of the associated Lax pair evaluated at x=0. The analysis of the global relation requires the construction of the so-called Gelfand–Levitan–Marchenko triangular representation for Φ ^(t). In spite of the efforts of several investigators, this problem has remained open. In this paper, we construct the representation for Φ ^(t) for the first time and then, by employing this representation, we solve explicitly the global relation for the unknown boundary values in terms of the given initial and boundary conditions and the function Φ ^(t). This yields the unknown boundary values in terms of a nonlinear Volterra integral equation. We also discuss the implications of this result for the analysis of the long t-asymptotics, as well as for the numerical integration of the KdV equation.     

On Asymptotic Behavior for Singularities of the Powers of Mean Curvature Flow

Let M^n be a smooth, compact manifold without boundary, and F0 ： M^n→ R^n＋1 a smooth immersion which is convex. The one-parameter families F（·, t） ： M^n× [0, T） → R^n＋1 of hypersurfaces Mt^n= F（·,t）（M^n） satisfy an initial value problem dF/dt （·,t） = -H^k（· ,t）v（· ,t）, F（· ,0） = F0（· ）, where H is the mean curvature and u（·,t） is the outer unit normal at F（·, t）, such that -Hu = H is the mean curvature vector, and k 〉 0 is a constant. This problem is called H^k-fiow. Such flow will develop singularities after finite time. According to the blow-up rate of the square norm of the second fundamental forms, the authors analyze the structure of the rescaled limit by classifying the singularities as two types, i.e., Type Ⅰ and Type Ⅱ. It is proved that for Type Ⅰ singularity, the limiting hypersurface satisfies an elliptic equation; for Type Ⅱ singularity, the limiting hypersurface must be a translating soliton.     

Boundary control problem for the one-dimensional Klein-Gordon-Fock equation with a variable coefficient: The case of control by displacements at two endpoints

We consider the problem of boundary control by displacements at two points x = 0 and x = l of a process described by the Klein-Gordon-Fock equation with a variable coefficient on the finite interval 0 ≤ x ≤ l. For the critical time interval T = l, we obtain a necessary and sufficient condition for the existence of unique boundary functions u(0, t) = µ(t) and u(l, t) = ν(t) bringing the system from an arbitrary initial state at t = 0 into an arbitrary terminal state at t = T.     

Joint distributions of first hitting time and first hitting location after explosion for birth and death processes

For a birth and death processX=|X(t),t <σ| with explosion and lifespanu distributions and joint distributions of first hitting time and first hitting location after explosion of setB _n = |0,1,...,n| ,n have been found.     

The lower bounds of life span of classical solutions to one‐dimensional initial‐Neumann boundary value problems for general quasilinear wave equations

In this paper, we will study the lower bounds of the life span (the maximal existence time) of solutions to the initial‐boundary value problems with small initial data and zero Neumann boundary data on exterior domain for one‐dimensional general quasilinear wave equations u_tt?u_xx=b(u,Du)u_xx+F(u,Du). Our lower bounds of the life span of solutions in the general case and special case are shorter than that of the initial‐Dirichlet boundary value problem for one‐dimensional general quasilinear wave equations. We clarify that although the lower bounds in this paper are same as that in the case of Robin boundary conditions obtained in the earlier paper, however, the results in this paper are not the trivial generalization of that in the case of Robin boundary conditions because the fundamental Lemmas 2.4, 2.5, 2.6, and 2.7, that is, the priori estimates of solutions to initial‐boundary value problems with Neumann boundary conditions, are established differently, and then the specific estimates in this paper are different from that in the case of Robin boundary conditions. Another motivation for the author to write this paper is to show that the well‐posedness of problem 1.1 is the essential precondition of studying the lower bounds of life span of classical solutions to initial‐boundary value problems for general quasilinear wave equations. The lower bound estimates of life span of classical solutions to initial‐boundary value problems is consistent with the actual physical meaning. Finally, we obtain the sharpness on the lower bound of the life span 1.8 in the general case and 1.10 in the special case. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Initial boundary value problem for generalized boussinesque type equations with nonlinear source

A comparison principle for solutions of the first initial boundary value problem for the generalized Boussinesque equation with a nonlinear sourceu _t-Δψ(u)-Δu _t+q(u)=0 is established. By using this comparison principle, we prove new existence and nonexistence theorems for solutions of the first initial boundary value problem in the case of power-law functions ψ (ξ) andq (ξ). Translated fromMathematicheskie Zametki, Vol. 65, No. 1, pp. 70–75, January, 1999.     

Optimal boundary displacement control of string vibrations with a nonlocal evenness condition of the second kind

We study the behavior of a string with the nonlocal boundary condition u _x (l, t) = u _x ($ x^\circ $ x^\circ , t). A displacement control u(0, t) = μ(t) bringing the string from an arbitrarily given initial state to an arbitrarily given terminal state is applied at the left endpoint of the string. For the initial and terminal functions, we find necessary and sufficient conditions for the controllability of the string. Under these conditions, we carry out optimization; i.e., of all admissible controls, we choose a control minimizing the boundary energy integral.     

A fragmentation process connected to Brownian motion

Let (B _s , s≥ 0) be a standard Brownian motion and T ₁ its first passage time at level 1. For every t≥ 0, we consider ladder time set ℒ ^(t) of the Brownian motion with drift t, B ^(t) _s = B _s + ts, and the decreasing sequence F(t) = (F ₁(t), F ₂(t), …) of lengths of the intervals of the random partition of [0, T ₁] induced by ℒ ^(t) . The main result of this work is that (F(t), t≥ 0) is a fragmentation process, in the sense that for 0 ≤t < t′, F(t′) is obtained from F(t) by breaking randomly into pieces each component of F(t) according to a law that only depends on the length of this component, and independently of the others. We identify the fragmentation law with the one that appears in the construction of the standard additive coalescent by Aldous and Pitman [3]. Received: 19 February 1999 / Revised version: 17 September 1999 /?Published online: 31 May 2000