Source mechanism model for ground motion simulation

A simple analytical model for computing ground motion in a layered half-space due to a buried seismic source is presented in this paper. The buried earthquake source is represented as a distribution of double couples varying in time as a ramp function on the fault plane. The analysis is simplified by first decoupling the governing equations into P-SV and SH problem by a coordinate transformation in the frequency-wave number domain. These two problems are solved separately and the final solution is obtained by the sum of solutions of these individual problems. Explicit expressions for ground motion in a layered half-space due to an impulsive double couple are derived. In the sequel, Green’s function for the displacement field in an infinite medium is also presented. The developed source mechanism model is also demonstrated by simulating ground motion for the Kucth earthquake (M_w = 7.7) of 26th January 2001.     

Configurational-force-based structural updates and adaptive remeshing strategies

The application of configurational forces in h -adaptive strategies for fracture mechanics and inelasticity is investigated. Starting from a global Clausius-Planck inequality, dual equilibrium conditions are derived by means of a Coleman-type exploitation method. The remaining reduced dissipation inequality is used for the derivation of evolution equations for the internal variables. In fracture mechanics, crack loading conditions as well as a normality rule for the crack propagation are obtained. In the discrete setting, the crack propagation is governed by a configurational-force-driven update of the geometry model. The material balance equation is used to set up a h -adaptive refinement indicator. A relative global criterion is defined used for the decision on mesh refinement. In addition, a criterion on the element level is evaluated controlling the local refinement procedure. The capability of the proposed procedures is demonstrated by means of numerical examples. (© 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Duality theorem for a generalized Fermat-Weber problem

The classical Fermat-Weber problem is to minimize the sum of the distances from a point in a plane tok given points in the plane. This problem was generalized by Witzgall ton-dimensional space and to allow for a general norm, not necessarily symmetric; he found a dual for this problem. The authors generalize this result further by proving a duality theorem which includes as special cases a great variety of choices of norms in the terms of the Fermat-Weber sum. The theorem is proved by applying a general duality theorem of Rockafellar. As applications, a dual is found for the multi-facility location problem and a nonlinear dual is obtained for a linear programming problem with a priori bounds for the variables. When the norms concerned are continuously differentiable, formulas are obtained for retrieving the solution for each primal problem from the solution of its dual.     

Hybrid kernel estimates of space–time earthquake occurrence rates using the epidemic-type aftershock sequence model

The following steps are suggested for smoothing the occurrence patterns in a clustered space–time process, in particular the data from an earthquake catalogue. First, the original data is fitted by a temporal version of the ETAS model, and the occurrence times are transformed by using the cumulative form of the fitted ETAS model. Then the transformed data (transformed times and original locations) is smoothed by a space–time kernel with bandwidth obtained by optimizing a naive likelihood cross-validation. Finally, the estimated intensity for the original data is obtained by back-transforming the estimated intensity for the transformed data. This technique is used to estimate the intensity for earthquake occurrence data for associated with complex sequences of events off the East Coast of Tohoku district, northern Japan. The intensity so obtained is compared to the conditional intensity estimated from a full space–time ETAS model for the same data.     

Multivariate Frobenius–Padé approximants: Properties and algorithms

The aim of this paper is to construct rational approximants for multivariate functions given by their expansion in an orthogonal polynomial system. This will be done by generalizing the concept of multivariate Padé approximation. After defining the multivariate Frobenius–Padé approximants, we will be interested in the two following problems: the first one is to develop recursive algorithms for the computation of the value of a sequence of approximants at a given point. The second one is to compute the coefficients of the numerator and denominator of the approximants by solving a linear system. For some particular cases we will obtain a displacement rank structure for the matrix of the system we have to solve. The case of a Tchebyshev expansion is considered in more detail.     

Best direct and converse results for Lagrange-type operators

The aim of this paper is to give direct and converse theorems for the approximation by using a discretely defined method L _n ^* (see D. H. Mache [10], which is a modification of the Lagrange operator. Furthermore we obtain with a matrix construction technique (see M. D. Ye and D. X. Zhou [11]) a Lagrange-type operator ℒ_n, for which we get a characterization for Lipschitz functions by the approximation rate of these methods. The second author is supported by the Alexander von Humboldt-Stiftung.     

An Optimal Control Problem for a Singular System of Solid–Liquid Phase Transition

In this article, we deal with a control problem for a singular system regarding a phase-field model which describes a solid–liquid transition by the Ginzburg–Landau theory. The purpose is to control the system by the means of the heat supply r able to guide it into a certain state with a solid (or liquid) part in a prescribed subset Ω₀ of the space domain Ω, and maintain it in this state during a period of time. The transition is described by a nonlinear differential system of two equations for the phase field and temperature. The control problem is set for some expressions of the cost functional which might reveal cases of physical interest. An approximating control problem is introduced and the existence of at least an optimal pair is proved. The first-order optimality conditions for the approximating problem are determined and a convergence result is given.     

Complexity analysis of an assignment problem with controllable assignment costs and its applications in scheduling

We extend the classical linear assignment problem to the case where the cost of assigning agent j to task i is a multiplication of task i’s cost parameter by a cost function of agent j. The cost function of agent j is a linear function of the amount of resource allocated to the agent. A solution for our assignment problem is defined by the assignment of agents to tasks and by a resource allocation to each agent. The quality of a solution is measured by two criteria. The first criterion is the total assignment cost and the second is the total weighted resource consumption. We address these criteria via four different problem variations. We prove that our assignment problem is NP-hard for three of the four variations, even if all the resource consumption weights are equal. However, and somewhat surprisingly, we find that the fourth variation is solvable in polynomial time. In addition, we find that our assignment problem is equivalent to a large set of important scheduling problems whose complexity has been an open question until now, for three of the four variations.     

Fluid flows around cascades

Flows induced by the small-amplitude and high frequency harmonic oscillations of a cascade of bodies in an unbounded fluid which is otherwise at rest are investigated theoretically. In the theoretical study we separate the flow into inner and outer regions. The flow in the inner region is governed by the Stokes boundary-layer equation. The first-order outer flow is governed by the potential solution which is found by using a conformai mapping technique. The second-order outer flow is governed by the full Navier-Stokes equation and the steady streaming flow has been obtained using a modified central-difference scheme for cascades with square cylinders and flat plates for values of the streaming Reynolds number,R _s , up to 70. These results show a complicated flow structure.     

Shape Optimization in Viscous Compressible Fluids

Abstract. We present a method for solving the optimal shape problems for profiles surrounded by viscous compressible fluids. The class of admissible profiles is quite general including the minimal volume condition and a constraint on the thickness of the boundary. The fluid flow is modelled by the Navier—Stokes system for a general viscous barotropic fluid.     

Formal neighbourhoods, combinatory Böhm trees, and untyped normalization by evaluation

We prove the correctness of an algorithm for normalizing untyped combinator terms by evaluation. The algorithm is written in the functional programming language Haskell, and we prove that it lazily computes the combinatory Böhm tree of the term. The notion of combinatory Böhm tree is analogous to the usual notion of Böhm tree for the untyped lambda calculus. It is defined operationally by repeated head reduction of terms to head normal forms. We use formal neighbourhoods to characterize finite, partial information about data, and define a Böhm tree as a filter of such formal neighbourhoods. We also define formal topology style denotational semantics of a fragment of Haskell following Martin-Löf, and let each closed program denote a filter of formal neighbourhoods. We prove that the denotation of the output of our algorithm is the Böhm tree of the input term. The key construction in the proof is a “glueing” relation between terms and semantic neighbourhoods which is defined by induction on the latter. This relation is related to the glueing relation which was earlier used for proving the correctness of normalization by evaluation algorithm for typed combinatory logic.     

Una struttura sintattica unitaria per le teorie della relatività ristretta e della meccanica classica

A unified axiomatic scheme for both the Newtonian Mechanics and the Special Theory of Relativity is given, by setting two systems of Axioms that differ from each other in only one requirement about the possibility of measuring time-intervals by light reflections. The concept of «observer» is obtained as a derived concept, rather than a primitive one, as in some previous papers by other Authors. The status of Newtonian Mechanics as a «limiting case» of Special Relativity is rigorously deduced as a consequence of the result that the geometric structure of (neo)classical space-time is a limit of a family of relativistic geometric structures for the space-time.     

The Rayleigh–Stokes problem for an edge in a generalized Oldroyd-B fluid

The velocity field corresponding to the Rayleigh–Stokes problem for an edge, in an incompressible generalized Oldroyd-B fluid has been established by means of the double Fourier sine and Laplace transforms. The fractional calculus approach is used in the constitutive relationship of the fluid model. The obtained solution, written in terms of the generalized G-functions, is presented as a sum of the Newtonian solution and the corresponding non-Newtonian contribution. The solution for generalized Maxwell fluids, as well as those for ordinary Maxwell and Oldroyd-B fluids, performing the same motion, is obtained as a limiting case of the present solution. This solution can be also specialized to give the similar solution for generalized second grade fluids. However, for simplicity, a new and simpler exact solution is established for these fluids. For β → 1, this last solution reduces to a previous solution obtained by a different technique.     

A complete solution to the existence and nonexistence of Knut Vik designs and orthogonal Knut Vik designs

Hedayat and Federer (Ann. of Statist.3 (1975), 445–447) proved that Knut Vik designs do not exist for all even orders. They gave a simple algorithm for the construction of such designs for all other orders, except when the order of the design is divisible by 3. The existence of Knut Vik designs of orders divisible by 3 was left unsolved by these authors. It is shown here that Knut Vik designs do not also exist for all orders divisible by 3. An easy algorithm based on a result of Euler is provided for the construction of orthogonal Knut Vik designs for all orders not divisible by 2 or 3. Therefore, we can say that Knut Vik designs and orthogonal Knut Vik designs of order n exist if and only if n is not divisible by 2 or 3. The results are based on the concepts of a super diagonal and parallel super diagonals in an n × n array, which have been introduced and studied for the first time here. Other relevant results are also given.     

Impact of Technology Assimilation on Investment Policy: Dynamic Optimization and Econometric Identification

The paper introduces a dynamic model of optimization of R&D intensity under the effect of technology assimilation. The model involves R&D investments, technology stock, production, and technology productivity as main variables. The model characterizes the “growth” and “decline” trends that describe the interaction between R&D investments and transformation process of production factors. The technology stock is constructed as a function of indigenous and exogenous technology stocks and their growth rates. The research focuses on the issue of a reasonable balance between the indigenous technology stock and assimilated technology flow. Econometric linearization of the technology assimilation effect is used to construct a reasonable optimal control model. The existence of the value function for the problem of the optimal economic growth on the infinite horizon is proved and the basic features of the value function are outlined. The property of strong invariance for the main proportions of the model such as technology productivity and R&D intensity is proved. The model is calibrated on the aggregate data of the Japanese automotive industry. The research was sponsored by the SIMOT Program of the Japanese Ministry of Education, Science and Technology. The second author was supported by the Russian Fund for Basic Research, Grants 05-01-00601, 05-01-08034, by the Russian Fund for Humanities, Grant RFH 05-02-02118a, and by the Program for the Sponsorship of Leading Scientific Schools, Grant NSCH-791.2003.1.     

Mathematical models of urban growth

The article models the distribution of cities by population. Two approaches are considered to mathematical modeling of urban growth: a probability model in which the number of cities depends on the population and the rank model of distribution of cities by their population. Five population censuses are analyzed for Russia’s cities. The probability density function n(x, α) for the number of cities as a function of their population x is fitted to all the available censuses with a time-dependent coefficient α . The function α(t ) is approximated and a prediction for the nearest future is computed. In particular, it is shown that in 2010 compared with 2002 the number of large cities should increase, while the number of small town should decrease. A model is also proposed for the interaction of urban areas linked into a single hierarchical system. The model is based on a system of ordinary differential equations describing the change in urban population. Independently of the initial distribution, all the cities and town line up by the rank–size law and deviations from this law, as in real life, are observed only for some large and very small cities. Model parameters are fitted for Russia’s cities.     

Mathematical and numerical modellization of large‐scale oceanic waves

This paper is devoted to the theoretical and numerical study of a method which computes the variability of current and density in an oceanic domain. The equations are of Navier–Stokes type for the velocity and of transport‐diffusion type for the density. They are linearized around a given mean circulation and modified by physical assumptions including hydrostatic approximation. The existence and uniqueness of a solution are proved for two sets of equations: first the three‐dimensional problem and then the two‐dimensional cyclic problem derived by assuming a sinusoïdal x‐dependence for the perturbation of the mean flow. The latter corresponds to a modellization of tropical instability waves which are illustrated by the ‘El Nino’ phenomenon. These two problems differ from classical ones because of hydrostatic approximation, boundary conditions imposed by the oceanic domain and complex‐valued functions for the cyclic case. A numerical model is developed for the two‐dimensional cyclic equations. Time discretization is performed by the characteristics method; space discretization uses Q₁ finite elements. Numerical results are presented in a realistic case corresponding to the tropical Pacific Ocean. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons. Ltd.     

A new LQP alternating direction method for solving variational inequality problems with separable structure

We presented a new logarithmic-quadratic proximal alternating direction scheme for the separable constrained convex programming problem. The predictor is obtained by solving series of related systems of non-linear equations in a parallel wise. The new iterate is obtained by searching the optimal step size along a new descent direction. The new direction is obtained by the linear combination of two descent directions. Global convergence of the proposed method is proved under certain assumptions. We show the O(1 / t) convergence rate for the parallel LQP alternating direction method.     

Riesz Bases and Multiresolution Analyses

Recently we found a family of nearly orthonormal affine Riesz bases of compact support and arbitrary degrees of smoothness, obtained by perturbing the one-dimensional Haar mother wavelet using B-splines. The mother wavelets thus obtained are symmetric and given in closed form, features which are generally lacking in the orthogonal case. We also showed that for an important subfamily the wavelet coefficients can be calculated in O(n) steps, just as for orthogonal wavelets. It was conjectured by Aldroubi, and independently by the author, that these bases cannot be obtained by a multiresolution analysis. Here we prove this conjecture. The work is divided into four sections. The first section is introductory. The main feature of the second is simple necessary and sufficient conditions for an affine Riesz basis to be generated by a multiresolution analysis, valid for a large class of mother wavelets. In the third section we apply the results of the second section to several examples. In the last section we show that our bases cannot be obtained by a multiresolution analysis.