Approximate dynamic programming for stochastic linear control problems on compact state spaces

This paper addresses Markov Decision Processes over compact state and action spaces. We investigate the special case of linear dynamics and piecewise-linear and convex immediate costs for the average cost criterion. This model is very general and covers many interesting examples, for instance in inventory management. Due to the curse of dimensionality, the problem is intractable and optimal policies usually cannot be computed, not even for instances of moderate size.     

Uniqueness and blow-up for a stochastic viscous dyadic model

We consider the dyadic model with viscosity and additive Gaussian noise as a simplified version of the stochastic Navier–Stokes equations, with the purpose of studying uniqueness and emergence of singularities. We prove pathwise uniqueness and absence of blow-up in the intermediate intensity of the non-linearity, morally corresponding to the 3D case, and blow-up for stronger intensity. Moreover, blow-up happens with probability one for regular initial data.     

Differential characters and cohomology of the moduli of flat connections

Let \(\pi {:}\, P\rightarrow M\) be a principal bundle and p an invariant polynomial of degree r on the Lie algebra of the structure group. The theory of Chern–Simons differential characters is exploited to define a homology map \(\chi ^{k} {:}\, H_{2r-k-1}(M)\times H_{k}({\mathcal {F}}/{\mathcal {G}})\rightarrow {\mathbb {R}}/{\mathbb {Z}}\), for \(k<r-1\), where \({\mathcal {F}} /{\mathcal {G}}\) is the moduli space of flat connections of \(\pi \) under the action of a subgroup \({\mathcal {G}}\) of the gauge group. The differential characters of first order are related to the Dijkgraaf–Witten action for Chern–Simons theory. The second-order characters are interpreted geometrically as the holonomy of a connection in a line bundle over \({\mathcal {F}}/{\mathcal {G}}\). The relationship with other constructions in the literature is also analyzed.

     

Acoustic waveguide filters made up of rigid stacked materials with elastic joints

Meccanica - The acoustic dispersion properties of monodimensional waveguide filters can be assessed by means of the simple prototypical mechanical system made of an infinite stack of periodic...     

Optimal strategies with option compensation under mean reverting returns or volatilities

Computational Management Science - We study the problem of a fund manager whose contractual incentive is given by the sum of a constant and a variable term. The manager has a power utility function...