Diffraction of compatible random substitutions in one dimension

As a guiding example, the diffraction measure of a random local mixture of the two classic Fibonacci substitutions is determined and reanalysed via self-similar measures of Hutchinson type, defined by a finite family of contractions. Our revised approach yields explicit formulas for the pure point and the absolutely continuous parts, as well as a proof for the absence of singular continuous components. This approach is then extended to the family of random noble means substitutions and, as an example with an underlying 2-adic structure, to a locally randomised version of the period doubling chain. As a first step towards a more general approach, we interpret our findings in terms of a disintegration over the Kronecker factor, which is the maximal equicontinuous factor of a covering model set.     

An abstract proximal point algorithm

The proximal point algorithm is a widely used tool for solving a variety of convex optimization problems such as finding zeros of maximally monotone operators, fixed points of nonexpansive mappings, as well as minimizing convex functions. The algorithm works by applying successively so-called “resolvent” mappings associated to the original object that one aims to optimize. In this paper we abstract from the corresponding resolvents employed in these problems the natural notion of jointly firmly nonexpansive families of mappings. This leads to a streamlined method of proving weak convergence of this class of algorithms in the context of complete CAT(0) spaces (and hence also in Hilbert spaces). In addition, we consider the notion of uniform firm nonexpansivity in order to similarly provide a unified presentation of a case where the algorithm converges strongly. Methods which stem from proof mining, an applied subfield of logic, yield in this situation computable and low-complexity rates of convergence.     

Hausdorff continuous interval-valued functions and quasicontinuous functions

In the paper it is shown that every Hausdorff continuous interval-valued function corresponds uniquely to an equivalence class of quasicontinuous functions. This one-to-one correspondence is used to construct the Dedekind order completion of C(X), the set of all real-valued continuous functions, when X is a compact Hausdorff topological space or a complete metric space.     

Global classification of the planar Lotka–Volterra differential systems according to their configurations of invariant straight lines

In this article, we study the Lotka–Volterra planar quadratic differential systems. We denote by LV systems all systems which can be brought to a Lotka–Volterra system by an affine transformation and time homotheties. All these systems possess invariant straight lines. We classify the family of LV systems according to their geometric properties encoded in the configurations of invariant straight lines which these systems possess. We obtain a total of 65 such configurations which are distinguished, roughly speaking, by the multiplicity of their invariant lines and by the multiplicities of the singularities of the systems located on these lines. We determine an algebraic subvariety of \mathbbR¹²{\mathbb{R}^{12}} which contains all these systems and we find the bifurcation diagram of the configurations of LV systems within this algebraic subvariety, in terms of polynomial invariants with respect to the group action of affine transformations and time homotheties. This geometric classification will serve as a basis for the full topological classification of LV systems.     

Globally generated vector bundles on with

One classifies the globally generated vector bundles on with the first Chern class c₁ = 3. The case c₁ = 1 is very easy, the case c₁ = 2 was done in [42], the case c₁ = 3, rank =2 was settled in [21] and the case c₁ ≤ 5, rank = 2 in [10]. Our work is based on Serre's theorem relating vector bundles of rank = 2 with codimension 2 lci subschemes and its generalization for higher ranks, considered firstly by Vogelaar in [48].     

Approximation of periodic solutions for a dissipative hyperbolic equation

This paper studies the numerical approximation of periodic solutions for an exponentially stable linear hyperbolic equation in the presence of a periodic external force $f$ . These approximations are obtained by combining a fixed point algorithm with the Galerkin method. It is known that the energy of the usual discrete models does not decay uniformly with respect to the mesh size. Our aim is to analyze this phenomenon’s consequences on the convergence of the approximation method and its error estimates. We prove that, under appropriate regularity assumptions on $f$ , the approximation method is always convergent. However, our error estimates show that the convergence’s properties are improved if a numerically vanishing viscosity is added to the system. The same is true if the nonhomogeneous term $f$ is monochromatic. To illustrate our theoretical results we present several numerical simulations with finite element approximations of the wave equation in one or two dimensional domains and with different forcing terms.     

Geometric configurations of singularities for quadratic differential systems with three distinct real simple finite singularities

In this work we classify, with respect to the geometric equivalence relation, the global configurations of singularities, finite and infinite, of quadratic differential systems possessing exactly three distinct finite simple singularities. This relation is finer than the topological equivalence relation which does not distinguish between a focus and a node or between a strong and a weak focus or between foci (or saddles) of different orders. Such distinctions are, however, important in the production of limit cycles close to the foci (or loops) in perturbations of the systems. The notion of geometric equivalence relation of configurations of singularities allows us to incorporate all these important geometric features which can be expressed in purely algebraic terms. The geometric classification of all configurations of singularities, finite and infinite, of quadratic systems was initiated in a work published in 2013 when the classification was done for systems with total multiplicity m _f of finite singularities less than or equal to one. That work was continued in an article which is due to appear in 2014 where the geometric classification of configurations of singularities was done for the case m _f = 2. In this article we go one step further and obtain the geometric classification of singularities, finite and infinite, for the subclass mentioned above. We obtain 147 geometrically distinct configurations of singularities for this family. We give here the global bifurcation diagram of configurations of singularities, both finite and infinite, with respect to the geometric equivalence relation, for this class of systems. The bifurcation set of this diagram is algebraic. The bifurcation diagram is done in the 12-dimensional space of parameters and it is expressed in terms of polynomial invariants, a fact which gives us an algorithm for determining the geometric configuration of singularities for any quadratic system in this particular class.     

Phase growth control in low temperature PLD Co: TiO2 films by pressure

This paper reports on the structural and optical properties of Co-doped TiO₂ thin films grown onto (0001)Al₂O₃ substrates by non-reactive pulsed laser deposition (PLD) using argon as buffer gas. It is shown that by keeping constant the substrate temperature at as low as 310 °C and varying only the background gas pressure between 7 Pa and 70 Pa, it is possible to grow either epitaxial rutile or pure anatase thin films, as well as films with a mixture of both polymorphs. The optical band gaps of the films are red shifted in comparison with the values usually reported for undoped TiO₂, which is consistent with n-type doping of the TiO₂ matrix. Such band gap red shift brings the absorption edge of the Co-doped TiO₂ films into the visible region, which might favour their photocatalytic activity. Furthermore, the band gap red shift depends on the films’ phase composition, increasing with the increase of the Urbach energy for increasing rutile content.     

DFT study and quantitative detection by surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) of ethyl carbamate

Ethyl carbamate (EC), a potentially toxic compound, is found in alcoholic beverages and fermented foodstuff. A combined experimental and theoretical study of Raman on EC is reported in this work for the first time. The Raman bands observed for EC in solid phase are characteristic for the carbonyl group, C―C, C―H and N―H stretching and deformation vibrations. These spectral features coupled with a pKa study allowed establishing the neutral species of EC present in the aqueous solutions experimentally tested at different concentrations. In addition, by performing a density functional theory study in the gas phase, the calculated geometry, the harmonic vibrational modes, and the Raman scattering activities of EC were found to be in good agreement with our experimental data and helped establish the surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) behavior and EC adsorption geometry on the silver surfaces. The Raman peak at 1006 cm⁻¹, assigned to the υ_s(CC) + ω(CH) modes, the strongest and best reproducible peak in the SERS spectra, was used for a quantitative evaluation of EC. The limit of detection, which corresponds to a signal‐to‐noise ratio equal to 3, was found to be 2 × 10⁻⁷ M (17.8 µg l⁻¹). SERS spectra obtained by using hydroxylamine hydrochloride‐reduced silver nanoparticles provide a fast and reproducible qualitative and quantitative determination of EC in aqueous solution. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Time Evolution of Spontaneous Emission Rate of Two Undistinguished Radiators

The behavior of the system of radiators at short and long time intervals in comparison with the retardation between them is studied. The entanglement behavior of atomic states in the process of spontaneous emission is determined. It is demonstrated that at a short time interval the rate of spontaneous emission in an oscillatory manner tends to the exponential law of spontaneous emission. The simple kinetic equation, which describes this stage of system evolution, is obtained.