A Multidimensional Branch-and-Prune Method for Interval Global Optimization

In this paper a new multidimensional extension of the recently developed one-dimensional enclosure method called kite is given for interval global optimization. A more sophisticated version of the pruning technique based on the kite method is introduced. By the new componentwise approach all the one-dimensional theoretical results and procedures can be used in the higher-dimensional case. The possibilities in the implementation of the new algorithm together with numerical results on 40 standard test problems are presented.     

The Computational Complexity of the Chow Form

We present a bounded probability algorithm for the computation of the Chowforms of the equidimensional components of an algebraic variety. In particular, this gives an alternative procedure for the effective equidimensional decomposition of the variety, since each equidimensional component is characterized by its Chow form. The expected complexity of the algorithm is polynomial in the size and the geometric degree of the input equation system defining the variety. Hence it improves (or meets in some special cases) the complexity of all previous algorithms for computing Chow forms. In addition to this, we clarify the probability and uniformity aspects, which constitutes a further contribution of the paper. The algorithm is based on elimination theory techniques, in line with the geometric resolution algorithm due to M. Giusti, J. Heintz, L. M. Pardo, and their collaborators. In fact, ours can be considered as an extension of their algorithm for zero-dimensional systems to the case of positive-dimensional varieties. The key element for dealing with positive-dimensional varieties is a new Poisson-type product formula. This formula allows us to compute the Chow form of an equidimensional variety from a suitable zero-dimensional fiber. As an application, we obtain an algorithm to compute a subclass of sparse resultants, whose complexity is polynomial in the dimension and the volume of the input set of exponents. As another application, we derive an algorithm for the computation of the (unique) solution of a generic overdetermined polynomial equation system.     

Homogeneous quaternionic Kähler structures of linear type

A classification of homogeneous quaternionic Kähler structures by real tensors is given and related to Fino's representation theoretic decomposition. A relationship between the modules whose dimension grows linearly and quaternionic hyperbolic space is found. To cite this article: M. Castrillón López et al., C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris, Ser. I 338 (2004).     

Equilibrium States in the Quadruple–Kerr Solution

The extended quadruple–Kerr metric is used to consider equilibrium states of four collinear Kerr particles. We explain our previous failure to solve numerically the full set of the balance equations, and we derive a self–consistent system of the axis conditions leading to the equilibrium of all four constituents which can be black holes or hyperextreme objects. The equilibrium configurations obtained in this paper exhibit similar features with those occurring in the systems of two Kerr particles, for instance, the balance of four Kerr black holes with positive masses does not seem possible. Equilibrium states of two identical compound Kerr objects are also discussed.     

Dirac Fields in 3D de Sitter Spacetime

We show that the Dirac equation is separable in the circularly symmetric metric in three dimensions and when the background spacetime is de Sitter we find exact solutions to the radial equations. Using these results we show that the de Sitter horizon has a cross section equal to zero for the massless Dirac field, as in the case of the scalar field. Also, using the improved brick wall model we calculate the fermionic entropy associated with the de Sitter horizon and we compare it with some results previously published.     

A technique to construct symmetric variable-stepsize linear multistep methods for second-order systems

Some previous works show that symmetric fixed- and variable-stepsize linear multistep methods for second-order systems which do not have any parasitic root in their first characteristic polynomial give rise to a slow error growth with time when integrating reversible systems. In this paper, we give a technique to construct variable-stepsize symmetric methods from their fixed-stepsize counterparts, in such a way that the former have the same order as the latter. The order and symmetry of the integrators obtained is proved independently of the order of the underlying fixed-stepsize integrators. As this technique looks for efficiency, we concentrate on explicit linear multistep methods, which just make one function evaluation per step, and we offer some numerical comparisons with other one-step adaptive methods which also show a good long-term behaviour.

     

Penetration of radionuclides across the skin: Rat age dependent promethium permeation through skin in vitro

The composition and the permeation properties of the skin are dependent on age. In the animal models for permation studies, age affects the mechanical as well as the permeation properties significantly. The time dependence of permeation of ¹⁴⁷Pm³⁺ from aqueous solution was established by the animal skin model and the age dependence of promethium permeation through the skin was examined. The aim was to find the optimum rat skin age model for radionuclide permeation studies and to assess the relative importance of the main permeation pathways: transepidermal and transfollicular permeation. The skin from 5-day-old rats (5DR) was found to represent the optimum animal model to study transepidermal permeation of ions. The skin from 9-day-old rats (9DR) was selected to study transfollicular permeation of ions. Comparison of the permeated amounts of promethium through the skin without hairs (3 DR to 6 DR) and with hairs (7DR to 12DR) showed that the additional permation mode via follicles significantly contributed to the permeation rate and extent.     

Measurement of the dynamic elastic constants of short isotropic cylinders

A method based on a single test is proposed to characterize the elasticity of an isotropic homogeneous material in the shape of a cylinder of any slenderness (length-diameter) ratio. Firstly, the Rayleigh-Ritz method is used to determine the natural frequencies of the cylinders vibrating axisymmetrically. The study is focused on cylindrical samples with diameter and length of similar magnitude so that the shear modulus and the Poisson ratio can be calculated simultaneously. Subsequently, the theoretical results for cylinders of slenderness ratio between 0.1 and 3 are analyzed in order to obtain the data required to determine the elastic constants from one of the two lowest measured natural frequencies and their quotient. The analysis of the results demonstrates that any slenderness ratio is useful in the calculation of the elastic constants, although in some cases the third natural frequency should be used. Furthermore, the influence of the length-diameter quotient on the sensitivity of the method is analyzed by evaluating the systematic uncertainties for both dynamic elastic constants. Finally, the method is experimentally tested by characterizing two steel cylinders with slenderness ratios 0.1 and 1, respectively. The results demonstrate that uncertainties for both Poisson ratio and the shear modulus are smaller when the slenderness ratio is 1.     

Asymptotically balanced schemes for non-homogeneous hyperbolic systems – application to the Shallow Water equations

In this work we introduce a class of balanced numerical schemes, up to second order, for the solution of general non-homogeneous hyperbolic systems of conservation laws. We give a general technique to build such schemes. We also prove that they balance up to second order a large class of steady solutions in the whole domain but some subset whose measure tends to zero as the grid size decreases to zero. We finally present an application to Shallow Water equations that exhibit the good performances of some of the schemes introduced. To cite this article: T. Chacón Rebollo et al., C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris, Ser. I 338 (2004).