The Hausdorff dimension of graphs of Weierstrass functions

The Weierstrass nowhere differentiable function, and functions constructed from similar infinite series, have been studied often as examples of functions whose graph is a fractal. Though there is a simple formula for the Hausdorff dimension of the graph which is widely accepted, it has not been rigorously proved to hold. We prove that if arbitrary phases are included in each term of the summation for the Weierstrass function, the Hausdorff dimension of the graph of the function has the conjectured value for almost every sequence of phases. The argument extends to a much wider class of Weierstrass-like functions.

     

On Series of Ordinals and Combinatorics

This paper deals mainly with generalizations of results in finitary combinatorics to infinite ordinals. It is well-known that for finite ordinals ∑_bT<αβ is the number of 2-element subsets of an α-element set. It is shown here that for any well-ordered set of arbitrary infinite order type α, ∑_bT<αβ is the ordinal of the set M of 2-element subsets, where M is ordered in some natural way. The result is then extended to evaluating the ordinal of the set of all n-element subsets for each natural number n ≥ 2. Moreover, series ∑_β<αf(β) are investigated and evaluated, where α is a limit ordinal and the function f belongs to a certain class of functions containing polynomials with natural number coefficients. The tools developed for this result can be extended to cover all infinite α, but the case of finite α appears to be quite problematic.     

Temperature and frequency dependence of the spin-lattice relaxation times of E′1 centers in neutron-irradiated quartz glass

Results are reported for measurements of the spin-lattice relaxation times of E′₁ centers in quartz glass, produced by neutron irradiation, with the measurements made at two frequencies 9.25 and 24.0 GHz over a wide temperature interval 1.5–300 K. The experimental data are interpreted on the basis of interaction mechanisms of the spins with two-level systems with excitation energies ∼6, ∼26, and ∼420 cm⁻¹. A small modification of the existing theory allows us to explain a number of features of the observed temperature and frequency dependence of the relaxation rate. The results are compared with the data available in the literature on spin-lattice relaxation of irradiation centers in crystalline quartz and quartz glass. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 39, 1335–1337 (August 1997)     

Effect of iodine sorption on the free volume of polycarbonate

 The effect of iodine sorption on the free volume of polycarbonate is investigated by Positron Annihilation Lifetime method. The observed results are interpreted in terms of the Charge Transfer Complex formation and precipitation of iodine at the initial and final stages of sorption, respectively. At higher levels of sorption, changes in the second lifetime and its intensity seem to suggest a conformational transformation, probably due to the net change in the amorphous-crystalline boundary regions of the polymer matrix. The free volume cavities have been predominantly occupied by I^- ₃ species and the diffusion process obeys Fick’s law. An exponential type correlation has been observed between fractional free volume and the diffusion coefficient. Received: 13 June 1996/Accepted: 20 September 1996     

A poincaré-bendixson theorem for analytic families of vector fields

We provide a characterization of the limit periodic sets for analytic families of vector fields under the hypothesis that the first jet is non-vanishing at any singular point. Also, applying the family desingularization method, we reduce the complexity of some of these sets.     

Influence of the sulfonate countercation on the thermal stability of nafion perfluorosulfonate membranes

We report a strong dependence of the thermal stability of Nafion® perfluorosulfonate ionomer on the nature of the counterion associated with the fixed sulfonate site. These results were obtained using thermal gravimetric analysis on a series of alkali metal and alkyl ammonium cation-exchanged Nafion films. We have found that the temperature of decomposition of Nafion is inversely dependent on the size of the exchanged cation; i.e., Nafion films show improved thermal stability as the size of the counter cation decreases. We attribute this inverse relationship of thermal stability with counterion size to an initial decomposition reaction which is strongly influenced by the strength of the sulfonate-coun-terion interaction. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Increasing the accuracy of eigenvalue computation in the spectral problem

A simple method is proposed for increasing the accuracy of computation of the eigenvalues of elliptic operators, which does not require high-order accurate schemes.Translated from Vychislitel'naya i Prikladnaya Matematika, No. 63, pp. 63–68, 1987.     

Forecasting call frequency at a financial services call centre

A forecasting model is developed for the number of daily applications for loans at a financial services telephone call centre. The purpose of the forecasts and the associated prediction intervals is to provide effective staffing policies within the call centre. The model building process is constrained by the availability of only 2 years and 7 months of data. The distinctive feature of the data is that demand is driven in the main by advertising. The analysis given focuses on applications stimulated by press advertising. Unlike previous analyses of broadly similar data, where ARIMA models were used, a model with a dynamic level, multiplicative calendar effects and a multiplicative advertising response is developed and shown to be effective.     

Surface grating formation and erasing on a-Se films

Surface relief formation at holographic recording on amorphous selenium films was demonstrated and investigated. The presence of this optical phase modulation component is essential for ensuring significant, stable and erasable optical recording in a-Se films at 290–320 K temperatures, where conventional photodarkening was known as insignificant and unstable. Photocrystallization can only be observed in super-exposed a-Se films at the given experimental conditions of hologram recording. Erasing behavior of surface relief gratings under heat treatment was also investigated in order to reveal further details of the mechanism. Photoinduced structural transformations within the amorphous phase, connected to local ordering under the condition of light-induced fluidity, are proposed as an explanation for the relief formation and erasing. The observed reversible optical recording process may be useful for the various optoelectronic applications of photoconductive a-Se layers. Received: 12 June 2000 / Accepted: 6 June 2001 / Published online: 30 August 2001