A trajectory-following method for unconstrained optimization

A trajectory-following method with interesting properties is considered for solving unconstrained nonlinear programming problems. The trajectory is defined by a special system of ordinary differential equations. This system uses only the gradient of the objective function. Numerical examples are given.The work of the second author was supported by the DFG Schwerpunkt Anwendungs-bezogene Optimierung and Steuerung.     

Scheduling Parts in a Combined Production-transportation Work Cell

This paper is concerned with a combined production-transportation scheduling problem. The problem comprises a simple, two-machine, automated manufacturing cell, which either stands alone or is a subunit of a complete flexible manufacturing system. The cell consists of two machines in series with a dedicated part-handling device such as a crane or robotic arm for transferring parts from the first machine to the second. The loading of a new piece on the first machine and the ejection of a finished piece from the second machine are performed by dedicated automated mechanisms. The introduction of parts into the system is done n at a time, whereby the parts are reshuffled into a sequence that minimizes completion time. All processing and transfer times are considered deterministic—a reasonable assumption for a cell comprising a robotic transfer device and two CNC machining units. What complicates the problem is the assumption of a non-negligible time for the transfer device to return (empty) from the second machine to the first. The operation is a generalization of a two-machine flowshop problem, and is formulated as a specially structured, asymmetric travelling salesman problem. An approximate polynomial time 0(n log n) algorithm is proffered. The procedure incorporates a lower bound using the Gilmore–Gomory algorithm for the no-wait, two-machine flowshop problem.     

Variations on the theme of repeated distances

We give an asymptotically sharp estimate for the error term of the maximum number of unit distances determined byn points in ^{d, d}4. We also give asymptotically tight upper bounds on the total number of occurrences of the favourite distances fromn points in ^{d, d}4. Related results are proved for distances determined byn disjoint compact convex sets in ².At the time this paper was written, both authors were visiting the Technion — Israel Institute of Technology.     

Spin content of the nucleon in a non-topological chiral soliton model

The spin content of the proton is investigated by studying the flavor singlet axial structure of the nucleon in a non-topological chiral soliton model. In order to construct a nucleon state we used the generator coordinate projection method as well as a coherent state for the meson wave function. Using a standard set of parameters we found the value g _A ⁰ ? 0.44 for the flavor singlet axial vector coupling constant. This result is not far from that of a typical valence quark model.     

On the dynamics of cosmological particle production

The time evolution of the particle number density and spectrum of massive scalar particles, coupled conformally to a classical Friedman-Robertson-Walker gravitational field is followed numerically. Not only for a pure radiation cosmos, but also for one with an inflationary interlude, the density of particles produced remains constant in time. This results in a constant equivalent temperature scale up to the Compton time of the massive particles, and opens the possibility that during a sufficiently long inflation the energy density of the particles produced can exceed that of the radiation background.     

Hot electron transport in semiconductors

A recently derived model for stationary flow of energy and charge carriers in semiconductors—consisting of a coupled system of nonlinear elliptic equations—is analysed by the methods of singular perturbation theory. This analysis reveals the solution structure and justifies a modified version of the standard drift-diffusion approximation for charge carrier flow.

---

Zusammenfassung Ein kürzlich hergeleitetes Modell für stationären Energie- und Ladungsträgerfluß in Halbleitern—bestehend aus einem gekoppelten System von nichtlinearen elliptischen Gleichungen—wird mit Methoden der singulären Störungstheorie analysiert. Daraus ergeben sich Aussagen über die Lösungsstruktur und eine Rechtfertigung einer modifizierten Version der klassischen Konvektions-Diffusions-Approximation für den Ladungsträgerfluß.

---

---

The work of the second author was supported by Österreichischer Fonds zur Förderung der wissenschaftlichen Forschung.