A simple four-node quadrilateral finite element for plates

A simple and accurate four-node quadrilateral finite element based on the Mindlin plate theory and Kirchhoff constraints is presented for general thin plate bending applications. The derivation of the element stiffness properties is straightforward, starting with a specified eight-node interpolation; usual discrete Kirchhoff (DK) constraints are employed to constrain out the four midside nodes of the element. The present resulting DK element passes patch tests with elements of arbitrary and even highly distorted mesh types. Numerical studies of the element convergence behaviours are undertaken for various plate bending problems so far investigated. It is indicated from comparative examples that fairly good convergence characteristics have been achieved.     

Stability of Markovian structure observed in high frequency foreign exchange data

Contrary to the common sense in economics and financial engineering, price fluctuations at very fine level of motion exhibit various evidences against the efficient market hypothesis. We attempt to investigate this issue by studying extensive amount of foreign currency exchange data for over five years at the finest level of resolution. We specifically focus on the proposed stability in binomial conditional probabilities originally found in much smaller examples of financial time series. In order to handle very large data, we have written an efficient program in C that automatically generates those conditional probabilities. It is found that the stability is maintained for extremely large time duration that covers almost the entire period. Based on the length of conditions for which the conditional probabilities are distinguishable each other, we identify the length of memory being less than 3 movements.     

Discrete semi-stable distributions

The purpose of this paper is to introduce and study the concepts of discrete semi-stability and geometric semi-stability for distributions with support inZ ₊. We offer several properties, including characterizations, of discrete semi-stable distributions. We establish that these distributions posses the property of infinite divisibility and that their probability generating functions admit canonical representations that are analogous to those of their continuous counterparts. Properties of discrete geometric semi-stable distributions are deduced from the results obtained for discrete semi-stability. Several limit theorems are established and some examples are constructed.     

重力场与静电场特点的比较

“场”是一种客观存在的物质，但由于“场”具有不易直接感受的特殊存在形态，同学们对“场”的物质性的理解不够深刻，解决“场”的相关问题时也感到棘手．笔者就高中阶段最典型的两种场——“重力场”和“静电场”的力学性质与能量特点进行比较，使同学们对“场”的概念有更深刻的认识．     

机械结构因素对光电跟踪伺服系统性能的影响

为克服机械结构因素对光电跟踪伺服系统性能的不良影响,分析了转动惯量、结构谐振频率、摩擦力矩等伺服机械结构因素与伺服系统性能的关系,包括分析转动惯量与伺服系统性能的关系、结构谐振频率与伺服系统性能的关系、摩擦力矩与伺服系统性能的关系,探讨了消除或减小机械谐振的措施.该分析方法可应用于设计和制造响应速度快、跟踪精度高的光电跟踪伺服系统.     

Performance of noise barriers with various edge shapes and acoustical conditions

The performances of barriers having different shapes and surface conditions were tested using the boundary element method in a well-controlled environment. The heights and widths of the barriers were standardized and the insertion losses for six receiver positions were averaged and compared. Figures displaying the results allow for straightforward barrier performance estimation. It was shown that absorbing and soft edges significantly improve the efficiency of the barrier, but configuration modifications provide only a slight improvement. The soft T-shaped barrier produces the highest performance. A 3 m high T-shaped barrier provides the same performance as a 10 m high plain barrier. The spectral efficiency was also investigated. The insertion loss spectra for the absorbing and the soft barriers exhibit a similar shape, but the rigid barrier differs from these two.     

Discreteness Criterions of Isometric Subgroups for Quaternionic Hyperbolic Space

In this paper, we give analogue of Jörgensen's inequality for nonelementary groups of isometries of complex hyperbolic 2-space generated by two elements, one of which is either loxodromic or boundary elliptic for the same group of isometries of quaternionic hyperbolic 2-space. And we give a sufficient condition for a nonelementary subgroup of isometries of quaternionic hyperbolic 2-space generated by two elements one of which is parabolic not to be discrete.     

Spectral Domain Analysis of Coaxial Cavities

Coaxial cavities are used in high power gyrotrons as the beam-wave interaction structure. Much research has been devoted to their mode selective properties. A coaxial cavity lacks a sharp boundary at its open end, so it has some physical features that can only be observed using a spectral model, such as frequency-dependent field profiles and mode overlapping effects. These properties are important since cold tests are usually conducted in the frequency domain. This study applies the incident/reflected wave boundary condition to the wave equation of a weakly irregular coaxial waveguide. The resistivity of the wall is considered in the analysis. Calculations reveal that the fixed-position spectrum yields an uncertain resonant frequency and quality factor. Although the maximum-field spectrum can uniquely determine the properties of the coaxial cavity, the resonant frequency obtained using the maximum-field spectral model is inconsistent with that obtained using the temporal model. The field-energy spectrum explains the low Q nature of the coaxial cavity. Moreover, resonant frequencies evaluated using the field-energy spectrum agree precisely with those evaluated using the temporal model.     

Apparatus for High-Resolution Solid Hydrogen Matrix Isolation Spectroscopy and Its Application

Apparatus integrating a Fourier transform-infrared (FT-IR) spectrometer and a mid-infrared difference frequency generation (DFG) laser spectrometer was built for the study of the matrix isolation spectrum in solid molecular hydrogen. A 3-cm-long molecular hydrogen crystal was grown in a liquid-helium Dewar, and its infrared absorption spectrum in the 1-5 μm region was recorded to test the system. The W₀(0) (ν=0←0, J=6←0) line around 2410 cm⁻¹ of solid hydrogen was investigated with the DFG laser spectroscopy. High-resolution matrix isolation spectrum of CO² co-deposited with hydrogen on a BaF₂ cold plate at liquid-helium temperature was studied.     

Sequential Estimation of the Parameters in a Trigonometric Regression Model with the Gaussian Coloured Noise

This paper considers the estimation problem for a trigonometric regression model with the noise specified by the Ornstein–Uhlenbeck process with unknown parameter. We propose a sequential procedure which ensures a prescribed mean square precision uniformly in the nuisance parameter. The asymptotic behaviour of the procedure duration mean has been studied. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.