Method of lines with boundary elements for 1‐D transient diffusion‐reaction problems

Time‐dependent differential equations can be solved using the concept of method of lines (MOL) together with the boundary element (BE) representation for the spatial linear part of the equation. The BE method alleviates the need for spatial discretization and casts the problem in an integral format. Hence errors associated with the numerical approximation of the spatial derivatives are totally eliminated. An element level local cubic approximation is used for the variable at each time step to facilitate the time marching and the nonlinear terms are represented in a semi‐implicit manner by a local linearization at each time step. The accuracy of the method has been illustrated on a number of test problems of engineering significance. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Numer Methods Partial Differential Eq 2006     

Interlaboratory comparisons and improvements of methods for acid number determination in used motor oils

The results of two interlaboratory comparisons of acid number determinations in used motor oils are discussed. It is shown that the comparability of the measurement results is not as good as that required by known standards for petroleum products. The problem is motor oil contaminants which accumulated during use, and which are the source of a matrix effect in the acid number determination. The standard methods’ drawbacks are analyzed and some improvements are proposed. Repeatability and accuracy of the improved methods are evaluated. Received: 11 December 2001 Accepted: 15 February 2002     

Simulation of the Action of a Permeable Barrier on an Ideal Incompressible Channel Flow

Plane ideal incompressible flow in a rectangular channel partitioned by a thin permeable barrier (lattice) is considered. In flowing through the lattice the stream suddenly (jumpwise) changes direction and loses energy. The flow is assumed to be vortical; the vorticity is discontinuous on the lattice. A mathematical formulation of the problem for the stream function is proposed in the form of a nonlinear elliptic equation with coefficients discontinuous on the lattice line. A numerical solution is constructed using the finite-element iteration method. The results of the numerical simulation show how the flow velocity profile in the channel can be controlled by means of permeable barriers.     

A stochastic algorithm using one sample point per iteration and diminishing stepsizes

A stochastic algorithm for finding stationary points of real-valued functions defined on a Euclidean space is analyzed. It is based on the Robbins-Monro stochastic approximation procedure. Gradient evaluations are done by means of Monte Carlo simulations. At each iteratex _i , one sample point is drawn from an underlying probability space, based on which the gradient is approximated. The descent direction is against the approximation of the gradient, and the stepsize is 1/i. It is shown that, under broad conditions, w.p.1 if the sequence of iteratesx ₁,x ₂,...generated by the algorithm is bounded, then all of its accumulation points are stationary.     

Effective magnetic properties of a composite material with circular conductive elements

Effective magnetic properties of a composite meta-material consisting of periodically arranged circular conductive elements are studied theoretically. A general expression for the effective bulk permeability is obtained with mutual effects and lattice ordering being taken into account. The resonance frequency of the permeability is found to be strongly dependent on the size and shape of the unit cell. Frequency dispersion of the permeability is studied with special attention paid to the frequency range, where negative values of the permeability are possible. Corresponding recommendations for optimisation of the meta-materials with negative permeability are made. The results are confirmed by numerical simulations of the finite structure behaviour in an external magnetic field. Received 19 April 2002 Published online 31 July 2002     

Modulated Pulse Generations in a Laser-diode-pumped Passively Q-switched Intracavity-frequency-doubling Nd∶YVO4 Laser

The investigative results of modulated pulse output from an LD end-pumped passively Q-switched intracavity-frequency-doubling Nd∶YVO4/KTP laser with Cr4+∶YAG saturable absorber are presented. The numerical stimulations of these modulated pulses are carried out basing on the rate equations. It indicated that the modulations are attribute to the frequency beating of two eigenstates of the resonant polarized modes. The theoretical calculations are in good agreement with the experimental observations.     

Adaptive Algorithm for Constrained Least-Squares Problems

This paper is concerned with the implementation and testing of an algorithm for solving constrained least-squares problems. The algorithm is an adaptation to the least-squares case of sequential quadratic programming (SQP) trust-region methods for solving general constrained optimization problems. At each iteration, our local quadratic subproblem includes the use of the Gauss–Newton approximation but also encompasses a structured secant approximation along with tests of when to use this approximation. This method has been tested on a selection of standard problems. The results indicate that, for least-squares problems, the approach taken here is a viable alternative to standard general optimization methods such as the Byrd–Omojokun trust-region method and the Powell damped BFGS line search method.     

Algebraic methods in quantum mechanics: from molecules to polymers

We present a brief review of algebraic techniques developed and applied in molecular spectroscopy in the last five years. We also outline perspectives for new applications of the Lie algebraic method in the first decade of the new century. Received 21 November 2001     

改善光纤倒像器的对比度传递特性

光纤倒像器是一种特殊类型的光纤板，可将传递图像直接倒转180°并应用于像增强器。由于光纤倒像器的特殊结构，造成光纤随着距扭转轴心的距离增加，数值孔径和光通量逐渐下降。相对于光纤板，光纤倒像器在透过率和对比度传递特性上均有一定程度的下降。通过改进玻璃系统，在一定程度上降低芯皮玻璃间离子扩散和相互渗透的程度，可提高光纤倒像器的实际数值孔径；通过调节EMA吸收量，既能满足像增强器对光纤倒像器荧光屏透过率的要求，又能保证最大程度地吸收光纤中逸出的杂散光，提高对比度。选择合理的芯皮比，不仅可弥补因扭转拉伸造成的皮层厚度减薄，还可进一步增加皮层厚度，抑制光从光纤中逸出。通过以上改进，可改善光纤倒像器的对比度传递特性。     

Highly accurate calculation of radial spheroidal functions

A new method for calculating the radial spheroidal functions of the first kind is proposed for the arguments that are greater than unity in modulus. A well-known representation of these functions is refined and used for this purpose. The constructs and the software implementation proposed in the paper provide an efficient tool for the calculation of the functions with a desired accuracy in a wide range of parameters.