A duality recipe for non-convex variational problems

The aim of this paper is to present a general convexification recipe that can be useful for studying non-convex variational problems. In particular, this allows us to treat such problems by using a powerful primal–dual scheme. Possible further developments and open issues are given.     

LED advances accelerate universal access to electric lighting

A rapid increase in the performance and quality of white LED light sources has changed the dynamics of electricity access in the last 10 years, reaching tens of millions of people with electric light who previously had no viable alternatives to fuel-based lighting, which is dangerous and expensive. Eliminating fuel-based lighting is a key public health, safety, social equality, and environmental opportunity that is now achievable. Technology advances in LEDs, other super-efficient appliances, solar photovoltaic generation, advanced batteries, and coordinating information technology systems have combined to significantly expand the reach of off-grid energy systems. With support and effort, it is plausible that small “pico-solar” and “solar home” systems could serve over a billion people within a generation, providing basic but highly valued services. Continued progress can be achieved with attention to continued improvements in technology, supporting a growing range of new businesses and enterprises in energy access markets, and synergy with broader human development effort around access to clean water, financial inclusion, and fair access to resources.     

Statistical Physics Of Opinion Formation: Is it a SPOOF?

We present a short review based on the nonlinear q-voter model about problems and methods raised within statistical physics of opinion formation (SPOOF). We describe relations between models of opinion formation, developed by physicists, and theoretical models of social response, known in social psychology. We draw attention to issues that are interesting for social psychologists and physicists. We show examples of studies directly inspired by social psychology like: “independence vs. anticonformity” or “personality vs. situation”. We summarize the results that have been already obtained and point out what else can be done, also with respect to other models in SPOOF. Finally, we demonstrate several analytical methods useful in SPOOF, such as the concept of effective force and potential, Landau's approach to phase transitions, or mean-field and pair approximations.     

Reality-inspired voter models: A mini-review

This mini-review presents extensions of the voter model that incorporate various plausible features of real decision-making processes by individuals. Although these generalizations are not calibrated by empirical data, the resulting dynamics are suggestive of realistic collective social behaviors.     

Some unusual electronic patterns on graphite surface

We report on the observation of some unusual electronic patterns on a graphite surface using scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STM). We attribute these patterns to different types of strain near the surface. One such pattern seen on a particular layer comprises of two-dimensional spatially varying super-lattice and one-dimensional fringes. This pattern is present in a finite region of a layer on the surface confined between two carbon fibers. We attribute this spatially varying super-lattice structure to the shear strain generated in the top layer due to the restraining fibers. We have also developed a model with the Moirè rotation hypothesis that gives us a better insight into such largescale spatially varying patterns. We have been able to model the above-observed pattern. We also report another pattern near a defect, which we attribute to the change in density of states due to the physical buckling of the top graphite layer. Part of this buckled layer is found to be buried under another layer and this region shows a reversed contrast and thus supporting our idea of buckling. We also performed tunneling spectroscopy measurements on various regions of these patterns which show significant variations in the density of states.      

一种集成接口调试单元的设计和实现

基于综合化航电平台需求,设计了一种集成接口调试单元,其硬件组成包含以太网交换、协议转换、复位及供电控制等电路。其以太网交换和协议转换分别采用商用BCM53242和Nechip芯片实现,同时实现了快速复位,调试模式离散量控制上下电等功能。集成接口调试单元集成了以太网及RS232接口,体积小、重量轻,接线简单,无额外功率消耗,能很方便地应用于综合化航电平台等复杂系统,不影响用户调试习惯,值得推广应用。     

The recognition and the constitution of the theorems of closure

This papers analyzes how several geometric theorems, that were considered to be disconnected from each other in the beginning of the nineteenth century, have been progressively recognized as elements of a bigger whole called “the theorems of closure.” In particular, we show that the constitution of this set of theorems was grounded on the use of encompassing words, as well as observations of analogies, and searches for unifying points of view. In the concluding remarks, we discuss the relevancy of the notion of “family resemblance” to describe the categorization process of the theorems of closure during the nineteenth century.     

Global-local HROM for non-linear thermal problems with irreversible changes of material states

Highly concentrated moving nonlinearities are extremely difficult to solve numerically. The Selective Laser Melting Additive Manufacturing process is a problem of this kind. A material global-local scheme is proposed, which consists in describing the neighbourhood of the heat source by a moving local domain while the material phase fractions are represented in a global domain. The equations of the non-linear thermal problem are defined on the local domain only, assuming that the local domain is large enough to capture the most important variations of the temperature field. Additionally, a Hyper-Reduced-Order Model (HROM) is proposed for the local domain problem. The performance is studied by solving a SLM problem taken from the literature.     

Quasicrystals,model sets,and automatic sequences

We survey mathematical properties of quasicrystals, first from the point of view of harmonic analysis, then from the point of view of morphic and automatic sequences.