Scattering relations for point‐source excitation in chiral media

A spherical electromagnetic wave propagating in a chiral medium is scattered by a bounded chiral obstacle which can have any of the usual properties. Reciprocity and general scattering theorems, relating the scattered fields due to scattering of waves from a point source put in any two different locations are established. Applying the general scattering theorem for appropriate locations and polarizations of the point source we prove an associated forward scattering theorem. Mixed scattering relations, relating the scattered fields due to a plane wave and the far‐field patterns due to a spherical wave, are also established. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Linearisation and potential symmetries of certain systems of diffusion equations

We consider systems of two pure one-dimensional diffusion equations that have considerable interest in Soil Science and Mathematical Biology. We construct non-local symmetries for these systems. These are determined by expressing the equations in a partially and wholly conserved form, and then by performing a potential symmetry analysis on those systems that can be linearised. We give several examples of such systems, and in a specific case we show how linearising and hodograph-type mappings can lead to new solutions of the diffusion system.     

Global optimization for molecular conformation problems

A primal-relaxed dual global optimization algorithm is presented along with an extensive review for finding the global minimum energy configurations of microclusters composed by particles interacting with any type of two-body central forces. First, the original nonconvex expression for the total potential energy is transformed to the difference of two convex functions (DC transformation) via an eigenvalue analysis performed for each pair potential that constitutes the total potential energy function. Then, a decomposition strategy based on the GOP algorithm [1–4] is designed to provide tight upper and lower bounds on the global minimum through the solutions of a sequence of relaxed dual subproblems. A number of theoretical results are included which expedite the computational effort by exploiting the special mathematical structure of the problem. The proposed approach attains-convergence to the global minimum in a finite number of iterations. Based on this procedure global optimum solutions are generated for small Lennard-Jones and Morse (a=3) microclustersn7. For larger clusters (8N24 for Lennard-Jones and 8N30 for Morse), tight lower and upper bounds on the global solution are provided which serve as excellent initial points for local optimization approaches.     

A deductive approach to the solution of the problem of optimal pairs trading from the viewpoint of stochastic control with time‐dependent parameters

In a fairly recent paper (2008 American Control Conference, June 11‐13, 1035‐1039), the problem of dealing with trading in optimal pairs was treated from the viewpoint of stochastic control. The analysis of the subsequent nonlinear evolution partial differential equation was based upon a succession of Ansätze, which can lead to a solution of the terminal‐value problem. Through an application of the Lie Theory of Continuous Groups to this equation, we show that the Ansätze are based upon the underlying symmetries of the equation (their (14)). We solve the problem in a more general context by allowing the parameters to be explicitly time dependent. The extension means thatmore realistic problems are amenable to the samemode of solution. Copyright © 2014 JohnWiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Convex underestimation for posynomial functions of positive variables

The approximation of the convex envelope of nonconvex functions is an essential part in deterministic global optimization techniques (Floudas in Deterministic Global Optimization: Theory, Methods and Application, 2000). Current convex underestimation algorithms for multilinear terms, based on arithmetic intervals or recursive arithmetic intervals (Hamed in Calculation of bounds on variables and underestimating convex functions for nonconvex functions, 1991; Maranas and Floudas in J Global Optim 7:143–182, (1995); Ryoo and Sahinidis in J Global Optim 19:403–424, (2001)), introduce a large number of linear cuts. Meyer and Floudas (Trilinear monomials with positive or negative domains: Facets of convex and concave envelopes, pp. 327–352, (2003); J Global Optim 29:125–155, (2004)), introduced the complete set of explicit facets for the convex and concave envelopes of trilinear monomials with general bounds. This study proposes a novel method to underestimate posynomial functions of strictly positive variables.     

Partial molar volumes of organic solutes in water. XXI: Cyclic ethers at temperatures T = (278 to 373) K and at low pressure

Density values for dilute aqueous solutions of five cyclic ethers obtained using the Anton Paar DSA 5000 vibrating-tube densimeter and the laboratory-made flow densimeter are presented together with partial molar volumes at infinite dilution (standard partial molar volumes) calculated from the measured results. The cyclic ethers were either five-members cycles with one or two oxygen atoms (oxolane, 1,3-dioxolane) or six-members cycles with one, two, or three oxygen atoms (oxane, 1,4-dioxane, 1,3,5-trioxane). The measurements were performed at temperatures from T = 278 K up to T = 373 K and at either atmospheric pressure or at p = 0.5 MPa. The group contribution method is proposed and values of group contributions are evaluated. Standard partial molar volumes predicted for several other cyclic ethers including large cycles (crown ethers) are compared with available data from the literature.     

A time domain analysis of wave motions in chiral materials

A time domain analysis of the equations governing wave propagation in an unbounded chiral medium is presented by a spectral family approach and by a direct eigenfunction expansion using Beltrami–Moses fields.     

A decomposition approach for global optimum search in QP,NLP and MINLP problems

Nonconvex programming problems are frequently encountered in engineering and operations research. A large variety of global optimization algorithms have been proposed for the various classes of programming problems. A new approach for global optimum search is presented in this paper which involves a decomposition of the variable set into two sets —complicating and noncomplicating variables. This results in a decomposition of the constraint set leading to two subproblems. The decomposition of the original problem induces special structure in the resulting subproblems and a series of these subproblems are then solved, using the Generalized Benders' Decomposition technique, to determine the optimal solution. The key idea is to combine a judicious selection of the complicating variables with suitable transformations leading to subproblems which can attain their respective global solutions at each iteration. Mathematical properties of the proposed approach are presented. Even though the proposed approach cannot guarantee the determination of the global optimum, computational experience on a number of nonconvex QP, NLP and MINLP example problems indicates that a global optimum solution can be obtained from various starting points.