Topology of the distribution of zeros of the Husimi function in the LiNC/LiCN molecular system.

PubMed

Arranz, F J; Benito, R M; Borondo, F

2004-04-08

Phase space representations of quantum mechanics constitute useful tools to study vibrations in molecular systems. Among all possibilities, the Husimi function or coherent state representation is very widely used, its maxima indicating which regions of phase space are relevant in the dynamics of the system. The corresponding zeros are also a good indicator to investigate the characteristics of the eigenstates, and it has been shown how the corresponding distributions can discriminate between regular, irregular, and scarred wave functions. In this paper, we discuss how this result can be understood in terms of the overlap between coherent states and system eigenfunctions. (c) 2004 American Institute of Physics

Semiclassical propagation of Wigner functions.

PubMed

Dittrich, T; Gómez, E A; Pachón, L A

2010-06-07

We present a comprehensive study of semiclassical phase-space propagation in the Wigner representation, emphasizing numerical applications, in particular as an initial-value representation. Two semiclassical approximation schemes are discussed. The propagator of the Wigner function based on van Vleck's approximation replaces the Liouville propagator by a quantum spot with an oscillatory pattern reflecting the interference between pairs of classical trajectories. Employing phase-space path integration instead, caustics in the quantum spot are resolved in terms of Airy functions. We apply both to two benchmark models of nonlinear molecular potentials, the Morse oscillator and the quartic double well, to test them in standard tasks such as computing autocorrelation functions and propagating coherent states. The performance of semiclassical Wigner propagation is very good even in the presence of marked quantum effects, e.g., in coherent tunneling and in propagating Schrodinger cat states, and of classical chaos in four-dimensional phase space. We suggest options for an effective numerical implementation of our method and for integrating it in Monte-Carlo-Metropolis algorithms suitable for high-dimensional systems.

Supersymmetric symplectic quantum mechanics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Menezes, Miralvo B.; Fernandes, M. C. B.; Martins, Maria das Graças R.; Santana, A. E.; Vianna, J. D. M.

2018-02-01

Symplectic Quantum Mechanics SQM considers a non-commutative algebra of functions on a phase space Γ and an associated Hilbert space HΓ to construct a unitary representation for the Galilei group. From this unitary representation the Schrödinger equation is rewritten in phase space variables and the Wigner function can be derived without the use of the Liouville-von Neumann equation. In this article we extend the methods of supersymmetric quantum mechanics SUSYQM to SQM. With the purpose of applications in quantum systems, the factorization method of the quantum mechanical formalism is then set within supersymmetric SQM. A hierarchy of simpler hamiltonians is generated leading to new computation tools for solving the eigenvalue problem in SQM. We illustrate the results by computing the states and spectra of the problem of a charged particle in a homogeneous magnetic field as well as the corresponding Wigner function.

Molecular quantum control landscapes in von Neumann time-frequency phase space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruetzel, Stefan; Stolzenberger, Christoph; Fechner, Susanne; Dimler, Frank; Brixner, Tobias; Tannor, David J.

2010-10-01

Recently we introduced the von Neumann representation as a joint time-frequency description for femtosecond laser pulses and suggested its use as a basis for pulse shaping experiments. Here we use the von Neumann basis to represent multidimensional molecular control landscapes, providing insight into the molecular dynamics. We present three kinds of time-frequency phase space scanning procedures based on the von Neumann formalism: variation of intensity, time-frequency phase space position, and/or the relative phase of single subpulses. The shaped pulses produced are characterized via Fourier-transform spectral interferometry. Quantum control is demonstrated on the laser dye IR140 elucidating a time-frequency pump-dump mechanism.

Molecular quantum control landscapes in von Neumann time-frequency phase space.

PubMed

Ruetzel, Stefan; Stolzenberger, Christoph; Fechner, Susanne; Dimler, Frank; Brixner, Tobias; Tannor, David J

2010-10-28

Recently we introduced the von Neumann representation as a joint time-frequency description for femtosecond laser pulses and suggested its use as a basis for pulse shaping experiments. Here we use the von Neumann basis to represent multidimensional molecular control landscapes, providing insight into the molecular dynamics. We present three kinds of time-frequency phase space scanning procedures based on the von Neumann formalism: variation of intensity, time-frequency phase space position, and/or the relative phase of single subpulses. The shaped pulses produced are characterized via Fourier-transform spectral interferometry. Quantum control is demonstrated on the laser dye IR140 elucidating a time-frequency pump-dump mechanism.

Compositional and phase relations among rare earth element minerals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burt, D. M.

1990-01-01

This paper discusses the compositional and phase relationships among minerals in which rare earth elements (REE) occur as essential constituents (e.g., bastnaesite, monazite, xenotime, aeschynite, allanite). Particular consideration is given to the vector representation of complex coupled substitutions in selected REE-bearing minerals and to the REE partitioning between minerals as related to the acid-base tendencies and mineral stabilities. It is shown that the treatment of coupled substitutions as vector quantities facilitates graphical representation of mineral composition spaces.

Proceedings of the Space Surveillance Workshop (11th) Held at Lexington, Massachusetts on 30 March-1 April 1993. Volume 2

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-04-01

modulation mentioned above is hardly noticeable in the magnitude plots, suggesting it is much weaker than the typical phase function behavior for the...measurements with the overall behavior virtually the same for both. Thus a single representation is sought. Searches for the best analytical representation...nightly phase function behavior , the specular function is found by fitting only the nightly peak count in each case. The specular function is thus

A New Definition to the Phase Operator and its Properties

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Duan, Lu-Ming; Guo, Guang-Can

1996-01-01

By introducing a series of mathematical symbols and the phase quantization condition, we give a new definition of the phase operator, which not only is made directly in infinite state spaces, but also circumvents all difficulties appearing in the traditional approach Properties of the phase operator and its expressions in some widely-used representations are also given.

An approach for automated fault diagnosis based on a fuzzy decision tree and boundary analysis of a reconstructed phase space.

PubMed

Aydin, Ilhan; Karakose, Mehmet; Akin, Erhan

2014-03-01

Although reconstructed phase space is one of the most powerful methods for analyzing a time series, it can fail in fault diagnosis of an induction motor when the appropriate pre-processing is not performed. Therefore, boundary analysis based a new feature extraction method in phase space is proposed for diagnosis of induction motor faults. The proposed approach requires the measurement of one phase current signal to construct the phase space representation. Each phase space is converted into an image, and the boundary of each image is extracted by a boundary detection algorithm. A fuzzy decision tree has been designed to detect broken rotor bars and broken connector faults. The results indicate that the proposed approach has a higher recognition rate than other methods on the same dataset. © 2013 ISA Published by ISA All rights reserved.

A Gaussian wave packet phase-space representation of quantum canonical statistics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Coughtrie, David J.; Tew, David P.

2015-07-28

We present a mapping of quantum canonical statistical averages onto a phase-space average over thawed Gaussian wave-packet (GWP) parameters, which is exact for harmonic systems at all temperatures. The mapping invokes an effective potential surface, experienced by the wave packets, and a temperature-dependent phase-space integrand, to correctly transition from the GWP average at low temperature to classical statistics at high temperature. Numerical tests on weakly and strongly anharmonic model systems demonstrate that thermal averages of the system energy and geometric properties are accurate to within 1% of the exact quantum values at all temperatures.

Time-dependent importance sampling in semiclassical initial value representation calculations for time correlation functions.

PubMed

Tao, Guohua; Miller, William H

2011-07-14

An efficient time-dependent importance sampling method is developed for the Monte Carlo calculation of time correlation functions via the initial value representation (IVR) of semiclassical (SC) theory. A prefactor-free time-dependent sampling function weights the importance of a trajectory based on the magnitude of its contribution to the time correlation function, and global trial moves are used to facilitate the efficient sampling the phase space of initial conditions. The method can be generally applied to sampling rare events efficiently while avoiding being trapped in a local region of the phase space. Results presented in the paper for two system-bath models demonstrate the efficiency of this new importance sampling method for full SC-IVR calculations.

Rényi entropies characterizing the shape and the extension of the phase space representation of quantum wave functions in disordered systems.

PubMed

Varga, Imre; Pipek, János

2003-08-01

We discuss some properties of the generalized entropies, called Rényi entropies, and their application to the case of continuous distributions. In particular, it is shown that these measures of complexity can be divergent; however, their differences are free from these divergences, thus enabling them to be good candidates for the description of the extension and the shape of continuous distributions. We apply this formalism to the projection of wave functions onto the coherent state basis, i.e., to the Husimi representation. We also show how the localization properties of the Husimi distribution on average can be reconstructed from its marginal distributions that are calculated in position and momentum space in the case when the phase space has no structure, i.e., no classical limit can be defined. Numerical simulations on a one-dimensional disordered system corroborate our expectations.

Quantum dressing orbits on compact groups

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jurčo, Branislav; Šťovíček, Pavel

1993-02-01

The quantum double is shown to imply the dressing transformation on quantum compact groups and the quantum Iwasawa decompositon in the general case. Quantum dressing orbits are described explicitly as *-algebras. The dual coalgebras consisting of differential operators are related to the quantum Weyl elements. Besides, the differential geometry on a quantum leaf allows a remarkably simple construction of irreducible *-representations of the algebras of quantum functions. Representation spaces then consist of analytic functions on classical phase spaces. These representations are also interpreted in the framework of quantization in the spirit of Berezin applied to symplectic leaves on classical compact groups. Convenient “coherent states” are introduced and a correspondence between classical and quantum observables is given.

The Deleuzian Concept of Structure and Quantum Mechanics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Christiaens, Wim A.

2014-03-01

Gilles Deleuze wanted a philosophy of nature in a pre-kantian almost archaic sense. A central concept in his philosophy is `multiplicity'. Although the concept is philosophical through and through, it has roots in the mathematical notion of manifold, specifically the state spaces for dynamical systems exhibiting non-linear behaviour. Deleuze was attracted to such mathematical structures because he believed they indicated a break with the dogmatic image of thought (the kind of thought that constrains itself into producing representations of reality conceived as particular things with strict borders, behaving and interacting according to invariant covering laws within space). However, even though it is true that a phase space representation of a physical entity is not a typical materialist picture of reality, it derives from a normal Euclidean representation, and can in principle be reduced to it. We want to argue that the real break happens with the quantum state space, and that Deleuze's typical description of a multiplicity fits even better with the quantum state space.

Quantum-field-theoretical approach to phase–space techniques: Symmetric Wick theorem and multitime Wigner representation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Plimak, L.I., E-mail: Lev.Plimak@mbi-berlin.de; Olsen, M.K.

2014-12-15

In this work we present the formal background used to develop the methods used in earlier works to extend the truncated Wigner representation of quantum and atom optics in order to address multi-time problems. Analogs of Wick’s theorem for the Weyl ordering are verified. Using the Bose–Hubbard chain as an example, we show how these may be applied to constructing a mapping of the system in question to phase space. Regularisation issues and the reordering problem for the Heisenberg operators are addressed.

Husimi function and phase-space analysis of bilayer quantum Hall systems at ν = 2/λ

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Calixto, M.; Peón-Nieto, C.

2018-05-01

We propose localization measures in phase space of the ground state of bilayer quantum Hall systems at fractional filling factors , to characterize the three quantum phases (shortly denoted by spin, canted and ppin) for arbitrary -isospin λ. We use a coherent state (Bargmann) representation of quantum states, as holomorphic functions in the 8-dimensional Grassmannian phase-space (a higher-dimensional generalization of the Haldane’s 2-dimensional sphere ). We quantify the localization (inverse volume) of the ground state wave function in phase-space throughout the phase diagram (i.e. as a function of Zeeman, tunneling, layer distance, etc, control parameters) with the Husimi function second moment, a kind of inverse participation ratio that behaves as an order parameter. Then we visualize the different ground state structure in phase space of the three quantum phases, the canted phase displaying a much higher delocalization (a Schrödinger cat structure) than the spin and ppin phases, where the ground state is highly coherent. We find a good agreement between analytic (variational) and numeric diagonalization results.

Experimental phase-space-based optical amplification of scar modes.

PubMed

Michel, C; Tascu, S; Doya, V; Aschiéri, P; Blanc, W; Legrand, O; Mortessagne, F

2012-04-01

Wave billiards which are chaotic in the geometrical limit are known to support nongeneric spatially localized modes called scar modes. The interaction of the scar modes with gain has been recently investigated in optics in microcavity lasers and vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers. Exploiting the localization properties of scar modes in their wave-analogous phase-space representation, we report experimental results of scar mode selection by gain in a doped D-shaped optical fiber.

Manned space flight nuclear system safety. Volume 3: Reactor system preliminary nuclear safety analysis. Part 2A: Accident model document, appendix

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1972-01-01

The detailed abort sequence trees for the reference zirconium hydride (ZrH) reactor power module that have been generated for each phase of the reference Space Base program mission are presented. The trees are graphical representations of causal sequences. Each tree begins with the phase identification and the dichotomy between success and failure. The success branch shows the mission phase objective as being achieved. The failure branch is subdivided, as conditions require, into various primary initiating abort conditions.

Communication: importance sampling including path correlation in semiclassical initial value representation calculations for time correlation functions.

PubMed

Pan, Feng; Tao, Guohua

2013-03-07

Full semiclassical (SC) initial value representation (IVR) for time correlation functions involves a double phase space average over a set of two phase points, each of which evolves along a classical path. Conventionally, the two initial phase points are sampled independently for all degrees of freedom (DOF) in the Monte Carlo procedure. Here, we present an efficient importance sampling scheme by including the path correlation between the two initial phase points for the bath DOF, which greatly improves the performance of the SC-IVR calculations for large molecular systems. Satisfactory convergence in the study of quantum coherence in vibrational relaxation has been achieved for a benchmark system-bath model with up to 21 DOF.

Qubits in phase space: Wigner-function approach to quantum-error correction and the mean-king problem

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Paz, Juan Pablo; Roncaglia, Augusto Jose; Theoretical Division, LANL, MSB213, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545

2005-07-15

We analyze and further develop a method to represent the quantum state of a system of n qubits in a phase-space grid of NxN points (where N=2{sup n}). The method, which was recently proposed by Wootters and co-workers (Gibbons et al., Phys. Rev. A 70, 062101 (2004).), is based on the use of the elements of the finite field GF(2{sup n}) to label the phase-space axes. We present a self-contained overview of the method, we give insights into some of its features, and we apply it to investigate problems which are of interest for quantum-information theory: We analyze the phase-spacemore » representation of stabilizer states and quantum error-correction codes and present a phase-space solution to the so-called mean king problem.« less

Temporal and Rate Coding for Discrete Event Sequences in the Hippocampus.

PubMed

Terada, Satoshi; Sakurai, Yoshio; Nakahara, Hiroyuki; Fujisawa, Shigeyoshi

2017-06-21

Although the hippocampus is critical to episodic memory, neuronal representations supporting this role, especially relating to nonspatial information, remain elusive. Here, we investigated rate and temporal coding of hippocampal CA1 neurons in rats performing a cue-combination task that requires the integration of sequentially provided sound and odor cues. The majority of CA1 neurons displayed sensory cue-, combination-, or choice-specific (simply, "event"-specific) elevated discharge activities, which were sustained throughout the event period. These event cells underwent transient theta phase precession at event onset, followed by sustained phase locking to the early theta phases. As a result of this unique single neuron behavior, the theta sequences of CA1 cell assemblies of the event sequences had discrete representations. These results help to update the conceptual framework for space encoding toward a more general model of episodic event representations in the hippocampus. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Suppression of Phase Mixing in Drift-Kinetic Plasma Turbulence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parker, J. T.; Dellar, P. J.; Schekochihin, A. A.; Highcock, E. G.

2017-12-01

The solar wind and interstellar medium are examples of strongly magnetised, weakly collisional, astrophysical plasmas. Their turbulent fluctuations are strongly anisotropic, with small amplitudes, and frequencies much lower than the Larmor frequency. This regime is described by gyrokinetic theory, a reduced five-dimensional kinetic system describing averages over Larmor orbits. A turbulent plasma may transfer free energy, a measure of fluctuation amplitudes, from injection at large scales, typically by an instability, to dissipation at small physical scales like a turbulent fluid. Alternatively, a turbulent plasma may form fine scale structures in velocity space via phase-mixing, the mechanism that leads to Landau damping in linear plasma theory. Macroscopic plasma properties like heat and momentum transport are affected by both mechanisms. While each is understood in isolation, their interaction is not. We study this interaction using a Hankel-Hermite velocity space representation of gyrokinetic theory. The Hankel transform interacts neatly with the Bessel functions that arise from averaging over Larmor orbits, so the perpendicular velocity space is decoupled for linearized problems. The Hermite transform expresses phase mixing as nearest-neighbor coupling between parallel velocity space scales represented by Hermite mode numbers. We use this representation to study transfer mechanisms in drift-kinetic plasma turbulence, the long wavelength limit of gyrokinetic theory. We show that phase space is divided into two regions, with one transfer mechanism dominating in each. Most energy is contained in the region where the fluid-like nonlinear cascade dominates. Moreover, in that region the nonlinear cascade interferes with phase mixing by exciting an "anti phase mixing" transfer of free energy from small to large velocity space scales. This cancels out the usual phase mixing, and renders the overall behavior fluid-like. These results profoundly change our understanding of free energy flow in drift-kinetic turbulence, and, moreover, explain previously observed spectra.

Multi-particle phase space integration with arbitrary set of singularities in CompHEP

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kovalenko, D. N.; Pukhov, A. E.

1997-02-01

We describe an algorithm of multi-particle phase space integration for collision and decay processes realized in CompHEP package version 3.2. In the framework of this algorithm it is possible to regularize an arbitrary set of singularities caused by virtual particle propagators. The algorithm is based on the method of the recursive representation of kinematics and on the multichannel Monte Carlo approach. CompHEP package is available by WWW: http://theory.npi.msu.su/pukhov/comphep.html

Stochastic solution to quantum dynamics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

John, Sarah; Wilson, John W.

1994-01-01

The quantum Liouville equation in the Wigner representation is solved numerically by using Monte Carlo methods. For incremental time steps, the propagation is implemented as a classical evolution in phase space modified by a quantum correction. The correction, which is a momentum jump function, is simulated in the quasi-classical approximation via a stochastic process. The technique, which is developed and validated in two- and three- dimensional momentum space, extends an earlier one-dimensional work. Also, by developing a new algorithm, the application to bound state motion in an anharmonic quartic potential shows better agreement with exact solutions in two-dimensional phase space.

Illustration of microphysical processes in Amazonian deep convective clouds in the gamma phase space: introduction and potential applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cecchini, Micael A.; Machado, Luiz A. T.; Wendisch, Manfred; Costa, Anja; Krämer, Martina; Andreae, Meinrat O.; Afchine, Armin; Albrecht, Rachel I.; Artaxo, Paulo; Borrmann, Stephan; Fütterer, Daniel; Klimach, Thomas; Mahnke, Christoph; Martin, Scot T.; Minikin, Andreas; Molleker, Sergej; Pardo, Lianet H.; Pöhlker, Christopher; Pöhlker, Mira L.; Pöschl, Ulrich; Rosenfeld, Daniel; Weinzierl, Bernadett

2017-12-01

The behavior of tropical clouds remains a major open scientific question, resulting in poor representation by models. One challenge is to realistically reproduce cloud droplet size distributions (DSDs) and their evolution over time and space. Many applications, not limited to models, use the gamma function to represent DSDs. However, even though the statistical characteristics of the gamma parameters have been widely studied, there is almost no study dedicated to understanding the phase space of this function and the associated physics. This phase space can be defined by the three parameters that define the DSD intercept, shape, and curvature. Gamma phase space may provide a common framework for parameterizations and intercomparisons. Here, we introduce the phase space approach and its characteristics, focusing on warm-phase microphysical cloud properties and the transition to the mixed-phase layer. We show that trajectories in this phase space can represent DSD evolution and can be related to growth processes. Condensational and collisional growth may be interpreted as pseudo-forces that induce displacements in opposite directions within the phase space. The actually observed movements in the phase space are a result of the combination of such pseudo-forces. Additionally, aerosol effects can be evaluated given their significant impact on DSDs. The DSDs associated with liquid droplets that favor cloud glaciation can be delimited in the phase space, which can help models to adequately predict the transition to the mixed phase. We also consider possible ways to constrain the DSD in two-moment bulk microphysics schemes, in which the relative dispersion parameter of the DSD can play a significant role. Overall, the gamma phase space approach can be an invaluable tool for studying cloud microphysical evolution and can be readily applied in many scenarios that rely on gamma DSDs.

Phase-space analysis of the Schwinger effect in inhomogeneous electromagnetic fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kohlfürst, Christian

2018-05-01

Schwinger pair production in spatially and temporally inhomogeneous electric and magnetic fields is studied. The focus is on the particle phase-space distribution within a high-intensity few-cycle pulse. Accurate numerical solutions of a quantum kinetic theory (DHW formalism) are presented in momentum space and, with the aid of coarse-graining techniques, in a mixed spatial-momentum representation. Additionally, signatures of the carrier-envelope phase as well as spin-field interactions are discussed on the basis of a trajectory-based model taking into account instantaneous pair production and relativistic single-particle dynamics. Although our simple semi-classical single-particle model cannot describe every aspect of the particle production process (quantum interferences), essential features such as spin-field interactions are captured.

Inhibition of quantum transport due to 'scars' of unstable periodic orbits

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jensen, R. V.; Sanders, M. M.; Saraceno, M.; Sundaram, B.

1989-01-01

A new quantum mechanism for the suppression of chaotic ionization of highly excited hydrogen atoms explains the appearance of anomalously stable states in the microwave ionization experiments of Koch et al. A novel phase-space representation of the perturbed wave functions reveals that the inhibition of quantum transport is due to the selective excitation of wave functions that are highly localized near unstable periodic orbits in the chaotic classical phase space. The 'scarred' wave functions provide a new basis for the quantum description of a variety of classically chaotic systems.

Wigner's quantum phase-space current in weakly-anharmonic weakly-excited two-state systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kakofengitis, Dimitris; Steuernagel, Ole

2017-09-01

There are no phase-space trajectories for anharmonic quantum systems, but Wigner's phase-space representation of quantum mechanics features Wigner current J . This current reveals fine details of quantum dynamics —finer than is ordinarily thought accessible according to quantum folklore invoking Heisenberg's uncertainty principle. Here, we focus on the simplest, most intuitive, and analytically accessible aspects of J. We investigate features of J for bound states of time-reversible, weakly-anharmonic one-dimensional quantum-mechanical systems which are weakly-excited. We establish that weakly-anharmonic potentials can be grouped into three distinct classes: hard, soft, and odd potentials. We stress connections between each other and the harmonic case. We show that their Wigner current fieldline patterns can be characterised by J's discrete stagnation points, how these arise and how a quantum system's dynamics is constrained by the stagnation points' topological charge conservation. We additionally show that quantum dynamics in phase space, in the case of vanishing Planck constant ℏ or vanishing anharmonicity, does not pointwise converge to classical dynamics.

Bounds on the polymer scale from gamma ray bursts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bonder, Yuri; Garcia-Chung, Angel; Rastgoo, Saeed

2017-11-01

The polymer representations, which are partially motivated by loop quantum gravity, have been suggested as alternative schemes to quantize the matter fields. Here we apply a version of the polymer representations to the free electromagnetic field, in a reduced phase space setting, and derive the corresponding effective (i.e., semiclassical) Hamiltonian. We study the propagation of an electromagnetic pulse, and we confront our theoretical results with gamma ray burst observations. This comparison reveals that the dimensionless polymer scale must be smaller than 4 ×10-35 , casting doubts on the possibility that the matter fields are quantized with the polymer representation we employed.

High-order space charge effects using automatic differentiation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Reusch, Michael F.; Bruhwiler, David L.; Computer Accelerator Physics Conference Williamsburg, Virginia 1996

1997-02-01

The Northrop Grumman Topkark code has been upgraded to Fortran 90, making use of operator overloading, so the same code can be used to either track an array of particles or construct a Taylor map representation of the accelerator lattice. We review beam optics and beam dynamics simulations conducted with TOPKARK in the past and we present a new method for modeling space charge forces to high-order with automatic differentiation. This method generates an accurate, high-order, 6-D Taylor map of the phase space variable trajectories for a bunched, high-current beam. The spatial distribution is modeled as the product of amore » Taylor Series times a Gaussian. The variables in the argument of the Gaussian are normalized to the respective second moments of the distribution. This form allows for accurate representation of a wide range of realistic distributions, including any asymmetries, and allows for rapid calculation of the space charge fields with free space boundary conditions. An example problem is presented to illustrate our approach.« less

Using an iterative eigensolver to compute vibrational energies with phase-spaced localized basis functions.

PubMed

Brown, James; Carrington, Tucker

2015-07-28

Although phase-space localized Gaussians are themselves poor basis functions, they can be used to effectively contract a discrete variable representation basis [A. Shimshovitz and D. J. Tannor, Phys. Rev. Lett. 109, 070402 (2012)]. This works despite the fact that elements of the Hamiltonian and overlap matrices labelled by discarded Gaussians are not small. By formulating the matrix problem as a regular (i.e., not a generalized) matrix eigenvalue problem, we show that it is possible to use an iterative eigensolver to compute vibrational energy levels in the Gaussian basis.

Quantum dynamics calculations using symmetrized, orthogonal Weyl-Heisenberg wavelets with a phase space truncation scheme. III. Representations and calculations.

PubMed

Poirier, Bill; Salam, A

2004-07-22

In a previous paper [J. Theo. Comput. Chem. 2, 65 (2003)], one of the authors (B.P.) presented a method for solving the multidimensional Schrodinger equation, using modified Wilson-Daubechies wavelets, and a simple phase space truncation scheme. Unprecedented numerical efficiency was achieved, enabling a ten-dimensional calculation of nearly 600 eigenvalues to be performed using direct matrix diagonalization techniques. In a second paper [J. Chem. Phys. 121, 1690 (2004)], and in this paper, we extend and elaborate upon the previous work in several important ways. The second paper focuses on construction and optimization of the wavelength functions, from theoretical and numerical viewpoints, and also examines their localization. This paper deals with their use in representations and eigenproblem calculations, which are extended to 15-dimensional systems. Even higher dimensionalities are possible using more sophisticated linear algebra techniques. This approach is ideally suited to rovibrational spectroscopy applications, but can be used in any context where differential equations are involved.

Quantum-field-theoretical approach to phase-space techniques: Generalizing the positive-P representation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Plimak, L. I.; Fleischhauer, M.; Olsen, M. K.; Collett, M. J.

2003-01-01

We present an introduction to phase-space techniques (PST) based on a quantum-field-theoretical (QFT) approach. In addition to bridging the gap between PST and QFT, our approach results in a number of generalizations of the PST. First, for problems where the usual PST do not result in a genuine Fokker-Planck equation (even after phase-space doubling) and hence fail to produce a stochastic differential equation (SDE), we show how the system in question may be approximated via stochastic difference equations (SΔE). Second, we show that introducing sources into the SDE’s (or SΔE’s) generalizes them to a full quantum nonlinear stochastic response problem (thus generalizing Kubo’s linear reaction theory to a quantum nonlinear stochastic response theory). Third, we establish general relations linking quantum response properties of the system in question to averages of operator products ordered in a way different from time normal. This extends PST to a much wider assemblage of operator products than are usually considered in phase-space approaches. In all cases, our approach yields a very simple and straightforward way of deriving stochastic equations in phase space.

Quantization of Simple Parametrized Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruffini, Giulio

1995-01-01

I study the canonical formulation and quantization of some simple parametrized systems using Dirac's formalism and the Becchi-Rouet-Stora-Tyutin (BRST) extended phase space method. These systems include the parametrized particle and minisuperspace. Using Dirac's formalism I first analyze for each case the construction of the classical reduced phase space. There are two separate features of these systems that may make this construction difficult: (a) Because of the boundary conditions used, the actions are not gauge invariant at the boundaries. (b) The constraints may have a disconnected solution space. The relativistic particle and minisuperspace have such complicated constraints, while the non-relativistic particle displays only the first feature. I first show that a change of gauge fixing is equivalent to a canonical transformation in the reduced phase space, thus resolving the problems associated with the first feature above. Then I consider the quantization of these systems using several approaches: Dirac's method, Dirac-Fock quantization, and the BRST formalism. In the cases of the relativistic particle and minisuperspace I consider first the quantization of one branch of the constraint at the time and then discuss the backgrounds in which it is possible to quantize simultaneously both branches. I motivate and define the inner product, and obtain, for example, the Klein-Gordon inner product for the relativistic case. Then I show how to construct phase space path integral representations for amplitudes in these approaches--the Batalin-Fradkin-Vilkovisky (BFV) and the Faddeev path integrals --from which one can then derive the path integrals in coordinate space--the Faddeev-Popov path integral and the geometric path integral. In particular I establish the connection between the Hilbert space representation and the range of the lapse in the path integrals. I also examine the class of paths that contribute in the path integrals and how they affect space-time covariance, concluding that it is consistent to take paths that move forward in time only when there is no electric field. The key elements in this analysis are the space-like paths and the behavior of the action under the non-trivial ( Z_2) element of the reparametrization group.

Mythic Evolution of "The New Frontier" in Mass Mediated Rhetoric.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rushing, Janice Hocker

1986-01-01

Combines "rhetorical narration" with K. Burke's dramatistic pentad to argue that definitional cultural myths are rhetorically meaningful in relation to social consciousness if both evolved teleologically. Delineates two phases in America's frontier myth associated with recent space fiction films' representation of a pentadic term's…

The fault monitoring and diagnosis knowledge-based system for space power systems: AMPERES, phase 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, S. C.

1989-01-01

The objective is to develop a real time fault monitoring and diagnosis knowledge-based system (KBS) for space power systems which can save costly operational manpower and can achieve more reliable space power system operation. The proposed KBS was developed using the Autonomously Managed Power System (AMPS) test facility currently installed at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC), but the basic approach taken for this project could be applicable for other space power systems. The proposed KBS is entitled Autonomously Managed Power-System Extendible Real-time Expert System (AMPERES). In Phase 1 the emphasis was put on the design of the overall KBS, the identification of the basic research required, the initial performance of the research, and the development of a prototype KBS. In Phase 2, emphasis is put on the completion of the research initiated in Phase 1, and the enhancement of the prototype KBS developed in Phase 1. This enhancement is intended to achieve a working real time KBS incorporated with the NASA space power system test facilities. Three major research areas were identified and progress was made in each area. These areas are real time data acquisition and its supporting data structure; sensor value validations; development of inference scheme for effective fault monitoring and diagnosis, and its supporting knowledge representation scheme.

The Riesz transform and simultaneous representations of phase, energy and orientation in spatial vision.

PubMed

Langley, Keith; Anderson, Stephen J

2010-08-06

To represent the local orientation and energy of a 1-D image signal, many models of early visual processing employ bandpass quadrature filters, formed by combining the original signal with its Hilbert transform. However, representations capable of estimating an image signal's 2-D phase have been largely ignored. Here, we consider 2-D phase representations using a method based upon the Riesz transform. For spatial images there exist two Riesz transformed signals and one original signal from which orientation, phase and energy may be represented as a vector in 3-D signal space. We show that these image properties may be represented by a Singular Value Decomposition (SVD) of the higher-order derivatives of the original and the Riesz transformed signals. We further show that the expected responses of even and odd symmetric filters from the Riesz transform may be represented by a single signal autocorrelation function, which is beneficial in simplifying Bayesian computations for spatial orientation. Importantly, the Riesz transform allows one to weight linearly across orientation using both symmetric and asymmetric filters to account for some perceptual phase distortions observed in image signals - notably one's perception of edge structure within plaid patterns whose component gratings are either equal or unequal in contrast. Finally, exploiting the benefits that arise from the Riesz definition of local energy as a scalar quantity, we demonstrate the utility of Riesz signal representations in estimating the spatial orientation of second-order image signals. We conclude that the Riesz transform may be employed as a general tool for 2-D visual pattern recognition by its virtue of representing phase, orientation and energy as orthogonal signal quantities.

A brief note on Weyl frames and canonical transformations in geometrical scalar–tensor theories of gravity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barreto, A. B.; Pucheu, M. L.; Romero, C.

2018-02-01

We consider scalar–tensor theories of gravity defined in Weyl integrable space-time and show that for time-lapse extended Robertson–Walker metrics in the ADM formalism a class of Weyl transformations corresponding to change of frames induce canonical transformations between different representations of the phase space. In this context, we discuss the physical equivalence of two distinct Weyl frames at the classical level.

Documentation of Helicopter Aeroelastic Stability Analysis Computer Program (HASTA)

DTIC Science & Technology

1977-12-01

of the blade phasing assumption for which all blades of the rotor are identical and equally spaced azimuthally allows the size of the T. matrices...to be significantly reduced by the removal of the submatrices associated with blades other than the first blade. With the use of this assumption ...different program representational options such as the type of rotor system, the type of blades, and the use of the blade phasing assumption , the

Semiclassical approximations in the coherent-state representation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kurchan, J.; Leboeuf, P.; Saraceno, M.

1989-01-01

The semiclassical limit of the stationary Schroedinger equation in the coherent-state representation is analyzed simultaneously for the groups W1, SU(2), and SU(1,1). A simple expression for the first two orders for the wave function and the associated semiclassical quantization rule is obtained if a definite choice for the classical Hamiltonian and expansion parameter is made. The behavior of the modulus of the wave function, which is a distribution function in a curved phase space, is studied for the three groups. The results are applied to the quantum triaxial rotor.

Zonal-flow dynamics from a phase-space perspective

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ruiz, D. E.; Parker, J. B.; Shi, E. L.

The wave kinetic equation (WKE) describing drift-wave (DW) turbulence is widely used in the studies of zonal flows (ZFs) emerging from DW turbulence. But, this formulation neglects the exchange of enstrophy between DWs and ZFs and also ignores effects beyond the geometrical-optics limit. Furthermore, we derive a modified theory that takes both of these effects into account, while still treating DW quanta (“driftons”) as particles in phase space. The drifton dynamics is described by an equation of the Wigner–Moyal type, which is commonly known in the phase-space formulation of quantum mechanics. In the geometrical-optics limit, this formulation features additional termsmore » missing in the traditional WKE that ensure exact conservation of the total enstrophy of the system, in addition to the total energy, which is the only conserved invariant in previous theories based on the WKE. We present numerical simulations to illustrate the importance of these additional terms. The proposed formulation can be considered as a phase-space representation of the second-order cumulant expansion, or CE2.« less

Zonal-flow dynamics from a phase-space perspective

DOE PAGES

Ruiz, D. E.; Parker, J. B.; Shi, E. L.; ...

2016-12-16

The wave kinetic equation (WKE) describing drift-wave (DW) turbulence is widely used in the studies of zonal flows (ZFs) emerging from DW turbulence. But, this formulation neglects the exchange of enstrophy between DWs and ZFs and also ignores effects beyond the geometrical-optics limit. Furthermore, we derive a modified theory that takes both of these effects into account, while still treating DW quanta (“driftons”) as particles in phase space. The drifton dynamics is described by an equation of the Wigner–Moyal type, which is commonly known in the phase-space formulation of quantum mechanics. In the geometrical-optics limit, this formulation features additional termsmore » missing in the traditional WKE that ensure exact conservation of the total enstrophy of the system, in addition to the total energy, which is the only conserved invariant in previous theories based on the WKE. We present numerical simulations to illustrate the importance of these additional terms. The proposed formulation can be considered as a phase-space representation of the second-order cumulant expansion, or CE2.« less

Hierarchical structure in sharply divided phase space for the piecewise linear map

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akaishi, Akira; Aoki, Kazuki; Shudo, Akira

2017-05-01

We have studied a two-dimensional piecewise linear map to examine how the hierarchical structure of stable regions affects the slow dynamics in Hamiltonian systems. In the phase space there are infinitely many stable regions, each of which is polygonal-shaped, and the rest is occupied by chaotic orbits. By using symbolic representation of stable regions, a procedure to compute the edges of the polygons is presented. The stable regions are hierarchically distributed in phase space and the edges of the stable regions show the marginal instability. The cumulative distribution of the recurrence time obeys a power law as ˜t-2 , the same as the one for the system with phase space, which is composed of a single stable region and chaotic components. By studying the symbol sequence of recurrence trajectories, we show that the hierarchical structure of stable regions has no significant effect on the power-law exponent and that only the marginal instability on the boundary of stable regions is responsible for determining the exponent. We also discuss the relevance of the hierarchical structure to those in more generic chaotic systems.

Massless spinning particle and null-string on AdS d : projective-space approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uvarov, D. V.

2018-07-01

The massless spinning particle and the tensionless string models on an AdS d background in the projective-space realization are proposed as constrained Hamiltonian systems. Various forms of particle and string Lagrangians are derived and classical mechanics is studied including the Lax-type representation of the equations of motion. After that, the transition to the quantum theory is discussed. The analysis of potential anomalies in the tensionless string model necessitates the introduction of ghosts and BRST charge. It is shown that a quantum BRST charge is nilpotent for any d if coordinate-momentum ordering for the phase-space bosonic variables, Weyl ordering for the fermions and cb () ordering for the ghosts is chosen, while conformal reparametrizations and space-time dilatations turn out to be anomalous for ordering in terms of positive and negative Fourier modes of the phase-space variables and ghosts.

Entanglement Holographic Mapping of Many-Body Localized System by Spectrum Bifurcation Renormalization Group

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

You, Yi-Zhuang; Qi, Xiao-Liang; Xu, Cenke

We introduce the spectrum bifurcation renormalization group (SBRG) as a generalization of the real-space renormalization group for the many-body localized (MBL) system without truncating the Hilbert space. Starting from a disordered many-body Hamiltonian in the full MBL phase, the SBRG flows to the MBL fixed-point Hamiltonian, and generates the local conserved quantities and the matrix product state representations for all eigenstates. The method is applicable to both spin and fermion models with arbitrary interaction strength on any lattice in all dimensions, as long as the models are in the MBL phase. In particular, we focus on the 1 d interacting Majorana chain with strong disorder, and map out its phase diagram using the entanglement entropy. The SBRG flow also generates an entanglement holographic mapping, which duals the MBL state to a fragmented holographic space decorated with small blackholes.

Four-dimensional gravity as an almost-Poisson system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ita, Eyo Eyo

2015-04-01

In this paper, we examine the phase space structure of a noncanonical formulation of four-dimensional gravity referred to as the Instanton representation of Plebanski gravity (IRPG). The typical Hamiltonian (symplectic) approach leads to an obstruction to the definition of a symplectic structure on the full phase space of the IRPG. We circumvent this obstruction, using the Lagrange equations of motion, to find the appropriate generalization of the Poisson bracket. It is shown that the IRPG does not support a Poisson bracket except on the vector constraint surface. Yet there exists a fundamental bilinear operation on its phase space which produces the correct equations of motion and induces the correct transformation properties of the basic fields. This bilinear operation is known as the almost-Poisson bracket, which fails to satisfy the Jacobi identity and in this case also the condition of antisymmetry. We place these results into the overall context of nonsymplectic systems.

Using the small alignment index chaos indicator to characterize the vibrational dynamics of a molecular system: LiNC-LiCN.

PubMed

Benitez, P; Losada, J C; Benito, R M; Borondo, F

2015-10-01

A study of the dynamical characteristics of the phase space corresponding to the vibrations of the LiNC-LiCN molecule using an analysis based on the small alignment index (SALI) is presented. SALI is a good indicator of chaos that can easily determine whether a given trajectory is regular or chaotic regardless of the dimensionality of the system, and can also provide a wealth of dynamical information when conveniently implemented. In two-dimensional (2D) systems SALI maps are computed as 2D phase space representations, where the SALI asymptotic values are represented in color scale. We show here how these maps provide full information on the dynamical phase space structure of the LiNC-LiCN system, even quantifying numerically the volume of the different zones of chaos and regularity as a function of the molecule excitation energy.

BRST technique for the cosmological density matrix

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barvinsky, A. O.

2013-10-01

The microcanonical density matrix in closed cosmology has a natural definition as a projector on the space of solutions of Wheeler-DeWitt equations, which is motivated by the absence of global non-vanishing charges and energy in spatially closed gravitational systems. Using the BRST/BFV formalism in relativistic phase space of gauge and ghost variables we derive the path integral representation for this projector and the relevant statistical sum. This derivation circumvents the difficulties associated with the open algebra of noncommutative quantum Dirac constraints and the construction/regularization of the physical inner product in the subspace of BRS singlets. This inner product is achieved via the Batalin-Marnelius gauge fixing in the space of BRS-invariant states, which in its turn is shown to be a result of truncation of the BRST/BFV formalism to the "matter" sector of relativistic phase space.

Phase unwrapping algorithm using polynomial phase approximation and linear Kalman filter.

PubMed

Kulkarni, Rishikesh; Rastogi, Pramod

2018-02-01

A noise-robust phase unwrapping algorithm is proposed based on state space analysis and polynomial phase approximation using wrapped phase measurement. The true phase is approximated as a two-dimensional first order polynomial function within a small sized window around each pixel. The estimates of polynomial coefficients provide the measurement of phase and local fringe frequencies. A state space representation of spatial phase evolution and the wrapped phase measurement is considered with the state vector consisting of polynomial coefficients as its elements. Instead of using the traditional nonlinear Kalman filter for the purpose of state estimation, we propose to use the linear Kalman filter operating directly with the wrapped phase measurement. The adaptive window width is selected at each pixel based on the local fringe density to strike a balance between the computation time and the noise robustness. In order to retrieve the unwrapped phase, either a line-scanning approach or a quality guided strategy of pixel selection is used depending on the underlying continuous or discontinuous phase distribution, respectively. Simulation and experimental results are provided to demonstrate the applicability of the proposed method.

High-order space charge effects using automatic differentiation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Reusch, M.F.; Bruhwiler, D.L.

1997-02-01

The Northrop Grumman Topkark code has been upgraded to Fortran 90, making use of operator overloading, so the same code can be used to either track an array of particles or construct a Taylor map representation of the accelerator lattice. We review beam optics and beam dynamics simulations conducted with TOPKARK in the past and we present a new method for modeling space charge forces to high-order with automatic differentiation. This method generates an accurate, high-order, 6-D Taylor map of the phase space variable trajectories for a bunched, high-current beam. The spatial distribution is modeled as the product of amore » Taylor Series times a Gaussian. The variables in the argument of the Gaussian are normalized to the respective second moments of the distribution. This form allows for accurate representation of a wide range of realistic distributions, including any asymmetries, and allows for rapid calculation of the space charge fields with free space boundary conditions. An example problem is presented to illustrate our approach. {copyright} {ital 1997 American Institute of Physics.}« less

Representations of spacetime diffeomorphisms. I. Canonical parametrized field theories

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Isham, C.J.; Kuchar, K.V.

The super-Hamiltonian and supermomentum in canonical geometrodynamics or in a parametried field theory on a given Riemannian background have Poisson brackets which obey the Dirac relations. By smearing the supermomentum with vector fields VepsilonL Diff..sigma.. on the space manifold ..sigma.., the Lie algebra L Diff ..sigma.. of the spatial diffeomorphism group Diff ..sigma.. can be mapped antihomomorphically into the Poisson bracket algebra on the phase space of the system. The explicit dependence of the Poisson brackets between two super-Hamiltonians on canonical coordinates (spatial metrics in geometrodynamics and embedding variables in parametrized theories) is usually regarded as an indication that themore » Dirac relations cannot be connected with a representation of the complete Lie algebra L Diff M of spacetime diffeomorphisms.« less

Exactly solvable quantum cosmologies from two killing field reductions of general relativity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Husain, Viqar; Smolin, Lee

1989-11-01

An exact and, possibly, general solution to the quantum constraints is given for the sector of general relativity containing cosmological solutions with two space-like, commuting, Killing fields. The dynamics of these model space-times, which are known as Gowdy space-times, is formulated in terms of Ashtekar's new variables. The quantization is done by using the recently introduced self-dual and loop representations. On the classical phase space we find four explicit physical observables, or constants of motion, which generate a GL(2) symmetry group on the space of solutions. In the loop representations we find that a complete description of the physical state space, consisting of the simultaneous solutions to all of the constraints, is given in terms of the equivalence classes, under Diff(S1), of a pair of densities on the circle. These play the same role that the link classes play in the loop representation solution to the full 3+1 theory. An infinite dimensional algebra of physical observables is found on the physical state space, which is a GL(2) loop algebra. In addition, by freezing the local degrees of freedom of the model, we find a finite dimensional quantum system which describes a set of degenerate quantum cosmologies on T3 in which the length of one of the S1's has gone to zero, while the area of the remaining S1×S1 is quantized in units of the Planck area. The quantum kinematics of this sector of the model is identical to that of a one-plaquette SU(2) lattice gauge theory.

ColDICE: A parallel Vlasov–Poisson solver using moving adaptive simplicial tessellation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sousbie, Thierry, E-mail: tsousbie@gmail.com; Department of Physics, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033; Research Center for the Early Universe, School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033

2016-09-15

Resolving numerically Vlasov–Poisson equations for initially cold systems can be reduced to following the evolution of a three-dimensional sheet evolving in six-dimensional phase-space. We describe a public parallel numerical algorithm consisting in representing the phase-space sheet with a conforming, self-adaptive simplicial tessellation of which the vertices follow the Lagrangian equations of motion. The algorithm is implemented both in six- and four-dimensional phase-space. Refinement of the tessellation mesh is performed using the bisection method and a local representation of the phase-space sheet at second order relying on additional tracers created when needed at runtime. In order to preserve in the bestmore » way the Hamiltonian nature of the system, refinement is anisotropic and constrained by measurements of local Poincaré invariants. Resolution of Poisson equation is performed using the fast Fourier method on a regular rectangular grid, similarly to particle in cells codes. To compute the density projected onto this grid, the intersection of the tessellation and the grid is calculated using the method of Franklin and Kankanhalli [65–67] generalised to linear order. As preliminary tests of the code, we study in four dimensional phase-space the evolution of an initially small patch in a chaotic potential and the cosmological collapse of a fluctuation composed of two sinusoidal waves. We also perform a “warm” dark matter simulation in six-dimensional phase-space that we use to check the parallel scaling of the code.« less

SPACE MEDICINE and Medical Operations Overview

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dervay, Joe

2009-01-01

This presentation is an overview of the function of the work of the Space Medicine & Health Care Systems Office. The objective of the medical operations is to ensure the health, safety and well being of the astronaut corps and ground support team during all phases of space flight. There are many issues that impact the health of the astronauts. Some of them are physiological, and others relate to behavior, psychological issues and issues of the environment of space itself. Reviews of the medical events that have affected both Russian, and Americans while in space are included. Some views of shuttle liftoff, and ascent, the medical training aboard NASA's KC-135 and training in weightlessness, the Shuttle Orbiter Medical system (SOMS), and some of the medical equipment are included. Also included are a graphs showing Fluid loading countermeasures, and vertical pursuit tracking with head and eye. The final views are representations of the future crew exploration vehicle (CEV) approaching the International Space Station, and the moon, and a series of perspective representations of the earth in comparison to the other planets and the Sun, the Sun in relation to other stars, and a view of where in the galaxy the Sun is.

A Nonlinear Gyrokinetic Vlasov-Maxwell System for High-frequency Simulation in Toroidal Geometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Pengfei; Zhang, Wenlu; Lin, Jingbo; Li, Ding; Dong, Chao

2016-10-01

A nonlinear gyrokinetic Vlasov equation is derived through the Lie-perturbation method to the Lagrangian and Hamiltonian systems in extanded phase space. The gyrokinetic Maxwell equations are derived in terms of the moments of gyrocenter phase-space distribution through the push-forward and pull-back representations, where the polarization and magnetization effects of gyrocenter are retained. The goal of this work is to construct a global nonlinear gyrokinetic vlasov-maxwell system for high-frequency simulation in toroidal geometry relevent for ion cyclotron range of frequencies (ICRF) waves heating and lower hybrid wave current driven (LHCD). Supported by National Special Research Program of China For ITER and National Natural Science Foundation of China.

Correlated histogram representation of Monte Carlo derived medical accelerator photon-output phase space

DOEpatents

Schach Von Wittenau, Alexis E.

2003-01-01

A method is provided to represent the calculated phase space of photons emanating from medical accelerators used in photon teletherapy. The method reproduces the energy distributions and trajectories of the photons originating in the bremsstrahlung target and of photons scattered by components within the accelerator head. The method reproduces the energy and directional information from sources up to several centimeters in radial extent, so it is expected to generalize well to accelerators made by different manufacturers. The method is computationally both fast and efficient overall sampling efficiency of 80% or higher for most field sizes. The computational cost is independent of the number of beams used in the treatment plan.

Linear canonical transformations of coherent and squeezed states in the Wigner phase space. III - Two-mode states

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Han, D.; Kim, Y. S.; Noz, Marilyn E.

1990-01-01

It is shown that the basic symmetry of two-mode squeezed states is governed by the group SP(4) in the Wigner phase space which is locally isomorphic to the (3 + 2)-dimensional Lorentz group. This symmetry, in the Schroedinger picture, appears as Dirac's two-oscillator representation of O(3,2). It is shown that the SU(2) and SU(1,1) interferometers exhibit the symmetry of this higher-dimensional Lorentz group. The mathematics of two-mode squeezed states is shown to be applicable to other branches of physics including thermally excited states in statistical mechanics and relativistic extended hadrons in the quark model.

Do Monkeys Think in Metaphors? Representations of Space and Time in Monkeys and Humans

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Merritt, Dustin J.; Casasanto, Daniel; Brannon, Elizabeth M.

2010-01-01

Research on the relationship between the representation of space and time has produced two contrasting proposals. ATOM posits that space and time are represented via a common magnitude system, suggesting a symmetrical relationship between space and time. According to metaphor theory, however, representations of time depend on representations of…

Building blocks of topological quantum chemistry: Elementary band representations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cano, Jennifer; Bradlyn, Barry; Wang, Zhijun; Elcoro, L.; Vergniory, M. G.; Felser, C.; Aroyo, M. I.; Bernevig, B. Andrei

2018-01-01

The link between chemical orbitals described by local degrees of freedom and band theory, which is defined in momentum space, was proposed by Zak several decades ago for spinless systems with and without time reversal in his theory of "elementary" band representations. In a recent paper [Bradlyn et al., Nature (London) 547, 298 (2017), 10.1038/nature23268] we introduced the generalization of this theory to the experimentally relevant situation of spin-orbit coupled systems with time-reversal symmetry and proved that all bands that do not transform as band representations are topological. Here we give the full details of this construction. We prove that elementary band representations are either connected as bands in the Brillouin zone and are described by localized Wannier orbitals respecting the symmetries of the lattice (including time reversal when applicable), or, if disconnected, describe topological insulators. We then show how to generate a band representation from a particular Wyckoff position and determine which Wyckoff positions generate elementary band representations for all space groups. This theory applies to spinful and spinless systems, in all dimensions, with and without time reversal. We introduce a homotopic notion of equivalence and show that it results in a finer classification of topological phases than approaches based only on the symmetry of wave functions at special points in the Brillouin zone. Utilizing a mapping of the band connectivity into a graph theory problem, we show in companion papers which Wyckoff positions can generate disconnected elementary band representations, furnishing a natural avenue for a systematic materials search.

Use of the Wigner representation in scattering problems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bemler, E. A.

1975-01-01

The basic equations of quantum scattering were translated into the Wigner representation, putting quantum mechanics in the form of a stochastic process in phase space, with real valued probability distributions and source functions. The interpretative picture associated with this representation is developed and stressed and results used in applications published elsewhere are derived. The form of the integral equation for scattering as well as its multiple scattering expansion in this representation are derived. Quantum corrections to classical propagators are briefly discussed. The basic approximation used in the Monte-Carlo method is derived in a fashion which allows for future refinement and which includes bound state production. Finally, as a simple illustration of some of the formalism, scattering is treated by a bound two body problem. Simple expressions for single and double scattering contributions to total and differential cross-sections as well as for all necessary shadow corrections are obtained.

Mass gap in the weak coupling limit of (2 +1 )-dimensional SU(2) lattice gauge theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anishetty, Ramesh; Sreeraj, T. P.

2018-04-01

We develop the dual description of (2 +1 )-dimensional SU(2) lattice gauge theory as interacting "Abelian-like" electric loops by using Schwinger bosons. "Point splitting" of the lattice enables us to construct explicit Hilbert space for the gauge invariant theory which in turn makes dynamics more transparent. Using path integral representation in phase space, the interacting closed loop dynamics is analyzed in the weak coupling limit to get the mass gap.

Insight and search in Katona's five-square problem.

PubMed

Ollinger, Michael; Jones, Gary; Knoblich, Günther

2014-01-01

Insights are often productive outcomes of human thinking. We provide a cognitive model that explains insight problem solving by the interplay of problem space search and representational change, whereby the problem space is constrained or relaxed based on the problem representation. By introducing different experimental conditions that either constrained the initial search space or helped solvers to initiate a representational change, we investigated the interplay of problem space search and representational change in Katona's five-square problem. Testing 168 participants, we demonstrated that independent hints relating to the initial search space and to representational change had little effect on solution rates. However, providing both hints caused a significant increase in solution rates. Our results show the interplay between problem space search and representational change in insight problem solving: The initial problem space can be so large that people fail to encounter impasse, but even when representational change is achieved the resulting problem space can still provide a major obstacle to finding the solution.

Co-evolutionary data mining for fuzzy rules: automatic fitness function creation phase space, and experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, James F., III; Blank, Joseph A.

2003-03-01

An approach is being explored that involves embedding a fuzzy logic based resource manager in an electronic game environment. Game agents can function under their own autonomous logic or human control. This approach automates the data mining problem. The game automatically creates a cleansed database reflecting the domain expert's knowledge, it calls a data mining function, a genetic algorithm, for data mining of the data base as required and allows easy evaluation of the information extracted. The co-evolutionary fitness functions, chromosomes and stopping criteria for ending the game are discussed. Genetic algorithm and genetic program based data mining procedures are discussed that automatically discover new fuzzy rules and strategies. The strategy tree concept and its relationship to co-evolutionary data mining are examined as well as the associated phase space representation of fuzzy concepts. The overlap of fuzzy concepts in phase space reduces the effective strategies available to adversaries. Co-evolutionary data mining alters the geometric properties of the overlap region known as the admissible region of phase space significantly enhancing the performance of the resource manager. Procedures for validation of the information data mined are discussed and significant experimental results provided.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Guedes, Carlos; Oriti, Daniele; Raasakka, Matti

The phase space given by the cotangent bundle of a Lie group appears in the context of several models for physical systems. A representation for the quantum system in terms of non-commutative functions on the (dual) Lie algebra, and a generalized notion of (non-commutative) Fourier transform, different from standard harmonic analysis, has been recently developed, and found several applications, especially in the quantum gravity literature. We show that this algebra representation can be defined on the sole basis of a quantization map of the classical Poisson algebra, and identify the conditions for its existence. In particular, the corresponding non-commutative star-productmore » carried by this representation is obtained directly from the quantization map via deformation quantization. We then clarify under which conditions a unitary intertwiner between such algebra representation and the usual group representation can be constructed giving rise to the non-commutative plane waves and consequently, the non-commutative Fourier transform. The compact groups U(1) and SU(2) are considered for different choices of quantization maps, such as the symmetric and the Duflo map, and we exhibit the corresponding star-products, algebra representations, and non-commutative plane waves.« less

An evaluation of space time cube representation of spatiotemporal patterns.

PubMed

Kristensson, Per Ola; Dahlbäck, Nils; Anundi, Daniel; Björnstad, Marius; Gillberg, Hanna; Haraldsson, Jonas; Mårtensson, Ingrid; Nordvall, Mathias; Ståhl, Josefine

2009-01-01

Space time cube representation is an information visualization technique where spatiotemporal data points are mapped into a cube. Information visualization researchers have previously argued that space time cube representation is beneficial in revealing complex spatiotemporal patterns in a data set to users. The argument is based on the fact that both time and spatial information are displayed simultaneously to users, an effect difficult to achieve in other representations. However, to our knowledge the actual usefulness of space time cube representation in conveying complex spatiotemporal patterns to users has not been empirically validated. To fill this gap, we report on a between-subjects experiment comparing novice users' error rates and response times when answering a set of questions using either space time cube or a baseline 2D representation. For some simple questions, the error rates were lower when using the baseline representation. For complex questions where the participants needed an overall understanding of the spatiotemporal structure of the data set, the space time cube representation resulted in on average twice as fast response times with no difference in error rates compared to the baseline. These results provide an empirical foundation for the hypothesis that space time cube representation benefits users analyzing complex spatiotemporal patterns.

Selforganization of modular activity of grid cells

PubMed Central

Urdapilleta, Eugenio; Si, Bailu

2017-01-01

Abstract A unique topographical representation of space is found in the concerted activity of grid cells in the rodent medial entorhinal cortex. Many among the principal cells in this region exhibit a hexagonal firing pattern, in which each cell expresses its own set of place fields (spatial phases) at the vertices of a triangular grid, the spacing and orientation of which are typically shared with neighboring cells. Grid spacing, in particular, has been found to increase along the dorso‐ventral axis of the entorhinal cortex but in discrete steps, that is, with a modular structure. In this study, we show that such a modular activity may result from the self‐organization of interacting units, which individually would not show discrete but rather continuously varying grid spacing. Within our “adaptation” network model, the effect of a continuously varying time constant, which determines grid spacing in the isolated cell model, is modulated by recurrent collateral connections, which tend to produce a few subnetworks, akin to magnetic domains, each with its own grid spacing. In agreement with experimental evidence, the modular structure is tightly defined by grid spacing, but also involves grid orientation and distortion, due to interactions across modules. Thus, our study sheds light onto a possible mechanism, other than simply assuming separate networks a priori, underlying the formation of modular grid representations. PMID:28768062

2D DOST based local phase pattern for face recognition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moniruzzaman, Md.; Alam, Mohammad S.

2017-05-01

A new two dimensional (2-D) Discrete Orthogonal Stcokwell Transform (DOST) based Local Phase Pattern (LPP) technique has been proposed for efficient face recognition. The proposed technique uses 2-D DOST as preliminary preprocessing and local phase pattern to form robust feature signature which can effectively accommodate various 3D facial distortions and illumination variations. The S-transform, is an extension of the ideas of the continuous wavelet transform (CWT), is also known for its local spectral phase properties in time-frequency representation (TFR). It provides a frequency dependent resolution of the time-frequency space and absolutely referenced local phase information while maintaining a direct relationship with the Fourier spectrum which is unique in TFR. After utilizing 2-D Stransform as the preprocessing and build local phase pattern from extracted phase information yield fast and efficient technique for face recognition. The proposed technique shows better correlation discrimination compared to alternate pattern recognition techniques such as wavelet or Gabor based face recognition. The performance of the proposed method has been tested using the Yale and extended Yale facial database under different environments such as illumination variation and 3D changes in facial expressions. Test results show that the proposed technique yields better performance compared to alternate time-frequency representation (TFR) based face recognition techniques.

Chaotic behavior of light-assisted physical aging in arsenoselenide glasses

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shpotyuk, O., E-mail: shpotyuk@novas.lviv.ua; Institute of Physics of Jan Dlugosz University, 13/15, al. Armii Krajowej, Czestochowa 42201; Balitska, V.

2014-12-15

The theory of strange attractors is shown to be adequately applicable for analyzing the kinetics of light-assisted physical aging revealed in structural relaxation of Se-rich As-Se glasses below glass transition. Kinetics of enthalpy losses is used to determine the phase space reconstruction parameters. Observed chaotic behaviour (involving chaos and fractal consideration such as detrended fluctuation analysis, attractor identification using phase space representation, delay coordinates, mutual information, false nearest neighbours, etc.) reconstructed via the TISEAN program package is treated within a microstructure model describing multistage aging behaviour in arsenoselenide glasses. This simulation testifies that photoexposure acts as an initiating factor onlymore » at the beginning stage of physical aging, thus facilitating further atomic shrinkage of a glassy backbone.« less

A study of complex scaling transformation using the Wigner representation of wavefunctions.

PubMed

Kaprálová-Ždánská, Petra Ruth

2011-05-28

The complex scaling operator exp(-θ ̂x̂p/ℏ), being a foundation of the complex scaling method for resonances, is studied in the Wigner phase-space representation. It is shown that the complex scaling operator behaves similarly to the squeezing operator, rotating and amplifying Wigner quasi-probability distributions of the respective wavefunctions. It is disclosed that the distorting effect of the complex scaling transformation is correlated with increased numerical errors of computed resonance energies and widths. The behavior of the numerical error is demonstrated for a computation of CO(2+) vibronic resonances. © 2011 American Institute of Physics

Dynamic changes in brain activity during prism adaptation.

PubMed

Luauté, Jacques; Schwartz, Sophie; Rossetti, Yves; Spiridon, Mona; Rode, Gilles; Boisson, Dominique; Vuilleumier, Patrik

2009-01-07

Prism adaptation does not only induce short-term sensorimotor plasticity, but also longer-term reorganization in the neural representation of space. We used event-related fMRI to study dynamic changes in brain activity during both early and prolonged exposure to visual prisms. Participants performed a pointing task before, during, and after prism exposure. Measures of trial-by-trial pointing errors and corrections allowed parametric analyses of brain activity as a function of performance. We show that during the earliest phase of prism exposure, anterior intraparietal sulcus was primarily implicated in error detection, whereas parieto-occipital sulcus was implicated in error correction. Cerebellum activity showed progressive increases during prism exposure, in accordance with a key role for spatial realignment. This time course further suggests that the cerebellum might promote neural changes in superior temporal cortex, which was selectively activated during the later phase of prism exposure and could mediate the effects of prism adaptation on cognitive spatial representations.

A three-dimensional refractive index model for simulation of optical wave propagation in atmospheric turbulence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paramonov, P. V.; Vorontsov, A. M.; Kunitsyn, V. E.

2015-10-01

Numerical modeling of optical wave propagation in atmospheric turbulence is traditionally performed with using the so-called "split"-operator method, when the influence of the propagation medium's refractive index inhomogeneities is accounted for only within a system of infinitely narrow layers (phase screens) where phase is distorted. Commonly, under certain assumptions, such phase screens are considered as mutually statistically uncorrelated. However, in several important applications including laser target tracking, remote sensing, and atmospheric imaging, accurate optical field propagation modeling assumes upper limitations on interscreen spacing. The latter situation can be observed, for instance, in the presence of large-scale turbulent inhomogeneities or in deep turbulence conditions, where interscreen distances become comparable with turbulence outer scale and, hence, corresponding phase screens cannot be statistically uncorrelated. In this paper, we discuss correlated phase screens. The statistical characteristics of screens are calculated based on a representation of turbulent fluctuations of three-dimensional (3D) refractive index random field as a set of sequentially correlated 3D layers displaced in the wave propagation direction. The statistical characteristics of refractive index fluctuations are described in terms of the von Karman power spectrum density. In the representation of these 3D layers by corresponding phase screens, the geometrical optics approximation is used.

Three-dimensional dualities with bosons and fermions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benini, Francesco

2018-02-01

We propose new infinite families of non-supersymmetric IR dualities in three space-time dimensions, between Chern-Simons gauge theories (with classical gauge groups) with both scalars and fermions in the fundamental representation. In all cases we study the phase diagram as we vary two relevant couplings, finding interesting lines of phase transitions. In various cases the dualities lead to predictions about multi-critical fixed points and the emergence of IR quantum symmetries. For unitary groups we also discuss the coupling to background gauge fields and the map of simple monopole operators.

Improving the accuracy and efficiency of time-resolved electronic spectra calculations: cellular dephasing representation with a prefactor.

PubMed

Zambrano, Eduardo; Šulc, Miroslav; Vaníček, Jiří

2013-08-07

Time-resolved electronic spectra can be obtained as the Fourier transform of a special type of time correlation function known as fidelity amplitude, which, in turn, can be evaluated approximately and efficiently with the dephasing representation. Here we improve both the accuracy of this approximation-with an amplitude correction derived from the phase-space propagator-and its efficiency-with an improved cellular scheme employing inverse Weierstrass transform and optimal scaling of the cell size. We demonstrate the advantages of the new methodology by computing dispersed time-resolved stimulated emission spectra in the harmonic potential, pyrazine, and the NCO molecule. In contrast, we show that in strongly chaotic systems such as the quartic oscillator the original dephasing representation is more appropriate than either the cellular or prefactor-corrected methods.

Frequency maps as a probe of secular evolution in the Milky Way

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valluri, Monica

2015-03-01

The frequency analysis of the orbits of halo stars and dark matter particles from a cosmological hydrodynamical simulation of a disk galaxy from the MUGS collaboration (Stinson et al. 2010) shows that even if the shape of the dark matter halo is nearly oblate, only about 50% of its orbits are on short-axis tubes, confirming a previous result: under baryonic condensation all orbit families can deform their shapes without changing orbital type (Valluri et al. 2010). Orbits of dark matter particles and halo stars are very similar reflecting their common accretion origin and the influence of baryons. Frequency maps provide a compact representation of the 6-D phase space distribution that also reveals the history of the halo (Valluri et al. 2012). The 6-D phase space coordinates for a large population of halo stars in the Milky Way that will be obtained from future surveys can be used to reconstruct the phase-space distribution function of the stellar halo. The similarity between the frequency maps of halo stars and dark matter particles (Fig. 1) implies that reconstruction of the stellar halo distribution function can reveal the phase space distribution of the unseen dark matter particles and provide evidence for secular evolution. MV is supported by NSF grant AST-0908346 and the Elizabeth Crosby grant.

Spatiotemporal Distribution of Location and Object Effects in Primary Motor Cortex Neurons during Reach-to-Grasp

PubMed Central

Rouse, Adam G.

2016-01-01

Reaching and grasping typically are considered to be spatially separate processes that proceed concurrently in the arm and the hand, respectively. The proximal representation in the primary motor cortex (M1) controls the arm for reaching, while the distal representation controls the hand for grasping. Many studies of M1 activity therefore have focused either on reaching to various locations without grasping different objects, or else on grasping different objects all at the same location. Here, we recorded M1 neurons in the anterior bank and lip of the central sulcus as monkeys performed more naturalistic movements, reaching toward, grasping, and manipulating four different objects in up to eight different locations. We quantified the extent to which variation in firing rates depended on location, on object, and on their interaction—all as a function of time. Activity proceeded largely in two sequential phases: the first related predominantly to the location to which the upper extremity reached, and the second related to the object about to be grasped. Both phases involved activity distributed widely throughout the sampled territory, spanning both the proximal and the distal upper extremity representation in caudal M1. Our findings indicate that naturalistic reaching and grasping, rather than being spatially segregated processes that proceed concurrently, each are spatially distributed processes controlled by caudal M1 in large part sequentially. Rather than neuromuscular processes separated in space but not time, reaching and grasping are separated more in time than in space. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Reaching and grasping typically are viewed as processes that proceed concurrently in the arm and hand, respectively. The arm region in the primary motor cortex (M1) is assumed to control reaching, while the hand region controls grasping. During naturalistic reach–grasp–manipulate movements, we found, however, that neuron activity proceeds largely in two sequential phases, each spanning both arm and hand representations in M1. The first phase is related predominantly to the reach location, and the second is related to the object about to be grasped. Our findings indicate that reaching and grasping are successive aspects of a single movement. Initially the arm and the hand both are projected toward the object's location, and later both are shaped to grasp and manipulate. PMID:27733614

Dynamic mapping of conical intersection seams: A general method for incorporating the geometric phase in adiabatic dynamics in polyatomic systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xie, Changjian; Malbon, Christopher L.; Yarkony, David R.; Guo, Hua

2017-07-01

The incorporation of the geometric phase in single-state adiabatic dynamics near a conical intersection (CI) seam has so far been restricted to molecular systems with high symmetry or simple model Hamiltonians. This is due to the fact that the ab initio determined derivative coupling (DC) in a multi-dimensional space is not curl-free, thus making its line integral path dependent. In a recent work [C. L. Malbon et al., J. Chem. Phys. 145, 234111 (2016)], we proposed a new and general approach based on an ab initio determined diabatic representation consisting of only two electronic states, in which the DC is completely removable, so that its line integral is path independent in the simply connected domains that exclude the CI seam. Then with the CIs included, the line integral of the single-valued DC can be used to construct the complex geometry-dependent phase needed to exactly eliminate the double-valued character of the real-valued adiabatic electronic wavefunction. This geometry-dependent phase gives rise to a vector potential which, when included in the adiabatic representation, rigorously accounts for the geometric phase in a system with an arbitrary locus of the CI seam and an arbitrary number of internal coordinates. In this work, we demonstrate this approach in a three-dimensional treatment of the tunneling facilitated dissociation of the S1 state of phenol, which is affected by a Cs symmetry allowed but otherwise accidental seam of CI. Here, since the space is three-dimensional rather than two-dimensional, the seam is a curve rather than a point. The nodal structure of the ground state vibronic wavefunction is shown to map out the seam of CI.

Phase space methods for Majorana fermions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rushin Joseph, Ria; Rosales-Zárate, Laura E. C.; Drummond, Peter D.

2018-06-01

Fermionic phase space representations are a promising method for studying correlated fermion systems. The fermionic Q-function and P-function have been defined using Gaussian operators of fermion annihilation and creation operators. The resulting phase-space of covariance matrices belongs to the symmetry class D, one of the non-standard symmetry classes. This was originally proposed to study mesoscopic normal-metal-superconducting hybrid structures, which is the type of structure that has led to recent experimental observations of Majorana fermions. Under a unitary transformation, it is possible to express these Gaussian operators using real anti-symmetric matrices and Majorana operators, which are much simpler mathematical objects. We derive differential identities involving Majorana fermion operators and an antisymmetric matrix which are relevant to the derivation of the corresponding Fokker–Planck equations on symmetric space. These enable stochastic simulations either in real or imaginary time. This formalism has direct relevance to the study of fermionic systems in which there are Majorana type excitations, and is an alternative to using expansions involving conventional Fermi operators. The approach is illustrated by showing how a linear coupled Hamiltonian as used to study topological excitations can be transformed to Fokker–Planck and stochastic equation form, including dissipation through particle losses.

Mixed semiclassical-classical propagators for the Wigner phase space representation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koda, Shin-ichi

2016-04-01

We formulate mixed semiclassical-classical (SC-Cl) propagators by adding a further approximation to the phase-space SC propagators, which have been formulated in our previous paper [S. Koda, J. Chem. Phys. 143, 244110 (2015)]. We first show that the stationary phase approximation over the operation of the phase-space van Vleck propagator on initial distribution functions results in the classical mechanical time propagation. Then, after dividing the degrees of freedom (DOFs) of the total system into the semiclassical DOFs and the classical DOFs, the SC-Cl van Vleck propagator and the SC-Cl Herman-Kluk (HK) propagator are derived by performing the stationary phase approximation only with respect to the classical DOFs. These SC-Cl propagators are naturally decomposed to products of the phase-space SC propagators and the classical mechanical propagators when the system does not have any interaction between the semiclassical and the classical DOFs. In addition, we also numerically compare the original phase-space HK (full HK) propagator and the SC-Cl HK propagator in terms of accuracy and efficiency to find that the accuracy of the SC-Cl HK propagator can be comparable to that of the full HK propagator although the latter is more accurate than the former in general. On the other hand, we confirm that the convergence speed of the SC-Cl HK propagator is faster than that of the full HK propagator. The present numerical tests indicate that the SC-Cl HK propagator can be more accurate than the full HK propagator when they use a same and finite number of classical trajectories due to the balance of the accuracy and the efficiency.

Mixed semiclassical-classical propagators for the Wigner phase space representation.

PubMed

Koda, Shin-Ichi

2016-04-21

We formulate mixed semiclassical-classical (SC-Cl) propagators by adding a further approximation to the phase-space SC propagators, which have been formulated in our previous paper [S. Koda, J. Chem. Phys. 143, 244110 (2015)]. We first show that the stationary phase approximation over the operation of the phase-space van Vleck propagator on initial distribution functions results in the classical mechanical time propagation. Then, after dividing the degrees of freedom (DOFs) of the total system into the semiclassical DOFs and the classical DOFs, the SC-Cl van Vleck propagator and the SC-Cl Herman-Kluk (HK) propagator are derived by performing the stationary phase approximation only with respect to the classical DOFs. These SC-Cl propagators are naturally decomposed to products of the phase-space SC propagators and the classical mechanical propagators when the system does not have any interaction between the semiclassical and the classical DOFs. In addition, we also numerically compare the original phase-space HK (full HK) propagator and the SC-Cl HK propagator in terms of accuracy and efficiency to find that the accuracy of the SC-Cl HK propagator can be comparable to that of the full HK propagator although the latter is more accurate than the former in general. On the other hand, we confirm that the convergence speed of the SC-Cl HK propagator is faster than that of the full HK propagator. The present numerical tests indicate that the SC-Cl HK propagator can be more accurate than the full HK propagator when they use a same and finite number of classical trajectories due to the balance of the accuracy and the efficiency.

A theory of phase singularities for image representation and its applications to object tracking and image matching.

PubMed

Qiao, Yu; Wang, Wei; Minematsu, Nobuaki; Liu, Jianzhuang; Takeda, Mitsuo; Tang, Xiaoou

2009-10-01

This paper studies phase singularities (PSs) for image representation. We show that PSs calculated with Laguerre-Gauss filters contain important information and provide a useful tool for image analysis. PSs are invariant to image translation and rotation. We introduce several invariant features to characterize the core structures around PSs and analyze the stability of PSs to noise addition and scale change. We also study the characteristics of PSs in a scale space, which lead to a method to select key scales along phase singularity curves. We demonstrate two applications of PSs: object tracking and image matching. In object tracking, we use the iterative closest point algorithm to determine the correspondences of PSs between two adjacent frames. The use of PSs allows us to precisely determine the motions of tracked objects. In image matching, we combine PSs and scale-invariant feature transform (SIFT) descriptor to deal with the variations between two images and examine the proposed method on a benchmark database. The results indicate that our method can find more correct matching pairs with higher repeatability rates than some well-known methods.

Phononic heat transport in nanomechanical structures: steady-state and pumping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sena-Junior, Marcone I.; Lima, Leandro R. F.; Lewenkopf, Caio H.

2017-10-01

We study the heat transport due to phonons in nanomechanical structures using a phase space representation of non-equilibrium Green’s functions. This representation accounts for the atomic degrees of freedom making it particularly suited for the description of small (molecular) junctions systems. We rigorously show that for the steady state limit our formalism correctly recovers the heuristic Landauer-like heat conductance for a quantum coherent molecular system coupled to thermal reservoirs. We find general expressions for the non-stationary heat current due to an external periodic drive. In both cases we discuss the quantum thermodynamic properties of the systems. We apply our formalism to the case of a diatomic molecular junction.

The Kirillov picture for the Wigner particle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gracia-Bondía, J. M.; Lizzi, F.; Várilly, J. C.; Vitale, P.

2018-06-01

We discuss the Kirillov method for massless Wigner particles, usually (mis)named ‘continuous spin’ or ‘infinite spin’ particles. These appear in Wigner’s classification of the unitary representations of the Poincaré group, labelled by elements of the enveloping algebra of the Poincaré Lie algebra. Now, the coadjoint orbit procedure introduced by Kirillov is a prelude to quantization. Here we exhibit for those particles the classical Casimir functions on phase space, in parallel to quantum representation theory. A good set of position coordinates are identified on the coadjoint orbits of the Wigner particles; the stabilizer subgroups and the symplectic structures of these orbits are also described. In memory of E C G Sudarshan.

Fock expansion of multimode pure Gaussian states

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cariolaro, Gianfranco; Pierobon, Gianfranco, E-mail: gianfranco.pierobon@unipd.it

2015-12-15

The Fock expansion of multimode pure Gaussian states is derived starting from their representation as displaced and squeezed multimode vacuum states. The approach is new and appears to be simpler and more general than previous ones starting from the phase-space representation given by the characteristic or Wigner function. Fock expansion is performed in terms of easily evaluable two-variable Hermite–Kampé de Fériet polynomials. A relatively simple and compact expression for the joint statistical distribution of the photon numbers in the different modes is obtained. In particular, this result enables one to give a simple characterization of separable and entangled states, asmore » shown for two-mode and three-mode Gaussian states.« less

The opponent channel population code of sound location is an efficient representation of natural binaural sounds.

PubMed

Młynarski, Wiktor

2015-05-01

In mammalian auditory cortex, sound source position is represented by a population of broadly tuned neurons whose firing is modulated by sounds located at all positions surrounding the animal. Peaks of their tuning curves are concentrated at lateral position, while their slopes are steepest at the interaural midline, allowing for the maximum localization accuracy in that area. These experimental observations contradict initial assumptions that the auditory space is represented as a topographic cortical map. It has been suggested that a "panoramic" code has evolved to match specific demands of the sound localization task. This work provides evidence suggesting that properties of spatial auditory neurons identified experimentally follow from a general design principle- learning a sparse, efficient representation of natural stimuli. Natural binaural sounds were recorded and served as input to a hierarchical sparse-coding model. In the first layer, left and right ear sounds were separately encoded by a population of complex-valued basis functions which separated phase and amplitude. Both parameters are known to carry information relevant for spatial hearing. Monaural input converged in the second layer, which learned a joint representation of amplitude and interaural phase difference. Spatial selectivity of each second-layer unit was measured by exposing the model to natural sound sources recorded at different positions. Obtained tuning curves match well tuning characteristics of neurons in the mammalian auditory cortex. This study connects neuronal coding of the auditory space with natural stimulus statistics and generates new experimental predictions. Moreover, results presented here suggest that cortical regions with seemingly different functions may implement the same computational strategy-efficient coding.

In (or outside of) your neck of the woods: laterality in spatial body representation

PubMed Central

Hach, Sylvia; Schütz-Bosbach, Simone

2014-01-01

Beside language, space is to date the most widely recognized lateralized systems. For example, it has been shown that even mental representations of space and the spatial representation of abstract concepts display lateralized characteristics. For the most part, this body of literature describes space as distal or something outside of the observer or actor. What has been strangely absent in the literature on the whole and specifically in the spatial literature until recently is the most proximal space imaginable – the body. In this review, we will summarize three strands of literature showing laterality in body representations. First, evidence of hemispheric asymmetries in body space in health and, second in body space in disease will be examined. Third, studies pointing to differential contributions of the right and left hemisphere to illusory body (space) will be summarized. Together these studies show hemispheric asymmetries to be evident in body representations at the level of simple somatosensory and proprioceptive representations. We propose a novel working hypothesis, whereby neural systems dedicated to processing action-oriented information about one’s own body space may ontogenetically serve as a template for the perception of the external world. PMID:24600421

Population Coding of Visual Space: Comparison of Spatial Representations in Dorsal and Ventral Pathways

PubMed Central

Sereno, Anne B.; Lehky, Sidney R.

2011-01-01

Although the representation of space is as fundamental to visual processing as the representation of shape, it has received relatively little attention from neurophysiological investigations. In this study we characterize representations of space within visual cortex, and examine how they differ in a first direct comparison between dorsal and ventral subdivisions of the visual pathways. Neural activities were recorded in anterior inferotemporal cortex (AIT) and lateral intraparietal cortex (LIP) of awake behaving monkeys, structures associated with the ventral and dorsal visual pathways respectively, as a stimulus was presented at different locations within the visual field. In spatially selective cells, we find greater modulation of cell responses in LIP with changes in stimulus position. Further, using a novel population-based statistical approach (namely, multidimensional scaling), we recover the spatial map implicit within activities of neural populations, allowing us to quantitatively compare the geometry of neural space with physical space. We show that a population of spatially selective LIP neurons, despite having large receptive fields, is able to almost perfectly reconstruct stimulus locations within a low-dimensional representation. In contrast, a population of AIT neurons, despite each cell being spatially selective, provide less accurate low-dimensional reconstructions of stimulus locations. They produce instead only a topologically (categorically) correct rendition of space, which nevertheless might be critical for object and scene recognition. Furthermore, we found that the spatial representation recovered from population activity shows greater translation invariance in LIP than in AIT. We suggest that LIP spatial representations may be dimensionally isomorphic with 3D physical space, while in AIT spatial representations may reflect a more categorical representation of space (e.g., “next to” or “above”). PMID:21344010

Quantization of simple parametrized systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruffini, G.

2005-11-01

I study the canonical formulation and quantization of some simple parametrized systems, including the non-relativistic parametrized particle and the relativistic parametrized particle. Using Dirac's formalism I construct for each case the classical reduced phase space and study the dependence on the gauge fixing used. Two separate features of these systems can make this construction difficult: the actions are not invariant at the boundaries, and the constraints may have disconnected solution spaces. The relativistic particle is affected by both, while the non-relativistic particle displays only by the first. Analyzing the role of canonical transformations in the reduced phase space, I show that a change of gauge fixing is equivalent to a canonical transformation. In the relativistic case, quantization of one branch of the constraint at the time is applied and I analyze the electromagenetic backgrounds in which it is possible to quantize simultaneously both branches and still obtain a covariant unitary quantum theory. To preserve unitarity and space-time covariance, second quantization is needed unless there is no electric field. I motivate a definition of the inner product in all these cases and derive the Klein-Gordon inner product for the relativistic case. I construct phase space path integral representations for amplitudes for the BFV and the Faddeev path integrals, from which the path integrals in coordinate space (Faddeev-Popov and geometric path integrals) are derived.

Group theoretical quantization of isotropic loop cosmology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Livine, Etera R.; Martín-Benito, Mercedes

2012-06-01

We achieve a group theoretical quantization of the flat Friedmann-Robertson-Walker model coupled to a massless scalar field adopting the improved dynamics of loop quantum cosmology. Deparemetrizing the system using the scalar field as internal time, we first identify a complete set of phase space observables whose Poisson algebra is isomorphic to the su(1,1) Lie algebra. It is generated by the volume observable and the Hamiltonian. These observables describe faithfully the regularized phase space underlying the loop quantization: they account for the polymerization of the variable conjugate to the volume and for the existence of a kinematical nonvanishing minimum volume. Since the Hamiltonian is an element in the su(1,1) Lie algebra, the dynamics is now implemented as SU(1, 1) transformations. At the quantum level, the system is quantized as a timelike irreducible representation of the group SU(1, 1). These representations are labeled by a half-integer spin, which gives the minimal volume. They provide superselection sectors without quantization anomalies and no factor ordering ambiguity arises when representing the Hamiltonian. We then explicitly construct SU(1, 1) coherent states to study the quantum evolution. They not only provide semiclassical states but truly dynamical coherent states. Their use further clarifies the nature of the bounce that resolves the big bang singularity.

Quantum circuit dynamics via path integrals: Is there a classical action for discrete-time paths?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Penney, Mark D.; Enshan Koh, Dax; Spekkens, Robert W.

2017-07-01

It is straightforward to compute the transition amplitudes of a quantum circuit using the sum-over-paths methodology when the gates in the circuit are balanced, where a balanced gate is one for which all non-zero transition amplitudes are of equal magnitude. Here we consider the question of whether, for such circuits, the relative phases of different discrete-time paths through the configuration space can be defined in terms of a classical action, as they are for continuous-time paths. We show how to do so for certain kinds of quantum circuits, namely, Clifford circuits where the elementary systems are continuous-variable systems or discrete systems of odd-prime dimension. These types of circuit are distinguished by having phase-space representations that serve to define their classical counterparts. For discrete systems, the phase-space coordinates are also discrete variables. We show that for each gate in the generating set, one can associate a symplectomorphism on the phase-space and to each of these one can associate a generating function, defined on two copies of the configuration space. For discrete systems, the latter association is achieved using tools from algebraic geometry. Finally, we show that if the action functional for a discrete-time path through a sequence of gates is defined using the sum of the corresponding generating functions, then it yields the correct relative phases for the path-sum expression. These results are likely to be relevant for quantizing physical theories where time is fundamentally discrete, characterizing the classical limit of discrete-time quantum dynamics, and proving complexity results for quantum circuits.

Spatial information outflow from the hippocampal circuit: distributed spatial coding and phase precession in the subiculum.

PubMed

Kim, Steve M; Ganguli, Surya; Frank, Loren M

2012-08-22

Hippocampal place cells convey spatial information through a combination of spatially selective firing and theta phase precession. The way in which this information influences regions like the subiculum that receive input from the hippocampus remains unclear. The subiculum receives direct inputs from area CA1 of the hippocampus and sends divergent output projections to many other parts of the brain, so we examined the firing patterns of rat subicular neurons. We found a substantial transformation in the subicular code for space from sparse to dense firing rate representations along a proximal-distal anatomical gradient: neurons in the proximal subiculum are more similar to canonical, sparsely firing hippocampal place cells, whereas neurons in the distal subiculum have higher firing rates and more distributed spatial firing patterns. Using information theory, we found that the more distributed spatial representation in the subiculum carries, on average, more information about spatial location and context than the sparse spatial representation in CA1. Remarkably, despite the disparate firing rate properties of subicular neurons, we found that neurons at all proximal-distal locations exhibit robust theta phase precession, with similar spiking oscillation frequencies as neurons in area CA1. Our findings suggest that the subiculum is specialized to compress sparse hippocampal spatial codes into highly informative distributed codes suitable for efficient communication to other brain regions. Moreover, despite this substantial compression, the subiculum maintains finer scale temporal properties that may allow it to participate in oscillatory phase coding and spike timing-dependent plasticity in coordination with other regions of the hippocampal circuit.

Model's sparse representation based on reduced mixed GMsFE basis methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Lijian; Li, Qiuqi

2017-06-01

In this paper, we propose a model's sparse representation based on reduced mixed generalized multiscale finite element (GMsFE) basis methods for elliptic PDEs with random inputs. A typical application for the elliptic PDEs is the flow in heterogeneous random porous media. Mixed generalized multiscale finite element method (GMsFEM) is one of the accurate and efficient approaches to solve the flow problem in a coarse grid and obtain the velocity with local mass conservation. When the inputs of the PDEs are parameterized by the random variables, the GMsFE basis functions usually depend on the random parameters. This leads to a large number degree of freedoms for the mixed GMsFEM and substantially impacts on the computation efficiency. In order to overcome the difficulty, we develop reduced mixed GMsFE basis methods such that the multiscale basis functions are independent of the random parameters and span a low-dimensional space. To this end, a greedy algorithm is used to find a set of optimal samples from a training set scattered in the parameter space. Reduced mixed GMsFE basis functions are constructed based on the optimal samples using two optimal sampling strategies: basis-oriented cross-validation and proper orthogonal decomposition. Although the dimension of the space spanned by the reduced mixed GMsFE basis functions is much smaller than the dimension of the original full order model, the online computation still depends on the number of coarse degree of freedoms. To significantly improve the online computation, we integrate the reduced mixed GMsFE basis methods with sparse tensor approximation and obtain a sparse representation for the model's outputs. The sparse representation is very efficient for evaluating the model's outputs for many instances of parameters. To illustrate the efficacy of the proposed methods, we present a few numerical examples for elliptic PDEs with multiscale and random inputs. In particular, a two-phase flow model in random porous media is simulated by the proposed sparse representation method.

Model's sparse representation based on reduced mixed GMsFE basis methods

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jiang, Lijian, E-mail: ljjiang@hnu.edu.cn; Li, Qiuqi, E-mail: qiuqili@hnu.edu.cn

2017-06-01

In this paper, we propose a model's sparse representation based on reduced mixed generalized multiscale finite element (GMsFE) basis methods for elliptic PDEs with random inputs. A typical application for the elliptic PDEs is the flow in heterogeneous random porous media. Mixed generalized multiscale finite element method (GMsFEM) is one of the accurate and efficient approaches to solve the flow problem in a coarse grid and obtain the velocity with local mass conservation. When the inputs of the PDEs are parameterized by the random variables, the GMsFE basis functions usually depend on the random parameters. This leads to a largemore » number degree of freedoms for the mixed GMsFEM and substantially impacts on the computation efficiency. In order to overcome the difficulty, we develop reduced mixed GMsFE basis methods such that the multiscale basis functions are independent of the random parameters and span a low-dimensional space. To this end, a greedy algorithm is used to find a set of optimal samples from a training set scattered in the parameter space. Reduced mixed GMsFE basis functions are constructed based on the optimal samples using two optimal sampling strategies: basis-oriented cross-validation and proper orthogonal decomposition. Although the dimension of the space spanned by the reduced mixed GMsFE basis functions is much smaller than the dimension of the original full order model, the online computation still depends on the number of coarse degree of freedoms. To significantly improve the online computation, we integrate the reduced mixed GMsFE basis methods with sparse tensor approximation and obtain a sparse representation for the model's outputs. The sparse representation is very efficient for evaluating the model's outputs for many instances of parameters. To illustrate the efficacy of the proposed methods, we present a few numerical examples for elliptic PDEs with multiscale and random inputs. In particular, a two-phase flow model in random porous media is simulated by the proposed sparse representation method.« less

An adaptively refined phase-space element method for cosmological simulations and collisionless dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hahn, Oliver; Angulo, Raul E.

2016-01-01

N-body simulations are essential for understanding the formation and evolution of structure in the Universe. However, the discrete nature of these simulations affects their accuracy when modelling collisionless systems. We introduce a new approach to simulate the gravitational evolution of cold collisionless fluids by solving the Vlasov-Poisson equations in terms of adaptively refineable `Lagrangian phase-space elements'. These geometrical elements are piecewise smooth maps between Lagrangian space and Eulerian phase-space and approximate the continuum structure of the distribution function. They allow for dynamical adaptive splitting to accurately follow the evolution even in regions of very strong mixing. We discuss in detail various one-, two- and three-dimensional test problems to demonstrate the performance of our method. Its advantages compared to N-body algorithms are: (I) explicit tracking of the fine-grained distribution function, (II) natural representation of caustics, (III) intrinsically smooth gravitational potential fields, thus (IV) eliminating the need for any type of ad hoc force softening. We show the potential of our method by simulating structure formation in a warm dark matter scenario. We discuss how spurious collisionality and large-scale discreteness noise of N-body methods are both strongly suppressed, which eliminates the artificial fragmentation of filaments. Therefore, we argue that our new approach improves on the N-body method when simulating self-gravitating cold and collisionless fluids, and is the first method that allows us to explicitly follow the fine-grained evolution in six-dimensional phase-space.

Mathematical and Computational Foundations of Recurrence Quantifications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marwan, Norbert; Webber, Charles L.

Real-world systems possess deterministic trajectories, phase singularities and noise. Dynamic trajectories have been studied in temporal and frequency domains, but these are linear approaches. Basic to the field of nonlinear dynamics is the representation of trajectories in phase space. A variety of nonlinear tools such as the Lyapunov exponent, Kolmogorov-Sinai entropy, correlation dimension, etc. have successfully characterized trajectories in phase space, provided the systems studied were stationary in time. Ubiquitous in nature, however, are systems that are nonlinear and nonstationary, existing in noisy environments all of which are assumption breaking to otherwise powerful linear tools. What has been unfolding over the last quarter of a century, however, is the timely discovery and practical demonstration that the recurrences of system trajectories in phase space can provide important clues to the system designs from which they derive. In this chapter we will introduce the basics of recurrence plots (RP) and their quantification analysis (RQA). We will begin by summarizing the concept of phase space reconstructions. Then we will provide the mathematical underpinnings of recurrence plots followed by the details of recurrence quantifications. Finally, we will discuss computational approaches that have been implemented to make recurrence strategies feasible and useful. As computers become faster and computer languages advance, younger generations of researchers will be stimulated and encouraged to capture nonlinear recurrence patterns and quantification in even better formats. This particular branch of nonlinear dynamics remains wide open for the definition of new recurrence variables and new applications untouched to date.

Zonal-flow dynamics from a phase-space perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruiz, D. E.; Parker, J. B.; Shi, E. L.; Dodin, I. Y.

2017-10-01

The wave kinetic equation (WKE) describing drift-wave (DW) turbulence is widely used in the studies of zonal flows (ZFs) emerging from DW turbulence. However, this formulation neglects the exchange of enstrophy between DWs and ZFs and also ignores effects beyond the geometrical-optics (GO) limit. Here we present a new theory that captures both of these effects, while still treating DW quanta (``driftons'') as particles in phase space. In this theory, the drifton dynamics is described by an equation of the Wigner-Moyal type, which is analogous to the phase-space formulation of quantum mechanics. The ``Hamiltonian'' and the ``dissipative'' parts of the DW-ZF interactions are clearly identified. Moreover, this theory can be interpreted as a phase-space representation of the second-order cumulant expansion (CE2). In the GO limit, this formulation features additional terms missing in the traditional WKE that ensure conservation of the total enstrophy of the system, in addition to the total energy, which is the only conserved invariant in previous theories based on the traditional WKE. Numerical simulations are presented to illustrate the importance of these additional terms. Supported by the U.S. DOE through Contract Nos. DE-AC02-09CH11466 and DE-AC52-07NA27344, by the NNSA SSAA Program through DOE Research Grant No. DE-NA0002948, and by the U.S. DOD NDSEG Fellowship through Contract No. 32-CFR-168a.

Simplifying the representation of complex free-energy landscapes using sketch-map

PubMed Central

Ceriotti, Michele; Tribello, Gareth A.; Parrinello, Michele

2011-01-01

A new scheme, sketch-map, for obtaining a low-dimensional representation of the region of phase space explored during an enhanced dynamics simulation is proposed. We show evidence, from an examination of the distribution of pairwise distances between frames, that some features of the free-energy surface are inherently high-dimensional. This makes dimensionality reduction problematic because the data does not satisfy the assumptions made in conventional manifold learning algorithms We therefore propose that when dimensionality reduction is performed on trajectory data one should think of the resultant embedding as a quickly sketched set of directions rather than a road map. In other words, the embedding tells one about the connectivity between states but does not provide the vectors that correspond to the slow degrees of freedom. This realization informs the development of sketch-map, which endeavors to reproduce the proximity information from the high-dimensionality description in a space of lower dimensionality even when a faithful embedding is not possible. PMID:21730167

Results of phase change paint heat transfer tests utilizing 0.040 scale 50% forebody models (No. 82-0) of the Rockwell International space shuttle orbiter in AEDC VKF hypersonic tunnel B (test OH54A)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dye, W. H.

1976-01-01

Results of aerodynamic heating tests conducted in October 1974 on a space shuttle orbiter model using the phase change paint technique are presented. The model was a 0.040 scale representation of the forward 50 percent of the orbiter. Surface roughness effects on boundary layer transition were investigated. Roughness was simulated by using steel balls varying in diameter from 0 (no balls) to 0.039 inch with 0.040 inch wide by 0.080 inch deep gaps. A nominal Mach number of 8 was tested with Reynolds number varying from 0.75 through 3.5 million per foot. Angle of attack was varied from 20 deg to 40 deg.

A phase transition in energy-filtered RNA secondary structures.

PubMed

Han, Hillary S W; Reidys, Christian M

2012-10-01

In this article we study the effect of energy parameters on minimum free energy (mfe) RNA secondary structures. Employing a simplified combinatorial energy model that is only dependent on the diagram representation and is not sequence-specific, we prove the following dichotomy result. Mfe structures derived via the Turner energy parameters contain only finitely many complex irreducible substructures, and just minor parameter changes produce a class of mfe structures that contain a large number of small irreducibles. We localize the exact point at which the distribution of irreducibles experiences this phase transition from a discrete limit to a central limit distribution and, subsequently, put our result into the context of quantifying the effect of sparsification of the folding of these respective mfe structures. We show that the sparsification of realistic mfe structures leads to a constant time and space reduction, and that the sparsification of the folding of structures with modified parameters leads to a linear time and space reduction. We, furthermore, identify the limit distribution at the phase transition as a Rayleigh distribution.

Properties of heuristic search strategies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vanderbrug, G. J.

1973-01-01

A directed graph is used to model the search space of a state space representation with single input operators, an AND/OR is used for problem reduction representations, and a theorem proving graph is used for state space representations with multiple input operators. These three graph models and heuristic strategies for searching them are surveyed. The completeness, admissibility, and optimality properties of search strategies which use the evaluation function f = (1 - omega)g = omega(h) are presented and interpreted using a representation of the search process in the plane. The use of multiple output operators to imply dependent successors, and thus obtain a formalism which includes all three types of representations, is discussed.

On the mapping associated with the complex representation of functions and processes.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harger, R. O.

1972-01-01

The mapping between function spaces that is implied by the representation of a real 'bandpass' function by a complex 'low-pass' function is explicitly accepted. The discussion is extended to the representation of stationary random processes where the mapping is between spaces of random processes. This approach clarifies the nature of the complex representation, especially in the case of random processes and, in addition, derives the properties of the complex representation.-

The Opponent Channel Population Code of Sound Location Is an Efficient Representation of Natural Binaural Sounds

PubMed Central

Młynarski, Wiktor

2015-01-01

In mammalian auditory cortex, sound source position is represented by a population of broadly tuned neurons whose firing is modulated by sounds located at all positions surrounding the animal. Peaks of their tuning curves are concentrated at lateral position, while their slopes are steepest at the interaural midline, allowing for the maximum localization accuracy in that area. These experimental observations contradict initial assumptions that the auditory space is represented as a topographic cortical map. It has been suggested that a “panoramic” code has evolved to match specific demands of the sound localization task. This work provides evidence suggesting that properties of spatial auditory neurons identified experimentally follow from a general design principle- learning a sparse, efficient representation of natural stimuli. Natural binaural sounds were recorded and served as input to a hierarchical sparse-coding model. In the first layer, left and right ear sounds were separately encoded by a population of complex-valued basis functions which separated phase and amplitude. Both parameters are known to carry information relevant for spatial hearing. Monaural input converged in the second layer, which learned a joint representation of amplitude and interaural phase difference. Spatial selectivity of each second-layer unit was measured by exposing the model to natural sound sources recorded at different positions. Obtained tuning curves match well tuning characteristics of neurons in the mammalian auditory cortex. This study connects neuronal coding of the auditory space with natural stimulus statistics and generates new experimental predictions. Moreover, results presented here suggest that cortical regions with seemingly different functions may implement the same computational strategy-efficient coding. PMID:25996373

Population Coding of Visual Space: Modeling

PubMed Central

Lehky, Sidney R.; Sereno, Anne B.

2011-01-01

We examine how the representation of space is affected by receptive field (RF) characteristics of the encoding population. Spatial responses were defined by overlapping Gaussian RFs. These responses were analyzed using multidimensional scaling to extract the representation of global space implicit in population activity. Spatial representations were based purely on firing rates, which were not labeled with RF characteristics (tuning curve peak location, for example), differentiating this approach from many other population coding models. Because responses were unlabeled, this model represents space using intrinsic coding, extracting relative positions amongst stimuli, rather than extrinsic coding where known RF characteristics provide a reference frame for extracting absolute positions. Two parameters were particularly important: RF diameter and RF dispersion, where dispersion indicates how broadly RF centers are spread out from the fovea. For large RFs, the model was able to form metrically accurate representations of physical space on low-dimensional manifolds embedded within the high-dimensional neural population response space, suggesting that in some cases the neural representation of space may be dimensionally isomorphic with 3D physical space. Smaller RF sizes degraded and distorted the spatial representation, with the smallest RF sizes (present in early visual areas) being unable to recover even a topologically consistent rendition of space on low-dimensional manifolds. Finally, although positional invariance of stimulus responses has long been associated with large RFs in object recognition models, we found RF dispersion rather than RF diameter to be the critical parameter. In fact, at a population level, the modeling suggests that higher ventral stream areas with highly restricted RF dispersion would be unable to achieve positionally-invariant representations beyond this narrow region around fixation. PMID:21344012

Vertex Space Analysis for Model-Based Target Recognition.

DTIC Science & Technology

1996-08-01

performed in our unique invariant representation, Vertex Space, that reduces both the dimensionality and size of the required search space. Vertex Space ... mapping results in a reduced representation that serves as a characteristic target signature which is invariant to four of the six viewing geometry

Magnetospheric Multiscale Observation of Plasma Velocity-Space Cascade: Hermite Representation and Theory.

PubMed

Servidio, S; Chasapis, A; Matthaeus, W H; Perrone, D; Valentini, F; Parashar, T N; Veltri, P; Gershman, D; Russell, C T; Giles, B; Fuselier, S A; Phan, T D; Burch, J

2017-11-17

Plasma turbulence is investigated using unprecedented high-resolution ion velocity distribution measurements by the Magnetospheric Multiscale mission (MMS) in the Earth's magnetosheath. This novel observation of a highly structured particle distribution suggests a cascadelike process in velocity space. Complex velocity space structure is investigated using a three-dimensional Hermite transform, revealing, for the first time in observational data, a power-law distribution of moments. In analogy to hydrodynamics, a Kolmogorov approach leads directly to a range of predictions for this phase-space transport. The scaling theory is found to be in agreement with observations. The combined use of state-of-the-art MMS data sets, novel implementation of a Hermite transform method, and scaling theory of the velocity cascade opens new pathways to the understanding of plasma turbulence and the crucial velocity space features that lead to dissipation in plasmas.

Representations of body and space: theoretical concepts and controversies.

PubMed

Trojan, Jörg

2015-09-01

Recent years have seen a revived interest in how body and space are represented perceptually and how they affect human cognition and behaviour. Various conceptualisations of body and space have been proposed, alternately stressing neurophysiological, cognitive, or social aspects, but unified approaches are scarce. This short paper will give an overview of different views on body and space. At least three relevant dimensions can be identified in which concepts of body and space may differ: (1) perspective: while we conceptually differentiate between body and space perception, they imply each other and the underlying mechanisms overlap. (2) Level: representations of body and space may emerge at different processing levels, from spinal mechanisms guiding reflex movements to those we construct in our imagination. (3) Affect: representations of body and space are closely linked to affect, but this relationship has not received enough attention yet. Despite many empirical findings, our current views on body and space representations remain ambiguous. One problem may lie in the implicit diversity of "bodies" and "spaces" examined in different studies. Specifications of these concepts may help understand existing results better and are important for guiding future research.

Simulating and assessing boson sampling experiments with phase-space representations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Opanchuk, Bogdan; Rosales-Zárate, Laura; Reid, Margaret D.; Drummond, Peter D.

2018-04-01

The search for new, application-specific quantum computers designed to outperform any classical computer is driven by the ending of Moore's law and the quantum advantages potentially obtainable. Photonic networks are promising examples, with experimental demonstrations and potential for obtaining a quantum computer to solve problems believed classically impossible. This introduces a challenge: how does one design or understand such photonic networks? One must be able to calculate observables using general methods capable of treating arbitrary inputs, dissipation, and noise. We develop complex phase-space software for simulating these photonic networks, and apply this to boson sampling experiments. Our techniques give sampling errors orders of magnitude lower than experimental correlation measurements for the same number of samples. We show that these techniques remove systematic errors in previous algorithms for estimating correlations, with large improvements in errors in some cases. In addition, we obtain a scalable channel-combination strategy for assessment of boson sampling devices.

Compact representations of partially coherent undulator radiation suitable for wave propagation

DOE PAGES

Lindberg, Ryan R.; Kim, Kwang -Je

2015-09-28

Undulator radiation is partially coherent in the transverse plane, with the degree of coherence depending on the ratio of the electron beam phase space area (emittance) to the characteristic radiation wavelength λ. Numerical codes used to predict x-ray beam line performance can typically only propagate coherent fields from the source to the image plane. We investigate methods for representing partially coherent undulator radiation using a suitably chosen set of coherent fields that can be used in standard wave propagation codes, and discuss such “coherent mode expansions” for arbitrary degrees of coherence. In the limit when the electron beam emittance alongmore » at least one direction is much larger than λ the coherent modes are orthogonal and therefore compact; when the emittance approaches λ in both planes we discuss an economical method of defining the relevant coherent fields that samples the electron beam phase space using low-discrepancy sequences.« less

Projective flatness in the quantisation of bosons and fermions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Siye

2015-07-01

We compare the quantisation of linear systems of bosons and fermions. We recall the appearance of projectively flat connection and results on parallel transport in the quantisation of bosons. We then discuss pre-quantisation and quantisation of fermions using the calculus of fermionic variables. We define a natural connection on the bundle of Hilbert spaces and show that it is projectively flat. This identifies, up to a phase, equivalent spinor representations constructed by various polarisations. We introduce the concept of metaplectic correction for fermions and show that the bundle of corrected Hilbert spaces is naturally flat. We then show that the parallel transport in the bundle of Hilbert spaces along a geodesic is a rescaled projection provided that the geodesic lies within the complement of a cut locus. Finally, we study the bundle of Hilbert spaces when there is a symmetry.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Livine, Etera R.

We introduce the set of framed (convex) polyhedra with N faces as the symplectic quotient C{sup 2N}//SU(2). A framed polyhedron is then parametrized by N spinors living in C{sup 2} satisfying suitable closure constraints and defines a usual convex polyhedron plus extra U(1) phases attached to each face. We show that there is a natural action of the unitary group U(N) on this phase space, which changes the shape of faces and allows to map any (framed) polyhedron onto any other with the same total (boundary) area. This identifies the space of framed polyhedra to the Grassmannian space U(N)/ (SU(2)×U(N−2)).more » We show how to write averages of geometrical observables (polynomials in the faces' area and the angles between them) over the ensemble of polyhedra (distributed uniformly with respect to the Haar measure on U(N)) as polynomial integrals over the unitary group and we provide a few methods to compute these integrals systematically. We also use the Itzykson-Zuber formula from matrix models as the generating function for these averages and correlations. In the quantum case, a canonical quantization of the framed polyhedron phase space leads to the Hilbert space of SU(2) intertwiners (or, in other words, SU(2)-invariant states in tensor products of irreducible representations). The total boundary area as well as the individual face areas are quantized as half-integers (spins), and the Hilbert spaces for fixed total area form irreducible representations of U(N). We define semi-classical coherent intertwiner states peaked on classical framed polyhedra and transforming consistently under U(N) transformations. And we show how the U(N) character formula for unitary transformations is to be considered as an extension of the Itzykson-Zuber to the quantum level and generates the traces of all polynomial observables over the Hilbert space of intertwiners. We finally apply the same formalism to two dimensions and show that classical (convex) polygons can be described in a similar fashion trading the unitary group for the orthogonal group. We conclude with a discussion of the possible (deformation) dynamics that one can define on the space of polygons or polyhedra. This work is a priori useful in the context of discrete geometry but it should hopefully also be relevant to (loop) quantum gravity in 2+1 and 3+1 dimensions when the quantum geometry is defined in terms of gluing of (quantized) polygons and polyhedra.« less

Combinatorial approach to the representation of the Schur-Weyl duality in one-dimensional spin systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jakubczyk, Dorota; Jakubczyk, Paweł

2018-02-01

We propose combinatorial approach to the representation of Schur-Weyl duality in physical systems on the example of one-dimensional spin chains. Exploiting the Robinson-Schensted-Knuth algorithm, we perform decomposition of the dual group representations into irreducible representations in a fully combinatorial way. As representation space, we choose the Hilbert space of the spin chains, but this approach can be easily generalized to an arbitrary physical system where the Schur-Weyl duality works.

Bulk from bi-locals in Thermo field CFT

DOE PAGES

Jevicki, Antal; Yoon, Junggi

2016-02-15

For this research, we study the Large N dynamics of the O(N) field theory in the Thermo field dynamics approach. The question of recovering the high temperature phase and the corresponding O(N) gauging is clarified. Through the associated bi-local representation we discuss the emergent bulk space-time and construction of (Higher spin) fields. In addition, we note the presence of ‘evanescent’ modes in this construction and also the mixing of spins at finite temperature.

Understanding squeezing of quantum states with the Wigner function

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Royer, Antoine

1994-01-01

The Wigner function is argued to be the only natural phase space function evolving classically under quadratic Hamiltonians with time-dependent bilinear part. This is used to understand graphically how certain quadratic time-dependent Hamiltonians induce squeezing of quantum states. The Wigner representation is also used to generalize Ehrenfest's theorem to the quantum uncertainties. This makes it possible to deduce features of the quantum evolution, such as squeezing, from the classical evolution, whatever the Hamiltonian.

Hawking radiation and classical tunneling: A ray phase space approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tracy, E. R.; Zhigunov, D.

2016-01-01

Acoustic waves in fluids undergoing the transition from sub- to supersonic flow satisfy governing equations similar to those for light waves in the immediate vicinity of a black hole event horizon. This acoustic analogy has been used by Unruh and others as a conceptual model for "Hawking radiation." Here, we use variational methods, originally introduced by Brizard for the study of linearized MHD, and ray phase space methods, to analyze linearized acoustics in the presence of background flows. The variational formulation endows the evolution equations with natural Hermitian and symplectic structures that prove useful for later analysis. We derive a 2 × 2 normal form governing the wave evolution in the vicinity of the "event horizon." This shows that the acoustic model can be reduced locally (in ray phase space) to a standard (scalar) tunneling process weakly coupled to a unidirectional non-dispersive wave (the "incoming wave"). Given the normal form, the Hawking "thermal spectrum" can be derived by invoking standard tunneling theory, but only by ignoring the coupling to the incoming wave. Deriving the normal form requires a novel extension of the modular ray-based theory used previously to study tunneling and mode conversion in plasmas. We also discuss how ray phase space methods can be used to change representation, which brings the problem into a form where the wave functions are less singular than in the usual formulation, a fact that might prove useful in numerical studies.

Audio Motor Training at the Foot Level Improves Space Representation.

PubMed

Aggius-Vella, Elena; Campus, Claudio; Finocchietti, Sara; Gori, Monica

2017-01-01

Spatial representation is developed thanks to the integration of visual signals with the other senses. It has been shown that the lack of vision compromises the development of some spatial representations. In this study we tested the effect of a new rehabilitation device called ABBI (Audio Bracelet for Blind Interaction) to improve space representation. ABBI produces an audio feedback linked to body movement. Previous studies from our group showed that this device improves the spatial representation of space in early blind adults around the upper part of the body. Here we evaluate whether the audio motor feedback produced by ABBI can also improve audio spatial representation of sighted individuals in the space around the legs. Forty five blindfolded sighted subjects participated in the study, subdivided into three experimental groups. An audio space localization (front-back discrimination) task was performed twice by all groups of subjects before and after different kind of training conditions. A group (experimental) performed an audio-motor training with the ABBI device placed on their foot. Another group (control) performed a free motor activity without audio feedback associated with body movement. The other group (control) passively listened to the ABBI sound moved at foot level by the experimenter without producing any body movement. Results showed that only the experimental group, which performed the training with the audio-motor feedback, showed an improvement in accuracy for sound discrimination. No improvement was observed for the two control groups. These findings suggest that the audio-motor training with ABBI improves audio space perception also in the space around the legs in sighted individuals. This result provides important inputs for the rehabilitation of the space representations in the lower part of the body.

Audio Motor Training at the Foot Level Improves Space Representation

PubMed Central

Aggius-Vella, Elena; Campus, Claudio; Finocchietti, Sara; Gori, Monica

2017-01-01

Spatial representation is developed thanks to the integration of visual signals with the other senses. It has been shown that the lack of vision compromises the development of some spatial representations. In this study we tested the effect of a new rehabilitation device called ABBI (Audio Bracelet for Blind Interaction) to improve space representation. ABBI produces an audio feedback linked to body movement. Previous studies from our group showed that this device improves the spatial representation of space in early blind adults around the upper part of the body. Here we evaluate whether the audio motor feedback produced by ABBI can also improve audio spatial representation of sighted individuals in the space around the legs. Forty five blindfolded sighted subjects participated in the study, subdivided into three experimental groups. An audio space localization (front-back discrimination) task was performed twice by all groups of subjects before and after different kind of training conditions. A group (experimental) performed an audio-motor training with the ABBI device placed on their foot. Another group (control) performed a free motor activity without audio feedback associated with body movement. The other group (control) passively listened to the ABBI sound moved at foot level by the experimenter without producing any body movement. Results showed that only the experimental group, which performed the training with the audio-motor feedback, showed an improvement in accuracy for sound discrimination. No improvement was observed for the two control groups. These findings suggest that the audio-motor training with ABBI improves audio space perception also in the space around the legs in sighted individuals. This result provides important inputs for the rehabilitation of the space representations in the lower part of the body. PMID:29326564

Automation Activities that Support C2 Agility to Mitigate Type 7 Risks

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-06-01

on business trip • Space ship runs into space junk What are the probabilities for these events in a 45-year career time frame? Event that...representation that information system understands State- Space Diagram Common Agility Space (CAS) A simple C2 organization representation

An Active System for Visually-Guided Reaching in 3D across Binocular Fixations

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Based on the importance of relative disparity between objects for accurate hand-eye coordination, this paper presents a biological approach inspired by the cortical neural architecture. So, the motor information is coded in egocentric coordinates obtained from the allocentric representation of the space (in terms of disparity) generated from the egocentric representation of the visual information (image coordinates). In that way, the different aspects of the visuomotor coordination are integrated: an active vision system, composed of two vergent cameras; a module for the 2D binocular disparity estimation based on a local estimation of phase differences performed through a bank of Gabor filters; and a robotic actuator to perform the corresponding tasks (visually-guided reaching). The approach's performance is evaluated through experiments on both simulated and real data. PMID:24672295

The effects of mental representation on performance in a navigation task

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barshi, Immanuel; Healy, Alice F.

2002-01-01

In three experiments, we investigated the mental representations employed when instructions were followed that involved navigation in a space displayed as a grid on a computer screen. Performance was affected much more by the number of instructional units than by the number of words per unit. Performance in a three-dimensional space was independent of the number of dimensions along which participants navigated. However, memory for and accuracy in following the instructions were reduced when the task required mentally representing a three-dimensional space, as compared with representing a two-dimensional space, although the words used in the instructions were identical in the two cases. These results demonstrate the interdependence of verbal and spatial memory representations, because individuals' immediate memory for verbal navigation instructions is affected by their mental representation of the space referred to by the instructions.

Fixed versus mixed RSA: Explaining visual representations by fixed and mixed feature sets from shallow and deep computational models.

PubMed

Khaligh-Razavi, Seyed-Mahdi; Henriksson, Linda; Kay, Kendrick; Kriegeskorte, Nikolaus

2017-02-01

Studies of the primate visual system have begun to test a wide range of complex computational object-vision models. Realistic models have many parameters, which in practice cannot be fitted using the limited amounts of brain-activity data typically available. Task performance optimization (e.g. using backpropagation to train neural networks) provides major constraints for fitting parameters and discovering nonlinear representational features appropriate for the task (e.g. object classification). Model representations can be compared to brain representations in terms of the representational dissimilarities they predict for an image set. This method, called representational similarity analysis (RSA), enables us to test the representational feature space as is (fixed RSA) or to fit a linear transformation that mixes the nonlinear model features so as to best explain a cortical area's representational space (mixed RSA). Like voxel/population-receptive-field modelling, mixed RSA uses a training set (different stimuli) to fit one weight per model feature and response channel (voxels here), so as to best predict the response profile across images for each response channel. We analysed response patterns elicited by natural images, which were measured with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). We found that early visual areas were best accounted for by shallow models, such as a Gabor wavelet pyramid (GWP). The GWP model performed similarly with and without mixing, suggesting that the original features already approximated the representational space, obviating the need for mixing. However, a higher ventral-stream visual representation (lateral occipital region) was best explained by the higher layers of a deep convolutional network and mixing of its feature set was essential for this model to explain the representation. We suspect that mixing was essential because the convolutional network had been trained to discriminate a set of 1000 categories, whose frequencies in the training set did not match their frequencies in natural experience or their behavioural importance. The latter factors might determine the representational prominence of semantic dimensions in higher-level ventral-stream areas. Our results demonstrate the benefits of testing both the specific representational hypothesis expressed by a model's original feature space and the hypothesis space generated by linear transformations of that feature space.

Exploring the Structure of Spatial Representations

PubMed Central

Madl, Tamas; Franklin, Stan; Chen, Ke; Trappl, Robert; Montaldi, Daniela

2016-01-01

It has been suggested that the map-like representations that support human spatial memory are fragmented into sub-maps with local reference frames, rather than being unitary and global. However, the principles underlying the structure of these ‘cognitive maps’ are not well understood. We propose that the structure of the representations of navigation space arises from clustering within individual psychological spaces, i.e. from a process that groups together objects that are close in these spaces. Building on the ideas of representational geometry and similarity-based representations in cognitive science, we formulate methods for learning dissimilarity functions (metrics) characterizing participants’ psychological spaces. We show that these learned metrics, together with a probabilistic model of clustering based on the Bayesian cognition paradigm, allow prediction of participants’ cognitive map structures in advance. Apart from insights into spatial representation learning in human cognition, these methods could facilitate novel computational tools capable of using human-like spatial concepts. We also compare several features influencing spatial memory structure, including spatial distance, visual similarity and functional similarity, and report strong correlations between these dimensions and the grouping probability in participants’ spatial representations, providing further support for clustering in spatial memory. PMID:27347681

A unified theoretical framework for mapping models for the multi-state Hamiltonian.

PubMed

Liu, Jian

2016-11-28

We propose a new unified theoretical framework to construct equivalent representations of the multi-state Hamiltonian operator and present several approaches for the mapping onto the Cartesian phase space. After mapping an F-dimensional Hamiltonian onto an F+1 dimensional space, creation and annihilation operators are defined such that the F+1 dimensional space is complete for any combined excitation. Commutation and anti-commutation relations are then naturally derived, which show that the underlying degrees of freedom are neither bosons nor fermions. This sets the scene for developing equivalent expressions of the Hamiltonian operator in quantum mechanics and their classical/semiclassical counterparts. Six mapping models are presented as examples. The framework also offers a novel way to derive such as the well-known Meyer-Miller model.

Reduced Pseudoneglect for Physical Space, but Not Mental Representations of Space, for Adults with Autistic Traits

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

English, Michael C.; Maybery, Murray T.; Visser, Troy A.

2017-01-01

Neurotypical individuals display a leftward attentional bias, called pseudoneglect, for physical space (e.g. landmark task) and mental representations of space (e.g. mental number line bisection). However, leftward bias is reduced in autistic individuals viewing faces, and neurotypical individuals with autistic traits viewing "greyscale"…

Observations of Representational Practices by Indian-Descent Children in a US Preschool Classroom: Connections among People, Spaces and Artifacts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Braswell, Gregory S.

2015-01-01

This exploratory study examined children's experiences with producing and comprehending external representations in a preschool classroom. Data collection and analyses focused on how artifacts, spaces, adult-guided routines, and social conventions shape young children's representational development. Participants included 4- and…

Single-phase and two-phase flow properties of mesaverde tight sandstone formation; random-network modeling approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bashtani, Farzad; Maini, Brij; Kantzas, Apostolos

2016-08-01

3D random networks are constructed in order to represent the tight Mesaverde formation which is located in north Wyoming, USA. The porous-space is represented by pore bodies of different shapes and sizes which are connected to each other by pore throats of varying length and diameter. Pore bodies are randomly distributed in space and their connectivity varies based on the connectivity number distribution which is used in order to generate the network. Network representations are then validated using publicly available mercury porosimetry experiments. The network modeling software solves the fundamental equations of two-phase immiscible flow incorporating wettability and contact angle variability. Quasi-static displacement is assumed. Single phase macroscopic properties (porosity, permeability) are calculated and whenever possible are compared to experimental data. Using this information drainage and imbibition capillary pressure, and relative permeability curves are predicted and (whenever possible) compared to experimental data. The calculated information is grouped and compared to available literature information on typical behavior of tight formations. Capillary pressure curve for primary drainage process is predicted and compared to experimental mercury porosimetry in order to validate the virtual porous media by history matching. Relative permeability curves are also calculated and presented.

Perspectives on the neuroscience of cognition and consciousness.

PubMed

Werner, Gerhard

2007-01-01

The origin and current use of the concepts of computation, representation and information in Neuroscience are examined and conceptual flaws are identified which vitiate their usefulness for addressing the problem of the neural basis of Cognition and Consciousness. In contrast, a convergence of views is presented to support the characterization of the Nervous System as a complex dynamical system operating in a metastable regime, and capable of evolving to configurations and transitions in phase space with potential relevance for Cognition and Consciousness.

Is the Classroom Obsolete in the Twenty-First Century?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Benade, Leon

2017-01-01

Lefebvre's triadic conception of "spatial practice, representations of space and representational spaces" provides the theoretical framework of this article, which recognises a productive relationship between space and social relations. Its writing stems from a current and ongoing qualitative study of innovative teaching and learning…

Mapping Children--Mapping Space.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pick, Herbert L., Jr.

Research is underway concerning the way the perception, conception, and representation of spatial layout develops. Three concepts are important here--space itself, frame of reference, and cognitive map. Cognitive map refers to a form of representation of the behavioral space, not paired associate or serial response learning. Other criteria…

Clustering of neural code words revealed by a first-order phase transition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Haiping; Toyoizumi, Taro

2016-06-01

A network of neurons in the central nervous system collectively represents information by its spiking activity states. Typically observed states, i.e., code words, occupy only a limited portion of the state space due to constraints imposed by network interactions. Geometrical organization of code words in the state space, critical for neural information processing, is poorly understood due to its high dimensionality. Here, we explore the organization of neural code words using retinal data by computing the entropy of code words as a function of Hamming distance from a particular reference codeword. Specifically, we report that the retinal code words in the state space are divided into multiple distinct clusters separated by entropy-gaps, and that this structure is shared with well-known associative memory networks in a recallable phase. Our analysis also elucidates a special nature of the all-silent state. The all-silent state is surrounded by the densest cluster of code words and located within a reachable distance from most code words. This code-word space structure quantitatively predicts typical deviation of a state-trajectory from its initial state. Altogether, our findings reveal a non-trivial heterogeneous structure of the code-word space that shapes information representation in a biological network.

Arrows as anchors: An analysis of the material features of electric field vector arrows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gire, Elizabeth; Price, Edward

2014-12-01

Representations in physics possess both physical and conceptual aspects that are fundamentally intertwined and can interact to support or hinder sense making and computation. We use distributed cognition and the theory of conceptual blending with material anchors to interpret the roles of conceptual and material features of representations in students' use of representations for computation. We focus on the vector-arrows representation of electric fields and describe this representation as a conceptual blend of electric field concepts, physical space, and the material features of the representation (i.e., the physical writing and the surface upon which it is drawn). In this representation, spatial extent (e.g., distance on paper) is used to represent both distances in coordinate space and magnitudes of electric field vectors. In conceptual blending theory, this conflation is described as a clash between the input spaces in the blend. We explore the benefits and drawbacks of this clash, as well as other features of this representation. This analysis is illustrated with examples from clinical problem-solving interviews with upper-division physics majors. We see that while these intermediate physics students make a variety of errors using this representation, they also use the geometric features of the representation to add electric field contributions and to organize the problem situation productively.

Spectral and entropic characterizations of Wigner functions: applications to model vibrational systems.

PubMed

Luzanov, A V

2008-09-07

The Wigner function for the pure quantum states is used as an integral kernel of the non-Hermitian operator K, to which the standard singular value decomposition (SVD) is applied. It provides a set of the squared singular values treated as probabilities of the individual phase-space processes, the latter being described by eigenfunctions of KK(+) (for coordinate variables) and K(+)K (for momentum variables). Such a SVD representation is employed to obviate the well-known difficulties in the definition of the phase-space entropy measures in terms of the Wigner function that usually allows negative values. In particular, the new measures of nonclassicality are constructed in the form that automatically satisfies additivity for systems composed of noninteracting parts. Furthermore, the emphasis is given on the geometrical interpretation of the full entropy measure as the effective phase-space volume in the Wigner picture of quantum mechanics. The approach is exemplified by considering some generic vibrational systems. Specifically, for eigenstates of the harmonic oscillator and a superposition of coherent states, the singular value spectrum is evaluated analytically. Numerical computations are given for the nonlinear problems (the Morse and double well oscillators, and the Henon-Heiles system). We also discuss the difficulties in implementation of a similar technique for electronic problems.

Multiscale wavelet representations for mammographic feature analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laine, Andrew F.; Song, Shuwu

1992-12-01

This paper introduces a novel approach for accomplishing mammographic feature analysis through multiresolution representations. We show that efficient (nonredundant) representations may be identified from digital mammography and used to enhance specific mammographic features within a continuum of scale space. The multiresolution decomposition of wavelet transforms provides a natural hierarchy in which to embed an interactive paradigm for accomplishing scale space feature analysis. Choosing wavelets (or analyzing functions) that are simultaneously localized in both space and frequency, results in a powerful methodology for image analysis. Multiresolution and orientation selectivity, known biological mechanisms in primate vision, are ingrained in wavelet representations and inspire the techniques presented in this paper. Our approach includes local analysis of complete multiscale representations. Mammograms are reconstructed from wavelet coefficients, enhanced by linear, exponential and constant weight functions localized in scale space. By improving the visualization of breast pathology we can improve the changes of early detection of breast cancers (improve quality) while requiring less time to evaluate mammograms for most patients (lower costs).

The Koslowski-Sahlmann representation: quantum configuration space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Campiglia, Miguel; Varadarajan, Madhavan

2014-09-01

The Koslowski-Sahlmann (KS) representation is a generalization of the representation underlying the discrete spatial geometry of loop quantum gravity (LQG), to accommodate states labelled by smooth spatial geometries. As shown recently, the KS representation supports, in addition to the action of the holonomy and flux operators, the action of operators which are the quantum counterparts of certain connection dependent functions known as ‘background exponentials’. Here we show that the KS representation displays the following properties which are the exact counterparts of LQG ones: (i) the abelian * algebra of SU(2) holonomies and ‘U(1)’ background exponentials can be completed to a C* algebra, (ii) the space of semianalytic SU(2) connections is topologically dense in the spectrum of this algebra, (iii) there exists a measure on this spectrum for which the KS Hilbert space is realized as the space of square integrable functions on the spectrum, (iv) the spectrum admits a characterization as a projective limit of finite numbers of copies of SU(2) and U(1), (v) the algebra underlying the KS representation is constructed from cylindrical functions and their derivations in exactly the same way as the LQG (holonomy-flux) algebra except that the KS cylindrical functions depend on the holonomies and the background exponentials, this extra dependence being responsible for the differences between the KS and LQG algebras. While these results are obtained for compact spaces, they are expected to be of use for the construction of the KS representation in the asymptotically flat case.

Phase Shadows: An Enhanced Representation of Nonlinear Dynamic Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luque, Amalia; Barbancho, Julio; Cañete, Javier Fernández; Córdoba, Antonio

2017-12-01

Many nonlinear dynamic systems have a rotating behavior where an angle defining its state may extend to more than 360∘. In these cases the use of the phase portrait does not properly depict the system’s evolution. Normalized phase portraits or cylindrical phase portraits have been extensively used to overcome the original phase portrait’s disadvantages. In this research a new graphic representation is introduced: the phase shadow. Its use clearly reveals the system behavior while overcoming the drawback of the existing plots. Through the paper the method to obtain the graphic is stated. Additionally, to show the phase shadow’s expressiveness, a rotating pendulum is considered. The work exposes that the new graph is an enhanced representational tool for systems having equilibrium points, limit cycles, chaotic attractors and/or bifurcations.

Design of the stabilizing control of the orbital motion in the vicinity of the collinear libration point L1 using the analytical representation of the invariant manifold

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maliavkin, G. P.; Shmyrov, A. S.; Shmyrov, V. A.

2018-05-01

Vicinities of collinear libration points of the Sun-Earth system are currently quite attractive for the space navigation. Today, various projects on placing of spacecrafts observing the Sun in the L1 libration point and telescopes in L2 have been implemented (e.g. spacecrafts "WIND", "SOHO", "Herschel", "Planck"). Collinear libration points being unstable leads to the problem of stabilization of a spacecraft's motion. Laws of stabilizing motion control in vicinity of L1 point can be constructed using the analytical representation of a stable invariant manifold. Efficiency of these control laws depends on the precision of the representation. Within the model of Hill's approximation of the circular restricted three-body problem in the rotating geocentric coordinate system one can obtain the analytical representation of an invariant manifold filled with bounded trajectories in a form of series in terms of powers of the phase variables. Approximate representations of the orders from the first to the fourth inclusive can be used to construct four laws of stabilizing feedback motion control under which trajectories approach the manifold. By virtue of numerical simulation the comparison can be made: how the precision of the representation of the invariant manifold influences the efficiency of the control, expressed by energy consumptions (characteristic velocity). It shows that using approximations of higher orders in constructing the control laws can significantly reduce the energy consumptions on implementing the control compared to the linear approximation.

Representation of the equatorial stratospheric quasi-biennial oscillation in EOF phase space. [EOF (empirical orthogonal function)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wallace, J.M.; Panetta, R.L.; Estberg, J.

1993-06-15

A 35-year record of monthly mean zonal wind data for the equatorial stratosphere is represented in terms of a vector (radius and phase angle) in a two-dimensional phase space defined by the normalized expansion coefficients of the two leading empirical orthogonal functions (EOFs) of the vertical structure. The tip of the vector completes one nearly circular loop during each cycle of the quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO). Hence, its position and rate of progress along the orbit of the point provide a measure of the instantaneous amplitude and rate of phase progression of the QBO. Although the phase of the QBO bearsmore » little if any relation to calendar month, the rate of phase progression is strongly modulated by the first and second harmonics of the annual cycle, with a primary maximum in April/May, in agreement with previous studies based on the descent rates of easterly and westerly regimes. A simple linear prediction model is developed for the rate of phase progression, based on the phase of the QBO and the phase of the annual cycle. The model is capable of hindcasting the phase of the QBO to within a specified degree of accuracy approximately 50% longer than a default scheme based on the mean observed rate of phase progression of the QBO (1 cycle per 28.1 months). If the seasonal dependence is ignored, the prediction equation corresponds to the [open quotes]circle map,[close quotes] for which an extensive literature exists in dynamical systems theory. 17 refs., 14 figs., 2 tabs.« less

Representational Distance Learning for Deep Neural Networks

PubMed Central

McClure, Patrick; Kriegeskorte, Nikolaus

2016-01-01

Deep neural networks (DNNs) provide useful models of visual representational transformations. We present a method that enables a DNN (student) to learn from the internal representational spaces of a reference model (teacher), which could be another DNN or, in the future, a biological brain. Representational spaces of the student and the teacher are characterized by representational distance matrices (RDMs). We propose representational distance learning (RDL), a stochastic gradient descent method that drives the RDMs of the student to approximate the RDMs of the teacher. We demonstrate that RDL is competitive with other transfer learning techniques for two publicly available benchmark computer vision datasets (MNIST and CIFAR-100), while allowing for architectural differences between student and teacher. By pulling the student's RDMs toward those of the teacher, RDL significantly improved visual classification performance when compared to baseline networks that did not use transfer learning. In the future, RDL may enable combined supervised training of deep neural networks using task constraints (e.g., images and category labels) and constraints from brain-activity measurements, so as to build models that replicate the internal representational spaces of biological brains. PMID:28082889

Representational Distance Learning for Deep Neural Networks.

PubMed

McClure, Patrick; Kriegeskorte, Nikolaus

2016-01-01

Deep neural networks (DNNs) provide useful models of visual representational transformations. We present a method that enables a DNN (student) to learn from the internal representational spaces of a reference model (teacher), which could be another DNN or, in the future, a biological brain. Representational spaces of the student and the teacher are characterized by representational distance matrices (RDMs). We propose representational distance learning (RDL), a stochastic gradient descent method that drives the RDMs of the student to approximate the RDMs of the teacher. We demonstrate that RDL is competitive with other transfer learning techniques for two publicly available benchmark computer vision datasets (MNIST and CIFAR-100), while allowing for architectural differences between student and teacher. By pulling the student's RDMs toward those of the teacher, RDL significantly improved visual classification performance when compared to baseline networks that did not use transfer learning. In the future, RDL may enable combined supervised training of deep neural networks using task constraints (e.g., images and category labels) and constraints from brain-activity measurements, so as to build models that replicate the internal representational spaces of biological brains.

Experience-Dependency of Reliance on Local Visual and Idiothetic Cues for Spatial Representations Created in the Absence of Distal Information.

PubMed

Draht, Fabian; Zhang, Sijie; Rayan, Abdelrahman; Schönfeld, Fabian; Wiskott, Laurenz; Manahan-Vaughan, Denise

2017-01-01

Spatial encoding in the hippocampus is based on a range of different input sources. To generate spatial representations, reliable sensory cues from the external environment are integrated with idiothetic cues, derived from self-movement, that enable path integration and directional perception. In this study, we examined to what extent idiothetic cues significantly contribute to spatial representations and navigation: we recorded place cells while rodents navigated towards two visually identical chambers in 180° orientation via two different paths in darkness and in the absence of reliable auditory or olfactory cues. Our goal was to generate a conflict between local visual and direction-specific information, and then to assess which strategy was prioritized in different learning phases. We observed that, in the absence of distal cues, place fields are initially controlled by local visual cues that override idiothetic cues, but that with multiple exposures to the paradigm, spaced at intervals of days, idiothetic cues become increasingly implemented in generating an accurate spatial representation. Taken together, these data support that, in the absence of distal cues, local visual cues are prioritized in the generation of context-specific spatial representations through place cells, whereby idiothetic cues are deemed unreliable. With cumulative exposures to the environments, the animal learns to attend to subtle idiothetic cues to resolve the conflict between visual and direction-specific information.

Experience-Dependency of Reliance on Local Visual and Idiothetic Cues for Spatial Representations Created in the Absence of Distal Information

PubMed Central

Draht, Fabian; Zhang, Sijie; Rayan, Abdelrahman; Schönfeld, Fabian; Wiskott, Laurenz; Manahan-Vaughan, Denise

2017-01-01

Spatial encoding in the hippocampus is based on a range of different input sources. To generate spatial representations, reliable sensory cues from the external environment are integrated with idiothetic cues, derived from self-movement, that enable path integration and directional perception. In this study, we examined to what extent idiothetic cues significantly contribute to spatial representations and navigation: we recorded place cells while rodents navigated towards two visually identical chambers in 180° orientation via two different paths in darkness and in the absence of reliable auditory or olfactory cues. Our goal was to generate a conflict between local visual and direction-specific information, and then to assess which strategy was prioritized in different learning phases. We observed that, in the absence of distal cues, place fields are initially controlled by local visual cues that override idiothetic cues, but that with multiple exposures to the paradigm, spaced at intervals of days, idiothetic cues become increasingly implemented in generating an accurate spatial representation. Taken together, these data support that, in the absence of distal cues, local visual cues are prioritized in the generation of context-specific spatial representations through place cells, whereby idiothetic cues are deemed unreliable. With cumulative exposures to the environments, the animal learns to attend to subtle idiothetic cues to resolve the conflict between visual and direction-specific information. PMID:28634444

Exploring representations of protein structure for automated remote homology detection and mapping of protein structure space

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Due to rapid sequencing of genomes, there are now millions of deposited protein sequences with no known function. Fast sequence-based comparisons allow detecting close homologs for a protein of interest to transfer functional information from the homologs to the given protein. Sequence-based comparison cannot detect remote homologs, in which evolution has adjusted the sequence while largely preserving structure. Structure-based comparisons can detect remote homologs but most methods for doing so are too expensive to apply at a large scale over structural databases of proteins. Recently, fragment-based structural representations have been proposed that allow fast detection of remote homologs with reasonable accuracy. These representations have also been used to obtain linearly-reducible maps of protein structure space. It has been shown, as additionally supported from analysis in this paper that such maps preserve functional co-localization of the protein structure space. Methods Inspired by a recent application of the Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) model for conducting structural comparisons of proteins, we propose higher-order LDA-obtained topic-based representations of protein structures to provide an alternative route for remote homology detection and organization of the protein structure space in few dimensions. Various techniques based on natural language processing are proposed and employed to aid the analysis of topics in the protein structure domain. Results We show that a topic-based representation is just as effective as a fragment-based one at automated detection of remote homologs and organization of protein structure space. We conduct a detailed analysis of the information content in the topic-based representation, showing that topics have semantic meaning. The fragment-based and topic-based representations are also shown to allow prediction of superfamily membership. Conclusions This work opens exciting venues in designing novel representations to extract information about protein structures, as well as organizing and mining protein structure space with mature text mining tools. PMID:25080993

Phased-mission system analysis using Boolean algebraic methods

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Somani, Arun K.; Trivedi, Kishor S.

1993-01-01

Most reliability analysis techniques and tools assume that a system is used for a mission consisting of a single phase. However, multiple phases are natural in many missions. The failure rates of components, system configuration, and success criteria may vary from phase to phase. In addition, the duration of a phase may be deterministic or random. Recently, several researchers have addressed the problem of reliability analysis of such systems using a variety of methods. A new technique for phased-mission system reliability analysis based on Boolean algebraic methods is described. Our technique is computationally efficient and is applicable to a large class of systems for which the failure criterion in each phase can be expressed as a fault tree (or an equivalent representation). Our technique avoids state space explosion that commonly plague Markov chain-based analysis. A phase algebra to account for the effects of variable configurations and success criteria from phase to phase was developed. Our technique yields exact (as opposed to approximate) results. The use of our technique was demonstrated by means of an example and present numerical results to show the effects of mission phases on the system reliability.

Space-Time Error Representation and Estimation in Navier-Stokes Calculations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barth, Timothy J.

2006-01-01

The mathematical framework for a-posteriori error estimation of functionals elucidated by Eriksson et al. [7] and Becker and Rannacher [3] is revisited in a space-time context. Using these theories, a hierarchy of exact and approximate error representation formulas are presented for use in error estimation and mesh adaptivity. Numerical space-time results for simple model problems as well as compressible Navier-Stokes flow at Re = 300 over a 2D circular cylinder are then presented to demonstrate elements of the error representation theory for time-dependent problems.

Idiosyncratic representation of peripersonal space depends on the success of one's own motor actions, but also the successful actions of others!

PubMed Central

Quesque, François; Gigliotti, Maria-Francesca; Ott, Laurent; Bruyelle, Jean-Luc

2018-01-01

Peripersonal space is a multisensory representation of the environment around the body in relation to the motor system, underlying the interactions with the physical and social world. Although changing body properties and social context have been shown to alter the functional processing of space, little is known about how changing the value of objects influences the representation of peripersonal space. In two experiments, we tested the effect of modifying the spatial distribution of reward-yielding targets on manual reaching actions and peripersonal space representation. Before and after performing a target-selection task consisting of manually selecting a set of targets on a touch-screen table, participants performed a two-alternative forced-choice reachability-judgment task. In the target-selection task, half of the targets were associated with a reward (change of colour from grey to green, providing 1 point), the other half being associated with no reward (change of colour from grey to red, providing no point). In Experiment 1, the target-selection task was performed individually with the aim of maximizing the point count, and the distribution of the reward-yielding targets was either 50%, 25% or 75% in the proximal and distal spaces. In Experiment 2, the target-selection task was performed in a social context involving cooperation between two participants to maximize the point count, and the distribution of the reward-yielding targets was 50% in the proximal and distal spaces. Results showed that changing the distribution of the reward-yielding targets or introducing the social context modified concurrently the amplitude of self-generated manual reaching actions and the representation of peripersonal space. Moreover, a decrease of the amplitude of manual reaching actions caused a reduction of peripersonal space when resulting from the distribution of reward-yielding targets, while this effect was not observed in a social interaction context. In that case, the decreased amplitude of manual reaching actions was accompanied by an increase of peripersonal space representation, which was not due to the mere presence of a confederate (control experiment). We conclude that reward-dependent modulation of objects values in the environment modifies the representation of peripersonal space, when resulting from either self-generated motor actions or observation of motor actions performed by a confederate. PMID:29771982

Idiosyncratic representation of peripersonal space depends on the success of one's own motor actions, but also the successful actions of others!

PubMed

Coello, Yann; Quesque, François; Gigliotti, Maria-Francesca; Ott, Laurent; Bruyelle, Jean-Luc

2018-01-01

Peripersonal space is a multisensory representation of the environment around the body in relation to the motor system, underlying the interactions with the physical and social world. Although changing body properties and social context have been shown to alter the functional processing of space, little is known about how changing the value of objects influences the representation of peripersonal space. In two experiments, we tested the effect of modifying the spatial distribution of reward-yielding targets on manual reaching actions and peripersonal space representation. Before and after performing a target-selection task consisting of manually selecting a set of targets on a touch-screen table, participants performed a two-alternative forced-choice reachability-judgment task. In the target-selection task, half of the targets were associated with a reward (change of colour from grey to green, providing 1 point), the other half being associated with no reward (change of colour from grey to red, providing no point). In Experiment 1, the target-selection task was performed individually with the aim of maximizing the point count, and the distribution of the reward-yielding targets was either 50%, 25% or 75% in the proximal and distal spaces. In Experiment 2, the target-selection task was performed in a social context involving cooperation between two participants to maximize the point count, and the distribution of the reward-yielding targets was 50% in the proximal and distal spaces. Results showed that changing the distribution of the reward-yielding targets or introducing the social context modified concurrently the amplitude of self-generated manual reaching actions and the representation of peripersonal space. Moreover, a decrease of the amplitude of manual reaching actions caused a reduction of peripersonal space when resulting from the distribution of reward-yielding targets, while this effect was not observed in a social interaction context. In that case, the decreased amplitude of manual reaching actions was accompanied by an increase of peripersonal space representation, which was not due to the mere presence of a confederate (control experiment). We conclude that reward-dependent modulation of objects values in the environment modifies the representation of peripersonal space, when resulting from either self-generated motor actions or observation of motor actions performed by a confederate.

Cohomologie des Groupes Localement Compacts et Produits Tensoriels Continus de Representations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guichardet, A.

1976-01-01

Contains few and sometimes incomplete proofs on continuous tensor products of Hilbert spaces and of group representations, and on the irreducibility of the latter. Theory of continuous tensor products of Hilbert Spaces is closely related to that of conditionally positive definite functions; it relies on the technique of symmetric Hilbert spaces,…

Statistical representation of multiphase flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Subramaniam

2000-11-01

The relationship between two common statistical representations of multiphase flow, namely, the single--point Eulerian statistical representation of two--phase flow (D. A. Drew, Ann. Rev. Fluid Mech. (15), 1983), and the Lagrangian statistical representation of a spray using the dropet distribution function (F. A. Williams, Phys. Fluids 1 (6), 1958) is established for spherical dispersed--phase elements. This relationship is based on recent work which relates the droplet distribution function to single--droplet pdfs starting from a Liouville description of a spray (Subramaniam, Phys. Fluids 10 (12), 2000). The Eulerian representation, which is based on a random--field model of the flow, is shown to contain different statistical information from the Lagrangian representation, which is based on a point--process model. The two descriptions are shown to be simply related for spherical, monodisperse elements in statistically homogeneous two--phase flow, whereas such a simple relationship is precluded by the inclusion of polydispersity and statistical inhomogeneity. The common origin of these two representations is traced to a more fundamental statistical representation of a multiphase flow, whose concepts derive from a theory for dense sprays recently proposed by Edwards (Atomization and Sprays 10 (3--5), 2000). The issue of what constitutes a minimally complete statistical representation of a multiphase flow is resolved.

Quantum geometric phase in Majorana's stellar representation: mapping onto a many-body Aharonov-Bohm phase.

PubMed

Bruno, Patrick

2012-06-15

The (Berry-Aharonov-Anandan) geometric phase acquired during a cyclic quantum evolution of finite-dimensional quantum systems is studied. It is shown that a pure quantum state in a (2J+1)-dimensional Hilbert space (or, equivalently, of a spin-J system) can be mapped onto the partition function of a gas of independent Dirac strings moving on a sphere and subject to the Coulomb repulsion of 2J fixed test charges (the Majorana stars) characterizing the quantum state. The geometric phase may be viewed as the Aharonov-Bohm phase acquired by the Majorana stars as they move through the gas of Dirac strings. Expressions for the geometric connection and curvature, for the metric tensor, as well as for the multipole moments (dipole, quadrupole, etc.), are given in terms of the Majorana stars. Finally, the geometric formulation of the quantum dynamics is presented and its application to systems with exotic ordering such as spin nematics is outlined.

Quantum Geometric Phase in Majorana's Stellar Representation: Mapping onto a Many-Body Aharonov-Bohm Phase

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bruno, Patrick

2012-06-01

The (Berry-Aharonov-Anandan) geometric phase acquired during a cyclic quantum evolution of finite-dimensional quantum systems is studied. It is shown that a pure quantum state in a (2J+1)-dimensional Hilbert space (or, equivalently, of a spin-J system) can be mapped onto the partition function of a gas of independent Dirac strings moving on a sphere and subject to the Coulomb repulsion of 2J fixed test charges (the Majorana stars) characterizing the quantum state. The geometric phase may be viewed as the Aharonov-Bohm phase acquired by the Majorana stars as they move through the gas of Dirac strings. Expressions for the geometric connection and curvature, for the metric tensor, as well as for the multipole moments (dipole, quadrupole, etc.), are given in terms of the Majorana stars. Finally, the geometric formulation of the quantum dynamics is presented and its application to systems with exotic ordering such as spin nematics is outlined.

Group Analysis in FieldTrip of Time-Frequency Responses: A Pipeline for Reproducibility at Every Step of Processing, Going From Individual Sensor Space Representations to an Across-Group Source Space Representation.

PubMed

Andersen, Lau M

2018-01-01

An important aim of an analysis pipeline for magnetoencephalographic (MEG) data is that it allows for the researcher spending maximal effort on making the statistical comparisons that will answer his or her questions. The example question being answered here is whether the so-called beta rebound differs between novel and repeated stimulations. Two analyses are presented: going from individual sensor space representations to, respectively, an across-group sensor space representation and an across-group source space representation. The data analyzed are neural responses to tactile stimulations of the right index finger in a group of 20 healthy participants acquired from an Elekta Neuromag System. The processing steps covered for the first analysis are MaxFiltering the raw data, defining, preprocessing and epoching the data, cleaning the data, finding and removing independent components related to eye blinks, eye movements and heart beats, calculating participants' individual evoked responses by averaging over epoched data and subsequently removing the average response from single epochs, calculating a time-frequency representation and baselining it with non-stimulation trials and finally calculating a grand average, an across-group sensor space representation. The second analysis starts from the grand average sensor space representation and after identification of the beta rebound the neural origin is imaged using beamformer source reconstruction. This analysis covers reading in co-registered magnetic resonance images, segmenting the data, creating a volume conductor, creating a forward model, cutting out MEG data of interest in the time and frequency domains, getting Fourier transforms and estimating source activity with a beamformer model where power is expressed relative to MEG data measured during periods of non-stimulation. Finally, morphing the source estimates onto a common template and performing group-level statistics on the data are covered. Functions for saving relevant figures in an automated and structured manner are also included. The protocol presented here can be applied to any research protocol where the emphasis is on source reconstruction of induced responses where the underlying sources are not coherent.

Intelligent Robotic Systems Study (IRSS), phase 3

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1991-01-01

This phase of the Intelligent Robotic Systems Study (IRSS) examines some basic dynamics and control issues for a space manipulator attached to its worksite through a compliant base. One example of this scenario is depicted, which is a simplified, planar representation of the Flight Telerobotic Servicer (FTS) Development Test Flight 2 (DTF-2) experiment. The system consists of 4 major components: (1) dual FTS arms to perform dextrous tasks; (2) the main body to house power and electronics; (3) an Attachment Stabilization and Positioning Subsystem (ASPS) to provide coarse positioning and stabilization of the arms, and (4) the Worksite Attachment Mechanism (WAM) which anchors the system to its worksite, such as a Space Station truss node or Shuttle bay platform. The analysis is limited to the DTF-2 scenario. The goal is to understand the basic interaction dynamics between the arm, the positioner and/or stabilizer, and the worksite. The dynamics and controls simulation model are described. Analysis and simulation results are presented.

Final Report for "Design calculations for high-space-charge beam-to-RF conversion".

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

David N Smithe

2008-10-17

Accelerator facility upgrades, new accelerator applications, and future design efforts are leading to novel klystron and IOT device concepts, including multiple beam, high-order mode operation, and new geometry configurations of old concepts. At the same time, a new simulation capability, based upon finite-difference “cut-cell” boundaries, has emerged and is transforming the existing modeling and design capability with unparalleled realism, greater flexibility, and improved accuracy. This same new technology can also be brought to bear on a difficult-to-study aspect of the energy recovery linac (ERL), namely the accurate modeling of the exit beam, and design of the beam dump for optimummore » energy efficiency. We have developed new capability for design calculations and modeling of a broad class of devices which convert bunched beam kinetic energy to RF energy, including RF sources, as for example, klystrons, gyro-klystrons, IOT's, TWT’s, and other devices in which space-charge effects are important. Recent advances in geometry representation now permits very accurate representation of the curved metallic surfaces common to RF sources, resulting in unprecedented simulation accuracy. In the Phase I work, we evaluated and demonstrated the capabilities of the new geometry representation technology as applied to modeling and design of output cavity components of klystron, IOT's, and energy recovery srf cavities. We identified and prioritized which aspects of the design study process to pursue and improve in Phase II. The development and use of the new accurate geometry modeling technology on RF sources for DOE accelerators will help spark a new generational modeling and design capability, free from many of the constraints and inaccuracy associated with the previous generation of “stair-step” geometry modeling tools. This new capability is ultimately expected to impact all fields with high power RF sources, including DOE fusion research, communications, radar and other defense applications.« less

Advances in Quantum Trajectory Approaches to Dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Askar, Attila

2001-03-01

The quantum fluid dynamics (QFD) formulation is based on the separation of the amplitude and phase of the complex wave function in Schrodinger's equation. The approach leads to conservation laws for an equivalent "gas continuum". The Lagrangian [1] representation corresponds to following the particles of the fluid continuum, i. e. calculating "quantum trajectories". The Eulerian [2] representation on the other hand, amounts to observing the dynamics of the gas continuum at the points of a fixed coordinate frame. The combination of several factors leads to a most encouraging computational efficiency. QFD enables the numerical analysis to deal with near monotonic amplitude and phase functions. The Lagrangian description concentrates the computation effort to regions of highest probability as an optimal adaptive grid. The Eulerian representation allows the study of multi-coordinate problems as a set of one-dimensional problems within an alternating direction methodology. An explicit time integrator limits the increase in computational effort with the number of discrete points to linear. Discretization of the space via local finite elements [1,2] and global radial functions [3] will be discussed. Applications include wave packets in four-dimensional quadratic potentials and two coordinate photo-dissociation problems for NOCl and NO2. [1] "Quantum fluid dynamics (QFD) in the Lagrangian representation with applications to photo-dissociation problems", F. Sales, A. Askar and H. A. Rabitz, J. Chem. Phys. 11, 2423 (1999) [2] "Multidimensional wave-packet dynamics within the fluid dynamical formulation of the Schrodinger equation", B. Dey, A. Askar and H. A. Rabitz, J. Chem. Phys. 109, 8770 (1998) [3] "Solution of the quantum fluid dynamics equations with radial basis function interpolation", Xu-Guang Hu, Tak-San Ho, H. A. Rabitz and A. Askar, Phys. Rev. E. 61, 5967 (2000)

Knowledge representation in space flight operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Busse, Carl

1989-01-01

In space flight operations rapid understanding of the state of the space vehicle is essential. Representation of knowledge depicting space vehicle status in a dynamic environment presents a difficult challenge. The NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory has pursued areas of technology associated with the advancement of spacecraft operations environment. This has led to the development of several advanced mission systems which incorporate enhanced graphics capabilities. These systems include: (1) Spacecraft Health Automated Reasoning Prototype (SHARP); (2) Spacecraft Monitoring Environment (SME); (3) Electrical Power Data Monitor (EPDM); (4) Generic Payload Operations Control Center (GPOCC); and (5) Telemetry System Monitor Prototype (TSM). Knowledge representation in these systems provides a direct representation of the intrinsic images associated with the instrument and satellite telemetry and telecommunications systems. The man-machine interface includes easily interpreted contextual graphic displays. These interactive video displays contain multiple display screens with pop-up windows and intelligent, high resolution graphics linked through context and mouse-sensitive icons and text.

Three-dimensional desirability spaces for quality-by-design-based HPLC development.

PubMed

Mokhtar, Hatem I; Abdel-Salam, Randa A; Hadad, Ghada M

2015-04-01

In this study, three-dimensional desirability spaces were introduced as a graphical representation method of design space. This was illustrated in the context of application of quality-by-design concepts on development of a stability indicating gradient reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography method for the determination of vinpocetine and α-tocopheryl acetate in a capsule dosage form. A mechanistic retention model to optimize gradient time, initial organic solvent concentration and ternary solvent ratio was constructed for each compound from six experimental runs. Then, desirability function of each optimized criterion and subsequently the global desirability function were calculated throughout the knowledge space. The three-dimensional desirability spaces were plotted as zones exceeding a threshold value of desirability index in space defined by the three optimized method parameters. Probabilistic mapping of desirability index aided selection of design space within the potential desirability subspaces. Three-dimensional desirability spaces offered better visualization and potential design spaces for the method as a function of three method parameters with ability to assign priorities to this critical quality as compared with the corresponding resolution spaces. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Berry phase in Heisenberg representation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Andreev, V. A.; Klimov, Andrei B.; Lerner, Peter B.

1994-01-01

We define the Berry phase for the Heisenberg operators. This definition is motivated by the calculation of the phase shifts by different techniques. These techniques are: the solution of the Heisenberg equations of motion, the solution of the Schrodinger equation in coherent-state representation, and the direct computation of the evolution operator. Our definition of the Berry phase in the Heisenberg representation is consistent with the underlying supersymmetry of the model in the following sense. The structural blocks of the Hamiltonians of supersymmetrical quantum mechanics ('superpairs') are connected by transformations which conserve the similarity in structure of the energy levels of superpairs. These transformations include transformation of phase of the creation-annihilation operators, which are generated by adiabatic cyclic evolution of the parameters of the system.

Thermal modeling of a cryogenic turbopump for space shuttle applications.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Knowles, P. J.

1971-01-01

Thermal modeling of a cryogenic pump and a hot-gas turbine in a turbopump assembly proposed for the Space Shuttle is described in this paper. A model, developed by identifying the heat-transfer regimes and incorporating their dependencies into a turbopump system model, included heat transfer for two-phase cryogen, hot-gas (200 R) impingement on turbine blades, gas impingement on rotating disks and parallel plate fluid flow. The ?thermal analyzer' program employed to develop this model was the TRW Systems Improved Numerical Differencing Analyzer (SINDA). This program uses finite differencing with lumped parameter representation for each node. Also discussed are model development, simulations of turbopump startup/shutdown operations, and the effects of varying turbopump parameters on the thermal performance.

Current algebra, statistical mechanics and quantum models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vilela Mendes, R.

2017-11-01

Results obtained in the past for free boson systems at zero and nonzero temperatures are revisited to clarify the physical meaning of current algebra reducible functionals which are associated to systems with density fluctuations, leading to observable effects on phase transitions. To use current algebra as a tool for the formulation of quantum statistical mechanics amounts to the construction of unitary representations of diffeomorphism groups. Two mathematical equivalent procedures exist for this purpose. One searches for quasi-invariant measures on configuration spaces, the other for a cyclic vector in Hilbert space. Here, one argues that the second approach is closer to the physical intuition when modelling complex systems. An example of application of the current algebra methodology to the pairing phenomenon in two-dimensional fermion systems is discussed.

A subtraction scheme for computing QCD jet cross sections at NNLO: integrating the iterated singly-unresolved subtraction terms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bolzoni, Paolo; Somogyi, Gábor; Trócsányi, Zoltán

2011-01-01

We perform the integration of all iterated singly-unresolved subtraction terms, as defined in ref. [1], over the two-particle factorized phase space. We also sum over the unresolved parton flavours. The final result can be written as a convolution (in colour space) of the Born cross section and an insertion operator. We spell out the insertion operator in terms of 24 basic integrals that are defined explicitly. We compute the coefficients of the Laurent expansion of these integrals in two different ways, with the method of Mellin-Barnes representations and sector decomposition. Finally, we present the Laurent-expansion of the full insertion operator for the specific examples of electron-positron annihilation into two and three jets.

Phase-amplitude coupling supports phase coding in human ECoG

PubMed Central

Watrous, Andrew J; Deuker, Lorena; Fell, Juergen; Axmacher, Nikolai

2015-01-01

Prior studies have shown that high-frequency activity (HFA) is modulated by the phase of low-frequency activity. This phenomenon of phase-amplitude coupling (PAC) is often interpreted as reflecting phase coding of neural representations, although evidence for this link is still lacking in humans. Here, we show that PAC indeed supports phase-dependent stimulus representations for categories. Six patients with medication-resistant epilepsy viewed images of faces, tools, houses, and scenes during simultaneous acquisition of intracranial recordings. Analyzing 167 electrodes, we observed PAC at 43% of electrodes. Further inspection of PAC revealed that category specific HFA modulations occurred at different phases and frequencies of the underlying low-frequency rhythm, permitting decoding of categorical information using the phase at which HFA events occurred. These results provide evidence for categorical phase-coded neural representations and are the first to show that PAC coincides with phase-dependent coding in the human brain. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.07886.001 PMID:26308582

Improving the representation of mixed-phase cloud microphysics in the ICON-LEM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tonttila, Juha; Hoose, Corinna; Milbrandt, Jason; Morrison, Hugh

2017-04-01

The representation of ice-phase cloud microphysics in ICON-LEM (the Large-Eddy Model configuration of the ICOsahedral Nonhydrostatic model) is improved by implementing the recently published Predicted Particle Properties (P3) scheme into the model. In the typical two-moment microphysical schemes, such as that previously used in ICON-LEM, ice-phase particles must be partitioned into several prescribed categories. It is inherently difficult to distinguish between categories such as graupel and hail based on just the particle size, yet this partitioning may significantly affect the simulation of convective clouds. The P3 scheme avoids the problems associated with predefined ice-phase categories that are inherent in traditional microphysics schemes by introducing the concept of "free" ice-phase categories, whereby the prognostic variables enable the prediction of a wide range of smoothly varying physical properties and hence particle types. To our knowledge, this is the first application of the P3 scheme in a large-eddy model with horizontal grid spacings on the order of 100 m. We will present results from ICON-LEM simulations with the new P3 scheme comprising idealized stratiform and convective cloud cases. We will also present real-case limited-area simulations focusing on the HOPE (HD(CP)2 Observational Prototype Experiment) intensive observation campaign. The results are compared with a matching set of simulations employing the two-moment scheme and the performance of the model is also evaluated against observations in the context of the HOPE simulations, comprising data from ground based remote sensing instruments.

Students' Understanding of Analogy after a Core (Chemical Observations, Representations, Experimentation) Learning Cycle, General Chemistry Experiment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Avargil, Shirly; Bruce, Mitchell R. M.; Amar, Franc¸ois G.; Bruce, Alice E.

2015-01-01

Students' understanding about analogy was investigated after a CORE learning cycle general chemistry experiment. CORE (Chemical Observations, Representations, Experimentation) is a new three-phase learning cycle that involves (phase 1) guiding students through chemical observations while they consider a series of open-ended questions, (phase 2)…

An approximate classical unimolecular reaction rate theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Meishan; Rice, Stuart A.

1992-05-01

We describe a classical theory of unimolecular reaction rate which is derived from the analysis of Davis and Gray by use of simplifying approximations. These approximations concern the calculation of the locations of, and the fluxes of phase points across, the bottlenecks to fragmentation and to intramolecular energy transfer. The bottleneck to fragment separation is represented as a vibration-rotation state dependent separatrix, which approximation is similar to but extends and improves the approximations for the separatrix introduced by Gray, Rice, and Davis and by Zhao and Rice. The novel feature in our analysis is the representation of the bottlenecks to intramolecular energy transfer as dividing surfaces in phase space; the locations of these dividing surfaces are determined by the same conditions as locate the remnants of robust tori with frequency ratios related to the golden mean (in a two degree of freedom system these are the cantori). The flux of phase points across each dividing surface is calculated with an analytic representation instead of a stroboscopic mapping. The rate of unimolecular reaction is identified with the net rate at which phase points escape from the region of quasiperiodic bounded motion to the region of free fragment motion by consecutively crossing the dividing surfaces for intramolecular energy exchange and the separatrix. This new theory generates predictions of the rates of predissociation of the van der Waals molecules HeI2, NeI2 and ArI2 which are in very good agreement with available experimental data.

Analytical approximations to seawater optical phase functions of scattering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haltrin, Vladimir I.

2004-11-01

This paper proposes a number of analytical approximations to the classic and recently measured seawater light scattering phase functions. The three types of analytical phase functions are derived: individual representations for 15 Petzold, 41 Mankovsky, and 91 Gulf of Mexico phase functions; collective fits to Petzold phase functions; and analytical representations that take into account dependencies between inherent optical properties of seawater. The proposed phase functions may be used for problems of radiative transfer, remote sensing, visibility and image propagation in natural waters of various turbidity.

a Study on Mental Representations for Realistic Visualization the Particular Case of Ski Trail Mapping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balzarini, R.; Dalmasso, A.; Murat, M.

2015-08-01

This article presents preliminary results from a research project in progress that brings together geographers, cognitive scientists, historians and computer scientists. The project investigates the evolution of a particular territorial model: ski trails maps. Ski resorts, tourist and sporting innovations for mountain economies since the 1930s, have needed cartographic representations corresponding to new practices of the space.Painter artists have been involved in producing ski maps with painting techniques and panoramic views, which are by far the most common type of map, because they allow the resorts to look impressive to potential visitors. These techniques have evolved throughout the mutations of the ski resorts. Paper ski maps no longer meet the needs of a large part of the customers; the question now arises of their adaptation to digital media. In a computerized process perspective, the early stage of the project aims to identify the artist-representations, based on conceptual and technical rules, which are handled by users-skiers to perform a task (location, wayfinding, decision-making) and can be transferred to a computer system. This article presents the experimental phase that analyzes artist and user mental representations that are at stake during the making and the reading of a paper ski map. It particularly focuses on how the invention of the artist influences map reading.

Topological Schemas of Memory Spaces.

PubMed

Babichev, Andrey; Dabaghian, Yuri A

2018-01-01

Hippocampal cognitive map-a neuronal representation of the spatial environment-is widely discussed in the computational neuroscience literature for decades. However, more recent studies point out that hippocampus plays a major role in producing yet another cognitive framework-the memory space-that incorporates not only spatial, but also non-spatial memories. Unlike the cognitive maps, the memory spaces, broadly understood as "networks of interconnections among the representations of events," have not yet been studied from a theoretical perspective. Here we propose a mathematical approach that allows modeling memory spaces constructively, as epiphenomena of neuronal spiking activity and thus to interlink several important notions of cognitive neurophysiology. First, we suggest that memory spaces have a topological nature-a hypothesis that allows treating both spatial and non-spatial aspects of hippocampal function on equal footing. We then model the hippocampal memory spaces in different environments and demonstrate that the resulting constructions naturally incorporate the corresponding cognitive maps and provide a wider context for interpreting spatial information. Lastly, we propose a formal description of the memory consolidation process that connects memory spaces to the Morris' cognitive schemas-heuristic representations of the acquired memories, used to explain the dynamics of learning and memory consolidation in a given environment. The proposed approach allows evaluating these constructs as the most compact representations of the memory space's structure.

Holographic representation of space-variant systems: system theory.

PubMed

Marks Ii, R J; Krile, T F

1976-09-01

System theory for holographic representation of linear space-variant systems is derived. The utility of the resulting piecewise isoplanatic approximation (PIA) is illustrated by example application to the invariant system, ideal magnifier, and Fourier transformer. A method previously employed to holographically represent a space-variant system, the discrete approximation, is shown to be a special case of the PIA.

Differential formulation of the gyrokinetic Landau operator

DOE PAGES

Hirvijoki, Eero; Brizard, Alain J.; Pfefferlé, David

2017-01-05

Subsequent to the recent rigorous derivation of an energetically consistent gyrokinetic collision operator in the so-called Landau representation, this work investigates the possibility of finding a differential formulation of the gyrokinetic Landau collision operator. It is observed that, while a differential formulation is possible in the gyrokinetic phase space, reduction of the resulting system of partial differential equations to five dimensions via gyroaveraging poses a challenge. Finally, based on the present work, it is likely that the gyrocentre analogues of the Rosenbluth–MacDonald–Judd potential functions must be kept gyroangle dependent.

Going through a quantum phase

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shapiro, Jeffrey H.

1992-01-01

Phase measurements on a single-mode radiation field are examined from a system-theoretic viewpoint. Quantum estimation theory is used to establish the primacy of the Susskind-Glogower (SG) phase operator; its phase eigenkets generate the probability operator measure (POM) for maximum likelihood phase estimation. A commuting observables description for the SG-POM on a signal x apparatus state space is derived. It is analogous to the signal-band x image-band formulation for optical heterodyne detection. Because heterodyning realizes the annihilation operator POM, this analogy may help realize the SG-POM. The wave function representation associated with the SG POM is then used to prove the duality between the phase measurement and the number operator measurement, from which a number-phase uncertainty principle is obtained, via Fourier theory, without recourse to linearization. Fourier theory is also employed to establish the principle of number-ket causality, leading to a Paley-Wiener condition that must be satisfied by the phase-measurement probability density function (PDF) for a single-mode field in an arbitrary quantum state. Finally, a two-mode phase measurement is shown to afford phase-conjugate quantum communication at zero error probability with finite average photon number. Application of this construct to interferometric precision measurements is briefly discussed.

Overcoming the Subject-Object Dichotomy in Urban Modeling: Axial Maps as Geometric Representations of Affordances in the Built Environment.

PubMed

Marcus, Lars

2018-01-01

The world is witnessing unprecedented urbanization, bringing extreme challenges to contemporary practices in urban planning and design. This calls for improved urban models that can generate new knowledge and enhance practical skill. Importantly, any urban model embodies a conception of the relation between humans and the physical environment. In urban modeling this is typically conceived of as a relation between human subjects and an environmental object, thereby reproducing a humans-environment dichotomy. Alternative modeling traditions, such as space syntax that originates in architecture rather than geography, have tried to overcome this dichotomy. Central in this effort is the development of new representations of urban space, such as in the case of space syntax, the axial map. This form of representation aims to integrate both human behavior and the physical environment into one and the same description. Interestingly, models based on these representations have proved to better capture pedestrian movement than regular models. Pedestrian movement, as well as other kinds of human flows in urban space, is essential for urban modeling, since increasingly flows of this kind are understood as the driver in urban processes. Critical for a full understanding of space syntax modeling is the ontology of its' representations, such as the axial map. Space syntax theory here often refers to James Gibson's "Theory of affordances," where the concept of affordances, in a manner similar to axial maps, aims to bridge the subject-object dichotomy by neither constituting physical properties of the environment or human behavior, but rather what emerges in the meeting between the two. In extension of this, the axial map can be interpreted as a representation of how the physical form of the environment affords human accessibility and visibility in urban space. This paper presents a close examination of the form of representations developed in space syntax methodology, in particular in the light of Gibson's "theory of affordances." The overarching aim is to contribute to a theoretical framework for urban models based on affordances, which may support the overcoming of the subject-object dichotomy in such models, here deemed essential for a greater social-ecological sustainability of cities.

Parallel updating and weighting of multiple spatial maps for visual stability during whole body motion

PubMed Central

Medendorp, W. P.

2015-01-01

It is known that the brain uses multiple reference frames to code spatial information, including eye-centered and body-centered frames. When we move our body in space, these internal representations are no longer in register with external space, unless they are actively updated. Whether the brain updates multiple spatial representations in parallel, or whether it restricts its updating mechanisms to a single reference frame from which other representations are constructed, remains an open question. We developed an optimal integration model to simulate the updating of visual space across body motion in multiple or single reference frames. To test this model, we designed an experiment in which participants had to remember the location of a briefly presented target while being translated sideways. The behavioral responses were in agreement with a model that uses a combination of eye- and body-centered representations, weighted according to the reliability in which the target location is stored and updated in each reference frame. Our findings suggest that the brain simultaneously updates multiple spatial representations across body motion. Because both representations are kept in sync, they can be optimally combined to provide a more precise estimate of visual locations in space than based on single-frame updating mechanisms. PMID:26490289

Sequence analysis by iterated maps, a review.

PubMed

Almeida, Jonas S

2014-05-01

Among alignment-free methods, Iterated Maps (IMs) are on a particular extreme: they are also scale free (order free). The use of IMs for sequence analysis is also distinct from other alignment-free methodologies in being rooted in statistical mechanics instead of computational linguistics. Both of these roots go back over two decades to the use of fractal geometry in the characterization of phase-space representations. The time series analysis origin of the field is betrayed by the title of the manuscript that started this alignment-free subdomain in 1990, 'Chaos Game Representation'. The clash between the analysis of sequences as continuous series and the better established use of Markovian approaches to discrete series was almost immediate, with a defining critique published in same journal 2 years later. The rest of that decade would go by before the scale-free nature of the IM space was uncovered. The ensuing decade saw this scalability generalized for non-genomic alphabets as well as an interest in its use for graphic representation of biological sequences. Finally, in the past couple of years, in step with the emergence of BigData and MapReduce as a new computational paradigm, there is a surprising third act in the IM story. Multiple reports have described gains in computational efficiency of multiple orders of magnitude over more conventional sequence analysis methodologies. The stage appears to be now set for a recasting of IMs with a central role in processing nextgen sequencing results.

Audio Spatial Representation Around the Body

PubMed Central

Aggius-Vella, Elena; Campus, Claudio; Finocchietti, Sara; Gori, Monica

2017-01-01

Studies have found that portions of space around our body are differently coded by our brain. Numerous works have investigated visual and auditory spatial representation, focusing mostly on the spatial representation of stimuli presented at head level, especially in the frontal space. Only few studies have investigated spatial representation around the entire body and its relationship with motor activity. Moreover, it is still not clear whether the space surrounding us is represented as a unitary dimension or whether it is split up into different portions, differently shaped by our senses and motor activity. To clarify these points, we investigated audio localization of dynamic and static sounds at different body levels. In order to understand the role of a motor action in auditory space representation, we asked subjects to localize sounds by pointing with the hand or the foot, or by giving a verbal answer. We found that the audio sound localization was different depending on the body part considered. Moreover, a different pattern of response was observed when subjects were asked to make actions with respect to the verbal responses. These results suggest that the audio space around our body is split in various spatial portions, which are perceived differently: front, back, around chest, and around foot, suggesting that these four areas could be differently modulated by our senses and our actions. PMID:29249999

Reflection Positive Stochastic Processes Indexed by Lie Groups

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jorgensen, Palle E. T.; Neeb, Karl-Hermann; Ólafsson, Gestur

2016-06-01

Reflection positivity originates from one of the Osterwalder-Schrader axioms for constructive quantum field theory. It serves as a bridge between euclidean and relativistic quantum field theory. In mathematics, more specifically, in representation theory, it is related to the Cartan duality of symmetric Lie groups (Lie groups with an involution) and results in a transformation of a unitary representation of a symmetric Lie group to a unitary representation of its Cartan dual. In this article we continue our investigation of representation theoretic aspects of reflection positivity by discussing reflection positive Markov processes indexed by Lie groups, measures on path spaces, and invariant gaussian measures in spaces of distribution vectors. This provides new constructions of reflection positive unitary representations.

Grain Boundary Plane Orientation Fundamental Zones and Structure-Property Relationships

PubMed Central

Homer, Eric R.; Patala, Srikanth; Priedeman, Jonathan L.

2015-01-01

Grain boundary plane orientation is a profoundly important determinant of character in polycrystalline materials that is not well understood. This work demonstrates how boundary plane orientation fundamental zones, which capture the natural crystallographic symmetries of a grain boundary, can be used to establish structure-property relationships. Using the fundamental zone representation, trends in computed energy, excess volume at the grain boundary, and temperature-dependent mobility naturally emerge and show a strong dependence on the boundary plane orientation. Analysis of common misorientation axes even suggests broader trends of grain boundary energy as a function of misorientation angle and plane orientation. Due to the strong structure-property relationships that naturally emerge from this work, boundary plane fundamental zones are expected to simplify analysis of both computational and experimental data. This standardized representation has the potential to significantly accelerate research in the topologically complex and vast five-dimensional phase space of grain boundaries. PMID:26498715

Grain boundary plane orientation fundamental zones and structure-property relationships

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Homer, Eric R.; Patala, Srikanth; Priedeman, Jonathan L.

2015-10-26

Grain boundary plane orientation is a profoundly important determinant of character in polycrystalline materials that is not well understood. This work demonstrates how boundary plane orientation fundamental zones, which capture the natural crystallographic symmetries of a grain boundary, can be used to establish structure-property relationships. Using the fundamental zone representation, trends in computed energy, excess volume at the grain boundary, and temperature-dependent mobility naturally emerge and show a strong dependence on the boundary plane orientation. Analysis of common misorientation axes even suggests broader trends of grain boundary energy as a function of misorientation angle and plane orientation. Due to themore » strong structure-property relationships that naturally emerge from this work, boundary plane fundamental zones are expected to simplify analysis of both computational and experimental data. This standardized representation has the potential to significantly accelerate research in the topologically complex and vast five-dimensional phase space of grain boundaries.« less

A discontinuous control volume finite element method for multi-phase flow in heterogeneous porous media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salinas, P.; Pavlidis, D.; Xie, Z.; Osman, H.; Pain, C. C.; Jackson, M. D.

2018-01-01

We present a new, high-order, control-volume-finite-element (CVFE) method for multiphase porous media flow with discontinuous 1st-order representation for pressure and discontinuous 2nd-order representation for velocity. The method has been implemented using unstructured tetrahedral meshes to discretize space. The method locally and globally conserves mass. However, unlike conventional CVFE formulations, the method presented here does not require the use of control volumes (CVs) that span the boundaries between domains with differing material properties. We demonstrate that the approach accurately preserves discontinuous saturation changes caused by permeability variations across such boundaries, allowing efficient simulation of flow in highly heterogeneous models. Moreover, accurate solutions are obtained at significantly lower computational cost than using conventional CVFE methods. We resolve a long-standing problem associated with the use of classical CVFE methods to model flow in highly heterogeneous porous media.

Symmetry-protected gapless Z2 spin liquids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Yuan-Ming

2018-03-01

Despite rapid progress in understanding gapped topological states, much less is known about gapless topological phases of matter, especially in strongly correlated electrons. In this work, we discuss a large class of robust gapless quantum spin liquids in frustrated magnets made of half-integer spins, which are described by gapless fermionic spinons coupled to dynamical Z2 gauge fields. Requiring U(1 ) spin conservation, time-reversal, and certain space-group symmetries, we show that certain spinon symmetry fractionalization class necessarily leads to a gapless spectrum. These gapless excitations are stable against any perturbations, as long as the required symmetries are preserved. Applying these gapless criteria to spin-1/2 systems on square, triangular, and kagome lattices, we show that all gapped symmetric Z2 spin liquids in Abrikosov-fermion representation can also be realized in Schwinger-boson representation. This leads to 64 gapped Z2 spin liquids on square lattice, and 8 gapped states on both kagome and triangular lattices.

Hilbert's 17th Problem and the Quantumness of States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Korbicz, J. K.; Cirac, J. I.; Wehr, Jan; Lewenstein, M.

2005-04-01

A state of a quantum system can be regarded as classical (quantum) with respect to measurements of a set of canonical observables if and only if there exists (does not exist) a well defined, positive phase-space distribution, the so called Glauber-Sudarshan P representation. We derive a family of classicality criteria that requires that the averages of positive functions calculated using P representation must be positive. For polynomial functions, these criteria are related to Hilbert’s 17th problem, and have physical meaning of generalized squeezing conditions; alternatively, they may be interpreted as nonclassicality witnesses. We show that every generic nonclassical state can be detected by a polynomial that is a sum-of-squares of other polynomials. We introduce a very natural hierarchy of states regarding their degree of quantumness, which we relate to the minimal degree of a sum-of-squares polynomial that detects them.

Adinkra (in)equivalence from Coxeter group representations: A case study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chappell, Isaac; Gates, S. James; Hübsch, T.

2014-02-01

Using a MathematicaTM code, we present a straightforward numerical analysis of the 384-dimensional solution space of signed permutation 4×4 matrices, which in sets of four, provide representations of the 𝒢ℛ(4, 4) algebra, closely related to the 𝒩 = 1 (simple) supersymmetry algebra in four-dimensional space-time. Following after ideas discussed in previous papers about automorphisms and classification of adinkras and corresponding supermultiplets, we make a new and alternative proposal to use equivalence classes of the (unsigned) permutation group S4 to define distinct representations of higher-dimensional spin bundles within the context of adinkras. For this purpose, the definition of a dual operator akin to the well-known Hodge star is found to partition the space of these 𝒢ℛ(4, 4) representations into three suggestive classes.

[The fragmentation of representational space in schizophrenia].

PubMed

Plagnol, A; Oïta, M; Montreuil, M; Granger, B; Lubart, T

2003-01-01

Existent neurocognitive models of schizophrenia converge towards a core of impairments involving working memory, context processing, action planning, controlled and intentional processing. However, the emergence of this core remains itself difficult to explain and more specific hypotheses do not explain the heterogeneity of schizophrenia. To overcome these limits, we propose a new paradigm based on representational theory from cognitive science. Some recent developments of this theory enable us to describe a subjective universe as a representational space which is displayed from memory. We outline a conceptual framework to construct such a representational space from analogical -representations that can be activated in working memory and are connected to a network of symbolic structures. These connections are notably made through an analytic process of the analogical fragments, which involves the attentional focus. This framework allows us to define rigorously some defense processes in response to traumatic tensions that are expressed on the representational space. The fragmentation of representational space is a consequence of a defensive denial based on an impairment of the analytic process. The fragmentation forms some parasitic areas in memory which are excluded from the main part of the representational space and disturb information processing. The key clinical concepts of paranoid syndromes can be defined in this conceptual framework: mental automatism, delusional intuition, acute destructuration, psychotic dissociation, and autistic withdrawal. We show that these syndromes imply each other, which in return increases the fragmentation of the representational space. Some new concepts emerge naturally in this framework, such as the concept of "suture" which is defined as a link between a parasitic area and the main representational space. Schizophrenia appears as a borderline case of fragmentation of the representational space. This conceptual framework is compatible with numerous etiological factors. Multiple clinical forms can be differentiated in accordance with the persistence of parasitic areas, the degree of fragmentation, and the formation of sutures. We use this approach to account for an empirical study concerning the analysis of analogical representations in schizophrenia. We used the Parallel Visual Information Processing Test (PVIPT) which assesses the analysis of interfering visual information. Subjects were asked to connect several small geometric figures printed on a transparency. The transparency was displayed above four photographs which were the interfering material. Then, subjects completed three tasks concerning the photographs: a recognition task, a recall task, and an affective qualification task. Using a case-by-case study, this test allows us to access the defense processes of the subjects, which is not possible with the usual methods in cognitive psychopathology. Twelve clinically-stable schizophrenic subjects participated in the study which also included a self-assessment of alexithymia by the Toronto Alexithymia Scale. We obtained 2 main results: (a) creation of items in recall or false recognition by 8 subjects, and (b) lack of the usual -negative correlations between the alexithymia score and the recall, recognition and affective qualification scores in the PVIPT. These 2 results contrast with what has been previously observed for alexithymia using the same methodology. The result (a) confirms an interfering activation in schizophrenic memory, which can be interpreted in our framework as indicative of parasitic areas. The creation of items suggests the formation of sutures between the semantic content of photographs and some delusional fragments. The result (b) suggests that the apparent alexithymia in schizophrenia is a defense against interfering activation in parasitic areas. We underline the interest of individual protocols to exhibit the dynamic interplay between an interfering activity in memory and a defensive flattening of affects.

Delta space plot analysis of cardiovascular coupling in vasovagal syncope during orthostatic challenge.

PubMed

Reulecke, S; Charleston-Villalobos, S; Voss, A; Gonzalez-Camarena, R; Gaitan-Gonzalez, M; Gonzalez-Hermosillo, J; Hernandez-Pacheco, G; Aljama-Corrales, T

2016-08-01

In this work, a graphical method to study cardiovascular coupling, called delta space plot analysis (DSPA), was introduced. The graphical representation is susceptible to be parameterized in shape and orientation. The usefulness of this technique was studied on cardiovascular data from patients with vasovagal syncope (VVS) and from controls. The study included 15 female patients diagnosed with VVS and 11 age-matched healthy female subjects. All subjects were enrolled in a head-up tilt (HUT) test, breathing normally, including 5 minutes of supine position (baseline) and 18 minutes of 70° orthostatic phase. The DSPA parameters were obtained at different times during the HUT test, i.e., at baseline, early (first 5 min) and late (10-15 min) orthostatic phases. In baseline there were no considerable differences between female controls and female patients. During the late orthostatic phase, parameters from DSPA showed highly significantly (p=0.000003) reduced cardiovascular coupling in patients. Findings indicated a loss of control on cardiovascular coupling in female patients susceptible to vasovagal syncope during orthostatic challenge. In addition, this study provided promising results for a new graphical method to investigate cardiovascular coupling.

The Secondary Organic Aerosol Processor (SOAP v1.0) model: a unified model with different ranges of complexity based on the molecular surrogate approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Couvidat, F.; Sartelet, K.

2015-04-01

In this paper the Secondary Organic Aerosol Processor (SOAP v1.0) model is presented. This model determines the partitioning of organic compounds between the gas and particle phases. It is designed to be modular with different user options depending on the computation time and the complexity required by the user. This model is based on the molecular surrogate approach, in which each surrogate compound is associated with a molecular structure to estimate some properties and parameters (hygroscopicity, absorption into the aqueous phase of particles, activity coefficients and phase separation). Each surrogate can be hydrophilic (condenses only into the aqueous phase of particles), hydrophobic (condenses only into the organic phases of particles) or both (condenses into both the aqueous and the organic phases of particles). Activity coefficients are computed with the UNIFAC (UNIversal Functional group Activity Coefficient; Fredenslund et al., 1975) thermodynamic model for short-range interactions and with the Aerosol Inorganic-Organic Mixtures Functional groups Activity Coefficients (AIOMFAC) parameterization for medium- and long-range interactions between electrolytes and organic compounds. Phase separation is determined by Gibbs energy minimization. The user can choose between an equilibrium representation and a dynamic representation of organic aerosols (OAs). In the equilibrium representation, compounds in the particle phase are assumed to be at equilibrium with the gas phase. However, recent studies show that the organic aerosol is not at equilibrium with the gas phase because the organic phases could be semi-solid (very viscous liquid phase). The condensation-evaporation of organic compounds could then be limited by the diffusion in the organic phases due to the high viscosity. An implicit dynamic representation of secondary organic aerosols (SOAs) is available in SOAP with OAs divided into layers, the first layer being at the center of the particle (slowly reaches equilibrium) and the final layer being near the interface with the gas phase (quickly reaches equilibrium). Although this dynamic implicit representation is a simplified approach to model condensation-evaporation with a low number of layers and short CPU (central processing unit) time, it shows good agreements with an explicit representation of condensation-evaporation (no significant differences after a few hours of condensation).

Animating streamlines with repeated asymmetric patterns for steady flow visualization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yeh, Chih-Kuo; Liu, Zhanping; Lee, Tong-Yee

2012-01-01

Animation provides intuitive cueing for revealing essential spatial-temporal features of data in scientific visualization. This paper explores the design of Repeated Asymmetric Patterns (RAPs) in animating evenly-spaced color-mapped streamlines for dense accurate visualization of complex steady flows. We present a smooth cyclic variable-speed RAP animation model that performs velocity (magnitude) integral luminance transition on streamlines. This model is extended with inter-streamline synchronization in luminance varying along the tangential direction to emulate orthogonal advancing waves from a geometry-based flow representation, and then with evenly-spaced hue differing in the orthogonal direction to construct tangential flow streaks. To weave these two mutually dual sets of patterns, we propose an energy-decreasing strategy that adopts an iterative yet efficient procedure for determining the luminance phase and hue of each streamline in HSL color space. We also employ adaptive luminance interleaving in the direction perpendicular to the flow to increase the contrast between streamlines.

Representation of high frequency Space Shuttle data by ARMA algorithms and random response spectra

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spanos, P. D.; Mushung, L. J.

1990-01-01

High frequency Space Shuttle lift-off data are treated by autoregressive (AR) and autoregressive-moving-average (ARMA) digital algorithms. These algorithms provide useful information on the spectral densities of the data. Further, they yield spectral models which lend themselves to incorporation to the concept of the random response spectrum. This concept yields a reasonably smooth power spectrum for the design of structural and mechanical systems when the available data bank is limited. Due to the non-stationarity of the lift-off event, the pertinent data are split into three slices. Each of the slices is associated with a rather distinguishable phase of the lift-off event, where stationarity can be expected. The presented results are rather preliminary in nature; it is aimed to call attention to the availability of the discussed digital algorithms and to the need to augment the Space Shuttle data bank as more flights are completed.

Transformation from a pure time delay to a mixed time and phase delay representation in the auditory forebrain pathway.

PubMed

Vonderschen, Katrin; Wagner, Hermann

2012-04-25

Birds and mammals exploit interaural time differences (ITDs) for sound localization. Subsequent to ITD detection by brainstem neurons, ITD processing continues in parallel midbrain and forebrain pathways. In the barn owl, both ITD detection and processing in the midbrain are specialized to extract ITDs independent of frequency, which amounts to a pure time delay representation. Recent results have elucidated different mechanisms of ITD detection in mammals, which lead to a representation of small ITDs in high-frequency channels and large ITDs in low-frequency channels, resembling a phase delay representation. However, the detection mechanism does not prevent a change in ITD representation at higher processing stages. Here we analyze ITD tuning across frequency channels with pure tone and noise stimuli in neurons of the barn owl's auditory arcopallium, a nucleus at the endpoint of the forebrain pathway. To extend the analysis of ITD representation across frequency bands to a large neural population, we employed Fourier analysis for the spectral decomposition of ITD curves recorded with noise stimuli. This method was validated using physiological as well as model data. We found that low frequencies convey sensitivity to large ITDs, whereas high frequencies convey sensitivity to small ITDs. Moreover, different linear phase frequency regimes in the high-frequency and low-frequency ranges suggested an independent convergence of inputs from these frequency channels. Our results are consistent with ITD being remodeled toward a phase delay representation along the forebrain pathway. This indicates that sensory representations may undergo substantial reorganization, presumably in relation to specific behavioral output.

Topological Schemas of Memory Spaces

PubMed Central

Babichev, Andrey; Dabaghian, Yuri A.

2018-01-01

Hippocampal cognitive map—a neuronal representation of the spatial environment—is widely discussed in the computational neuroscience literature for decades. However, more recent studies point out that hippocampus plays a major role in producing yet another cognitive framework—the memory space—that incorporates not only spatial, but also non-spatial memories. Unlike the cognitive maps, the memory spaces, broadly understood as “networks of interconnections among the representations of events,” have not yet been studied from a theoretical perspective. Here we propose a mathematical approach that allows modeling memory spaces constructively, as epiphenomena of neuronal spiking activity and thus to interlink several important notions of cognitive neurophysiology. First, we suggest that memory spaces have a topological nature—a hypothesis that allows treating both spatial and non-spatial aspects of hippocampal function on equal footing. We then model the hippocampal memory spaces in different environments and demonstrate that the resulting constructions naturally incorporate the corresponding cognitive maps and provide a wider context for interpreting spatial information. Lastly, we propose a formal description of the memory consolidation process that connects memory spaces to the Morris' cognitive schemas-heuristic representations of the acquired memories, used to explain the dynamics of learning and memory consolidation in a given environment. The proposed approach allows evaluating these constructs as the most compact representations of the memory space's structure. PMID:29740306

Squeezing, Striking, and Vocalizing: Is Number Representation Fundamentally Spatial?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nunez, Rafael; Doan, D.; Nikoulina, Anastasia

2011-01-01

Numbers are fundamental entities in mathematics, but their cognitive bases are unclear. Abundant research points to linear space as a natural grounding for number representation. But, is number representation fundamentally spatial? We disentangle number representation from standard number-to-line reporting methods, and compare numerical…

Emerging Object Representations in the Visual System Predict Reaction Times for Categorization

PubMed Central

Ritchie, J. Brendan; Tovar, David A.; Carlson, Thomas A.

2015-01-01

Recognizing an object takes just a fraction of a second, less than the blink of an eye. Applying multivariate pattern analysis, or “brain decoding”, methods to magnetoencephalography (MEG) data has allowed researchers to characterize, in high temporal resolution, the emerging representation of object categories that underlie our capacity for rapid recognition. Shortly after stimulus onset, object exemplars cluster by category in a high-dimensional activation space in the brain. In this emerging activation space, the decodability of exemplar category varies over time, reflecting the brain’s transformation of visual inputs into coherent category representations. How do these emerging representations relate to categorization behavior? Recently it has been proposed that the distance of an exemplar representation from a categorical boundary in an activation space is critical for perceptual decision-making, and that reaction times should therefore correlate with distance from the boundary. The predictions of this distance hypothesis have been born out in human inferior temporal cortex (IT), an area of the brain crucial for the representation of object categories. When viewed in the context of a time varying neural signal, the optimal time to “read out” category information is when category representations in the brain are most decodable. Here, we show that the distance from a decision boundary through activation space, as measured using MEG decoding methods, correlates with reaction times for visual categorization during the period of peak decodability. Our results suggest that the brain begins to read out information about exemplar category at the optimal time for use in choice behaviour, and support the hypothesis that the structure of the representation for objects in the visual system is partially constitutive of the decision process in recognition. PMID:26107634

Unitary Transformations in the Quantum Model for Conceptual Conjunctions and Its Application to Data Representation

PubMed Central

Veloz, Tomas; Desjardins, Sylvie

2015-01-01

Quantum models of concept combinations have been successful in representing various experimental situations that cannot be accommodated by traditional models based on classical probability or fuzzy set theory. In many cases, the focus has been on producing a representation that fits experimental results to validate quantum models. However, these representations are not always consistent with the cognitive modeling principles. Moreover, some important issues related to the representation of concepts such as the dimensionality of the realization space, the uniqueness of solutions, and the compatibility of measurements, have been overlooked. In this paper, we provide a dimensional analysis of the realization space for the two-sector Fock space model for conjunction of concepts focusing on the first and second sectors separately. We then introduce various representation of concepts that arise from the use of unitary operators in the realization space. In these concrete representations, a pair of concepts and their combination are modeled by a single conceptual state, and by a collection of exemplar-dependent operators. Therefore, they are consistent with cognitive modeling principles. This framework not only provides a uniform approach to model an entire data set, but, because all measurement operators are expressed in the same basis, allows us to address the question of compatibility of measurements. In particular, we present evidence that it may be possible to predict non-commutative effects from partial measurements of conceptual combinations. PMID:26617556

Unitary Transformations in the Quantum Model for Conceptual Conjunctions and Its Application to Data Representation.

PubMed

Veloz, Tomas; Desjardins, Sylvie

2015-01-01

Quantum models of concept combinations have been successful in representing various experimental situations that cannot be accommodated by traditional models based on classical probability or fuzzy set theory. In many cases, the focus has been on producing a representation that fits experimental results to validate quantum models. However, these representations are not always consistent with the cognitive modeling principles. Moreover, some important issues related to the representation of concepts such as the dimensionality of the realization space, the uniqueness of solutions, and the compatibility of measurements, have been overlooked. In this paper, we provide a dimensional analysis of the realization space for the two-sector Fock space model for conjunction of concepts focusing on the first and second sectors separately. We then introduce various representation of concepts that arise from the use of unitary operators in the realization space. In these concrete representations, a pair of concepts and their combination are modeled by a single conceptual state, and by a collection of exemplar-dependent operators. Therefore, they are consistent with cognitive modeling principles. This framework not only provides a uniform approach to model an entire data set, but, because all measurement operators are expressed in the same basis, allows us to address the question of compatibility of measurements. In particular, we present evidence that it may be possible to predict non-commutative effects from partial measurements of conceptual combinations.

Alpha-canonical form representation of the open loop dynamics of the Space Shuttle main engine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Duyar, Almet; Eldem, Vasfi; Merrill, Walter C.; Guo, Ten-Huei

1991-01-01

A parameter and structure estimation technique for multivariable systems is used to obtain a state space representation of open loop dynamics of the space shuttle main engine in alpha-canonical form. The parameterization being used is both minimal and unique. The simplified linear model may be used for fault detection studies and control system design and development.

Maximum entropy perception-action space: a Bayesian model of eye movement selection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Colas, Francis; Bessière, Pierre; Girard, Benoît

2011-03-01

In this article, we investigate the issue of the selection of eye movements in a free-eye Multiple Object Tracking task. We propose a Bayesian model of retinotopic maps with a complex logarithmic mapping. This model is structured in two parts: a representation of the visual scene, and a decision model based on the representation. We compare different decision models based on different features of the representation and we show that taking into account uncertainty helps predict the eye movements of subjects recorded in a psychophysics experiment. Finally, based on experimental data, we postulate that the complex logarithmic mapping has a functional relevance, as the density of objects in this space in more uniform than expected. This may indicate that the representation space and control strategies are such that the object density is of maximum entropy.

A representational basis for the development of a distributed expert system for Space Shuttle flight control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Helly, J. J., Jr.; Bates, W. V.; Cutler, M.; Kelem, S.

1984-01-01

A new representation of malfunction procedure logic which permits the automation of these procedures using Boolean normal forms is presented. This representation is discussed in the context of the development of an expert system for space shuttle flight control including software and hardware implementation modes, and a distributed architecture. The roles and responsibility of the flight control team as well as previous work toward the development of expert systems for flight control support at Johnson Space Center are discussed. The notion of malfunction procedures as graphs is introduced as well as the concept of hardware-equivalence.

Spatial Hyperschematia without Spatial Neglect after Insulo-Thalamic Disconnection

PubMed Central

Saj, Arnaud; Wilcke, Juliane C.; Gschwind, Markus; Emond, Héloïse; Assal, Frédéric

2013-01-01

Different spatial representations are not stored as a single multipurpose map in the brain. Right brain-damaged patients can show a distortion, a compression of peripersonal and extrapersonal space. Here we report the case of a patient with a right insulo-thalamic disconnection without spatial neglect. The patient, compared with 10 healthy control subjects, showed a constant and reliable increase of her peripersonal and extrapersonal egocentric space representations - that we named spatial hyperschematia - yet left her allocentric space representations intact. This striking dissociation shows that our interactions with the surrounding world are represented and processed modularly in the human brain, depending on their frame of reference. PMID:24302992

Chemical space visualization: transforming multidimensional chemical spaces into similarity-based molecular networks.

PubMed

de la Vega de León, Antonio; Bajorath, Jürgen

2016-09-01

The concept of chemical space is of fundamental relevance for medicinal chemistry and chemical informatics. Multidimensional chemical space representations are coordinate-based. Chemical space networks (CSNs) have been introduced as a coordinate-free representation. A computational approach is presented for the transformation of multidimensional chemical space into CSNs. The design of transformation CSNs (TRANS-CSNs) is based upon a similarity function that directly reflects distance relationships in original multidimensional space. TRANS-CSNs provide an immediate visualization of coordinate-based chemical space and do not require the use of dimensionality reduction techniques. At low network density, TRANS-CSNs are readily interpretable and make it possible to evaluate structure-activity relationship information originating from multidimensional chemical space.

A graphically oriented specification language for automatic code generation. GRASP/Ada: A Graphical Representation of Algorithms, Structure, and Processes for Ada, phase 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cross, James H., II; Morrison, Kelly I.; May, Charles H., Jr.; Waddel, Kathryn C.

1989-01-01

The first phase of a three-phase effort to develop a new graphically oriented specification language which will facilitate the reverse engineering of Ada source code into graphical representations (GRs) as well as the automatic generation of Ada source code is described. A simplified view of the three phases of Graphical Representations for Algorithms, Structure, and Processes for Ada (GRASP/Ada) with respect to three basic classes of GRs is presented. Phase 1 concentrated on the derivation of an algorithmic diagram, the control structure diagram (CSD) (CRO88a) from Ada source code or Ada PDL. Phase 2 includes the generation of architectural and system level diagrams such as structure charts and data flow diagrams and should result in a requirements specification for a graphically oriented language able to support automatic code generation. Phase 3 will concentrate on the development of a prototype to demonstrate the feasibility of this new specification language.

Knowledge acquisition and rapid protyping of an expert system: Dealing with real world problems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bailey, Patrick A.; Doehr, Brett B.

1988-01-01

The knowledge engineering and rapid prototyping phases of an expert system that does fault handling for a Solid Amine, Water Desorbed CO2 removal assembly for the Environmental Control and Life Support System for space based platforms are addressed. The knowledge acquisition phase for this project was interesting because it could not follow the textbook examples. As a result of this, a variety of methods were used during the knowledge acquisition task. The use of rapid prototyping and the need for a flexible prototype suggested certain types of knowledge representation. By combining various techniques, a representative subset of faults and a method for handling those faults was achieved. The experiences should prove useful for developing future fault handling expert systems under similar constraints.

Overcoming the Subject-Object Dichotomy in Urban Modeling: Axial Maps as Geometric Representations of Affordances in the Built Environment

PubMed Central

Marcus, Lars

2018-01-01

The world is witnessing unprecedented urbanization, bringing extreme challenges to contemporary practices in urban planning and design. This calls for improved urban models that can generate new knowledge and enhance practical skill. Importantly, any urban model embodies a conception of the relation between humans and the physical environment. In urban modeling this is typically conceived of as a relation between human subjects and an environmental object, thereby reproducing a humans-environment dichotomy. Alternative modeling traditions, such as space syntax that originates in architecture rather than geography, have tried to overcome this dichotomy. Central in this effort is the development of new representations of urban space, such as in the case of space syntax, the axial map. This form of representation aims to integrate both human behavior and the physical environment into one and the same description. Interestingly, models based on these representations have proved to better capture pedestrian movement than regular models. Pedestrian movement, as well as other kinds of human flows in urban space, is essential for urban modeling, since increasingly flows of this kind are understood as the driver in urban processes. Critical for a full understanding of space syntax modeling is the ontology of its' representations, such as the axial map. Space syntax theory here often refers to James Gibson's “Theory of affordances,” where the concept of affordances, in a manner similar to axial maps, aims to bridge the subject-object dichotomy by neither constituting physical properties of the environment or human behavior, but rather what emerges in the meeting between the two. In extension of this, the axial map can be interpreted as a representation of how the physical form of the environment affords human accessibility and visibility in urban space. This paper presents a close examination of the form of representations developed in space syntax methodology, in particular in the light of Gibson's “theory of affordances.“ The overarching aim is to contribute to a theoretical framework for urban models based on affordances, which may support the overcoming of the subject-object dichotomy in such models, here deemed essential for a greater social-ecological sustainability of cities. PMID:29731726

Expression-invariant representations of faces.

PubMed

Bronstein, Alexander M; Bronstein, Michael M; Kimmel, Ron

2007-01-01

Addressed here is the problem of constructing and analyzing expression-invariant representations of human faces. We demonstrate and justify experimentally a simple geometric model that allows to describe facial expressions as isometric deformations of the facial surface. The main step in the construction of expression-invariant representation of a face involves embedding of the facial intrinsic geometric structure into some low-dimensional space. We study the influence of the embedding space geometry and dimensionality choice on the representation accuracy and argue that compared to its Euclidean counterpart, spherical embedding leads to notably smaller metric distortions. We experimentally support our claim showing that a smaller embedding error leads to better recognition.

Increasingly complex representations of natural movies across the dorsal stream are shared between subjects.

PubMed

Güçlü, Umut; van Gerven, Marcel A J

2017-01-15

Recently, deep neural networks (DNNs) have been shown to provide accurate predictions of neural responses across the ventral visual pathway. We here explore whether they also provide accurate predictions of neural responses across the dorsal visual pathway, which is thought to be devoted to motion processing and action recognition. This is achieved by training deep neural networks to recognize actions in videos and subsequently using them to predict neural responses while subjects are watching natural movies. Moreover, we explore whether dorsal stream representations are shared between subjects. In order to address this question, we examine if individual subject predictions can be made in a common representational space estimated via hyperalignment. Results show that a DNN trained for action recognition can be used to accurately predict how dorsal stream responds to natural movies, revealing a correspondence in representations of DNN layers and dorsal stream areas. It is also demonstrated that models operating in a common representational space can generalize to responses of multiple or even unseen individual subjects to novel spatio-temporal stimuli in both encoding and decoding settings, suggesting that a common representational space underlies dorsal stream responses across multiple subjects. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

ON THE THREE-DIMENSIONAL STRUCTURE OF THE MASS, METALLICITY, AND STAR FORMATION RATE SPACE FOR STAR-FORMING GALAXIES

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lara-Lopez, Maritza A.; Lopez-Sanchez, Angel R.; Hopkins, Andrew M., E-mail: mlopez@aao.gov.au

2013-02-20

We demonstrate that the space formed by the star formation rate (SFR), gas-phase metallicity (Z), and stellar mass (M {sub *}) can be reduced to a plane, as first proposed by Lara-Lopez et al. We study three different approaches to find the best representation of this 3D space, using a principal component analysis (PCA), a regression fit, and binning of the data. The PCA shows that this 3D space can be adequately represented in only two dimensions, i.e., a plane. We find that the plane that minimizes the {chi}{sup 2} for all variables, and hence provides the best representation ofmore » the data, corresponds to a regression fit to the stellar mass as a function of SFR and Z, M {sub *}= f(Z, SFR). We find that the distribution resulting from the median values in bins for our data gives the highest {chi}{sup 2}. We also show that the empirical calibrations to the oxygen abundance used to derive the Fundamental Metallicity Relation have important limitations, which contribute to the apparent inconsistencies. The main problem is that these empirical calibrations do not consider the ionization degree of the gas. Furthermore, the use of the N2 index to estimate oxygen abundances cannot be applied for 12 + log(O/H) {approx}> 8.8 because of the saturation of the [N II] {lambda}6584 line in the high-metallicity regime. Finally, we provide an update of the Fundamental Plane derived by Lara-Lopez et al.« less

Mars Express Interplanetary Navigation from Launch to Mars Orbit Insertion: The JPL Experience

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Han, Dongsuk; Highsmith, Dolan; Jah, Moriba; Craig, Diane; Border, James; Kroger, Peter

2004-01-01

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) played a significant role in supporting the safe arrival of the European Space Agency (ESA) Mars Express (MEX) orbiter to Mars on 25 December 2003. MEX mission is an international collaboration between member nations of the ESA and NASA, where NASA is supporting partner. JPL's involvement included providing commanding and tracking service with JPL's Deep Space Network (DSN), in addition to navigation assurance. The collaborative navigation effort between European Space Operations Centre (ESOC) and JPL is the first since ESA's last deep space mission, Giotto, and began many years before the MEX launch. This paper discusses the navigational experience during the cruise and final approach phase of the mission from JPL's perspective. Topics include technical challenges such as orbit determination using non-DSN tracking data and media calibrations, and modeling of spacecraft physical properties for accurate representation of non-gravitational dynamics. Also mentioned in this paper is preparation and usage of DSN Delta Differential Oneway Range ((Delta)DOR) measurements, a key element to the accuracy of the orbit determination.

14 CFR 77.69 - Limitations on appearance and representation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Limitations on appearance and representation. 77.69 Section 77.69 Aeronautics and Space FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF... personally consider the matter concerned or gain particular knowledge of it while he was an officer or...

14 CFR 77.69 - Limitations on appearance and representation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 2 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Limitations on appearance and representation. 77.69 Section 77.69 Aeronautics and Space FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF... showing that he did not personally consider the matter concerned or gain particular knowledge of it while...

Representation of magnetic fields in space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stern, D. P.

1975-01-01

Several methods by which a magnetic field in space can be represented are reviewed with particular attention to problems of the observed geomagnetic field. Time dependence is assumed to be negligible, and five main classes of representation are described by vector potential, scalar potential, orthogonal vectors, Euler potentials, and expanded magnetic field.

Optical linear algebra processors - Architectures and algorithms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Casasent, David

1986-01-01

Attention is given to the component design and optical configuration features of a generic optical linear algebra processor (OLAP) architecture, as well as the large number of OLAP architectures, number representations, algorithms and applications encountered in current literature. Number-representation issues associated with bipolar and complex-valued data representations, high-accuracy (including floating point) performance, and the base or radix to be employed, are discussed, together with case studies on a space-integrating frequency-multiplexed architecture and a hybrid space-integrating and time-integrating multichannel architecture.

Matrix elements and duality for type 2 unitary representations of the Lie superalgebra gl(m|n)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Werry, Jason L.; Gould, Mark D.; Isaac, Phillip S.

The characteristic identity formalism discussed in our recent articles is further utilized to derive matrix elements of type 2 unitary irreducible gl(m|n) modules. In particular, we give matrix element formulae for all gl(m|n) generators, including the non-elementary generators, together with their phases on finite dimensional type 2 unitary irreducible representations which include the contravariant tensor representations and an additional class of essentially typical representations. Remarkably, we find that the type 2 unitary matrix element equations coincide with the type 1 unitary matrix element equations for non-vanishing matrix elements up to a phase.

Wavelet processing techniques for digital mammography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laine, Andrew F.; Song, Shuwu

1992-09-01

This paper introduces a novel approach for accomplishing mammographic feature analysis through multiresolution representations. We show that efficient (nonredundant) representations may be identified from digital mammography and used to enhance specific mammographic features within a continuum of scale space. The multiresolution decomposition of wavelet transforms provides a natural hierarchy in which to embed an interactive paradigm for accomplishing scale space feature analysis. Similar to traditional coarse to fine matching strategies, the radiologist may first choose to look for coarse features (e.g., dominant mass) within low frequency levels of a wavelet transform and later examine finer features (e.g., microcalcifications) at higher frequency levels. In addition, features may be extracted by applying geometric constraints within each level of the transform. Choosing wavelets (or analyzing functions) that are simultaneously localized in both space and frequency, results in a powerful methodology for image analysis. Multiresolution and orientation selectivity, known biological mechanisms in primate vision, are ingrained in wavelet representations and inspire the techniques presented in this paper. Our approach includes local analysis of complete multiscale representations. Mammograms are reconstructed from wavelet representations, enhanced by linear, exponential and constant weight functions through scale space. By improving the visualization of breast pathology we can improve the chances of early detection of breast cancers (improve quality) while requiring less time to evaluate mammograms for most patients (lower costs).

Classical density functional theory and the phase-field crystal method using a rational function to describe the two-body direct correlation function.

PubMed

Pisutha-Arnond, N; Chan, V W L; Iyer, M; Gavini, V; Thornton, K

2013-01-01

We introduce a new approach to represent a two-body direct correlation function (DCF) in order to alleviate the computational demand of classical density functional theory (CDFT) and enhance the predictive capability of the phase-field crystal (PFC) method. The approach utilizes a rational function fit (RFF) to approximate the two-body DCF in Fourier space. We use the RFF to show that short-wavelength contributions of the two-body DCF play an important role in determining the thermodynamic properties of materials. We further show that using the RFF to empirically parametrize the two-body DCF allows us to obtain the thermodynamic properties of solids and liquids that agree with the results of CDFT simulations with the full two-body DCF without incurring significant computational costs. In addition, the RFF can also be used to improve the representation of the two-body DCF in the PFC method. Last, the RFF allows for a real-space reformulation of the CDFT and PFC method, which enables descriptions of nonperiodic systems and the use of nonuniform and adaptive grids.

Embedded Data Representations.

PubMed

Willett, Wesley; Jansen, Yvonne; Dragicevic, Pierre

2017-01-01

We introduce embedded data representations, the use of visual and physical representations of data that are deeply integrated with the physical spaces, objects, and entities to which the data refers. Technologies like lightweight wireless displays, mixed reality hardware, and autonomous vehicles are making it increasingly easier to display data in-context. While researchers and artists have already begun to create embedded data representations, the benefits, trade-offs, and even the language necessary to describe and compare these approaches remain unexplored. In this paper, we formalize the notion of physical data referents - the real-world entities and spaces to which data corresponds - and examine the relationship between referents and the visual and physical representations of their data. We differentiate situated representations, which display data in proximity to data referents, and embedded representations, which display data so that it spatially coincides with data referents. Drawing on examples from visualization, ubiquitous computing, and art, we explore the role of spatial indirection, scale, and interaction for embedded representations. We also examine the tradeoffs between non-situated, situated, and embedded data displays, including both visualizations and physicalizations. Based on our observations, we identify a variety of design challenges for embedded data representation, and suggest opportunities for future research and applications.

Transductive multi-view zero-shot learning.

PubMed

Fu, Yanwei; Hospedales, Timothy M; Xiang, Tao; Gong, Shaogang

2015-11-01

Most existing zero-shot learning approaches exploit transfer learning via an intermediate semantic representation shared between an annotated auxiliary dataset and a target dataset with different classes and no annotation. A projection from a low-level feature space to the semantic representation space is learned from the auxiliary dataset and applied without adaptation to the target dataset. In this paper we identify two inherent limitations with these approaches. First, due to having disjoint and potentially unrelated classes, the projection functions learned from the auxiliary dataset/domain are biased when applied directly to the target dataset/domain. We call this problem the projection domain shift problem and propose a novel framework, transductive multi-view embedding, to solve it. The second limitation is the prototype sparsity problem which refers to the fact that for each target class, only a single prototype is available for zero-shot learning given a semantic representation. To overcome this problem, a novel heterogeneous multi-view hypergraph label propagation method is formulated for zero-shot learning in the transductive embedding space. It effectively exploits the complementary information offered by different semantic representations and takes advantage of the manifold structures of multiple representation spaces in a coherent manner. We demonstrate through extensive experiments that the proposed approach (1) rectifies the projection shift between the auxiliary and target domains, (2) exploits the complementarity of multiple semantic representations, (3) significantly outperforms existing methods for both zero-shot and N-shot recognition on three image and video benchmark datasets, and (4) enables novel cross-view annotation tasks.

Continuous state-space representation of a bucket-type rainfall-runoff model: a case study with the GR4 model using state-space GR4 (version 1.0)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Santos, Léonard; Thirel, Guillaume; Perrin, Charles

2018-04-01

In many conceptual rainfall-runoff models, the water balance differential equations are not explicitly formulated. These differential equations are solved sequentially by splitting the equations into terms that can be solved analytically with a technique called operator splitting. As a result, only the solutions of the split equations are used to present the different models. This article provides a methodology to make the governing water balance equations of a bucket-type rainfall-runoff model explicit and to solve them continuously. This is done by setting up a comprehensive state-space representation of the model. By representing it in this way, the operator splitting, which makes the structural analysis of the model more complex, could be removed. In this state-space representation, the lag functions (unit hydrographs), which are frequent in rainfall-runoff models and make the resolution of the representation difficult, are first replaced by a so-called Nash cascade and then solved with a robust numerical integration technique. To illustrate this methodology, the GR4J model is taken as an example. The substitution of the unit hydrographs with a Nash cascade, even if it modifies the model behaviour when solved using operator splitting, does not modify it when the state-space representation is solved using an implicit integration technique. Indeed, the flow time series simulated by the new representation of the model are very similar to those simulated by the classic model. The use of a robust numerical technique that approximates a continuous-time model also improves the lag parameter consistency across time steps and provides a more time-consistent model with time-independent parameters.

Coding of cognitive magnitude: compressed scaling of numerical information in the primate prefrontal cortex.

PubMed

Nieder, Andreas; Miller, Earl K

2003-01-09

Whether cognitive representations are better conceived as language-based, symbolic representations or perceptually related, analog representations is a subject of debate. If cognitive processes parallel perceptual processes, then fundamental psychophysical laws should hold for each. To test this, we analyzed both behavioral and neuronal representations of numerosity in the prefrontal cortex of rhesus monkeys. The data were best described by a nonlinearly compressed scaling of numerical information, as postulated by the Weber-Fechner law or Stevens' law for psychophysical/sensory magnitudes. This nonlinear compression was observed on the neural level during the acquisition phase of the task and maintained through the memory phase with no further compression. These results suggest that certain cognitive and perceptual/sensory representations share the same fundamental mechanisms and neural coding schemes.

Course 4: Anyons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Myrheim, J.

Contents 1 Introduction 1.1 The concept of particle statistics 1.2 Statistical mechanics and the many-body problem 1.3 Experimental physics in two dimensions 1.4 The algebraic approach: Heisenberg quantization 1.5 More general quantizations 2 The configuration space 2.1 The Euclidean relative space for two particles 2.2 Dimensions d=1,2,3 2.3 Homotopy 2.4 The braid group 3 Schroedinger quantization in one dimension 4 Heisenberg quantization in one dimension 4.1 The coordinate representation 5 Schroedinger quantization in dimension d ≥ 2 5.1 Scalar wave functions 5.2 Homotopy 5.3 Interchange phases 5.4 The statistics vector potential 5.5 The N-particle case 5.6 Chern-Simons theory 6 The Feynman path integral for anyons 6.1 Eigenstates for position and momentum 6.2 The path integral 6.3 Conjugation classes in SN 6.4 The non-interacting case 6.5 Duality of Feynman and Schroedinger quantization 7 The harmonic oscillator 7.1 The two-dimensional harmonic oscillator 7.2 Two anyons in a harmonic oscillator potential 7.3 More than two anyons 7.4 The three-anyon problem 8 The anyon gas 8.1 The cluster and virial expansions 8.2 First and second order perturbative results 8.3 Regularization by periodic boundary conditions 8.4 Regularization by a harmonic oscillator potential 8.5 Bosons and fermions 8.6 Two anyons 8.7 Three anyons 8.8 The Monte Carlo method 8.9 The path integral representation of the coefficients GP 8.10 Exact and approximate polynomials 8.11 The fourth virial coefficient of anyons 8.12 Two polynomial theorems 9 Charged particles in a constant magnetic field 9.1 One particle in a magnetic field 9.2 Two anyons in a magnetic field 9.3 The anyon gas in a magnetic field 10 Interchange phases and geometric phases 10.1 Introduction to geometric phases 10.2 One particle in a magnetic field 10.3 Two particles in a magnetic field 10.4 Interchange of two anyons in potential wells 10.5 Laughlin's theory of the fractional quantum Hall effect

Metropolitan natural area protection to maximize public access and species representation

Treesearch

Jane A. Ruliffson; Robert G. Haight; Paul H. Gobster; Frances R. Homans

2003-01-01

In response to widespread urban development, local governments in metropolitan areas in the United States acquire and protect privately-owned open space. We addressed the planner's problem of allocating a fixed budget for open space protection among eligible natural areas with the twin objectives of maximizing public access and species representation. Both...

Transformations and representations supporting spatial perspective taking

PubMed Central

Yu, Alfred B.; Zacks, Jeffrey M.

2018-01-01

Spatial perspective taking is the ability to reason about spatial relations relative to another’s viewpoint. Here, we propose a mechanistic hypothesis that relates mental representations of one’s viewpoint to the transformations used for spatial perspective taking. We test this hypothesis using a novel behavioral paradigm that assays patterns of response time and variation in those patterns across people. The results support the hypothesis that people maintain a schematic representation of the space around their body, update that representation to take another’s perspective, and thereby to reason about the space around their body. This is a powerful computational mechanism that can support imitation, coordination of behavior, and observational learning. PMID:29545731

Development of the Bonding Representations Inventory to Identify Student Misconceptions about Covalent and Ionic Bonding Representations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Luxford, Cynthia J.; Bretz, Stacey Lowery

2014-01-01

Teachers use multiple representations to communicate the concepts of bonding, including Lewis structures, formulas, space-filling models, and 3D manipulatives. As students learn to interpret these multiple representations, they may develop misconceptions that can create problems in further learning of chemistry. Interviews were conducted with 28…

Classification and Realizations of Type III Factor Representations of Cuntz-Krieger Algebras Associated with Quasi-Free States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kawamura, Katsunori

2009-03-01

We completely classify type III factor representations of Cuntz-Krieger algebras associated with quasi-free states up to unitary equivalence. Furthermore, we realize these representations on concrete Hilbert spaces without using GNS construction. Free groups and their type II1 factor representations are used in these realizations.

Contribution of self-motion perception to acoustic target localization.

PubMed

Pettorossi, V E; Brosch, M; Panichi, R; Botti, F; Grassi, S; Troiani, D

2005-05-01

The findings of this study suggest that acoustic spatial perception during head movement is achieved by the vestibular system, which is responsible for the correct dynamic of acoustic target pursuit. The ability to localize sounds in space during whole-body rotation relies on the auditory localization system, which recognizes the position of sound in a head-related frame, and on the sensory systems, namely the vestibular system, which perceive head and body movement. The aim of this study was to analyse the contribution of head motion cues to the spatial representation of acoustic targets in humans. Healthy subjects standing on a rotating platform in the dark were asked to pursue with a laser pointer an acoustic target which was horizontally rotated while the body was kept stationary or maintained stationary while the whole body was rotated. The contribution of head motion to the spatial acoustic representation could be inferred by comparing the gains and phases of the pursuit in the two experimental conditions when the frequency was varied. During acoustic target rotation there was a reduction in the gain and an increase in the phase lag, while during whole-body rotations the gain tended to increase and the phase remained constant. The different contributions of the vestibular and acoustic systems were confirmed by analysing the acoustic pursuit during asymmetric body rotation. In this particular condition, in which self-motion perception gradually diminished, an increasing delay in target pursuit was observed.

Non-commutative methods in quantum mechanics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Millard, Andrew Clive

1997-09-01

Non-commutativity appears in physics almost hand in hand with quantum mechanics. Non-commuting operators corresponding to observables lead to Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle, which is often used as a prime example of how quantum mechanics transcends 'common sense', while the operators that generate a symmetry group are usually given in terms of their commutation relations. This thesis discusses a number of new developments which go beyond the usual stopping point of non-commuting quantities as matrices with complex elements. Chapter 2 shows how certain generalisations of quantum mechanics, from using complex numbers to using other (often non-commutative) algebras, can still be written as linear systems with symplectic phase flows. Chapter 3 deals with Adler's trace dynamics, a non-linear graded generalisation of Hamiltonian dynamics with supersymmetry applications, where the phase space coordinates are (generally non-commuting) operators, and reports on aspects of a demonstration that the statistical averages of the dynamical variables obey the rules of complex quantum field theory. The last two chapters discuss specific aspects of quaternionic quantum mechanics. Chapter 4 reports a generalised projective representation theory and presents a structure theorem that categorises quaternionic projective representations. Chapter 5 deals with a generalisation of the coherent states formalism and examines how it may be applied to two commonly used groups.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Besse, Nicolas; Latu, Guillaume; Ghizzo, Alain

In this paper we present a new method for the numerical solution of the relativistic Vlasov-Maxwell system on a phase-space grid using an adaptive semi-Lagrangian method. The adaptivity is performed through a wavelet multiresolution analysis, which gives a powerful and natural refinement criterion based on the local measurement of the approximation error and regularity of the distribution function. Therefore, the multiscale expansion of the distribution function allows to get a sparse representation of the data and thus save memory space and CPU time. We apply this numerical scheme to reduced Vlasov-Maxwell systems arising in laser-plasma physics. Interaction of relativistically strongmore » laser pulses with overdense plasma slabs is investigated. These Vlasov simulations revealed a rich variety of phenomena associated with the fast particle dynamics induced by electromagnetic waves as electron trapping, particle acceleration, and electron plasma wavebreaking. However, the wavelet based adaptive method that we developed here, does not yield significant improvements compared to Vlasov solvers on a uniform mesh due to the substantial overhead that the method introduces. Nonetheless they might be a first step towards more efficient adaptive solvers based on different ideas for the grid refinement or on a more efficient implementation. Here the Vlasov simulations are performed in a two-dimensional phase-space where the development of thin filaments, strongly amplified by relativistic effects requires an important increase of the total number of points of the phase-space grid as they get finer as time goes on. The adaptive method could be more useful in cases where these thin filaments that need to be resolved are a very small fraction of the hyper-volume, which arises in higher dimensions because of the surface-to-volume scaling and the essentially one-dimensional structure of the filaments. Moreover, the main way to improve the efficiency of the adaptive method is to increase the local character in phase-space of the numerical scheme, by considering multiscale reconstruction with more compact support and by replacing the semi-Lagrangian method with more local - in space - numerical scheme as compact finite difference schemes, discontinuous-Galerkin method or finite element residual schemes which are well suited for parallel domain decomposition techniques.« less

Familiarity expands space and contracts time.

PubMed

Jafarpour, Anna; Spiers, Hugo

2017-01-01

When humans draw maps, or make judgments about travel-time, their responses are rarely accurate and are often systematically distorted. Distortion effects on estimating time to arrival and the scale of sketch-maps reveal the nature of mental representation of time and space. Inspired by data from rodent entorhinal grid cells, we predicted that familiarity to an environment would distort representations of the space by expanding the size of it. We also hypothesized that travel-time estimation would be distorted in the same direction as space-size, if time and space rely on the same cognitive map. We asked international students, who had lived at a college in London for 9 months, to sketch a south-up map of their college district, estimate travel-time to destinations within the area, and mark their everyday walking routes. We found that while estimates for sketched space were expanded with familiarity, estimates of the time to travel through the space were contracted with familiarity. Thus, we found dissociable responses to familiarity in representations of time and space. © 2016 The Authors Hippocampus Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 The Authors Hippocampus Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A non-linear dimension reduction methodology for generating data-driven stochastic input models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ganapathysubramanian, Baskar; Zabaras, Nicholas

2008-06-01

Stochastic analysis of random heterogeneous media (polycrystalline materials, porous media, functionally graded materials) provides information of significance only if realistic input models of the topology and property variations are used. This paper proposes a framework to construct such input stochastic models for the topology and thermal diffusivity variations in heterogeneous media using a data-driven strategy. Given a set of microstructure realizations (input samples) generated from given statistical information about the medium topology, the framework constructs a reduced-order stochastic representation of the thermal diffusivity. This problem of constructing a low-dimensional stochastic representation of property variations is analogous to the problem of manifold learning and parametric fitting of hyper-surfaces encountered in image processing and psychology. Denote by M the set of microstructures that satisfy the given experimental statistics. A non-linear dimension reduction strategy is utilized to map M to a low-dimensional region, A. We first show that M is a compact manifold embedded in a high-dimensional input space Rn. An isometric mapping F from M to a low-dimensional, compact, connected set A⊂Rd(d≪n) is constructed. Given only a finite set of samples of the data, the methodology uses arguments from graph theory and differential geometry to construct the isometric transformation F:M→A. Asymptotic convergence of the representation of M by A is shown. This mapping F serves as an accurate, low-dimensional, data-driven representation of the property variations. The reduced-order model of the material topology and thermal diffusivity variations is subsequently used as an input in the solution of stochastic partial differential equations that describe the evolution of dependant variables. A sparse grid collocation strategy (Smolyak algorithm) is utilized to solve these stochastic equations efficiently. We showcase the methodology by constructing low-dimensional input stochastic models to represent thermal diffusivity in two-phase microstructures. This model is used in analyzing the effect of topological variations of two-phase microstructures on the evolution of temperature in heat conduction processes.

Aerospace applications of SINDA/FLUINT at the Johnson Space Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ewert, Michael K.; Bellmore, Phillip E.; Andish, Kambiz K.; Keller, John R.

1992-01-01

SINDA/FLUINT has been found to be a versatile code for modeling aerospace systems involving single or two-phase fluid flow and all modes of heat transfer. Several applications of SINDA/FLUINT are described in this paper. SINDA/FLUINT is being used extensively to model the single phase water loops and the two-phase ammonia loops of the Space Station Freedom active thermal control system (ATCS). These models range from large integrated system models with multiple submodels to very detailed subsystem models. An integrated Space Station ATCS model has been created with ten submodels representing five water loops, three ammonia loops, a Freon loop and a thermal submodel representing the air loop. The model, which has approximately 800 FLUINT lumps and 300 thermal nodes, is used to determine the interaction between the multiple fluid loops which comprise the Space Station ATCS. Several detailed models of the flow-through radiator subsystem of the Space Station ATCS have been developed. One model, which has approximately 70 FLUINT lumps and 340 thermal nodes, provides a representation of the ATCS low temperature radiator array with two fluid loops connected only by conduction through the radiator face sheet. The detailed models are used to determine parameters such as radiator fluid return temperature, fin efficiency, flow distribution and total heat rejection for the baseline design as well as proposed alternate designs. SINDA/FLUINT has also been used as a design tool for several systems using pressurized gasses. One model examined the pressurization and depressurization of the Space Station airlock under a variety of operating conditions including convection with the side walls and internal cooling. Another model predicted the performance of a new generation of manned maneuvering units. This model included high pressure gas depressurization, internal heat transfer and supersonic thruster equations. The results of both models were used to size components, such as the heaters and gas bottles and also to point to areas where hardware testing was needed.

Real time correlation function in a single phase space integral beyond the linearized semiclassical initial value representation.

PubMed

Liu, Jian; Miller, William H

2007-06-21

It is shown how quantum mechanical time correlation functions [defined, e.g., in Eq. (1.1)] can be expressed, without approximation, in the same form as the linearized approximation of the semiclassical initial value representation (LSC-IVR), or classical Wigner model, for the correlation function [cf. Eq. (2.1)], i.e., as a phase space average (over initial conditions for trajectories) of the Wigner functions corresponding to the two operators. The difference is that the trajectories involved in the LSC-IVR evolve classically, i.e., according to the classical equations of motion, while in the exact theory they evolve according to generalized equations of motion that are derived here. Approximations to the exact equations of motion are then introduced to achieve practical methods that are applicable to complex (i.e., large) molecular systems. Four such methods are proposed in the paper--the full Wigner dynamics (full WD) and the second order WD based on "Wigner trajectories" [H. W. Lee and M. D. Scully, J. Chem. Phys. 77, 4604 (1982)] and the full Donoso-Martens dynamics (full DMD) and the second order DMD based on "Donoso-Martens trajectories" [A. Donoso and C. C. Martens, Phys. Rev. Lett. 8722, 223202 (2001)]--all of which can be viewed as generalizations of the original LSC-IVR method. Numerical tests of the four versions of this new approach are made for two anharmonic model problems, and for each the momentum autocorrelation function (i.e., operators linear in coordinate or momentum operators) and the force autocorrelation function (nonlinear operators) have been calculated. These four new approximate treatments are indeed seen to be significant improvements to the original LSC-IVR approximation.

The sixth generation robot in space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Butcher, A.; Das, A.; Reddy, Y. V.; Singh, H.

1990-01-01

The knowledge based simulator developed in the artificial intelligence laboratory has become a working test bed for experimenting with intelligent reasoning architectures. With this simulator, recently, small experiments have been done with an aim to simulate robot behavior to avoid colliding paths. An automatic extension of such experiments to intelligently planning robots in space demands advanced reasoning architectures. One such architecture for general purpose problem solving is explored. The robot, seen as a knowledge base machine, goes via predesigned abstraction mechanism for problem understanding and response generation. The three phases in one such abstraction scheme are: abstraction for representation, abstraction for evaluation, and abstraction for resolution. Such abstractions require multimodality. This multimodality requires the use of intensional variables to deal with beliefs in the system. Abstraction mechanisms help in synthesizing possible propagating lattices for such beliefs. The machine controller enters into a sixth generation paradigm.

Role of Dentate Gyrus in Aligning Internal Spatial Map to External Landmark

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Jong Won; Kim, Woon Ryoung; Sun, Woong; Jung, Min Whan

2009-01-01

Humans and animals form internal representations of external space based on their own body movement (dead reckoning) as well as external landmarks. It is poorly understood, however, how different types of information are integrated to form a unified representation of external space. To examine the role of dentate gyrus (DG) in this process, we…

Time in the Mind: Using Space to Think about Time

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Casasanto, Daniel; Boroditsky, Lera

2008-01-01

How do we construct abstract ideas like justice, mathematics, or time-travel? In this paper we investigate whether mental representations that result from physical experience underlie people's more abstract mental representations, using the domains of space and time as a testbed. People often talk about time using spatial language (e.g., a "long"…

The Shape of Things to Come: The Computational Pictograph as a Bridge from Combinatorial Space to Outcome Distribution

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abrahamson, Dor

2006-01-01

This snapshot introduces a computer-based representation and activity that enables students to simultaneously "see" the combinatorial space of a stochastic device (e.g., dice, spinner, coins) and its outcome distribution. The author argues that the "ambiguous" representation fosters student insight into probability. [Snapshots are subject to peer…

Rhotrix Vector Spaces

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aminu, Abdulhadi

2010-01-01

By rhotrix we understand an object that lies in some way between (n x n)-dimensional matrices and (2n - 1) x (2n - 1)-dimensional matrices. Representation of vectors in rhotrices is different from the representation of vectors in matrices. A number of vector spaces in matrices and their properties are known. On the other hand, little seems to be…

Development of the Hippocampal Cognitive Map in Pre-weanling Rats

PubMed Central

Wills, Tom; Cacucci, Francesca; Burgess, Neil; O’Keefe, John

2011-01-01

Orienting in large-scale space depends on the interaction of environmental experience and pre-configured, possibly innate, constructs. Place, head-direction and grid cells in the hippocampal formation provide allocentric representations of space. Here we show how these cognitive representations emerge and develop as rat pups first begin to explore their environment. Directional, locational and rhythmic organization of firing are present during initial exploration, including adult-like directional firing. The stability and precision of place cell firing continues to develop throughout juvenility. Stable grid cell firing appears later but matures rapidly to adult levels. Our results demonstrate the presence of three neuronal representations of space prior to extensive experience, and show how they develop with age. PMID:20558720

Using the Logarithm of Odds to Define a Vector Space on Probabilistic Atlases

PubMed Central

Pohl, Kilian M.; Fisher, John; Bouix, Sylvain; Shenton, Martha; McCarley, Robert W.; Grimson, W. Eric L.; Kikinis, Ron; Wells, William M.

2007-01-01

The Logarithm of the Odds ratio (LogOdds) is frequently used in areas such as artificial neural networks, economics, and biology, as an alternative representation of probabilities. Here, we use LogOdds to place probabilistic atlases in a linear vector space. This representation has several useful properties for medical imaging. For example, it not only encodes the shape of multiple anatomical structures but also captures some information concerning uncertainty. We demonstrate that the resulting vector space operations of addition and scalar multiplication have natural probabilistic interpretations. We discuss several examples for placing label maps into the space of LogOdds. First, we relate signed distance maps, a widely used implicit shape representation, to LogOdds and compare it to an alternative that is based on smoothing by spatial Gaussians. We find that the LogOdds approach better preserves shapes in a complex multiple object setting. In the second example, we capture the uncertainty of boundary locations by mapping multiple label maps of the same object into the LogOdds space. Third, we define a framework for non-convex interpolations among atlases that capture different time points in the aging process of a population. We evaluate the accuracy of our representation by generating a deformable shape atlas that captures the variations of anatomical shapes across a population. The deformable atlas is the result of a principal component analysis within the LogOdds space. This atlas is integrated into an existing segmentation approach for MR images. We compare the performance of the resulting implementation in segmenting 20 test cases to a similar approach that uses a more standard shape model that is based on signed distance maps. On this data set, the Bayesian classification model with our new representation outperformed the other approaches in segmenting subcortical structures. PMID:17698403

Congruent representation of visual and acoustic space in the superior colliculus of the echolocating bat Phyllostomus discolor.

PubMed

Hoffmann, Susanne; Vega-Zuniga, Tomas; Greiter, Wolfgang; Krabichler, Quirin; Bley, Alexandra; Matthes, Mariana; Zimmer, Christiane; Firzlaff, Uwe; Luksch, Harald

2016-11-01

The midbrain superior colliculus (SC) commonly features a retinotopic representation of visual space in its superficial layers, which is congruent with maps formed by multisensory neurons and motor neurons in its deep layers. Information flow between layers is suggested to enable the SC to mediate goal-directed orienting movements. While most mammals strongly rely on vision for orienting, some species such as echolocating bats have developed alternative strategies, which raises the question how sensory maps are organized in these animals. We probed the visual system of the echolocating bat Phyllostomus discolor and found that binocular high acuity vision is frontally oriented and thus aligned with the biosonar system, whereas monocular visual fields cover a large area of peripheral space. For the first time in echolocating bats, we could show that in contrast with other mammals, visual processing is restricted to the superficial layers of the SC. The topographic representation of visual space, however, followed the general mammalian pattern. In addition, we found a clear topographic representation of sound azimuth in the deeper collicular layers, which was congruent with the superficial visual space map and with a previously documented map of orienting movements. Especially for bats navigating at high speed in densely structured environments, it is vitally important to transfer and coordinate spatial information between sensors and motor systems. Here, we demonstrate first evidence for the existence of congruent maps of sensory space in the bat SC that might serve to generate a unified representation of the environment to guide motor actions. © 2016 Federation of European Neuroscience Societies and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Representation of Perceptual Color Space in Macaque Posterior Inferior Temporal Cortex (the V4 Complex)

PubMed Central

Bohon, Kaitlin S.; Hermann, Katherine L.; Hansen, Thorsten

2016-01-01

Abstract The lateral geniculate nucleus is thought to represent color using two populations of cone-opponent neurons [L vs M; S vs (L + M)], which establish the cardinal directions in color space (reddish vs cyan; lavender vs lime). How is this representation transformed to bring about color perception? Prior work implicates populations of glob cells in posterior inferior temporal cortex (PIT; the V4 complex), but the correspondence between the neural representation of color in PIT/V4 complex and the organization of perceptual color space is unclear. We compared color-tuning data for populations of glob cells and interglob cells to predictions obtained using models that varied in the color-tuning narrowness of the cells, and the color preference distribution across the populations. Glob cells were best accounted for by simulated neurons that have nonlinear (narrow) tuning and, as a population, represent a color space designed to be perceptually uniform (CIELUV). Multidimensional scaling and representational similarity analyses showed that the color space representations in both glob and interglob populations were correlated with the organization of CIELUV space, but glob cells showed a stronger correlation. Hue could be classified invariant to luminance with high accuracy given glob responses and above-chance accuracy given interglob responses. Luminance could be read out invariant to changes in hue in both populations, but interglob cells tended to prefer stimuli having luminance contrast, regardless of hue, whereas glob cells typically retained hue tuning as luminance contrast was modulated. The combined luminance/hue sensitivity of glob cells is predicted for neurons that can distinguish two colors of the same hue at different luminance levels (orange/brown). PMID:27595132

The DTW-based representation space for seismic pattern classification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orozco-Alzate, Mauricio; Castro-Cabrera, Paola Alexandra; Bicego, Manuele; Londoño-Bonilla, John Makario

2015-12-01

Distinguishing among the different seismic volcanic patterns is still one of the most important and labor-intensive tasks for volcano monitoring. This task could be lightened and made free from subjective bias by using automatic classification techniques. In this context, a core but often overlooked issue is the choice of an appropriate representation of the data to be classified. Recently, it has been suggested that using a relative representation (i.e. proximities, namely dissimilarities on pairs of objects) instead of an absolute one (i.e. features, namely measurements on single objects) is advantageous to exploit the relational information contained in the dissimilarities to derive highly discriminant vector spaces, where any classifier can be used. According to that motivation, this paper investigates the suitability of a dynamic time warping (DTW) dissimilarity-based vector representation for the classification of seismic patterns. Results show the usefulness of such a representation in the seismic pattern classification scenario, including analyses of potential benefits from recent advances in the dissimilarity-based paradigm such as the proper selection of representation sets and the combination of different dissimilarity representations that might be available for the same data.

Adaptive multiscale processing for contrast enhancement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laine, Andrew F.; Song, Shuwu; Fan, Jian; Huda, Walter; Honeyman, Janice C.; Steinbach, Barbara G.

1993-07-01

This paper introduces a novel approach for accomplishing mammographic feature analysis through overcomplete multiresolution representations. We show that efficient representations may be identified from digital mammograms within a continuum of scale space and used to enhance features of importance to mammography. Choosing analyzing functions that are well localized in both space and frequency, results in a powerful methodology for image analysis. We describe methods of contrast enhancement based on two overcomplete (redundant) multiscale representations: (1) Dyadic wavelet transform (2) (phi) -transform. Mammograms are reconstructed from transform coefficients modified at one or more levels by non-linear, logarithmic and constant scale-space weight functions. Multiscale edges identified within distinct levels of transform space provide a local support for enhancement throughout each decomposition. We demonstrate that features extracted from wavelet spaces can provide an adaptive mechanism for accomplishing local contrast enhancement. We suggest that multiscale detection and local enhancement of singularities may be effectively employed for the visualization of breast pathology without excessive noise amplification.

Reimagining Game Design: Exploring the Design of Constructible Authentic Representations for Science Reasoning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holbert, Nathan Ryan

Video games have recently become a popular space for educational design due to their interactive and engaging nature and the ubiquity of the gaming experience among youth. Though many researchers argue video games can provide opportunities for learning, educational game design has focused on the classroom rather than the informal settings where games are typically played. Educational games have been moderately successful at achieving learning gains on standardized items, but have failed to show improvements on related but distal problems. In this dissertation I develop and assess a new design principle, called constructible authentic representations for creating informal gaming experiences that players will actively draw on when reasoning in formal and real world contexts. These games provide players with opportunities to engage in meaningful construction with components that integrate relevant concepts to create in-game representations that visually and epistemologically align with related tools and representations utilized in the target domain. In the first phase of the dissertation, I observed children playing popular video games to better understand what in-game representations children attend to and how interactions with these representations contribute to intuitive ideas of encountered STEM content. Results from this study fed into the iterative design of two prototype video games, FormulaT Racing and Particles!, intending to give players useful knowledge resources for reasoning about kinematics and the particulate nature of matter respectively. Designed games encourage players to utilize and refine intuitive ideas about target content through the construction of domain relevant representations. To assess the effectiveness of these designs I conducted two studies of children ages 7-14 playing prototype games in informal settings. An analysis of pre- and post-game clinical interviews, domain specific tasks, and video and logging data of gameplay suggests players developed useful knowledge resources, likely gained and/or refined from experiences in-game, that are employed to solve non-game problems and tasks. Furthermore, players utilized in-game representations as objects-to-think-with when explaining real world phenomena and formal concepts. The results suggest that games designed to include constructible authentic representations can provide players with powerful and useful knowledge resources accessible when thinking and reasoning in a variety of contexts.

Towards automated human gait disease classification using phase space representation of intrinsic mode functions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pratiher, Sawon; Patra, Sayantani; Pratiher, Souvik

2017-06-01

A novel analytical methodology for segregating healthy and neurological disorders from gait patterns is proposed by employing a set of oscillating components called intrinsic mode functions (IMF's). These IMF's are generated by the Empirical Mode Decomposition of the gait time series and the Hilbert transformed analytic signal representation forms the complex plane trace of the elliptical shaped analytic IMFs. The area measure and the relative change in the centroid position of the polygon formed by the Convex Hull of these analytic IMF's are taken as the discriminative features. Classification accuracy of 79.31% with Ensemble learning based Adaboost classifier validates the adequacy of the proposed methodology for a computer aided diagnostic (CAD) system for gait pattern identification. Also, the efficacy of several potential biomarkers like Bandwidth of Amplitude Modulation and Frequency Modulation IMF's and it's Mean Frequency from the Fourier-Bessel expansion from each of these analytic IMF's has been discussed for its potency in diagnosis of gait pattern identification and classification.

How to construct self/anti-self charge conjugate states for higher spins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dvoeglazov, Valeriy V.

2012-10-01

We construct self/anti-self charge conjugate (Majorana-like) states for the (1/2,0)⊕(0,1/2) representation of the Lorentz group, and their analogs for higher spins within the quantum field theory. The problem of the basis rotations and that of the selection of phases in the Diraclike and Majorana-like field operators are considered. The discrete symmetries properties (P, C, T) are studied. The corresponding dynamical equations are presented. In the (1/2,0)⊕(0,1/2) representation they obey the Dirac-like equation with eight components, which has been first introduced by Markov. Thus, the Fock space for corresponding quantum fields is doubled (as shown by Ziino). The particular attention has been paid to the questions of chirality and helicity (two concepts which are frequently confused in the literature) for Dirac and Majorana states. We further review several experimental consequences which follow from the previous works of M. Kirchbach et al. on neutrinoless double beta decay, and G.J.Ni et al. on meson lifetimes.

How to construct self/anti-self charge conjugate states?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dvoeglazov, V. V.

2014-03-01

We construct self/anti-self charge conjugate (Majorana-like) states for the (1/2, 0)⊕(0, 1/2) representation of the Lorentz group, and their analogs for higher spins within the quantum field theory. The problem of the basis rotations and that of the selection of phases in the Dirac-like and Majorana-like field operators are considered. The discrete symmetries properties (P, C, T) are studied. The corresponding dynamical equations are presented. In the (1/2, 0) ⊕ (0, 1/2) representation they obey the Dirac-like equation with eight components, which has been first introduced by Markov. Thus, the Fock space for corresponding quantum fields is doubled (as shown by Ziino). The particular attention has been paid to the questions of chirality and helicity (two concepts which are frequently confused in the literature) for Dirac and Majorana states. We further review several experimental consequences which follow from the previous works of M. Kirchbach et al. on neutrinoless double beta decay, and G. J. Ni et al. on meson lifetimes.

How to Construct the Anti-Self Charge Conjugate States?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dvoeglazov, Valeriy V.

2015-01-01

We construct self/anti-self charge conjugate (Majorana-like) states in the (1/2, 0) ⊕ (0, 1/2) representation of the Lorentz group, and their analogs for higher spins within the quantum field theory. The problem of the basis rotations and that of the selection of phases in the Dirac-like and Majorana-like field operators are considered. The discrete symmetries properties (P, C, T) are studied. The corresponding dynamical equations are presented. In the (1/2, 0) ⊕ (0, 1/2) representation they obey the Dirac-like equation with eight components, which has been first introduced by Markov. Thus, the Fock space for corresponding quantum fields is doubled (as shown by Ziino). The particular attention has been paid to the questions of chirality and helicity (two concepts which are frequently confused in the literature) for Dirac and Majorana states. We further review several experimental consequences which follow from the previous works of M.Kirchbach et al. on neutrinoless double beta decay, and G.J.Ni et al. on meson lifetimes.

Regularized Stokeslet representations for the flow around a human sperm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ishimoto, Kenta; Gadelha, Hermes; Gaffney, Eamonn; Smith, David; Kirkman-Brown, Jackson

2017-11-01

The sperm flagellum does not simply push the sperm. We have established a new theoretical scheme for the dimensional reduction of swimming sperm dynamics, via high-frame-rate digital microscopy of a swimming human sperm cell. This has allowed the reconstruction of the flagellar waveform as a limit cycle in a phase space of PCA modes. With this waveform, boundary element numerical simulation has successfully captured fine-scale sperm swimming trajectories. Further analyses on the flow field around the cell has also demonstrated a pusher-type time-averaged flow, though the instantaneous flow field can temporarily vary in a more complicated manner - even pulling the sperm. Applying PCA to the flow field, we have further found that a small number of PCA modes explain the temporal patterns of the flow, whose core features are well approximated by a few regularized Stokeslets. Such representations provide a methodology for coarse-graining the time-dependent flow around a human sperm and other flagellar microorganisms for use in developing population level models that retain individual cell dynamics.

Linguistic and Perceptual Mapping in Spatial Representations: An Attentional Account.

PubMed

Valdés-Conroy, Berenice; Hinojosa, José A; Román, Francisco J; Romero-Ferreiro, Verónica

2018-03-01

Building on evidence for embodied representations, we investigated whether Spanish spatial terms map onto the NEAR/FAR perceptual division of space. Using a long horizontal display, we measured congruency effects during the processing of spatial terms presented in NEAR or FAR space. Across three experiments, we manipulated the task demands in order to investigate the role of endogenous attention in linguistic and perceptual space mapping. We predicted congruency effects only when spatial properties were relevant for the task (reaching estimation task, Experiment 1) but not when attention was allocated to other features (lexical decision, Experiment 2; and color, Experiment 3). Results showed faster responses for words presented in Near-space in all experiments. Consistent with our hypothesis, congruency effects were observed only when a reaching estimate was requested. Our results add important evidence for the role of top-down processing in congruency effects from embodied representations of spatial terms. Copyright © 2017 Cognitive Science Society, Inc.

Spatial cue reliability drives frequency tuning in the barn Owl's midbrain

PubMed Central

Cazettes, Fanny; Fischer, Brian J; Pena, Jose L

2014-01-01

The robust representation of the environment from unreliable sensory cues is vital for the efficient function of the brain. However, how the neural processing captures the most reliable cues is unknown. The interaural time difference (ITD) is the primary cue to localize sound in horizontal space. ITD is encoded in the firing rate of neurons that detect interaural phase difference (IPD). Due to the filtering effect of the head, IPD for a given location varies depending on the environmental context. We found that, in barn owls, at each location there is a frequency range where the head filtering yields the most reliable IPDs across contexts. Remarkably, the frequency tuning of space-specific neurons in the owl's midbrain varies with their preferred sound location, matching the range that carries the most reliable IPD. Thus, frequency tuning in the owl's space-specific neurons reflects a higher-order feature of the code that captures cue reliability. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.04854.001 PMID:25531067

Knowledge-based decision support for Space Station assembly sequence planning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1991-04-01

A complete Personal Analysis Assistant (PAA) for Space Station Freedom (SSF) assembly sequence planning consists of three software components: the system infrastructure, intra-flight value added, and inter-flight value added. The system infrastructure is the substrate on which software elements providing inter-flight and intra-flight value-added functionality are built. It provides the capability for building representations of assembly sequence plans and specification of constraints and analysis options. Intra-flight value-added provides functionality that will, given the manifest for each flight, define cargo elements, place them in the National Space Transportation System (NSTS) cargo bay, compute performance measure values, and identify violated constraints. Inter-flight value-added provides functionality that will, given major milestone dates and capability requirements, determine the number and dates of required flights and develop a manifest for each flight. The current project is Phase 1 of a projected two phase program and delivers the system infrastructure. Intra- and inter-flight value-added were to be developed in Phase 2, which has not been funded. Based on experience derived from hundreds of projects conducted over the past seven years, ISX developed an Intelligent Systems Engineering (ISE) methodology that combines the methods of systems engineering and knowledge engineering to meet the special systems development requirements posed by intelligent systems, systems that blend artificial intelligence and other advanced technologies with more conventional computing technologies. The ISE methodology defines a phased program process that begins with an application assessment designed to provide a preliminary determination of the relative technical risks and payoffs associated with a potential application, and then moves through requirements analysis, system design, and development.

Knowledge-based decision support for Space Station assembly sequence planning

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1991-01-01

A complete Personal Analysis Assistant (PAA) for Space Station Freedom (SSF) assembly sequence planning consists of three software components: the system infrastructure, intra-flight value added, and inter-flight value added. The system infrastructure is the substrate on which software elements providing inter-flight and intra-flight value-added functionality are built. It provides the capability for building representations of assembly sequence plans and specification of constraints and analysis options. Intra-flight value-added provides functionality that will, given the manifest for each flight, define cargo elements, place them in the National Space Transportation System (NSTS) cargo bay, compute performance measure values, and identify violated constraints. Inter-flight value-added provides functionality that will, given major milestone dates and capability requirements, determine the number and dates of required flights and develop a manifest for each flight. The current project is Phase 1 of a projected two phase program and delivers the system infrastructure. Intra- and inter-flight value-added were to be developed in Phase 2, which has not been funded. Based on experience derived from hundreds of projects conducted over the past seven years, ISX developed an Intelligent Systems Engineering (ISE) methodology that combines the methods of systems engineering and knowledge engineering to meet the special systems development requirements posed by intelligent systems, systems that blend artificial intelligence and other advanced technologies with more conventional computing technologies. The ISE methodology defines a phased program process that begins with an application assessment designed to provide a preliminary determination of the relative technical risks and payoffs associated with a potential application, and then moves through requirements analysis, system design, and development.

Development of Phase Locking and Frequency Representation in the Infant Frequency-Following Response

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Dyke, Katlyn B.; Lieberman, Rachel; Presacco, Alessandro; Anderson, Samira

2017-01-01

Purpose: This study investigates the development of phase locking and frequency representation in infants using the frequency-following response to consonant-vowel syllables. Method: The frequency-following response was recorded in 56 infants and 15 young adults to 2 speech syllables (/ba/ and /ga/), which were presented in randomized order to the…

Development of Multi-slice Analytical Tool to Support BIM-based Design Process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Atmodiwirjo, P.; Johanes, M.; Yatmo, Y. A.

2017-03-01

This paper describes the on-going development of computational tool to analyse architecture and interior space based on multi-slice representation approach that is integrated with Building Information Modelling (BIM). Architecture and interior space is experienced as a dynamic entity, which have the spatial properties that might be variable from one part of space to another, therefore the representation of space through standard architectural drawings is sometimes not sufficient. The representation of space as a series of slices with certain properties in each slice becomes important, so that the different characteristics in each part of space could inform the design process. The analytical tool is developed for use as a stand-alone application that utilises the data exported from generic BIM modelling tool. The tool would be useful to assist design development process that applies BIM, particularly for the design of architecture and interior spaces that are experienced as continuous spaces. The tool allows the identification of how the spatial properties change dynamically throughout the space and allows the prediction of the potential design problems. Integrating the multi-slice analytical tool in BIM-based design process thereby could assist the architects to generate better design and to avoid unnecessary costs that are often caused by failure to identify problems during design development stages.

The Information Is In the Maps: Representations & Algorithms for Mapping among Geometric Data

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-09-30

space of all maps is a huge space and an important part of the project has addressed the problem of finding compact representations and encodings...understanding the relationships among its parts, or its connections to other data sets that may share the same or similar structure. Towards this end, we have...for the much smaller spaces of interesting maps within a specific application. The machinery developed here has proven of use across a broad spectrum

Cinematic representations of medical technologies in the Spanish official newsreel, 1943-1970.

PubMed

Medina-Doménech, Rosa M; Menéndez-Navarro, Alfredo

2005-10-01

NO-DO, the Spanish official newsreel produced by Franco's dictatorship (1939-1975), held a 30-year monopoly over audio-visual information in Spain from 1943 to 1975. This paper reports on an analysis of coverage of medical technologies by the Spanish Cinematic Newsreel Service, NO-DO, from 1943 to 1970. The study focuses on the changing roles played by cultural representations of medical technologies deployed in NO-DO. Our analysis shows how these representations offered a new space for the legitimization of the regime, and, more importantly, played a key role in the attempts to construct and enforce a hegemonic national identity after the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939). During the period of isolationist autocracy that ended in the mid-1950s, the images of medical technologies reinforced the idea of a self-sufficient "national space" and deepened the break with the historical past. Once the international isolation of the regime was overcome in the late 1950s and the 1960s, the representation of medical technologies contributed to establishing a Spanish national identity that mirrored the outside world, the foreign space. Finally, gender representations in NO-DO are also explored.

Space-Time and Architecture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Field, F.; Goodbun, J.; Watson, V.

Architects have a role to play in interplanetary space that has barely yet been explored. The architectural community is largely unaware of this new territory, for which there is still no agreed method of practice. There is moreover a general confusion, in scientific and related fields, over what architects might actually do there today. Current extra-planetary designs generally fail to explore the dynamic and relational nature of space-time, and often reduce human habitation to a purely functional problem. This is compounded by a crisis over the representation (drawing) of space-time. The present work returns to first principles of architecture in order to realign them with current socio-economic and technological trends surrounding the space industry. What emerges is simultaneously the basis for an ecological space architecture, and the representational strategies necessary to draw it. We explore this approach through a work of design-based research that describes the construction of Ocean; a huge body of water formed by the collision of two asteroids at the Translunar Lagrange Point (L2), that would serve as a site for colonisation, and as a resource to fuel future missions. Ocean is an experimental model for extra-planetary space design and its representation, within the autonomous discipline of architecture.

Beyond the Mental Number Line: A Neural Network Model of Number-Space Interactions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Qi; Verguts, Tom

2010-01-01

It is commonly assumed that there is an interaction between the representations of number and space (e.g., [Dehaene et al., 1993] and [Walsh, 2003]), typically ascribed to a mental number line. The exact nature of this interaction has remained elusive, however. Here we propose that spatial aspects are not inherent to number representations, but…

One's own country and familiar places in the mind's eye: different topological representations for navigational and non-navigational contents.

PubMed

Boccia, M; Piccardi, L; Palermo, L; Nemmi, F; Sulpizio, V; Galati, G; Guariglia, C

2014-09-05

Visual mental imagery is a process that draws on different cognitive abilities and is affected by the contents of mental images. Several studies have demonstrated that different brain areas subtend the mental imagery of navigational and non-navigational contents. Here, we set out to determine whether there are distinct representations for navigational and geographical images. Specifically, we used a Spatial Compatibility Task (SCT) to assess the mental representation of a familiar navigational space (the campus), a familiar geographical space (the map of Italy) and familiar objects (the clock). Twenty-one participants judged whether the vertical or the horizontal arrangement of items was correct. We found that distinct representational strategies were preferred to solve different categories on the SCT, namely, the horizontal perspective for the campus and the vertical perspective for the clock and the map of Italy. Furthermore, we found significant effects due to individual differences in the vividness of mental images and in preferences for verbal versus visual strategies, which selectively affect the contents of mental images. Our results suggest that imagining a familiar navigational space is somewhat different from imagining a familiar geographical space. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

A study of kindergarten children's spatial representation in a mapping project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davis, Genevieve A.; Hyun, Eunsook

2005-02-01

This phenomenological study examined kindergarten children's development of spatial representation in a year long mapping project. Findings and discussion relative to how children conceptualised and represented physical space are presented in light of theoretical notions advanced by Piaget, van Hiele, and cognitive science researchers Battista and Clements. Analyses of the processes the children used and their finished products indicate that children can negotiate meaning for complex systems of geometric concepts when given opportunities to debate, negotiate, reflect, evaluate and seek meaning for representing space. The complexity and "holistic" nature of spatial representation of young children emerged in this study.

Squeezed states: A geometric framework

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ali, S. T.; Brooke, J. A.; Gazeau, J.-P.

1992-01-01

A general definition of squeezed states is proposed and its main features are illustrated through a discussion of the standard optical coherent states represented by 'Gaussian pure states'. The set-up involves representations of groups on Hilbert spaces over homogeneous spaces of the group, and relies on the construction of a square integrable (coherent state) group representation modulo a subgroup. This construction depends upon a choice of a Borel section which has a certain permissible arbitrariness in its selection; this freedom is attributable to a squeezing of the defining coherent states of the representation, and corresponds in this way to a sort of gauging.

Noisy bases in Hilbert space: A new class of thermal coherent states and their properties

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vourdas, A.; Bishop, R. F.

1995-01-01

Coherent mixed states (or thermal coherent states) associated with the displaced harmonic oscillator at finite temperature, are introduced as a 'random' (or 'thermal' or 'noisy') basis in Hilbert space. A resolution of the identity for these states is proved and used to generalize the usual coherent state formalism for the finite temperature case. The Bargmann representation of an operator is introduced and its relation to the P and Q representations is studied. Generalized P and Q representations for the finite temperature case are also considered and several interesting relations among them are derived.

Shape Distributions of Nonlinear Dynamical Systems for Video-Based Inference.

PubMed

Venkataraman, Vinay; Turaga, Pavan

2016-12-01

This paper presents a shape-theoretic framework for dynamical analysis of nonlinear dynamical systems which appear frequently in several video-based inference tasks. Traditional approaches to dynamical modeling have included linear and nonlinear methods with their respective drawbacks. A novel approach we propose is the use of descriptors of the shape of the dynamical attractor as a feature representation of nature of dynamics. The proposed framework has two main advantages over traditional approaches: a) representation of the dynamical system is derived directly from the observational data, without any inherent assumptions, and b) the proposed features show stability under different time-series lengths where traditional dynamical invariants fail. We illustrate our idea using nonlinear dynamical models such as Lorenz and Rossler systems, where our feature representations (shape distribution) support our hypothesis that the local shape of the reconstructed phase space can be used as a discriminative feature. Our experimental analyses on these models also indicate that the proposed framework show stability for different time-series lengths, which is useful when the available number of samples are small/variable. The specific applications of interest in this paper are: 1) activity recognition using motion capture and RGBD sensors, 2) activity quality assessment for applications in stroke rehabilitation, and 3) dynamical scene classification. We provide experimental validation through action and gesture recognition experiments on motion capture and Kinect datasets. In all these scenarios, we show experimental evidence of the favorable properties of the proposed representation.

Body frame close coupling wave packet approach to gas phase atom-rigid rotor inelastic collisions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sun, Y.; Judson, R. S.; Kouri, D. J.

1989-01-01

The close coupling wave packet (CCWP) method is formulated in a body-fixed representation for atom-rigid rotor inelastic scattering. For J greater than j-max (where J is the total angular momentum and j is the rotational quantum number), the computational cost of propagating the coupled channel wave packets in the body frame is shown to scale approximately as N exp 3/2, where N is the total number of channels. For large numbers of channels, this will be much more efficient than the space frame CCWP method previously developed which scales approximately as N-squared under the same conditions.

An expert system environment for the Generic VHSIC Spaceborne Computer (GVSC)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cockerham, Ann; Labhart, Jay; Rowe, Michael; Skinner, James

The authors describe a Phase II Phillips Laboratory Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) program being performed to implement a flexible and general-purpose inference environment for embedded space and avionics applications. This inference environment is being developed in Ada and takes special advantage of the target architecture, the GVSC. The GVSC implements the MIL-STD-1750A ISA and contains enhancements to allow access of up to 8 MBytes of memory. The inference environment makes use of the Merit Enhanced Traversal Engine (METE) algorithm, which employs the latest inference and knowledge representation strategies to optimize both run-time speed and memory utilization.

Evidence for a Time-Invariant Phase Variable in Human Ankle Control

PubMed Central

Gregg, Robert D.; Rouse, Elliott J.; Hargrove, Levi J.; Sensinger, Jonathon W.

2014-01-01

Human locomotion is a rhythmic task in which patterns of muscle activity are modulated by state-dependent feedback to accommodate perturbations. Two popular theories have been proposed for the underlying embodiment of phase in the human pattern generator: a time-dependent internal representation or a time-invariant feedback representation (i.e., reflex mechanisms). In either case the neuromuscular system must update or represent the phase of locomotor patterns based on the system state, which can include measurements of hundreds of variables. However, a much simpler representation of phase has emerged in recent designs for legged robots, which control joint patterns as functions of a single monotonic mechanical variable, termed a phase variable. We propose that human joint patterns may similarly depend on a physical phase variable, specifically the heel-to-toe movement of the Center of Pressure under the foot. We found that when the ankle is unexpectedly rotated to a position it would have encountered later in the step, the Center of Pressure also shifts forward to the corresponding later position, and the remaining portion of the gait pattern ensues. This phase shift suggests that the progression of the stance ankle is controlled by a biomechanical phase variable, motivating future investigations of phase variables in human locomotor control. PMID:24558485

Reshaping the brain after stroke: The effect of prismatic adaptation in patients with right brain damage.

PubMed

Crottaz-Herbette, Sonia; Fornari, Eleonora; Notter, Michael P; Bindschaedler, Claire; Manzoni, Laura; Clarke, Stephanie

2017-09-01

Prismatic adaptation has been repeatedly reported to alleviate neglect symptoms; in normal subjects, it was shown to enhance the representation of the left visual space within the left inferior parietal cortex. Our study aimed to determine in humans whether similar compensatory mechanisms underlie the beneficial effect of prismatic adaptation in neglect. Fifteen patients with right hemispheric lesions and 11 age-matched controls underwent a prismatic adaptation session which was preceded and followed by fMRI using a visual detection task. In patients, the prismatic adaptation session improved the accuracy of target detection in the left and central space and enhanced the representation of this visual space within the left hemisphere in parts of the temporal convexity, inferior parietal lobule and prefrontal cortex. Across patients, the increase in neuronal activation within the temporal regions correlated with performance improvements in this visual space. In control subjects, prismatic adaptation enhanced the representation of the left visual space within the left inferior parietal lobule and decreased it within the left temporal cortex. Thus, a brief exposure to prismatic adaptation enhances, both in patients and in control subjects, the competence of the left hemisphere for the left space, but the regions extended beyond the inferior parietal lobule to the temporal convexity in patients. These results suggest that the left hemisphere provides compensatory mechanisms in neglect by assuming the representation of the whole space within the ventral attentional system. The rapidity of the change suggests that the underlying mechanism relies on uncovering pre-existing synaptic connections. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Quantum groups, roots of unity and particles on quantized Anti-de Sitter space

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Steinacker, Harold

1997-05-23

Quantum groups in general and the quantum Anti-de Sitter group U q(so(2,3)) in particular are studied from the point of view of quantum field theory. The author shows that if q is a suitable root of unity, there exist finite-dimensional, unitary representations corresponding to essentially all the classical one-particle representations with (half) integer spin, with the same structure at low energies as in the classical case. In the massless case for spin ≥ 1, "naive" representations are unitarizable only after factoring out a subspace of "pure gauges", as classically. Unitary many-particle representations are defined, with the correct classical limit. Furthermore,more » the author identifies a remarkable element Q in the center of U q(g), which plays the role of a BRST operator in the case of U q(so(2,3)) at roots of unity, for any spin ≥ 1. The associated ghosts are an intrinsic part of the indecomposable representations. The author shows how to define an involution on algebras of creation and anihilation operators at roots of unity, in an example corresponding to non-identical particles. It is shown how nonabelian gauge fields appear naturally in this framework, without having to define connections on fiber bundles. Integration on Quantum Euclidean space and sphere and on Anti-de Sitter space is studied as well. The author gives a conjecture how Q can be used in general to analyze the structure of indecomposable representations, and to define a new, completely reducible associative (tensor) product of representations at roots of unity, which generalizes the standard "truncated" tensor product as well as many-particle representations.« less

Ab initio calculation of proton-coupled electron transfer rates using the external-potential representation: A ubiquinol complex in solution

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yamamoto, Takeshi; Kato, Shigeki

2007-06-14

In quantum-mechanical/molecular-mechanical (QM/MM) treatment of chemical reactions in condensed phases, one solves the electronic Schroedinger equation for the solute (or an active site) under the electrostatic field from the environment. This Schroedinger equation depends parametrically on the solute nuclear coordinates R and the external electrostatic potential V. This fact suggests that one may use R and V as natural collective coordinates for describing the entire system, where V plays the role of collective solvent variables. In this paper such an (R,V) representation of the QM/MM canonical ensemble is described, with particular focus on how to treat charge transfer processes inmore » this representation. As an example, the above method is applied to the proton-coupled electron transfer of a ubiquinol analog with phenoxyl radical in acetonitrile solvent. Ab initio free-energy surfaces are calculated as functions of R and V using the reference interaction site model self-consistent field method, the equilibrium points and the minimum free-energy crossing point are located in the (R,V) space, and then the kinetic isotope effects (KIEs) are evaluated approximately. The results suggest that a stiffer proton potential at the transition state may be responsible for unusual KIEs observed experimentally for related systems.« less

Boson expansions based on the random phase approximation representation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pedrocchi, V.G.; Tamura, T.

1984-04-01

A new boson expansion theory based on the random phase approximation is presented. The boson expansions are derived here directly in the random phase approximation representation with the help of a technique that combines the use of the Usui operator with that of a new bosonization procedure, called the term-by-term bosonization method. The present boson expansion theory is constructed by retaining a single collective quadrupole random phase approximation component, a truncation that allows for a perturbative treatment of the whole problem. Both Hermitian, as well as non-Hermitian boson expansions, valid for even nuclei, are obtained.

Symbolic, Nonsymbolic and Conceptual: An Across-Notation Study on the Space Mapping of Numerals.

PubMed

Zhang, Yu; You, Xuqun; Zhu, Rongjuan

2016-07-01

Previous studies suggested that there are interconnections between two numeral modalities of symbolic notation and nonsymbolic notation (array of dots), differences and similarities of the processing, and representation of the two modalities have both been found in previous research. However, whether there are differences between the spatial representation and numeral-space mapping of the two numeral modalities of symbolic notation and nonsymbolic notation is still uninvestigated. The present study aims to examine whether there are differences between the spatial representation and numeral-space mapping of the two numeral modalities of symbolic notation and nonsymbolic notation; especially how zero, as both a symbolic magnitude numeral and a nonsymbolic conceptual numeral, mapping onto space; and if the mapping happens automatically at an early stage of the numeral information processing. Results of the two experiments demonstrate that the low-level processing of symbolic numerals including zero and nonsymbolic numerals except zero can mapping onto space, whereas the low-level processing of nonsymbolic zero as a semantic conceptual numeral cannot mapping onto space, which indicating the specialty of zero in the numeral domain. The present study indicates that the processing of non-semantic numerals can mapping onto space, whereas semantic conceptual numerals cannot mapping onto space. © The Author(s) 2016.

Multi-Criteria Approach in Multifunctional Building Design Process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gerigk, Mateusz

2017-10-01

The paper presents new approach in multifunctional building design process. Publication defines problems related to the design of complex multifunctional buildings. Currently, contemporary urban areas are characterized by very intensive use of space. Today, buildings are being built bigger and contain more diverse functions to meet the needs of a large number of users in one capacity. The trends show the need for recognition of design objects in an organized structure, which must meet current design criteria. The design process in terms of the complex system is a theoretical model, which is the basis for optimization solutions for the entire life cycle of the building. From the concept phase through exploitation phase to disposal phase multipurpose spaces should guarantee aesthetics, functionality, system efficiency, system safety and environmental protection in the best possible way. The result of the analysis of the design process is presented as a theoretical model of the multifunctional structure. Recognition of multi-criteria model in the form of Cartesian product allows to create a holistic representation of the designed building in the form of a graph model. The proposed network is the theoretical base that can be used in the design process of complex engineering systems. The systematic multi-criteria approach makes possible to maintain control over the entire design process and to provide the best possible performance. With respect to current design requirements, there are no established design rules for multifunctional buildings in relation to their operating phase. Enrichment of the basic criteria with functional flexibility criterion makes it possible to extend the exploitation phase which brings advantages on many levels.

Extending peripersonal space representation without tool-use: evidence from a combined behavioral-computational approach

PubMed Central

Serino, Andrea; Canzoneri, Elisa; Marzolla, Marilena; di Pellegrino, Giuseppe; Magosso, Elisa

2015-01-01

Stimuli from different sensory modalities occurring on or close to the body are integrated in a multisensory representation of the space surrounding the body, i.e., peripersonal space (PPS). PPS dynamically modifies depending on experience, e.g., it extends after using a tool to reach far objects. However, the neural mechanism underlying PPS plasticity after tool use is largely unknown. Here we use a combined computational-behavioral approach to propose and test a possible mechanism accounting for PPS extension. We first present a neural network model simulating audio-tactile representation in the PPS around one hand. Simulation experiments showed that our model reproduced the main property of PPS neurons, i.e., selective multisensory response for stimuli occurring close to the hand. We used the neural network model to simulate the effects of a tool-use training. In terms of sensory inputs, tool use was conceptualized as a concurrent tactile stimulation from the hand, due to holding the tool, and an auditory stimulation from the far space, due to tool-mediated action. Results showed that after exposure to those inputs, PPS neurons responded also to multisensory stimuli far from the hand. The model thus suggests that synchronous pairing of tactile hand stimulation and auditory stimulation from the far space is sufficient to extend PPS, such as after tool-use. Such prediction was confirmed by a behavioral experiment, where we used an audio-tactile interaction paradigm to measure the boundaries of PPS representation. We found that PPS extended after synchronous tactile-hand stimulation and auditory-far stimulation in a group of healthy volunteers. Control experiments both in simulation and behavioral settings showed that the same amount of tactile and auditory inputs administered out of synchrony did not change PPS representation. We conclude by proposing a simple, biological-plausible model to explain plasticity in PPS representation after tool-use, which is supported by computational and behavioral data. PMID:25698947

Extending peripersonal space representation without tool-use: evidence from a combined behavioral-computational approach.

PubMed

Serino, Andrea; Canzoneri, Elisa; Marzolla, Marilena; di Pellegrino, Giuseppe; Magosso, Elisa

2015-01-01

Stimuli from different sensory modalities occurring on or close to the body are integrated in a multisensory representation of the space surrounding the body, i.e., peripersonal space (PPS). PPS dynamically modifies depending on experience, e.g., it extends after using a tool to reach far objects. However, the neural mechanism underlying PPS plasticity after tool use is largely unknown. Here we use a combined computational-behavioral approach to propose and test a possible mechanism accounting for PPS extension. We first present a neural network model simulating audio-tactile representation in the PPS around one hand. Simulation experiments showed that our model reproduced the main property of PPS neurons, i.e., selective multisensory response for stimuli occurring close to the hand. We used the neural network model to simulate the effects of a tool-use training. In terms of sensory inputs, tool use was conceptualized as a concurrent tactile stimulation from the hand, due to holding the tool, and an auditory stimulation from the far space, due to tool-mediated action. Results showed that after exposure to those inputs, PPS neurons responded also to multisensory stimuli far from the hand. The model thus suggests that synchronous pairing of tactile hand stimulation and auditory stimulation from the far space is sufficient to extend PPS, such as after tool-use. Such prediction was confirmed by a behavioral experiment, where we used an audio-tactile interaction paradigm to measure the boundaries of PPS representation. We found that PPS extended after synchronous tactile-hand stimulation and auditory-far stimulation in a group of healthy volunteers. Control experiments both in simulation and behavioral settings showed that the same amount of tactile and auditory inputs administered out of synchrony did not change PPS representation. We conclude by proposing a simple, biological-plausible model to explain plasticity in PPS representation after tool-use, which is supported by computational and behavioral data.

Generating Cognitive Dissonance in Student Interviews through Multiple Representations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Linenberger, Kimberly J.; Bretz, Stacey Lowery

2012-01-01

This study explores what students understand about enzyme-substrate interactions, using multiple representations of the phenomenon. In this paper we describe our use of the 3 Phase-Single Interview Technique with multiple representations to generate cognitive dissonance within students in order to uncover misconceptions of enzyme-substrate…

Towards a multilevel cognitive probabilistic representation of space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tapus, Adriana; Vasudevan, Shrihari; Siegwart, Roland

2005-03-01

This paper addresses the problem of perception and representation of space for a mobile agent. A probabilistic hierarchical framework is suggested as a solution to this problem. The method proposed is a combination of probabilistic belief with "Object Graph Models" (OGM). The world is viewed from a topological optic, in terms of objects and relationships between them. The hierarchical representation that we propose permits an efficient and reliable modeling of the information that the mobile agent would perceive from its environment. The integration of both navigational and interactional capabilities through efficient representation is also addressed. Experiments on a set of images taken from the real world that validate the approach are reported. This framework draws on the general understanding of human cognition and perception and contributes towards the overall efforts to build cognitive robot companions.

Hexagonal wavelet processing of digital mammography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laine, Andrew F.; Schuler, Sergio; Huda, Walter; Honeyman-Buck, Janice C.; Steinbach, Barbara G.

1993-09-01

This paper introduces a novel approach for accomplishing mammographic feature analysis through overcomplete multiresolution representations. We show that efficient representations may be identified from digital mammograms and used to enhance features of importance to mammography within a continuum of scale-space. We present a method of contrast enhancement based on an overcomplete, non-separable multiscale representation: the hexagonal wavelet transform. Mammograms are reconstructed from transform coefficients modified at one or more levels by local and global non-linear operators. Multiscale edges identified within distinct levels of transform space provide local support for enhancement. We demonstrate that features extracted from multiresolution representations can provide an adaptive mechanism for accomplishing local contrast enhancement. We suggest that multiscale detection and local enhancement of singularities may be effectively employed for the visualization of breast pathology without excessive noise amplification.

Similarity networks as a knowledge representation for space applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bailey, David; Thompson, Donna; Feinstein, Jerald

1987-01-01

Similarity networks are a powerful form of knowledge representation that are useful for many artificial intelligence applications. Similarity networks are used in applications ranging from information analysis and case based reasoning to machine learning and linking symbolic to neural processing. Strengths of similarity networks include simple construction, intuitive object storage, and flexible retrieval techniques that facilitate inferencing. Therefore, similarity networks provide great potential for space applications.

Development of the Representation of Space in Normal Children: The Drawing of a Village.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miljkovitch, M.

The purpose of this study is to show that there is a gradual and measurable development in the drawing of space representation concepts. A further purpose is to show that children's drawings of a village (which represent relations among concepts) may be a better measure of their conceptual maturity than their drawings of a man (which represent a…

Lorentz-covariant coordinate-space representation of the leading hadronic contribution to the anomalous magnetic moment of the muon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meyer, Harvey B.

2017-09-01

We present a Lorentz-covariant, Euclidean coordinate-space expression for the hadronic vacuum polarisation, the Adler function and the leading hadronic contribution to the anomalous magnetic moment of the muon. The representation offers a high degree of flexibility for an implementation in lattice QCD. We expect it to be particularly helpful for the quark-line disconnected contributions.

On the n-symplectic structure of faithful irreducible representations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Norris, L. K.

2017-04-01

Each faithful irreducible representation of an N-dimensional vector space V1 on an n-dimensional vector space V2 is shown to define a unique irreducible n-symplectic structure on the product manifold V1×V2 . The basic details of the associated Poisson algebra are developed for the special case N = n2, and 2n-dimensional symplectic submanifolds are shown to exist.

The Long and the Short of It: On the Nature and Origin of Functional Overlap between Representations of Space and Time

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Srinivasan, Mahesh; Carey, Susan

2010-01-01

When we describe time, we often use the language of space ("The movie was long"; "The deadline is approaching"). Experiments 1-3 asked whether--as patterns in language suggest--a structural similarity between representations of spatial length and temporal duration is easier to access than one between length and other dimensions of experience, such…

Inequivalent coherent state representations in group field theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kegeles, Alexander; Oriti, Daniele; Tomlin, Casey

2018-06-01

In this paper we propose an algebraic formulation of group field theory and consider non-Fock representations based on coherent states. We show that we can construct representations with an infinite number of degrees of freedom on compact manifolds. We also show that these representations break translation symmetry. Since such representations can be regarded as quantum gravitational systems with an infinite number of fundamental pre-geometric building blocks, they may be more suitable for the description of effective geometrical phases of the theory.

Describing the Neuron Axons Network of the Human Brain by Continuous Flow Models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hizanidis, J.; Katsaloulis, P.; Verganelakis, D. A.; Provata, A.

2014-12-01

The multifractal spectrum Dq (Rényi dimensions) is used for the analysis and comparison between the Neuron Axons Network (NAN) of healthy and pathological human brains because it conveys information about the statistics in many scales, from the very rare to the most frequent network configurations. Comparison of the Fractional Anisotropy Magnetic Resonance Images between healthy and pathological brains is performed with and without noise reduction. Modelling the complex structure of the NAN in the human brain is undertaken using the dynamics of the Lorenz model in the chaotic regime. The Lorenz multifractal spectra capture well the human brain characteristics in the large negative q's which represent the rare network configurations. In order to achieve a closer approximation in the positive part of the spectrum (q > 0) two independent modifications are considered: a) redistribution of the dense parts of the Lorenz model's phase space into their neighbouring areas and b) inclusion of additive uniform noise in the Lorenz model. Both modifications, independently, drive the Lorenz spectrum closer to the human NAN one in the positive q region without destroying the already good correspondence of the negative spectra. The modelling process shows that the unmodified Lorenz model in its full chaotic regime has a phase space distribution with high fluctuations in its dense parts, while the fluctuations in the human brain NAN are smoother. The induced modifications (phase space redistribution or additive noise) moderate the fluctuations only in the positive part of the Lorenz spectrum leading to a faithful representation of the human brain axons network in all scales.

Interplay between topology, gauge fields and gravity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Corichi Rodriguez Gil, Alejandro

In this thesis we consider several physical systems that illustrate an interesting interplay between quantum theory, connections and knot theory. It can be divided into two parts. In the first one, we consider the quantization of the free Maxwell field. We show that there is an important role played by knot theory, and in particular the Gauss linking number, in the quantum theory. This manifestation is twofold. The first occurs at the level of the algebra of observables given by fluxes of electric and magnetic field across surfaces. The commutator of the operators, and thus the basic uncertainty relations, are given in terms of the linking number of the loops that bound the surfaces. Next, we consider the quantization of the Maxwell field based on self-dual connections in the loop representation. We show that the measure which determines the quantum inner product can be expressed in terms of the self linking number of thickened loops. Therefore, the linking number manifests itself at two key points of the theory: the Heisenberg uncertainty principle and the inner product. In the second part, we bring gravity into play. First we consider quantum test particles on certain stationary space-times. We demonstrate that a geometric phase exists for those space-times and focus on the example of a rotating cosmic string. The geometric phase can be explicitly computed, providing a fully relativistic gravitational Aharonov-Bohm effect. Finally, we consider 3-dimensional gravity with non-vanishing cosmological constant in the connection dynamics formulation. We restrict our attention to Lorentzian gravity with positive cosmological constant and Euclidean signature with negative cosmological constant. A complex transformation is performed in phase space that makes the constraints simple. The reduced phase space is characterized as the moduli space of flat complex connections. We construct the quantization of the theory when the initial hyper-surface is a torus. Two important issues relevant to full 3 + 1 gravity are clarified, namely, the incorporation of the 'reality conditions' in the quantum theory and the role played by the signature of the classical metric in the quantum theory.

A combined model of sensory and cognitive representations underlying tonal expectations in music: from audio signals to behavior.

PubMed

Collins, Tom; Tillmann, Barbara; Barrett, Frederick S; Delbé, Charles; Janata, Petr

2014-01-01

Listeners' expectations for melodies and harmonies in tonal music are perhaps the most studied aspect of music cognition. Long debated has been whether faster response times (RTs) to more strongly primed events (in a music theoretic sense) are driven by sensory or cognitive mechanisms, such as repetition of sensory information or activation of cognitive schemata that reflect learned tonal knowledge, respectively. We analyzed over 300 stimuli from 7 priming experiments comprising a broad range of musical material, using a model that transforms raw audio signals through a series of plausible physiological and psychological representations spanning a sensory-cognitive continuum. We show that RTs are modeled, in part, by information in periodicity pitch distributions, chroma vectors, and activations of tonal space--a representation on a toroidal surface of the major/minor key relationships in Western tonal music. We show that in tonal space, melodies are grouped by their tonal rather than timbral properties, whereas the reverse is true for the periodicity pitch representation. While tonal space variables explained more of the variation in RTs than did periodicity pitch variables, suggesting a greater contribution of cognitive influences to tonal expectation, a stepwise selection model contained variables from both representations and successfully explained the pattern of RTs across stimulus categories in 4 of the 7 experiments. The addition of closure--a cognitive representation of a specific syntactic relationship--succeeded in explaining results from all 7 experiments. We conclude that multiple representational stages along a sensory-cognitive continuum combine to shape tonal expectations in music. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved).

Self-organization of globally continuous and locally distributed information representation.

PubMed

Wada, Koji; Kurata, Koji; Okada, Masato

2004-01-01

A number of findings suggest that the preferences of neighboring neurons in the inferior temporal (IT) cortex of macaque monkeys tend to be similar. However, a recent study reports convincingly that the preferences of neighboring neurons actually differ. These findings seem contradictory. To explain this conflict, we propose a new view of information representation in the IT cortex. This view takes into account sparse and local neuronal excitation. Since the excitation is sparse, information regarding visual objects seems to be encoded in a distributed manner. The local excitation of neurons coincides with the classical notion of a column structure. Our model consists of input layer and output layer. The main difference from conventional models is that the output layer has local and random intra-layer connections. In this paper, we adopt two rings embedded in three-dimensional space as an input signal space, and examine how resultant information representation depends on the distance between two rings that is denoted as D. We show that there exists critical value for the distance Dc. When D > Dc the output layer becomes able to form the column structure, this model can obtain the distributed representation within the column. While the output layer acquires the conventional information representation observed in the V1 cortex when D < Dc. Moreover, we consider the origin of the difference between information representation of the V1 cortex and that of the IT cortex. Our finding suggests that the difference in the information representations between the V1 and the IT cortices could be caused by difference between the input space structures.

Intertwining Risk Insights and Design Decisions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cornford, Steven L.; Feather, Martin S.; Jenkins, J. Steven

2006-01-01

The state of systems engineering is such that a form of early and continued use of risk assessments is conducted (as evidenced by NASA's adoption and use of the 'Continuous Risk Management' paradigm developed by SEI). ... However, these practices fall short of theideal: (1) Integration between risk assessment techniques and other systems engineering tools is weak. (2) Risk assessment techniques and the insights they yield are only informally coupled to design decisions. (3) Individual riskassessment techniques lack the mix of breadth, fidelity and agility required to span the gamut of the design space. In this paper we present an approach that addresses these shortcomings. The hallmark of our approach is a simple representation comprising objectives (what the system is to do), risks (whose occurrence would detract from attainment of objectives) and activities (a.k.a. 'mitigations') that, if performed, will decrease those risks. These are linked to indicate by how much a risk would detract from attainment of an objective, and by how much an activity would reduce a risk. The simplicity of our representational framework gives it the breadth to encompass the gamut of the design space concerns, the agility to be utilized in even the earliest phases of designs, and the capability to connect to system engineering models and higher-fidelity risk tools. It is through this integration that we address the shortcomings listed above, and so achieve the intertwining between risk insights and design decisions needed to guide systems engineering towards superior final designs while avoiding costly rework to achieve them. The paper will use an example, constructed to be representative of space mission design, to illustrate our approach.

NASTRAN analysis of the 1/8-scale space shuttle dynamic model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bernstein, M.; Mason, P. W.; Zalesak, J.; Gregory, D. J.; Levy, A.

1973-01-01

The space shuttle configuration has more complex structural dynamic characteristics than previous launch vehicles primarily because of the high model density at low frequencies and the high degree of coupling between the lateral and longitudinal motions. An accurate analytical representation of these characteristics is a primary means for treating structural dynamics problems during the design phase of the shuttle program. The 1/8-scale model program was developed to explore the adequacy of available analytical modeling technology and to provide the means for investigating problems which are more readily treated experimentally. The basic objectives of the 1/8-scale model program are: (1) to provide early verification of analytical modeling procedures on a shuttle-like structure, (2) to demonstrate important vehicle dynamic characteristics of a typical shuttle design, (3) to disclose any previously unanticipated structural dynamic characteristics, and (4) to provide for development and demonstration of cost effective prototype testing procedures.

Representations of the language recognition problem for a theorem prover

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Minker, J.; Vanderbrug, G. J.

1972-01-01

Two representations of the language recognition problem for a theorem prover in first order logic are presented and contrasted. One of the representations is based on the familiar method of generating sentential forms of the language, and the other is based on the Cocke parsing algorithm. An augmented theorem prover is described which permits recognition of recursive languages. The state-transformation method developed by Cordell Green to construct problem solutions in resolution-based systems can be used to obtain the parse tree. In particular, the end-order traversal of the parse tree is derived in one of the representations. An inference system, termed the cycle inference system, is defined which makes it possible for the theorem prover to model the method on which the representation is based. The general applicability of the cycle inference system to state space problems is discussed. Given an unsatisfiable set S, where each clause has at most one positive literal, it is shown that there exists an input proof. The clauses for the two representations satisfy these conditions, as do many state space problems.

Rapid production of optimal-quality reduced-resolution representations of very large databases

DOEpatents

Sigeti, David E.; Duchaineau, Mark; Miller, Mark C.; Wolinsky, Murray; Aldrich, Charles; Mineev-Weinstein, Mark B.

2001-01-01

View space representation data is produced in real time from a world space database representing terrain features. The world space database is first preprocessed. A database is formed having one element for each spatial region corresponding to a finest selected level of detail. A multiresolution database is then formed by merging elements and a strict error metric is computed for each element at each level of detail that is independent of parameters defining the view space. The multiresolution database and associated strict error metrics are then processed in real time for real time frame representations. View parameters for a view volume comprising a view location and field of view are selected. The error metric with the view parameters is converted to a view-dependent error metric. Elements with the coarsest resolution are chosen for an initial representation. Data set first elements from the initial representation data set are selected that are at least partially within the view volume. The first elements are placed in a split queue ordered by the value of the view-dependent error metric. If the number of first elements in the queue meets or exceeds a predetermined number of elements or whether the largest error metric is less than or equal to a selected upper error metric bound, the element at the head of the queue is force split and the resulting elements are inserted into the queue. Force splitting is continued until the determination is positive to form a first multiresolution set of elements. The first multiresolution set of elements is then outputted as reduced resolution view space data representing the terrain features.

Smart active pilot-in-the-loop systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thomas, Segun

1995-04-01

Representation of on-orbit microgravity environment in a 1-g environment is a continuing problem in space engineering analysis, procedures development and crew training. A way of adequately depicting weightlessness in the performance of on-orbit tasks is by a realistic (or real-time) computer based representation that provides the look, touch, and feel of on-orbit operation. This paper describes how a facility, the Systems Engineering Simulator at the Johnson Space Center, is utilizing recent advances in computer processing power and multi- processing capability to intelligently represent all systems, sub-systems and environmental elements associated with space flight operations. It first describes the computer hardware and interconnection between processors; the computer software responsible for task scheduling, health monitoring, sub-system and environment representation; control room and crew station. It then describes, the mathematical models that represent the dynamics of contact between the Mir and the Space Shuttle during the upcoming US and Russian Shuttle/Mir space mission. Results are presented comparing the response of the smart, active pilot-in-the-loop system to non-time critical CRAY model. A final example of how these systems are utilized is given in the development that supported the highly successful Hubble Space Telescope repair mission.

Dissipation and entropy production in open quantum systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Majima, H.; Suzuki, A.

2010-11-01

A microscopic description of an open system is generally expressed by the Hamiltonian of the form: Htot = Hsys + Henviron + Hsys-environ. We developed a microscopic theory of entropy and derived a general formula, so-called "entropy-Hamiltonian relation" (EHR), that connects the entropy of the system to the interaction Hamiltonian represented by Hsys-environ for a nonequilibrium open quantum system. To derive the EHR formula, we mapped the open quantum system to the representation space of the Liouville-space formulation or thermo field dynamics (TFD), and thus worked on the representation space Script L := Script H otimes , where Script H denotes the ordinary Hilbert space while the tilde Hilbert space conjugates to Script H. We show that the natural transformation (mapping) of nonequilibrium open quantum systems is accomplished within the theoretical structure of TFD. By using the obtained EHR formula, we also derived the equation of motion for the distribution function of the system. We demonstrated that by knowing the microscopic description of the interaction, namely, the specific form of Hsys-environ on the representation space Script L, the EHR formulas enable us to evaluate the entropy of the system and to gain some information about entropy for nonequilibrium open quantum systems.

Deconstructing field-induced ketene isomerization through Lagrangian descriptors.

PubMed

Craven, Galen T; Hernandez, Rigoberto

2016-02-07

The time-dependent geometrical separatrices governing state transitions in field-induced ketene isomerization are constructed using the method of Lagrangian descriptors. We obtain the stable and unstable manifolds of time-varying transition states as dynamic phase space objects governing configurational changes when the ketene molecule is subjected to an oscillating electric field. The dynamics of the isomerization reaction are modeled through classical trajectory studies on the Gezelter-Miller potential energy surface and an approximate dipole moment model which is coupled to a time-dependent electric field. We obtain a representation of the reaction geometry, over varying field strengths and oscillation frequencies, by partitioning an initial phase space into basins labeled according to which product state is reached at a given time. The borders between these basins are in agreement with those obtained using Lagrangian descriptors, even in regimes exhibiting chaotic dynamics. Major outcomes of this work are: validation and extension of a transition state theory framework built from Lagrangian descriptors, elaboration of the applicability for this theory to periodically- and aperiodically-driven molecular systems, and prediction of regimes in which isomerization of ketene and its derivatives may be controlled using an external field.

Two-layer symbolic representation for stochastic models with phase-type distributed events

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Longo, Francesco; Scarpa, Marco

2015-07-01

Among the techniques that have been proposed for the analysis of non-Markovian models, the state space expansion approach showed great flexibility in terms of modelling capacities.The principal drawback is the explosion of the state space. This paper proposes a two-layer symbolic method for efficiently storing the expanded reachability graph of a non-Markovian model in the case in which continuous phase-type distributions are associated with the firing times of system events, and different memory policies are considered. At the lower layer, the reachability graph is symbolically represented in the form of a set of Kronecker matrices, while, at the higher layer, all the information needed to correctly manage event memory is stored in a multi-terminal multi-valued decision diagram. Such an information is collected by applying a symbolic algorithm, which is based on a couple of theorems. The efficiency of the proposed approach, in terms of memory occupation and execution time, is shown by applying it to a set of non-Markovian stochastic Petri nets and comparing it with a classical explicit expansion algorithm. Moreover, a comparison with a classical symbolic approach is performed whenever possible.

Group Analysis in MNE-Python of Evoked Responses from a Tactile Stimulation Paradigm: A Pipeline for Reproducibility at Every Step of Processing, Going from Individual Sensor Space Representations to an across-Group Source Space Representation

PubMed Central

Andersen, Lau M.

2018-01-01

An important aim of an analysis pipeline for magnetoencephalographic data is that it allows for the researcher spending maximal effort on making the statistical comparisons that will answer the questions of the researcher, while in turn spending minimal effort on the intricacies and machinery of the pipeline. I here present a set of functions and scripts that allow for setting up a clear, reproducible structure for separating raw and processed data into folders and files such that minimal effort can be spend on: (1) double-checking that the right input goes into the right functions; (2) making sure that output and intermediate steps can be accessed meaningfully; (3) applying operations efficiently across groups of subjects; (4) re-processing data if changes to any intermediate step are desirable. Applying the scripts requires only general knowledge about the Python language. The data analyses are neural responses to tactile stimulations of the right index finger in a group of 20 healthy participants acquired from an Elekta Neuromag System. Two analyses are presented: going from individual sensor space representations to, respectively, an across-group sensor space representation and an across-group source space representation. The processing steps covered for the first analysis are filtering the raw data, finding events of interest in the data, epoching data, finding and removing independent components related to eye blinks and heart beats, calculating participants' individual evoked responses by averaging over epoched data and calculating a grand average sensor space representation over participants. The second analysis starts from the participants' individual evoked responses and covers: estimating noise covariance, creating a forward model, creating an inverse operator, estimating distributed source activity on the cortical surface using a minimum norm procedure, morphing those estimates onto a common cortical template and calculating the patterns of activity that are statistically different from baseline. To estimate source activity, processing of the anatomy of subjects based on magnetic resonance imaging is necessary. The necessary steps are covered here: importing magnetic resonance images, segmenting the brain, estimating boundaries between different tissue layers, making fine-resolution scalp surfaces for facilitating co-registration, creating source spaces and creating volume conductors for each subject. PMID:29403349

Group Analysis in MNE-Python of Evoked Responses from a Tactile Stimulation Paradigm: A Pipeline for Reproducibility at Every Step of Processing, Going from Individual Sensor Space Representations to an across-Group Source Space Representation.

PubMed

Andersen, Lau M

2018-01-01

An important aim of an analysis pipeline for magnetoencephalographic data is that it allows for the researcher spending maximal effort on making the statistical comparisons that will answer the questions of the researcher, while in turn spending minimal effort on the intricacies and machinery of the pipeline. I here present a set of functions and scripts that allow for setting up a clear, reproducible structure for separating raw and processed data into folders and files such that minimal effort can be spend on: (1) double-checking that the right input goes into the right functions; (2) making sure that output and intermediate steps can be accessed meaningfully; (3) applying operations efficiently across groups of subjects; (4) re-processing data if changes to any intermediate step are desirable. Applying the scripts requires only general knowledge about the Python language. The data analyses are neural responses to tactile stimulations of the right index finger in a group of 20 healthy participants acquired from an Elekta Neuromag System. Two analyses are presented: going from individual sensor space representations to, respectively, an across-group sensor space representation and an across-group source space representation. The processing steps covered for the first analysis are filtering the raw data, finding events of interest in the data, epoching data, finding and removing independent components related to eye blinks and heart beats, calculating participants' individual evoked responses by averaging over epoched data and calculating a grand average sensor space representation over participants. The second analysis starts from the participants' individual evoked responses and covers: estimating noise covariance, creating a forward model, creating an inverse operator, estimating distributed source activity on the cortical surface using a minimum norm procedure, morphing those estimates onto a common cortical template and calculating the patterns of activity that are statistically different from baseline. To estimate source activity, processing of the anatomy of subjects based on magnetic resonance imaging is necessary. The necessary steps are covered here: importing magnetic resonance images, segmenting the brain, estimating boundaries between different tissue layers, making fine-resolution scalp surfaces for facilitating co-registration, creating source spaces and creating volume conductors for each subject.

Semiclassical propagation: Hilbert space vs. Wigner representation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gottwald, Fabian; Ivanov, Sergei D.

2018-03-01

A unified viewpoint on the van Vleck and Herman-Kluk propagators in Hilbert space and their recently developed counterparts in Wigner representation is presented. Based on this viewpoint, the Wigner Herman-Kluk propagator is conceptually the most general one. Nonetheless, the respective semiclassical expressions for expectation values in terms of the density matrix and the Wigner function are mathematically proven here to coincide. The only remaining difference is a mere technical flexibility of the Wigner version in choosing the Gaussians' width for the underlying coherent states beyond minimal uncertainty. This flexibility is investigated numerically on prototypical potentials and it turns out to provide neither qualitative nor quantitative improvements. Given the aforementioned generality, utilizing the Wigner representation for semiclassical propagation thus leads to the same performance as employing the respective most-developed (Hilbert-space) methods for the density matrix.

An approach to automated particle picking from electron micrographs based on reduced representation templates.

PubMed

Volkmann, Niels

2004-01-01

Reduced representation templates are used in a real-space pattern matching framework to facilitate automatic particle picking from electron micrographs. The procedure consists of five parts. First, reduced templates are constructed either from models or directly from the data. Second, a real-space pattern matching algorithm is applied using the reduced representations as templates. Third, peaks are selected from the resulting score map using peak-shape characteristics. Fourth, the surviving peaks are tested for distance constraints. Fifth, a correlation-based outlier screening is applied. Test applications to a data set of keyhole limpet hemocyanin particles indicate that the method is robust and reliable.

Wigner functions for nonparaxial, arbitrarily polarized electromagnetic wave fields in free space.

PubMed

Alonso, Miguel A

2004-11-01

New representations are defined for describing electromagnetic wave fields in free space exactly in terms of rays for any wavelength, level of coherence or polarization, and numerical aperture, as long as there are no evanescent components. These representations correspond to tensors assigned to each ray such that the electric and magnetic energy densities, the Poynting vector, and the polarization properties of the field correspond to simple integrals involving these tensors for the rays that go through the specified point. For partially coherent fields, the ray-based approach provided by the new representations can reduce dramatically the computation times for the physical properties mentioned earlier.

Quantum dynamics in phase space: Moyal trajectories 2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Braunss, G.

2013-01-01

Continuing a previous paper [G. Braunss, J. Phys. A: Math. Theor. 43, 025302 (2010), 10.1088/1751-8113/43/2/025302] where we had calculated ℏ2-approximations of quantum phase space viz. Moyal trajectories of examples with one and two degrees of freedom, we present in this paper the calculation of ℏ2-approximations for four examples: a two-dimensional Toda chain, the radially symmetric Schwarzschild field, and two examples with three degrees of freedom, the latter being the nonrelativistic spherically Coulomb potential and the relativistic cylinder symmetrical Coulomb potential with a magnetic field H. We show in particular that an ℏ2-approximation of the nonrelativistic Coulomb field has no singularity at the origin (r = 0) whereas the classical trajectories are singular at r = 0. In the third example, we show in particular that for an arbitrary function γ(H, z) the expression β ≡ pz + γ(H, z) is classically (ℏ = 0) a constant of motion, whereas for ℏ ≠ 0 this holds only if γ(H, z) is an arbitrary polynomial of second order in z. This statement is shown to extend correspondingly to a cylinder symmetrical Schwarzschild field with a magnetic field. We exhibit in detail a number of properties of the radially symmetric Schwarzschild field. We exhibit finally the problems of the nonintegrable Hénon-Heiles Hamiltonian and give a short review of the regular Hilbert space representation of Moyal operators.

Representation and Feedback in the Formation of a Physical Science Concept.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Iuele, Patricia

The main purposes of this study were to determine: (1) how high school students represent the physical phenomena of phase changes; (2) how they modify their representation of these physical phenomena to accommodate new observation; (3) what factors lead to student difficulty in modifying representations; and (4) how the…

Validation of a virtual source model of medical linac for Monte Carlo dose calculation using multi-threaded Geant4

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aboulbanine, Zakaria; El Khayati, Naïma

2018-04-01

The use of phase space in medical linear accelerator Monte Carlo (MC) simulations significantly improves the execution time and leads to results comparable to those obtained from full calculations. The classical representation of phase space stores directly the information of millions of particles, producing bulky files. This paper presents a virtual source model (VSM) based on a reconstruction algorithm, taking as input a compressed file of roughly 800 kb derived from phase space data freely available in the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) database. This VSM includes two main components; primary and scattered particle sources, with a specific reconstruction method developed for each. Energy spectra and other relevant variables were extracted from IAEA phase space and stored in the input description data file for both sources. The VSM was validated for three photon beams: Elekta Precise 6 MV/10 MV and a Varian TrueBeam 6 MV. Extensive calculations in water and comparisons between dose distributions of the VSM and IAEA phase space were performed to estimate the VSM precision. The Geant4 MC toolkit in multi-threaded mode (Geant4-[mt]) was used for fast dose calculations and optimized memory use. Four field configurations were chosen for dose calculation validation to test field size and symmetry effects, , , and for squared fields, and for an asymmetric rectangular field. Good agreement in terms of formalism, for 3%/3 mm and 2%/3 mm criteria, for each evaluated radiation field and photon beam was obtained within a computation time of 60 h on a single WorkStation for a 3 mm voxel matrix. Analyzing the VSM’s precision in high dose gradient regions, using the distance to agreement concept (DTA), showed also satisfactory results. In all investigated cases, the mean DTA was less than 1 mm in build-up and penumbra regions. In regards to calculation efficiency, the event processing speed is six times faster using Geant4-[mt] compared to sequential Geant4, when running the same simulation code for both. The developed VSM for 6 MV/10 MV beams widely used, is a general concept easy to adapt in order to reconstruct comparable beam qualities for various linac configurations, facilitating its integration for MC treatment planning purposes.

Navigating Mythic Space in the Digital Age

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Foley, Drew Thomas

2012-01-01

In prior ages, alternate worlds are associated with symbolic expressions of storied space, here termed "mythic space." The digital age brings new forms of virtual space that are co-existent with physical space. These virtual spaces may be understood as a contemporary representation of mythic space. This dissertation explores the paths by…

Crossmodal representation of a functional robotic hand arises after extensive training in healthy participants.

PubMed

Marini, Francesco; Tagliabue, Chiara F; Sposito, Ambra V; Hernandez-Arieta, Alejandro; Brugger, Peter; Estévez, Natalia; Maravita, Angelo

2014-01-01

The way in which humans represent their own bodies is critical in guiding their interactions with the environment. To achieve successful body-space interactions, the body representation is strictly connected with that of the space immediately surrounding it through efficient visuo-tactile crossmodal integration. Such a body-space integrated representation is not fixed, but can be dynamically modulated by the use of external tools. Our study aims to explore the effect of using a complex tool, namely a functional prosthesis, on crossmodal visuo-tactile spatial interactions in healthy participants. By using the crossmodal visuo-tactile congruency paradigm, we found that prolonged training with a mechanical hand capable of distal hand movements and providing sensory feedback induces a pattern of interference, which is not observed after a brief training, between visual stimuli close to the prosthesis and touches on the body. These results suggest that after extensive, but not short, training the functional prosthesis acquires a visuo-tactile crossmodal representation akin to real limbs. This finding adds to previous evidence for the embodiment of functional prostheses in amputees, and shows that their use may also improve the crossmodal combination of somatosensory feedback delivered by the prosthesis with visual stimuli in the space around it, thus effectively augmenting the patients' visuomotor abilities. © 2013 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Face-space architectures: evidence for the use of independent color-based features.

PubMed

Nestor, Adrian; Plaut, David C; Behrmann, Marlene

2013-07-01

The concept of psychological face space lies at the core of many theories of face recognition and representation. To date, much of the understanding of face space has been based on principal component analysis (PCA); the structure of the psychological space is thought to reflect some important aspects of a physical face space characterized by PCA applications to face images. In the present experiments, we investigated alternative accounts of face space and found that independent component analysis provided the best fit to human judgments of face similarity and identification. Thus, our results challenge an influential approach to the study of human face space and provide evidence for the role of statistically independent features in face encoding. In addition, our findings support the use of color information in the representation of facial identity, and we thus argue for the inclusion of such information in theoretical and computational constructs of face space.

A unified development of several techniques for the representation of random vectors and data sets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bundick, W. T.

1973-01-01

Linear vector space theory is used to develop a general representation of a set of data vectors or random vectors by linear combinations of orthonormal vectors such that the mean squared error of the representation is minimized. The orthonormal vectors are shown to be the eigenvectors of an operator. The general representation is applied to several specific problems involving the use of the Karhunen-Loeve expansion, principal component analysis, and empirical orthogonal functions; and the common properties of these representations are developed.

What Can Biochemistry Students Learn about Protein Translation? Using Variation Theory to Explore the Space of Learning Created by Some Common External Representations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bussey, Thomas J.

2013-01-01

Biochemistry education relies heavily on students' ability to visualize abstract cellular and molecular processes, mechanisms, and components. As such, biochemistry educators often turn to external representations to provide tangible, working models from which students' internal representations (mental models) can be constructed, evaluated, and…

Developmental Changes in Early Comprehension and Production of Drawings: Evidence From Two Socioeconomic Backgrounds.

PubMed

Salsa, Analía M; Vivaldi, Romina

2017-01-01

Two studies examined young children's comprehension and production of representational drawings across and within 2 socioeconomic strata (SES). Participants were 130 middle-SES (MSES) and low-SES (LSES) Argentine children, from 30 to 60 months old, given a task with 2 phases, production and comprehension. The production phase assessed free drawing and drawings from simple 3-dimensional objects (model drawing); the comprehension phase assessed children's understanding of an adult's line drawings of the objects. MSES children solved the comprehension phase of the task within the studied age range; representational production emerged first in model drawing (42 months) and later in free drawing (48 months). The same developmental pathway was observed in LSES children but with a clear asynchrony in the age of onset of comprehension and production: Children understood the symbolic nature of drawings at 42 months old and the first representational drawings were found at 60 months old. These results provide empirical evidence that support the crucial influence of social experiences by organizing and constraining graphic development.

Motor and linguistic linking of space and time in the cerebellum.

PubMed

Oliveri, Massimiliano; Bonnì, Sonia; Turriziani, Patrizia; Koch, Giacomo; Lo Gerfo, Emanuele; Torriero, Sara; Vicario, Carmelo Mario; Petrosini, Laura; Caltagirone, Carlo

2009-11-20

Recent literature documented the presence of spatial-temporal interactions in the human brain. The aim of the present study was to verify whether representation of past and future is also mapped onto spatial representations and whether the cerebellum may be a neural substrate for linking space and time in the linguistic domain. We asked whether processing of the tense of a verb is influenced by the space where response takes place and by the semantics of the verb. Responses to past tense were facilitated in the left space while responses to future tense were facilitated in the right space. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) of the right cerebellum selectively slowed down responses to future tense of action verbs; rTMS of both cerebellar hemispheres decreased accuracy of responses to past tense in the left space and to future tense in the right space for non-verbs, and to future tense in the right space for state verbs. The results suggest that representation of past and future is mapped onto spatial formats and that motor action could represent the link between spatial and temporal dimensions. Right cerebellar, left motor brain networks could be part of the prospective brain, whose primary function is to use past experiences to anticipate future events. Both cerebellar hemispheres could play a role in establishing the grammatical rules for verb conjugation.

Quantum Theory of Conditional Phonon States in a Dual-Pumped Raman Optical Frequency Comb

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mondloch, Erin

In this work, we theoretically and numerically investigate nonclassical phonon states created in the collective vibration of a Raman medium by the generation of a dual-pumped Raman optical frequency comb in an optical cavity. This frequency comb is generated by cascaded Raman scattering driven by two phase-locked pump lasers that are separated in frequency by three times the Raman phonon frequency. We characterize the variety of conditioned phonon states that are created when the number of photons in all optical frequency modes except the pump modes are measured. Almost all of these conditioned phonon states are extremely well approximated as three-phonon-squeezed states or Schrodinger-cat states, depending on the outcomes of the photon number measurements. We show how the combinations of first-, second-, and third-order Raman scattering that correspond to each set of measured photon numbers determine the fidelity of the conditioned phonon state with model three-phonon-squeezed states and Schrodinger-cat states. All of the conditioned phonon states demonstrate preferential growth of the phonon mode along three directions in phase space. That is, there are three preferred phase values that the phonon state takes on as a result of Raman scattering. We show that the combination of Raman processes that produces a given set of measured photon numbers always produces phonons in multiples of three. In the quantum number-state representation, these multiples of three are responsible for the threefold phase-space symmetry seen in the conditioned phonon states. With a semiclassical model, we show how this three-phase preference can also be understood in light of phase correlations that are known to spontaneously arise in single-pumped Raman frequency combs. Additionally, our semiclassical model predicts that the optical modes also grow preferentially along three phases, suggesting that the dual-pumped Raman optical frequency comb is partially phase-stabilized.

The Long and the Short of it: On the Nature and Origin of Functional Overlap Between Representations of Space and Time

PubMed Central

Srinivasan, Mahesh; Carey, Susan

2010-01-01

When we describe time, we often use the language of space (The movie was long; The deadline is approaching). Experiments 1–3 asked whether—as patterns in language suggest—a structural similarity between representations of spatial length and temporal duration is easier to access than one between length and other dimensions of experience, such as loudness. Adult participants were shown pairings of lines of different length with tones of different duration (Experiment 1) or tones of different loudness (Experiment 2). The length of the lines and duration or loudness of the tones was either positively or negatively correlated. Participants were better able to bind particular lengths and durations when they were positively correlated than when they were not, a pattern not observed for pairings of lengths and tone amplitudes, even after controlling for the presence of visual cues to duration in Experiment 1 (Experiment 3). This suggests that representations of length and duration may functionally overlap to a greater extent than representations of length and loudness. Experiments 4 and 5 asked whether experience with and mastery of words like long and short—which can flexibly refer to both space and time—itself creates this privileged relationship. Nine-month-old infants, like adults, were better able to bind representations of particular lengths and durations when these were positively correlated (Experiment 4), and failed to show this pattern for pairings of lengths and tone amplitudes (Experiment 5). We conclude that the functional overlap between representations of length and duration does not result from a metaphoric construction processes mediated by learning to flexibly use words such as long and short. We suggest instead that it may reflect an evolutionary recycling of spatial representations for more general purposes. PMID:20537324

Representational Tools in Computer-Supported Collaborative Argumentation-Based Learning: How Dyads Work with Constructed and Inspected Argumentative Diagrams

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van Amelsvoort, Marije; Andriessen, Jerry; Kanselaar, Gellof

2007-01-01

This article investigates the conditions under which diagrammatic representations support collaborative argumentation-based learning in a computer environment. Thirty dyads of 15- to 18-year-old students participated in a writing task consisting of 3 phases. Students prepared by constructing a representation (text or diagram) individually. Then…

Lucky numbers: spatial neglect affects physical, but not representational, choices in a lotto task.

PubMed

Loetscher, Tobias; Nicholls, Michael E R; Towse, John N; Bradshaw, John L; Brugger, Peter

2010-05-01

Spatial neglect can be characterized by a "magnetic attraction" towards the right side of a visual stimulus array and a selection of stimuli from that hemispace. This study examined whether these distinctive characteristics in visuo-motor space are also evident in representational number space. Given that numbers are thought to be represented along a left-to-right oriented mental number line, an affinity for the spontaneous selection of larger numbers was anticipated for neglect patients. Contrary to this expectation, neglect patients (n=20) picked a similar range of numbers compared to controls (n=17) when generating a number between 1000 and 10,000 and when playing an imaginary lottery game. There was, however, a positive correlation between the biases for the imaginary lottery, number generation and a number bisection task - demonstrating that exploration asymmetries along the mental number line are consistent within individuals across tasks. Some of the patients selected smaller numbers in all of these tasks, confirming reports of dissociations between physical and numerical-representational forms of neglect. Conversely, only four (20%) of the patients could reliably be classified as demonstrating a neglect in number space. When filling out a physical lottery ticket, the neglect patients showed the expected bias towards picking numbers placed on the right-hand side of the ticket. These results demonstrate that the magnetic attraction towards the right side of mental representations is rather weak and that representational forms of neglect only occasionally co-exist with neglect in physical space. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Srl. All rights reserved.

Navigation based on a sensorimotor representation: a virtual reality study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zetzsche, Christoph; Galbraith, Christopher; Wolter, Johannes; Schill, Kerstin

2007-02-01

We investigate the hypothesis that the basic representation of space which underlies human navigation does not resemble an image-like map and is not restricted by the laws of Euclidean geometry. For this we developed a new experimental technique in which we use the properties of a virtual environment (VE) to directly influence the development of the representation. We compared the navigation performance of human observers under two conditions. Either the VE is consistent with the geometrical properties of physical space and could hence be represented in a map-like fashion, or it contains severe violations of Euclidean metric and planar topology, and would thus pose difficulties for the correct development of such a representation. Performance is not influenced by this difference, suggesting that a map-like representation is not the major basis of human navigation. Rather, the results are consistent with a representation which is similar to a non-planar graph augmented with path length information, or with a sensorimotor representation which combines sensory properties and motor actions. The latter may be seen as part of a revised view of perceptual processes due to recent results in psychology and neurobiology, which indicate that the traditional strict separation of sensory and motor systems is no longer tenable.

Illuminating the conceptual structure of the space of moral violations with searchlight representational similarity analysis.

PubMed

Wasserman, E A; Chakroff, A; Saxe, R; Young, L

2017-10-01

Characterizing how representations of moral violations are organized, cognitively and neurally, is central to understanding how people conceive and judge them. Past work has identified brain regions that represent morally relevant features and distinguish moral domains, but has not yet advanced a broader account of where and on what basis neural representations of moral violations are organized. With searchlight representational similarity analysis, we investigate where category membership drives similarity in neural patterns during moral judgment of violations from two key moral domains: Harm and Purity. Representations converge across domains in a network of regions resembling the mentalizing network. However, Harm and Purity violation representations respectively converge in different regions: precuneus (PC) and left inferior frontal gyrus (LIFG). Examining substructure within moral domains, Harm violations converge in PC regardless of subdomain (physical harms, psychological harms), while Purity subdomains (pathogen-related violations, sex-related violations) converge in distinct sets of regions - mirroring a dissociation observed in principal-component analysis of behavioral data. Further, we find initial evidence for representation of morally relevant features within these two domain-encoding regions. The present analyses offer a case study for understanding how organization within the complex conceptual space of moral violations is reflected in the organization of neural patterns across the cortex. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Representation of solution for fully nonlocal diffusion equations with deviation time variable

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drin, I. I.; Drin, S. S.; Drin, Ya. M.

2018-01-01

We prove the solvability of the Cauchy problem for a nonlocal heat equation which is of fractional order both in space and time. The representation formula for classical solutions for time- and space- fractional partial differential operator Dat + a2 (-Δ) γ/2 (0 <= α <= 1, γ ɛ (0, 2]) and deviation time variable is given in terms of the Fox H-function, using the step by step method.

Hyperfunction solutions of the zero rest mass equations and representations of LIE groups

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dunne, E.G.

1984-01-01

Recently, hyperfunctions have arisen in an essential way in separate results in mathematical physics and in representation theory. In the setting of the twistor program, Wells, with others, has extended the Penrose transform to hyperfunction solutions of the zero rest mass equations, showing that the fundamental isomorphisms hold for this larger space. Meanwhile, Schmid has shown the existence of a canonical globalization of a Harish-Chandra module, V, to a representation of the group. This maximal globalization may be realized as the completion of V in a locally convex vector space in the hyperfunction topology. This thesis shows that the formermore » is a particular case of the latter where the globalization can be done by hand. This explicit globalization is then carried out for a more general case of the Radon transform on homogeneous spaces.« less

A Hilbert Space Representation of Generalized Observables and Measurement Processes in the ESR Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sozzo, Sandro; Garola, Claudio

2010-12-01

The extended semantic realism ( ESR) model recently worked out by one of the authors embodies the mathematical formalism of standard (Hilbert space) quantum mechanics in a noncontextual framework, reinterpreting quantum probabilities as conditional instead of absolute. We provide here a Hilbert space representation of the generalized observables introduced by the ESR model that satisfy a simple physical condition, propose a generalization of the projection postulate, and suggest a possible mathematical description of the measurement process in terms of evolution of the compound system made up of the measured system and the measuring apparatus.

Inverse lithography using sparse mask representations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ionescu, Radu C.; Hurley, Paul; Apostol, Stefan

2015-03-01

We present a novel optimisation algorithm for inverse lithography, based on optimization of the mask derivative, a domain inherently sparse, and for rectilinear polygons, invertible. The method is first developed assuming a point light source, and then extended to general incoherent sources. What results is a fast algorithm, producing manufacturable masks (the search space is constrained to rectilinear polygons), and flexible (specific constraints such as minimal line widths can be imposed). One inherent trick is to treat polygons as continuous entities, thus making aerial image calculation extremely fast and accurate. Requirements for mask manufacturability can be integrated in the optimization without too much added complexity. We also explain how to extend the scheme for phase-changing mask optimization.

A FFT-based formulation for discrete dislocation dynamics in heterogeneous media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bertin, N.; Capolungo, L.

2018-02-01

In this paper, an extension of the DDD-FFT approach presented in [1] is developed for heterogeneous elasticity. For such a purpose, an iterative spectral formulation in which convolutions are calculated in the Fourier space is developed to solve for the mechanical state associated with the discrete eigenstrain-based microstructural representation. With this, the heterogeneous DDD-FFT approach is capable of treating anisotropic and heterogeneous elasticity in a computationally efficient manner. In addition, a GPU implementation is presented to allow for further acceleration. As a first example, the approach is used to investigate the interaction between dislocations and second-phase particles, thereby demonstrating its ability to inherently incorporate image forces arising from elastic inhomogeneities.

Thin Versus Thick Description: Analyzing Representations of People and Their Life Worlds in the Literature of Communication Sciences and Disorders.

PubMed

Hengst, Julie A; Devanga, Suma; Mosier, Hillary

2015-11-01

Evidence-based practice relies on clinicians to translate research evidence for individual clients. This study, the initial phase of a broader research project, examines the textual resources of such translations by analyzing how people with acquired cognitive-communication disorders (ACCD) and their life worlds have been represented in Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) research articles. Using textual analysis, we completed a categorical analysis of 6,059 articles published between 1936 and 2012, coding for genre, population, and any evidence of thick representations of people and their life worlds, and a discourse analysis of representations used in 56 ACCD research articles, identifying thin and thick representations in 4 domains (derived from the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health) and across article sections. The categorical analysis identified a higher percentage of ACCD articles with some evidence of thick representation (30%) compared with all CSD articles (12%) sampled. However, discourse analysis of ACCD research articles found that thick representations were quite limited; 34/56 articles had thin representational profiles, 19/56 had mixed profiles, and 3/56 had thick profiles. These findings document the dominance of thin representations in the CSD literature, which we suggest makes translational work more difficult. How clinicians translate such evidence will be addressed in the next research phase, an interview study of speech-language pathologists.

Progress in knowledge representation research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lum, Henry

1985-01-01

Brief descriptions are given of research being carried out in the field of knowledge representation. Dynamic simulation and modelling of planning systems with real-time sensor inputs; development of domain-independent knowledge representation tools which can be used in the development of application-specific expert and planning systems; and development of a space-borne very high speed integrated circuit processor are among the projects discussed.

Representations of Shape in Object Recognition and Long-Term Visual Memory

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-02-11

in anything other than linguistic terms ( Biederman , 1987 , for example). STATUS 1. Viewpoint-Dependent Features in Object Representation Tarr and...is object- based orientation-independent representations sufficient for "basic-level" categorization ( Biederman , 1987 ; Corballis, 1988). Alternatively...space. REFERENCES Biederman , I. ( 1987 ). Recognition-by-components: A theory of human image understanding. Psychological Review, 94,115-147. Cooper, L

Number-space mapping in human infants.

PubMed

de Hevia, Maria Dolores; Spelke, Elizabeth S

2010-05-01

Mature representations of number are built on a core system of numerical representation that connects to spatial representations in the form of a mental number line. The core number system is functional in early infancy, but little is known about the origins of the mapping of numbers onto space. In this article, we show that preverbal infants transfer the discrimination of an ordered series of numerosities to the discrimination of an ordered series of line lengths. Moreover, infants construct relationships between numbers and line lengths when they are habituated to unordered pairings that vary positively, but not when they are habituated to unordered pairings that vary inversely. These findings provide evidence that a predisposition to relate representations of numerical magnitude to spatial length develops early in life. A central foundation of mathematics, science, and technology therefore emerges prior to experience with language, symbol systems, or measurement devices.

Protein space: a natural method for realizing the nature of protein universe.

PubMed

Yu, Chenglong; Deng, Mo; Cheng, Shiu-Yuen; Yau, Shek-Chung; He, Rong L; Yau, Stephen S-T

2013-02-07

Current methods cannot tell us what the nature of the protein universe is concretely. They are based on different models of amino acid substitution and multiple sequence alignment which is an NP-hard problem and requires manual intervention. Protein structural analysis also gives a direction for mapping the protein universe. Unfortunately, now only a minuscule fraction of proteins' 3-dimensional structures are known. Furthermore, the phylogenetic tree representations are not unique for any existing tree construction methods. Here we develop a novel method to realize the nature of protein universe. We show the protein universe can be realized as a protein space in 60-dimensional Euclidean space using a distance based on a normalized distribution of amino acids. Every protein is in one-to-one correspondence with a point in protein space, where proteins with similar properties stay close together. Thus the distance between two points in protein space represents the biological distance of the corresponding two proteins. We also propose a natural graphical representation for inferring phylogenies. The representation is natural and unique based on the biological distances of proteins in protein space. This will solve the fundamental question of how proteins are distributed in the protein universe. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Changes in the representation of space and time while listening to music

PubMed Central

Schäfer, Thomas; Fachner, Jörg; Smukalla, Mario

2013-01-01

Music is known to alter people's ordinary experience of space and time. Not only does this challenge the concept of invariant space and time tacitly assumed in psychology but it may also help us understand how music works and how music can be understood as an embodied experience. Yet research about these alterations is in its infancy. This review is intended to delineate a future research agenda. We review experimental evidence and subjective reports of the influence of music on the representation of space and time and present prominent approaches to explaining these effects. We discuss the role of absorption and altered states of consciousness and their associated changes in attention and neurophysiological processes, as well as prominent models of human time processing and time experience. After integrating the reviewed research, we conclude that research on the influence of music on the representation of space and time is still quite inconclusive but that integrating the different approaches could lead to a better understanding of the observed effects. We also provide a working model that integrates a large part of the evidence and theories. Several suggestions for further research in both music psychology and cognitive psychology are outlined. PMID:23964254

Changes in the representation of space and time while listening to music.

PubMed

Schäfer, Thomas; Fachner, Jörg; Smukalla, Mario

2013-01-01

Music is known to alter people's ordinary experience of space and time. Not only does this challenge the concept of invariant space and time tacitly assumed in psychology but it may also help us understand how music works and how music can be understood as an embodied experience. Yet research about these alterations is in its infancy. This review is intended to delineate a future research agenda. We review experimental evidence and subjective reports of the influence of music on the representation of space and time and present prominent approaches to explaining these effects. We discuss the role of absorption and altered states of consciousness and their associated changes in attention and neurophysiological processes, as well as prominent models of human time processing and time experience. After integrating the reviewed research, we conclude that research on the influence of music on the representation of space and time is still quite inconclusive but that integrating the different approaches could lead to a better understanding of the observed effects. We also provide a working model that integrates a large part of the evidence and theories. Several suggestions for further research in both music psychology and cognitive psychology are outlined.

Selection of optimal complexity for ENSO-EMR model by minimum description length principle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loskutov, E. M.; Mukhin, D.; Mukhina, A.; Gavrilov, A.; Kondrashov, D. A.; Feigin, A. M.

2012-12-01

One of the main problems arising in modeling of data taken from natural system is finding a phase space suitable for construction of the evolution operator model. Since we usually deal with strongly high-dimensional behavior, we are forced to construct a model working in some projection of system phase space corresponding to time scales of interest. Selection of optimal projection is non-trivial problem since there are many ways to reconstruct phase variables from given time series, especially in the case of a spatio-temporal data field. Actually, finding optimal projection is significant part of model selection, because, on the one hand, the transformation of data to some phase variables vector can be considered as a required component of the model. On the other hand, such an optimization of a phase space makes sense only in relation to the parametrization of the model we use, i.e. representation of evolution operator, so we should find an optimal structure of the model together with phase variables vector. In this paper we propose to use principle of minimal description length (Molkov et al., 2009) for selection models of optimal complexity. The proposed method is applied to optimization of Empirical Model Reduction (EMR) of ENSO phenomenon (Kravtsov et al. 2005, Kondrashov et. al., 2005). This model operates within a subset of leading EOFs constructed from spatio-temporal field of SST in Equatorial Pacific, and has a form of multi-level stochastic differential equations (SDE) with polynomial parameterization of the right-hand side. Optimal values for both the number of EOF, the order of polynomial and number of levels are estimated from the Equatorial Pacific SST dataset. References: Ya. Molkov, D. Mukhin, E. Loskutov, G. Fidelin and A. Feigin, Using the minimum description length principle for global reconstruction of dynamic systems from noisy time series, Phys. Rev. E, Vol. 80, P 046207, 2009 Kravtsov S, Kondrashov D, Ghil M, 2005: Multilevel regression modeling of nonlinear processes: Derivation and applications to climatic variability. J. Climate, 18 (21): 4404-4424. D. Kondrashov, S. Kravtsov, A. W. Robertson and M. Ghil, 2005. A hierarchy of data-based ENSO models. J. Climate, 18, 4425-4444.

A non-linear dimension reduction methodology for generating data-driven stochastic input models

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ganapathysubramanian, Baskar; Zabaras, Nicholas

Stochastic analysis of random heterogeneous media (polycrystalline materials, porous media, functionally graded materials) provides information of significance only if realistic input models of the topology and property variations are used. This paper proposes a framework to construct such input stochastic models for the topology and thermal diffusivity variations in heterogeneous media using a data-driven strategy. Given a set of microstructure realizations (input samples) generated from given statistical information about the medium topology, the framework constructs a reduced-order stochastic representation of the thermal diffusivity. This problem of constructing a low-dimensional stochastic representation of property variations is analogous to the problem ofmore » manifold learning and parametric fitting of hyper-surfaces encountered in image processing and psychology. Denote by M the set of microstructures that satisfy the given experimental statistics. A non-linear dimension reduction strategy is utilized to map M to a low-dimensional region, A. We first show that M is a compact manifold embedded in a high-dimensional input space R{sup n}. An isometric mapping F from M to a low-dimensional, compact, connected set A is contained in R{sup d}(d<

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mozrzymas, Marek; Horodecki, Michał; Studziński, Michał

We consider the structure of algebra of operators, acting in n-fold tensor product space, which are partially transposed on the last term. Using purely algebraical methods we show that this algebra is semi-simple and then, considering its regular representation, we derive basic properties of the algebra. In particular, we describe all irreducible representations of the algebra of partially transposed operators and derive expressions for matrix elements of the representations. It appears that there are two kinds of irreducible representations of the algebra. The first one is strictly connected with the representations of the group S(n − 1) induced by irreduciblemore » representations of the group S(n − 2). The second kind is structurally connected with irreducible representations of the group S(n − 1)« less

Three-Dimensional Messages for Interstellar Communication

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vakoch, Douglas A.

One of the challenges facing independently evolved civilizations separated by interstellar distances is to communicate information unique to one civilization. One commonly proposed solution is to begin with two-dimensional pictorial representations of mathematical concepts and physical objects, in the hope that this will provide a foundation for overcoming linguistic barriers. However, significant aspects of such representations are highly conventional, and may not be readily intelligible to a civilization with different conventions. The process of teaching conventions of representation may be facilitated by the use of three-dimensional representations redundantly encoded in multiple formats (e.g., as both vectors and as rasters). After having illustrated specific conventions for representing mathematical objects in a three-dimensional space, this method can be used to describe a physical environment shared by transmitter and receiver: a three-dimensional space defined by the transmitter--receiver axis, and containing stars within that space. This method can be extended to show three-dimensional representations varying over time. Having clarified conventions for representing objects potentially familiar to both sender and receiver, novel objects can subsequently be depicted. This is illustrated through sequences showing interactions between human beings, which provide information about human behavior and personality. Extensions of this method may allow the communication of such culture-specific features as aesthetic judgments and religious beliefs. Limitations of this approach will be noted, with specific reference to ETI who are not primarily visual.

Nucleon Isovector Pairing in Nuclei: Microscopic Approach, Boson Representation, and Collective Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jolos, R. V.; Kartavenko, V. G.; Kolganova, E. A.

2018-03-01

Nucleon pair correlations in atomic nuclei are analyzed within a nuclear microscopic model with residual isovector pairing forces. These are formulated in the boson representation of fermion operators whereby the collective mode of pair excitations can be isolated without restricting the size of the one-particle basis. This method allows one to analyze the fluctuations in the nonsuperfluid phase of nuclear matter, its phase transition to the superfluid phase, and strong pair correlations. The performance of the method is exemplified by numerical results for the nuclei in the vicinity of the doubly magic 56Ni nucleus.

Speaking two "Languages" in America: A semantic space analysis of how presidential candidates and their supporters represent abstract political concepts differently.

PubMed

Li, Ping; Schloss, Benjamin; Follmer, D Jake

2017-10-01

In this article we report a computational semantic analysis of the presidential candidates' speeches in the two major political parties in the USA. In Study One, we modeled the political semantic spaces as a function of party, candidate, and time of election, and findings revealed patterns of differences in the semantic representation of key political concepts and the changing landscapes in which the presidential candidates align or misalign with their parties in terms of the representation and organization of politically central concepts. Our models further showed that the 2016 US presidential nominees had distinct conceptual representations from those of previous election years, and these patterns did not necessarily align with their respective political parties' average representation of the key political concepts. In Study Two, structural equation modeling demonstrated that reported political engagement among voters differentially predicted reported likelihoods of voting for Clinton versus Trump in the 2016 presidential election. Study Three indicated that Republicans and Democrats showed distinct, systematic word association patterns for the same concepts/terms, which could be reliably distinguished using machine learning methods. These studies suggest that given an individual's political beliefs, we can make reliable predictions about how they understand words, and given how an individual understands those same words, we can also predict an individual's political beliefs. Our study provides a bridge between semantic space models and abstract representations of political concepts on the one hand, and the representations of political concepts and citizens' voting behavior on the other.

Correspondence Search Mitigation Using Feature Space Anti-Aliasing

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-01-01

trackers are widely used in astro -inertial nav- igation systems for long-range aircraft, space navigation, and ICBM guidance. When ground images are to be...frequency domain representation of the point spread function, H( fx , fy), is called the optical transfer function. Applying the Fourier transform to the...frequency domain representation of the image: I( fx , fy, t) = O( fx , fy, t)H( fx , fy) (4) In most conditions, the projected scene can be treated as a

Reflected ray retrieval from radio occultation data using radio holographic filtering of wave fields in ray space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gorbunov, Michael E.; Cardellach, Estel; Lauritsen, Kent B.

2018-03-01

Linear and non-linear representations of wave fields constitute the basis of modern algorithms for analysis of radio occultation (RO) data. Linear representations are implemented by Fourier Integral Operators, which allow for high-resolution retrieval of bending angles. Non-linear representations include Wigner Distribution Function (WDF), which equals the pseudo-density of energy in the ray space. Representations allow for filtering wave fields by suppressing some areas of the ray space and mapping the field back from the transformed space to the initial one. We apply this technique to the retrieval of reflected rays from RO observations. The use of reflected rays may increase the accuracy of the retrieval of the atmospheric refractivity. Reflected rays can be identified by the visual inspection of WDF or spectrogram plots. Numerous examples from COSMIC data indicate that reflections are mostly observed over oceans or snow, in particular over Antarctica. We introduce the reflection index that characterizes the relative intensity of the reflected ray with respect to the direct ray. The index allows for the automatic identification of events with reflections. We use the radio holographic estimate of the errors of the retrieved bending angle profiles of reflected rays. A comparison of indices evaluated for a large base of events including the visual identification of reflections indicated a good agreement with our definition of reflection index.

Clinical modeling--a critical analysis.

PubMed

Blobel, Bernd; Goossen, William; Brochhausen, Mathias

2014-01-01

Modeling clinical processes (and their informational representation) is a prerequisite for optimally enabling and supporting high quality and safe care through information and communication technology and meaningful use of gathered information. The paper investigates existing approaches to clinical modeling, thereby systematically analyzing the underlying principles, the consistency with and the integration opportunity to other existing or emerging projects, as well as the correctness of representing the reality of health and health services. The analysis is performed using an architectural framework for modeling real-world systems. In addition, fundamental work on the representation of facts, relations, and processes in the clinical domain by ontologies is applied, thereby including the integration of advanced methodologies such as translational and system medicine. The paper demonstrates fundamental weaknesses and different maturity as well as evolutionary potential in the approaches considered. It offers a development process starting with the business domain and its ontologies, continuing with the Reference Model-Open Distributed Processing (RM-ODP) related conceptual models in the ICT ontology space, the information and the computational view, and concluding with the implementation details represented as engineering and technology view, respectively. The existing approaches reflect at different levels the clinical domain, put the main focus on different phases of the development process instead of first establishing the real business process representation and therefore enable quite differently and partially limitedly the domain experts' involvement. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Visual Working Memory Is Independent of the Cortical Spacing Between Memoranda.

PubMed

Harrison, William J; Bays, Paul M

2018-03-21

The sensory recruitment hypothesis states that visual short-term memory is maintained in the same visual cortical areas that initially encode a stimulus' features. Although it is well established that the distance between features in visual cortex determines their visibility, a limitation known as crowding, it is unknown whether short-term memory is similarly constrained by the cortical spacing of memory items. Here, we investigated whether the cortical spacing between sequentially presented memoranda affects the fidelity of memory in humans (of both sexes). In a first experiment, we varied cortical spacing by taking advantage of the log-scaling of visual cortex with eccentricity, presenting memoranda in peripheral vision sequentially along either the radial or tangential visual axis with respect to the fovea. In a second experiment, we presented memoranda sequentially either within or beyond the critical spacing of visual crowding, a distance within which visual features cannot be perceptually distinguished due to their nearby cortical representations. In both experiments and across multiple measures, we found strong evidence that the ability to maintain visual features in memory is unaffected by cortical spacing. These results indicate that the neural architecture underpinning working memory has properties inconsistent with the known behavior of sensory neurons in visual cortex. Instead, the dissociation between perceptual and memory representations supports a role of higher cortical areas such as posterior parietal or prefrontal regions or may involve an as yet unspecified mechanism in visual cortex in which stimulus features are bound to their temporal order. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Although much is known about the resolution with which we can remember visual objects, the cortical representation of items held in short-term memory remains contentious. A popular hypothesis suggests that memory of visual features is maintained via the recruitment of the same neural architecture in sensory cortex that encodes stimuli. We investigated this claim by manipulating the spacing in visual cortex between sequentially presented memoranda such that some items shared cortical representations more than others while preventing perceptual interference between stimuli. We found clear evidence that short-term memory is independent of the intracortical spacing of memoranda, revealing a dissociation between perceptual and memory representations. Our data indicate that working memory relies on different neural mechanisms from sensory perception. Copyright © 2018 Harrison and Bays.

Extended spin symmetry and the standard model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Besprosvany, J.; Romero, R.

2010-12-01

We review unification ideas and explain the spin-extended model in this context. Its consideration is also motivated by the standard-model puzzles. With the aim of constructing a common description of discrete degrees of freedom, as spin and gauge quantum numbers, the model departs from q-bits and generalized Hilbert spaces. Physical requirements reduce the space to one that is represented by matrices. The classification of the representations is performed through Clifford algebras, with its generators associated with Lorentz and scalar symmetries. We study a reduced space with up to two spinor elements within a matrix direct product. At given dimension, the demand that Lorentz symmetry be maintained, determines the scalar symmetries, which connect to vector-and-chiral gauge-interacting fields; we review the standard-model information in each dimension. We obtain fermions and bosons, with matter fields in the fundamental representation, radiation fields in the adjoint, and scalar particles with the Higgs quantum numbers. We relate the fields' representation in such spaces to the quantum-field-theory one, and the Lagrangian. The model provides a coupling-constant definition.

Individuals and Leadership in an Australian Secondary Science Department: A Qualitative Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Melville, Wayne; Wallace, John; Bartley, Anthony

2007-12-01

In this article, we consider the complex and dynamic inter-relationships between individual science teachers, the social space of their work and their dispositions towards teacher leadership. Research into the representation of school science departments through individual science teachers is scarce. We explore the representations of four individual teachers to the assertions of teacher leadership proposed by Silva et al. (Teach Coll Rec, 102(4):779-804, 2000). These representations, expressed during regular science department meetings, occur in the social space of Bourdieu's "field" and are a reflection of the "game" of science education being played within the department. This departmentally centred space suggests an important implication when considering the relationship between subject departments and their schools. The development of an individual's representation of teacher leadership and the wider "field" of science education appears to shape the individual towards promoting their own sense of identity as a teacher of science, rather than as a teacher within a school. Our work suggests that for these individuals, the important "game" is science education, not school improvement. Consequently, the subject department may be a missing link between efforts to improve schools and current organizational practices.

A comparison of Redlich-Kister polynomial and cubic spline representations of the chemical potential in phase field computations

DOE PAGES

Teichert, Gregory H.; Gunda, N. S. Harsha; Rudraraju, Shiva; ...

2016-12-18

Free energies play a central role in many descriptions of equilibrium and non-equilibrium properties of solids. Continuum partial differential equations (PDEs) of atomic transport, phase transformations and mechanics often rely on first and second derivatives of a free energy function. The stability, accuracy and robustness of numerical methods to solve these PDEs are sensitive to the particular functional representations of the free energy. In this communication we investigate the influence of different representations of thermodynamic data on phase field computations of diffusion and two-phase reactions in the solid state. First-principles statistical mechanics methods were used to generate realistic free energymore » data for HCP titanium with interstitially dissolved oxygen. While Redlich-Kister polynomials have formed the mainstay of thermodynamic descriptions of multi-component solids, they require high order terms to fit oscillations in chemical potentials around phase transitions. Here, we demonstrate that high fidelity fits to rapidly fluctuating free energy functions are obtained with spline functions. As a result, spline functions that are many degrees lower than Redlich-Kister polynomials provide equal or superior fits to chemical potential data and, when used in phase field computations, result in solution times approaching an order of magnitude speed up relative to the use of Redlich-Kister polynomials.« less

The Secondary Organic Aerosol Processor (SOAP v1.0) model: a unified model with different ranges of complexity based on the molecular surrogate approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Couvidat, F.; Sartelet, K.

2014-01-01

The Secondary Organic Aerosol Processor (SOAP v1.0) model is presented. This model is designed to be modular with different user options depending on the computing time and the complexity required by the user. This model is based on the molecular surrogate approach, in which each surrogate compound is associated with a molecular structure to estimate some properties and parameters (hygroscopicity, absorption on the aqueous phase of particles, activity coefficients, phase separation). Each surrogate can be hydrophilic (condenses only on the aqueous phase of particles), hydrophobic (condenses only on the organic phase of particles) or both (condenses on both the aqueous and the organic phases of particles). Activity coefficients are computed with the UNIFAC thermodynamic model for short-range interactions and with the AIOMFAC parameterization for medium and long-range interactions between electrolytes and organic compounds. Phase separation is determined by Gibbs energy minimization. The user can choose between an equilibrium and a dynamic representation of the organic aerosol. In the equilibrium representation, compounds in the particle phase are assumed to be at equilibrium with the gas phase. However, recent studies show that the organic aerosol (OA) is not at equilibrium with the gas phase because the organic phase could be semi-solid (very viscous liquid phase). The condensation or evaporation of organic compounds could then be limited by the diffusion in the organic phase due to the high viscosity. A dynamic representation of secondary organic aerosols (SOA) is used with OA divided into layers, the first layer at the center of the particle (slowly reaches equilibrium) and the final layer near the interface with the gas phase (quickly reaches equilibrium).

Quantization and Superselection Sectors I:. Transformation Group C*-ALGEBRAS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Landsman, N. P.

Quantization is defined as the act of assigning an appropriate C*-algebra { A} to a given configuration space Q, along with a prescription mapping self-adjoint elements of { A} into physically interpretable observables. This procedure is adopted to solve the problem of quantizing a particle moving on a homogeneous locally compact configuration space Q=G/H. Here { A} is chosen to be the transformation group C*-algebra corresponding to the canonical action of G on Q. The structure of these algebras and their representations are examined in some detail. Inequivalent quantizations are identified with inequivalent irreducible representations of the C*-algebra corresponding to the system, hence with its superselection sectors. Introducing the concept of a pre-Hamiltonian, we construct a large class of G-invariant time-evolutions on these algebras, and find the Hamiltonians implementing these time-evolutions in each irreducible representation of { A}. “Topological” terms in the Hamiltonian (or the corresponding action) turn out to be representation-dependent, and are automatically induced by the quantization procedure. Known “topological” charge quantization or periodicity conditions are then identically satisfied as a consequence of the representation theory of { A}.

Children's representations of multiple family relationships: organizational structure and development in early childhood.

PubMed

Schermerhorn, Alice C; Cummings, E Mark; Davies, Patrick T

2008-02-01

The authors examine mutual family influence processes at the level of children's representations of multiple family relationships, as well as the structure of those representations. From a community sample with 3 waves, each spaced 1 year apart, kindergarten-age children (105 boys and 127 girls) completed a story-stem completion task, tapping representations of multiple family relationships. Structural equation modeling with autoregressive controls indicated that representational processes involving different family relationships were interrelated over time, including links between children's representations of marital conflict and reactions to conflict, between representations of security about marital conflict and parent-child relationships, and between representations of security in father-child and mother-child relationships. Mixed support was found for notions of increasing stability in representations during this developmental period. Results are discussed in terms of notions of transactional family dynamics, including family-wide perspectives on mutual influence processes attributable to multiple family relationships.

Task planning and control synthesis for robotic manipulation in space applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sanderson, A. C.; Peshkin, M. A.; Homem-De-mello, L. S.

1987-01-01

Space-based robotic systems for diagnosis, repair and assembly of systems will require new techniques of planning and manipulation to accomplish these complex tasks. Results of work in assembly task representation, discrete task planning, and control synthesis which provide a design environment for flexible assembly systems in manufacturing applications, and which extend to planning of manipulatiuon operations in unstructured environments are summarized. Assembly planning is carried out using the AND/OR graph representation which encompasses all possible partial orders of operations and may be used to plan assembly sequences. Discrete task planning uses the configuration map which facilitates search over a space of discrete operations parameters in sequential operations in order to achieve required goals in the space of bounded configuration sets.

Probabilistic Risk Assessment for Decision Making During Spacecraft Operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meshkat, Leila

2009-01-01

Decisions made during the operational phase of a space mission often have significant and immediate consequences. Without the explicit consideration of the risks involved and their representation in a solid model, it is very likely that these risks are not considered systematically in trade studies. Wrong decisions during the operational phase of a space mission can lead to immediate system failure whereas correct decisions can help recover the system even from faulty conditions. A problem of special interest is the determination of the system fault protection strategies upon the occurrence of faults within the system. Decisions regarding the fault protection strategy also heavily rely on a correct understanding of the state of the system and an integrated risk model that represents the various possible scenarios and their respective likelihoods. Probabilistic Risk Assessment (PRA) modeling is applicable to the full lifecycle of a space mission project, from concept development to preliminary design, detailed design, development and operations. The benefits and utilities of the model, however, depend on the phase of the mission for which it is used. This is because of the difference in the key strategic decisions that support each mission phase. The focus of this paper is on describing the particular methods used for PRA modeling during the operational phase of a spacecraft by gleaning insight from recently conducted case studies on two operational Mars orbiters. During operations, the key decisions relate to the commands sent to the spacecraft for any kind of diagnostics, anomaly resolution, trajectory changes, or planning. Often, faults and failures occur in the parts of the spacecraft but are contained or mitigated before they can cause serious damage. The failure behavior of the system during operations provides valuable data for updating and adjusting the related PRA models that are built primarily based on historical failure data. The PRA models, in turn, provide insight into the effect of various faults or failures on the risk and failure drivers of the system and the likelihood of possible end case scenarios, thereby facilitating the decision making process during operations. This paper describes the process of adjusting PRA models based on observed spacecraft data, on one hand, and utilizing the models for insight into the future system behavior on the other hand. While PRA models are typically used as a decision aid during the design phase of a space mission, we advocate adjusting them based on the observed behavior of the spacecraft and utilizing them for decision support during the operations phase.

3D shape extraction segmentation and representation of soil microstructures using generalized cylinders

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ngom, Ndèye Fatou; Monga, Olivier; Ould Mohamed, Mohamed Mahmoud; Garnier, Patricia

2012-02-01

This paper focuses on the modeling of soil microstructures using generalized cylinders, with a specific application to pore space. The geometric modeling of these microstructures is a recent area of study, made possible by the improved performance of computed tomography techniques. X-scanners provide very-high-resolution 3D volume images ( 3-5μm) of soil samples in which pore spaces can be extracted by thresholding. However, in most cases, the pore space defines a complex volume shape that cannot be approximated using simple analytical functions. We propose representing this shape using a compact, stable, and robust piecewise approximation by means of generalized cylinders. This intrinsic shape representation conserves its topological and geometric properties. Our algorithm includes three main processing stages. The first stage consists in describing the volume shape using a minimum number of balls included within the shape, such that their union recovers the shape skeleton. The second stage involves the optimum extraction of simply connected chains of balls. The final stage copes with the approximation of each simply optimal chain using generalized cylinders: circular generalized cylinders, tori, cylinders, and truncated cones. This technique was applied to several data sets formed by real volume computed tomography soil samples. It was possible to demonstrate that our geometric representation supplied a good approximation of the pore space. We also stress the compactness and robustness of this method with respect to any changes affecting the initial data, as well as its coherence with the intuitive notion of pores. During future studies, this geometric pore space representation will be used to simulate biological dynamics.

Noise Analysis of Spatial Phase coding in analog Acoustooptic Processors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gary, Charles K.; Lum, Henry, Jr. (Technical Monitor)

1994-01-01

Optical beams can carry information in their amplitude and phase; however, optical analog numerical calculators such as an optical matrix processor use incoherent light to achieve linear operation. Thus, the phase information is lost and only the magnitude can be used. This limits such processors to the representation of positive real numbers. Many systems have been devised to overcome this deficit through the use of digital number representations, but they all operate at a greatly reduced efficiency in contrast to analog systems. The most widely accepted method to achieve sign coding in analog optical systems has been the use of an offset for the zero level. Unfortunately, this results in increased noise sensitivity for small numbers. In this paper, we examine the use of spatially coherent sign coding in acoustooptical processors, a method first developed for digital calculations by D. V. Tigin. This coding technique uses spatial coherence for the representation of signed numbers, while temporal incoherence allows for linear analog processing of the optical information. We show how spatial phase coding reduces noise sensitivity for signed analog calculations.

Combinatorial quantisation of the Euclidean torus universe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meusburger, C.; Noui, K.

2010-12-01

We quantise the Euclidean torus universe via a combinatorial quantisation formalism based on its formulation as a Chern-Simons gauge theory and on the representation theory of the Drinfel'd double DSU(2). The resulting quantum algebra of observables is given by two commuting copies of the Heisenberg algebra, and the associated Hilbert space can be identified with the space of square integrable functions on the torus. We show that this Hilbert space carries a unitary representation of the modular group and discuss the role of modular invariance in the theory. We derive the classical limit of the theory and relate the quantum observables to the geometry of the torus universe.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Landau levels on the hyperbolic plane

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fakhri, H.; Shariati, M.

2004-11-01

The quantum states of a spinless charged particle on a hyperbolic plane in the presence of a uniform magnetic field with a generalized quantization condition are proved to be the bases of the irreducible Hilbert representation spaces of the Lie algebra u(1, 1). The dynamical symmetry group U(1, 1) with the explicit form of the Lie algebra generators is extracted. It is also shown that the energy has an infinite-fold degeneracy in each of the representation spaces which are allocated to the different values of the magnetic field strength. Based on the simultaneous shift of two parameters, it is also noted that the quantum states realize the representations of Lie algebra u(2) by shifting the magnetic field strength.

Structure of the Madden-Julian oscillation in coupled and uncoupled versions of the superparameterized community atmosphere model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benedict, James J.

The Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO), an eastward-propagating atmospheric disturbance resembling a transient Walker cell, dominates intraseasonal (20--100 days) variability in the tropical Indian and West Pacific Ocean regions. The phenomenon is most active during the Northern Hemisphere winter and is characterized by cyclic periods of suppressed (dry phase) and active (wet phase) cloudiness and precipitation. Numerous complexities---multi-scale interactions of moist convection and large-scale wave dynamics, air-sea fluxes and feedbacks, topographical impacts, and tropical-extratropical interactions---challenge our ability to fully understand the MJO and result in its poor representation in most current general circulation models (GCMs). This study examines the representation of the MJO in a modified version of the NCAR Community Atmosphere Model (CAM). The modifications involve substituting conventional boundary layer, turbulence, and cloud parameterizations with a configuration of cloud-resolving models (CRMs) embedded into each GCM grid cell in a technique termed "superparameterization" (SP). Unlike many GCMs including the standard CAM, the SP-CAM displays robust intraseasonal convective variability. Two SP-CAM simulations are utilized in this study: one forced by observed sea-surface temperatures (SSTs; "uncoupled") and a second identical to the first except for a new treatment of tropical SSTs in which a simplified mixed-layer ocean model is used to predict SST anomalies that are coupled to the atmosphere ("coupled"). Key physical features of the MJO are captured in the uncoupled SP-CAM. Ahead (east) of the disturbance there is meridional boundary layer moisture convergence and a vertical progression of warmth, moisture, and convective heating from the lower to upper troposphere. The space-time dynamical response to convective heating is also reproduced, especially the vertical structure of anomalous westerly wind and its migration into the region of heavy rainfall as the disturbance propagates eastward. Advective drying processes in the MJO wake are also represented well. The coupled SP-CAM shows more realistic MJO eastward propagation, signal coherence and spatial structure relative to the uncoupled SP-CAM. The improvement varies with longitude but generally stems from better space-time relationships among MJO convective heating, its dynamical response, SSTs, surface fluxes, boundary layer properties, and vertical moisture structure. Coupled MJO events in the Indian Ocean display more realistic intensity; in the West Pacific, the coupled SP-CAM overestimates convective strength but shows an improved vertical structure relative to the uncoupled SP-CAM. Biases related to MJO convection are also examined. Overestimated convective intensity in the West Pacific appears to be linked to basic state biases, Maritime Continent topographical impacts, unrealistic convection-wind-evaporation feedbacks, and the neglect of convective momentum transport in the model. Phase errors between observed and simulated boundary layer moisture appear to stem from an unrealistic representation of shallow cumuli.

Evolution of a hybrid micro-macro entangled state of the qubit-oscillator system via the generalized rotating wave approximation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chakrabarti, R.; Yogesh, V.

2016-04-01

We study the evolution of the hybrid entangled states in a bipartite (ultra) strongly coupled qubit-oscillator system. Using the generalized rotating wave approximation the reduced density matrices of the qubit and the oscillator are obtained. The reduced density matrix of the oscillator yields the phase space quasi probability distributions such as the diagonal P-representation, the Wigner W-distribution and the Husimi Q-function. In the strong coupling regime the Q-function evolves to uniformly separated macroscopically distinct Gaussian peaks representing ‘kitten’ states at certain specified times that depend on multiple time scales present in the interacting system. The ultrastrong coupling strength of the interaction triggers appearance of a large number of modes that quickly develop a randomization of their phase relationships. A stochastic averaging of the dynamical quantities sets in, and leads to the decoherence of the system. The delocalization in the phase space of the oscillator is studied by using the Wehrl entropy. The negativity of the W-distribution reflects the departure of the oscillator from the classical states, and allows us to study the underlying differences between various information-theoretic measures such as the Wehrl entropy and the Wigner entropy. Other features of nonclassicality such as the existence of the squeezed states and appearance of negative values of the Mandel parameter are realized during the course of evolution of the bipartite system. In the parametric regime studied here these properties do not survive in the time-averaged limit.

Geometrical modeling of optical phase difference for analyzing atmospheric turbulence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuksel, Demet; Yuksel, Heba

2013-09-01

Ways of calculating phase shifts between laser beams propagating through atmospheric turbulence can give us insight towards the understanding of spatial diversity in Free-Space Optical (FSO) links. We propose a new geometrical model to estimate phase shifts between rays as the laser beam propagates through a simulated turbulent media. Turbulence is simulated by filling the propagation path with spherical bubbles of varying sizes and refractive index discontinuities statistically distributed according to various models. The level of turbulence is increased by elongating the range and/or increasing the number of bubbles that the rays interact with along their path. For each statistical representation of the atmosphere, the trajectories of two parallel rays separated by a particular distance are analyzed and computed simultaneously using geometrical optics. The three-dimensional geometry of the spheres is taken into account in the propagation of the rays. The bubble model is used to calculate the correlation between the two rays as their separation distance changes. The total distance traveled by each ray as both rays travel to the target is computed. The difference in the path length traveled will yield the phase difference between the rays. The mean square phase difference is taken to be the phase structure function which in the literature, for a pair of collimated parallel pencil thin rays, obeys a five-third law assuming weak turbulence. All simulation results will be compared with the predictions of wave theory.

Generalized Finsler geometric continuum physics with applications in fracture and phase transformations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clayton, J. D.

2017-02-01

A theory of deformation of continuous media based on concepts from Finsler differential geometry is presented. The general theory accounts for finite deformations, nonlinear elasticity, and changes in internal state of the material, the latter represented by elements of a state vector of generalized Finsler space whose entries consist of one or more order parameter(s). Two descriptive representations of the deformation gradient are considered. The first invokes an additive decomposition and is applied to problems involving localized inelastic deformation mechanisms such as fracture. The second invokes a multiplicative decomposition and is applied to problems involving distributed deformation mechanisms such as phase transformations or twinning. Appropriate free energy functions are posited for each case, and Euler-Lagrange equations of equilibrium are derived. Solutions are obtained for specific problems of tensile fracture of an elastic cylinder and for amorphization of a crystal under spherical and uniaxial compression. The Finsler-based approach is demonstrated to be more general and potentially more physically descriptive than existing hyperelasticity models couched in Riemannian geometry or Euclidean space, without incorporation of supplementary ad hoc equations or spurious fitting parameters. Predictions for single crystals of boron carbide ceramic agree qualitatively, and in many instances quantitatively, with results from physical experiments and atomic simulations involving structural collapse and failure of the crystal along its c-axis.

3D hierarchical spatial representation and memory of multimodal sensory data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khosla, Deepak; Dow, Paul A.; Huber, David J.

2009-04-01

This paper describes an efficient method and system for representing, processing and understanding multi-modal sensory data. More specifically, it describes a computational method and system for how to process and remember multiple locations in multimodal sensory space (e.g., visual, auditory, somatosensory, etc.). The multimodal representation and memory is based on a biologically-inspired hierarchy of spatial representations implemented with novel analogues of real representations used in the human brain. The novelty of the work is in the computationally efficient and robust spatial representation of 3D locations in multimodal sensory space as well as an associated working memory for storage and recall of these representations at the desired level for goal-oriented action. We describe (1) A simple and efficient method for human-like hierarchical spatial representations of sensory data and how to associate, integrate and convert between these representations (head-centered coordinate system, body-centered coordinate, etc.); (2) a robust method for training and learning a mapping of points in multimodal sensory space (e.g., camera-visible object positions, location of auditory sources, etc.) to the above hierarchical spatial representations; and (3) a specification and implementation of a hierarchical spatial working memory based on the above for storage and recall at the desired level for goal-oriented action(s). This work is most useful for any machine or human-machine application that requires processing of multimodal sensory inputs, making sense of it from a spatial perspective (e.g., where is the sensory information coming from with respect to the machine and its parts) and then taking some goal-oriented action based on this spatial understanding. A multi-level spatial representation hierarchy means that heterogeneous sensory inputs (e.g., visual, auditory, somatosensory, etc.) can map onto the hierarchy at different levels. When controlling various machine/robot degrees of freedom, the desired movements and action can be computed from these different levels in the hierarchy. The most basic embodiment of this machine could be a pan-tilt camera system, an array of microphones, a machine with arm/hand like structure or/and a robot with some or all of the above capabilities. We describe the approach, system and present preliminary results on a real-robotic platform.

Diffeomorphism Group Representations in Relativistic Quantum Field Theory

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Goldin, Gerald A.; Sharp, David H.

We explore the role played by the di eomorphism group and its unitary representations in relativistic quantum eld theory. From the quantum kinematics of particles described by representations of the di eomorphism group of a space-like surface in an inertial reference frame, we reconstruct the local relativistic neutral scalar eld in the Fock representation. An explicit expression for the free Hamiltonian is obtained in terms of the Lie algebra generators (mass and momentum densities). We suggest that this approach can be generalized to elds whose quanta are spatially extended objects.

Covariant spinor representation of iosp(d,2/2) and quantization of the spinning relativistic particle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jarvis, P. D.; Corney, S. P.; Tsohantjis, I.

1999-12-01

A covariant spinor representation of iosp(d,2/2) is constructed for the quantization of the spinning relativistic particle. It is found that, with appropriately defined wavefunctions, this representation can be identified with the state space arising from the canonical extended BFV-BRST quantization of the spinning particle with admissible gauge fixing conditions after a contraction procedure. For this model, the cohomological determination of physical states can thus be obtained purely from the representation theory of the iosp(d,2/2) algebra.

3D Orthorhombic Elastic Wave Propagation Pre-Test Simulation of SPE DAG-1 Test

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jensen, R. P.; Preston, L. A.

2017-12-01

A more realistic representation of many geologic media can be characterized as a dense system of vertically-aligned microfractures superimposed on a finely-layered horizontal geology found in shallow crustal rocks. This seismic anisotropy representation lends itself to being modeled as an orthorhombic elastic medium comprising three mutually orthogonal symmetry planes containing nine independent moduli. These moduli can be determined by observing (or prescribing) nine independent P-wave and S-wave phase speeds along different propagation directions. We have developed an explicit time-domain finite-difference (FD) algorithm for simulating 3D elastic wave propagation in a heterogeneous orthorhombic medium. The components of the particle velocity vector and the stress tensor are governed by a set of nine, coupled, first-order, linear, partial differential equations (PDEs) called the velocity-stress system. All time and space derivatives are discretized with centered and staggered FD operators possessing second- and fourth-order numerical accuracy, respectively. Additionally, we have implemented novel perfectly matched layer (PML) absorbing boundary conditions, specifically designed for orthorhombic media, to effectively suppress grid boundary reflections. In support of the Source Physics Experiment (SPE) Phase II, a series of underground chemical explosions at the Nevada National Security Site, the code has been used to perform pre-test estimates of the Dry Alluvium Geology - Experiment 1 (DAG-1). Based on literature searches, realistic geologic structure and values for orthorhombic P-wave and S-wave speeds have been estimated. Results and predictions from the simulations are presented.

Citygml and the Streets of New York - a Proposal for Detailed Street Space Modelling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beil, C.; Kolbe, T. H.

2017-10-01

Three-dimensional semantic city models are increasingly used for the analysis of large urban areas. Until now the focus has mostly been on buildings. Nonetheless many applications could also benefit from detailed models of public street space for further analysis. However, there are only few guidelines for representing roads within city models. Therefore, related standards dealing with street modelling are examined and discussed. Nearly all street representations are based on linear abstractions. However, there are many use cases that require or would benefit from the detailed geometrical and semantic representation of street space. A variety of potential applications for detailed street space models are presented. Subsequently, based on related standards as well as on user requirements, a concept for a CityGML-compliant representation of street space in multiple levels of detail is developed. In the course of this process, the CityGML Transportation model of the currently valid OGC standard CityGML2.0 is examined to discover possibilities for further developments. Moreover, a number of improvements are presented. Finally, based on open data sources, the proposed concept is implemented within a semantic 3D city model of New York City generating a detailed 3D street space model for the entire city. As a result, 11 thematic classes, such as roadbeds, sidewalks or traffic islands are generated and enriched with a large number of thematic attributes.

How category learning affects object representations: Not all morphspaces stretch alike

PubMed Central

Folstein, Jonathan R.; Gauthier, Isabel; Palmeri, Thomas J.

2012-01-01

How does learning to categorize objects affect how we visually perceive them? Behavioral, neurophysiological, and neuroimaging studies have tested the degree to which category learning influences object representations, with conflicting results. Some studies find that objects become more visually discriminable along dimensions relevant to previously learned categories, while others find no such effect. One critical factor we explore here lies in the structure of the morphspaces used in different studies. Studies finding no increase in discriminability often use “blended” morphspaces, with morphparents lying at corners of the space. By contrast, studies finding increases in discriminability use “factorial” morphspaces, defined by separate morphlines forming axes of the space. Using the same four morphparents, we created both factorial and blended morphspaces matched in pairwise discriminability. Category learning caused a selective increase in discriminability along the relevant dimension of the factorial space, but not in the blended space, and led to the creation of functional dimensions in the factorial space, but not in the blended space. These findings demonstrate that not all morphspaces stretch alike: Only some morphspaces support enhanced discriminability to relevant object dimensions following category learning. Our results have important implications for interpreting neuroimaging studies reporting little or no effect of category learning on object representations in the visual system: Those studies may have been limited by their use of blended morphspaces. PMID:22746950

Categorical clustering of the neural representation of color.

PubMed

Brouwer, Gijs Joost; Heeger, David J

2013-09-25

Cortical activity was measured with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) while human subjects viewed 12 stimulus colors and performed either a color-naming or diverted attention task. A forward model was used to extract lower dimensional neural color spaces from the high-dimensional fMRI responses. The neural color spaces in two visual areas, human ventral V4 (V4v) and VO1, exhibited clustering (greater similarity between activity patterns evoked by stimulus colors within a perceptual category, compared to between-category colors) for the color-naming task, but not for the diverted attention task. Response amplitudes and signal-to-noise ratios were higher in most visual cortical areas for color naming compared to diverted attention. But only in V4v and VO1 did the cortical representation of color change to a categorical color space. A model is presented that induces such a categorical representation by changing the response gains of subpopulations of color-selective neurons.

A clustering-based graph Laplacian framework for value function approximation in reinforcement learning.

PubMed

Xu, Xin; Huang, Zhenhua; Graves, Daniel; Pedrycz, Witold

2014-12-01

In order to deal with the sequential decision problems with large or continuous state spaces, feature representation and function approximation have been a major research topic in reinforcement learning (RL). In this paper, a clustering-based graph Laplacian framework is presented for feature representation and value function approximation (VFA) in RL. By making use of clustering-based techniques, that is, K-means clustering or fuzzy C-means clustering, a graph Laplacian is constructed by subsampling in Markov decision processes (MDPs) with continuous state spaces. The basis functions for VFA can be automatically generated from spectral analysis of the graph Laplacian. The clustering-based graph Laplacian is integrated with a class of approximation policy iteration algorithms called representation policy iteration (RPI) for RL in MDPs with continuous state spaces. Simulation and experimental results show that, compared with previous RPI methods, the proposed approach needs fewer sample points to compute an efficient set of basis functions and the learning control performance can be improved for a variety of parameter settings.

Human Orbitofrontal Cortex Represents a Cognitive Map of State Space.

PubMed

Schuck, Nicolas W; Cai, Ming Bo; Wilson, Robert C; Niv, Yael

2016-09-21

Although the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) has been studied intensely for decades, its precise functions have remained elusive. We recently hypothesized that the OFC contains a "cognitive map" of task space in which the current state of the task is represented, and this representation is especially critical for behavior when states are unobservable from sensory input. To test this idea, we apply pattern-classification techniques to neuroimaging data from humans performing a decision-making task with 16 states. We show that unobservable task states can be decoded from activity in OFC, and decoding accuracy is related to task performance and the occurrence of individual behavioral errors. Moreover, similarity between the neural representations of consecutive states correlates with behavioral accuracy in corresponding state transitions. These results support the idea that OFC represents a cognitive map of task space and establish the feasibility of decoding state representations in humans using non-invasive neuroimaging. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Categorical Clustering of the Neural Representation of Color

PubMed Central

Heeger, David J.

2013-01-01

Cortical activity was measured with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) while human subjects viewed 12 stimulus colors and performed either a color-naming or diverted attention task. A forward model was used to extract lower dimensional neural color spaces from the high-dimensional fMRI responses. The neural color spaces in two visual areas, human ventral V4 (V4v) and VO1, exhibited clustering (greater similarity between activity patterns evoked by stimulus colors within a perceptual category, compared to between-category colors) for the color-naming task, but not for the diverted attention task. Response amplitudes and signal-to-noise ratios were higher in most visual cortical areas for color naming compared to diverted attention. But only in V4v and VO1 did the cortical representation of color change to a categorical color space. A model is presented that induces such a categorical representation by changing the response gains of subpopulations of color-selective neurons. PMID:24068814

Demodulation of messages received with low signal to noise ratio

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marguinaud, A.; Quignon, T.; Romann, B.

The implementation of this all-digital demodulator is derived from maximum likelihood considerations applied to an analytical representation of the received signal. Traditional adapted filters and phase lock loops are replaced by minimum variance estimators and hypothesis tests. These statistical tests become very simple when working on phase signal. These methods, combined with rigorous control data representation allow significant computation savings as compared to conventional realizations. Nominal operation has been verified down to energetic signal over noise of -3 dB upon a QPSK demodulator.

Lessons learned from the design of chemical space networks and opportunities for new applications.

PubMed

Vogt, Martin; Stumpfe, Dagmar; Maggiora, Gerald M; Bajorath, Jürgen

2016-03-01

The concept of chemical space is of fundamental relevance in chemical informatics and computer-aided drug discovery. In a series of articles published in the Journal of Computer-Aided Molecular Design, principles of chemical space design were evaluated, molecular networks proposed as an alternative to conventional coordinate-based chemical reference spaces, and different types of chemical space networks (CSNs) constructed and analyzed. Central to the generation of CSNs was the way in which molecular similarity relationships were assessed and a primary focal point was the network-based representation of biologically relevant chemical space. The design and comparison of CSNs based upon alternative similarity measures can be viewed as an evolutionary path with interesting lessons learned along the way. CSN design has matured to the point that such chemical space representations can be used in practice. In this contribution, highlights from the sequence of CSN design efforts are discussed in context, providing a perspective for future practical applications.

Lessons learned from the design of chemical space networks and opportunities for new applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vogt, Martin; Stumpfe, Dagmar; Maggiora, Gerald M.; Bajorath, Jürgen

2016-03-01

The concept of chemical space is of fundamental relevance in chemical informatics and computer-aided drug discovery. In a series of articles published in the Journal of Computer- Aided Molecular Design, principles of chemical space design were evaluated, molecular networks proposed as an alternative to conventional coordinate-based chemical reference spaces, and different types of chemical space networks (CSNs) constructed and analyzed. Central to the generation of CSNs was the way in which molecular similarity relationships were assessed and a primary focal point was the network-based representation of biologically relevant chemical space. The design and comparison of CSNs based upon alternative similarity measures can be viewed as an evolutionary path with interesting lessons learned along the way. CSN design has matured to the point that such chemical space representations can be used in practice. In this contribution, highlights from the sequence of CSN design efforts are discussed in context, providing a perspective for future practical applications.

Effect of Within-Category Spacing on Free Recall

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Borges, Marilyn A.; Mandler, George

1972-01-01

Contrary to previous experiments which found recall with blocked spacing always superior to recall with random" spacings, these experiments found that total recall was a function of two independent factors: (a) category representation, and (b) items per category represented (IPC). Both factors are dependent upon within-category spacing.…

Pseudoneglect in Back Space

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cocchini, Gianna; Watling, Rosamond; Della Sala, Sergio; Jansari, Ashok

2007-01-01

Successful interaction with the environment depends upon our ability to retain and update visuo-spatial information of both front and back egocentric space. Several studies have observed that healthy people tend to show a displacement of the egocentric frame of reference towards the left. However representation of space behind us (back space) has…

Universal sequence map (USM) of arbitrary discrete sequences

PubMed Central

2002-01-01

Background For over a decade the idea of representing biological sequences in a continuous coordinate space has maintained its appeal but not been fully realized. The basic idea is that any sequence of symbols may define trajectories in the continuous space conserving all its statistical properties. Ideally, such a representation would allow scale independent sequence analysis – without the context of fixed memory length. A simple example would consist on being able to infer the homology between two sequences solely by comparing the coordinates of any two homologous units. Results We have successfully identified such an iterative function for bijective mappingψ of discrete sequences into objects of continuous state space that enable scale-independent sequence analysis. The technique, named Universal Sequence Mapping (USM), is applicable to sequences with an arbitrary length and arbitrary number of unique units and generates a representation where map distance estimates sequence similarity. The novel USM procedure is based on earlier work by these and other authors on the properties of Chaos Game Representation (CGR). The latter enables the representation of 4 unit type sequences (like DNA) as an order free Markov Chain transition table. The properties of USM are illustrated with test data and can be verified for other data by using the accompanying web-based tool:http://bioinformatics.musc.edu/~jonas/usm/. Conclusions USM is shown to enable a statistical mechanics approach to sequence analysis. The scale independent representation frees sequence analysis from the need to assume a memory length in the investigation of syntactic rules. PMID:11895567

Validation of a virtual source model of medical linac for Monte Carlo dose calculation using multi-threaded Geant4.

PubMed

Aboulbanine, Zakaria; El Khayati, Naïma

2018-04-13

The use of phase space in medical linear accelerator Monte Carlo (MC) simulations significantly improves the execution time and leads to results comparable to those obtained from full calculations. The classical representation of phase space stores directly the information of millions of particles, producing bulky files. This paper presents a virtual source model (VSM) based on a reconstruction algorithm, taking as input a compressed file of roughly 800 kb derived from phase space data freely available in the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) database. This VSM includes two main components; primary and scattered particle sources, with a specific reconstruction method developed for each. Energy spectra and other relevant variables were extracted from IAEA phase space and stored in the input description data file for both sources. The VSM was validated for three photon beams: Elekta Precise 6 MV/10 MV and a Varian TrueBeam 6 MV. Extensive calculations in water and comparisons between dose distributions of the VSM and IAEA phase space were performed to estimate the VSM precision. The Geant4 MC toolkit in multi-threaded mode (Geant4-[mt]) was used for fast dose calculations and optimized memory use. Four field configurations were chosen for dose calculation validation to test field size and symmetry effects, [Formula: see text] [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] [Formula: see text], and [Formula: see text] [Formula: see text] for squared fields, and [Formula: see text] [Formula: see text] for an asymmetric rectangular field. Good agreement in terms of [Formula: see text] formalism, for 3%/3 mm and 2%/3 mm criteria, for each evaluated radiation field and photon beam was obtained within a computation time of 60 h on a single WorkStation for a 3 mm voxel matrix. Analyzing the VSM's precision in high dose gradient regions, using the distance to agreement concept (DTA), showed also satisfactory results. In all investigated cases, the mean DTA was less than 1 mm in build-up and penumbra regions. In regards to calculation efficiency, the event processing speed is six times faster using Geant4-[mt] compared to sequential Geant4, when running the same simulation code for both. The developed VSM for 6 MV/10 MV beams widely used, is a general concept easy to adapt in order to reconstruct comparable beam qualities for various linac configurations, facilitating its integration for MC treatment planning purposes.

System control module diagnostic Expert Assistant

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Flores, Luis M.; Hansen, Roger F.

1990-01-01

The Orbiter EXperiments (OEX) Program was established by NASA's Office of Aeronautics and Space Technology (OAST) to accomplish the precise data collection necessary to support a complete and accurate assessment of Space Transportation System (STS) Orbiter performance during all phases of a mission. During a mission, data generated by the various experiments are conveyed to the OEX System Control Module (SCM) which arranges for and monitors storage of the data on the OEX tape recorder. The SCM Diagnostic Expert Assistant (DEA) is an expert system which provides on demand advice to technicians performing repairs of a malfunctioning SCM. The DEA is a self-contained, data-driven knowledge-based system written in the 'C' Language Production System (CLIPS) for a portable micro-computer of the IBM PC/XT class. The DEA reasons about SCM hardware faults at multiple levels; the most detailed layer of encoded knowledge of the SCM is a representation of individual components and layouts of the custom-designed component boards.

Equations of motion for a spectrum-generating algebra: Lipkin Meshkov Glick model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosensteel, G.; Rowe, D. J.; Ho, S. Y.

2008-01-01

For a spectrum-generating Lie algebra, a generalized equations-of-motion scheme determines numerical values of excitation energies and algebra matrix elements. In the approach to the infinite particle number limit or, more generally, whenever the dimension of the quantum state space is very large, the equations-of-motion method may achieve results that are impractical to obtain by diagonalization of the Hamiltonian matrix. To test the method's effectiveness, we apply it to the well-known Lipkin-Meshkov-Glick (LMG) model to find its low-energy spectrum and associated generator matrix elements in the eigenenergy basis. When the dimension of the LMG representation space is 106, computation time on a notebook computer is a few minutes. For a large particle number in the LMG model, the low-energy spectrum makes a quantum phase transition from a nondegenerate harmonic vibrator to a twofold degenerate harmonic oscillator. The equations-of-motion method computes critical exponents at the transition point.

Prismatic Adaptation Induces Plastic Changes onto Spatial and Temporal Domains in Near and Far Space.

PubMed

Patané, Ivan; Farnè, Alessandro; Frassinetti, Francesca

2016-01-01

A large literature has documented interactions between space and time suggesting that the two experiential domains may share a common format in a generalized magnitude system (ATOM theory). To further explore this hypothesis, here we measured the extent to which time and space are sensitive to the same sensorimotor plasticity processes, as induced by classical prismatic adaptation procedures (PA). We also exanimated whether spatial-attention shifts on time and space processing, produced through PA, extend to stimuli presented beyond the immediate near space. Results indicated that PA affected both temporal and spatial representations not only in the near space (i.e., the region within which the adaptation occurred), but also in the far space. In addition, both rightward and leftward PA directions caused opposite and symmetrical modulations on time processing, whereas only leftward PA biased space processing rightward. We discuss these findings within the ATOM framework and models that account for PA effects on space and time processing. We propose that the differential and asymmetrical effects following PA may suggest that temporal and spatial representations are not perfectly aligned.

The timecourse of space- and object-based attentional prioritization with varying degrees of certainty

PubMed Central

Drummond, Leslie; Shomstein, Sarah

2013-01-01

The relative contributions of objects (i.e., object-based) and underlying spatial (i.e., space-based representations) to attentional prioritization and selection remain unclear. In most experimental circumstances, the two representations overlap thus their respective contributions cannot be evaluated. Here, a dynamic version of the two-rectangle paradigm allowed for a successful de-coupling of spatial and object representations. Space-based (cued spatial location), cued end of the object, and object-based (locations within the cued object) effects were sampled at several timepoints following the cue with high or low certainty as to target location. In the high uncertainty condition spatial benefits prevailed throughout most of the timecourse, as evidenced by facilitatory and inhibitory effects. Additionally, the cued end of the object, rather than a whole object, received the attentional benefit. When target location was predictable (low uncertainty manipulation), only probabilities guided selection (i.e., evidence by a benefit for the statistically biased location). These results suggest that with high spatial uncertainty, all available information present within the stimulus display is used for the purposes of attentional selection (e.g., spatial locations, cued end of the object) albeit to varying degrees and at different time points. However, as certainty increases, only spatial certainty guides selection (i.e., object ends and whole objects are filtered out). Taken together, these results further elucidate the contributing role of space- and object-representations to attentional guidance. PMID:24367302

Modelling of Space-Time Soil Moisture in Savannas and its Relation to Vegetation Patterns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodriguez-Iturbe, I.; Mohanty, B.; Chen, Z.

2017-12-01

A physically derived space-time representation of the soil moisture field is presented. It includes the incorporation of a "jitter" process acting over the space-time soil moisture field and accounting for the short distance heterogeneities in topography, soil, and vegetation characteristics. The modelling scheme allows for the representation of spatial random fluctuations of soil moisture at small spatial scales and reproduces quite well the space-time correlation structure of soil moisture from a field study in Oklahoma. It is shown that the islands of soil moisture above different thresholds have sizes which follow power distributions over an extended range of scales. A discussion is provided about the possible links of this feature with the observed power law distributions of the clusters of trees in savannas.

Soft-phonon dynamics of the thermoelectric β-SnSe at high temperatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chatterji, Tapan; Wdowik, Urszula D.; Jagło, Grzegorz; Rols, Stéphane; Wagner, Frank R.

2018-07-01

Results of inelastic neutron scattering experiments on SnSe single crystals at high temperatures along with theoretical studies based on the density functional theory are reported. Our experiments reveal significant softening of the transverse acoustic branch along the [ 0 , ξ , 0 ] direction in the low-temperature α-SnSe of Pbnm symmetry as temperature approaches Tc = 807 K from below. This process is followed by a condensation of the zone-boundary Y-phonon of the high-temperature β-SnSe with Cmcm symmetry at the onset of phase transition. The employed theoretical approach supports experimental observations and demonstrates that the phase change in SnSe is mediated by an unstable zone-boundary phonon with the Y2+ irreducible representation within the Cmcm symmetry space group of the high-temperature β-SnSe. The present work provides a detailed understanding of the soft-mode dynamics in SnSe and conclusively shows that the α ⇌ β structural transformation in this currently topical thermoelectric material is of displacive type.

Flexible theta sequence compression mediated via phase precessing interneurons

PubMed Central

Chadwick, Angus; van Rossum, Mark CW; Nolan, Matthew F

2016-01-01

Encoding of behavioral episodes as spike sequences during hippocampal theta oscillations provides a neural substrate for computations on events extended across time and space. However, the mechanisms underlying the numerous and diverse experimentally observed properties of theta sequences remain poorly understood. Here we account for theta sequences using a novel model constrained by the septo-hippocampal circuitry. We show that when spontaneously active interneurons integrate spatial signals and theta frequency pacemaker inputs, they generate phase precessing action potentials that can coordinate theta sequences in place cell populations. We reveal novel constraints on sequence generation, predict cellular properties and neural dynamics that characterize sequence compression, identify circuit organization principles for high capacity sequential representation, and show that theta sequences can be used as substrates for association of conditioned stimuli with recent and upcoming events. Our results suggest mechanisms for flexible sequence compression that are suited to associative learning across an animal’s lifespan. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.20349.001 PMID:27929374

Thinking Egyptian: Active Models for Understanding Spatial Representation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schiferl, Ellen

This paper highlights how introductory textbooks on Egyptian art inhibit understanding by reinforcing student preconceptions, and demonstrates another approach to discussing space with a classroom exercise and software. The alternative approach, an active model for spatial representation, introduced here was developed by adapting classroom…

Conserved actions, maximum entropy and dark matter haloes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pontzen, Andrew; Governato, Fabio

2013-03-01

We use maximum entropy arguments to derive the phase-space distribution of a virialized dark matter halo. Our distribution function gives an improved representation of the end product of violent relaxation. This is achieved by incorporating physically motivated dynamical constraints (specifically on orbital actions) which prevent arbitrary redistribution of energy. We compare the predictions with three high-resolution dark matter simulations of widely varying mass. The numerical distribution function is accurately predicted by our argument, producing an excellent match for the vast majority of particles. The remaining particles constitute the central cusp of the halo (≲4 per cent of the dark matter). They can be accounted for within the presented framework once the short dynamical time-scales of the centre are taken into account.

Generalized Reduction Formula for Discrete Wigner Functions of Multiqubit Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Srinivasan, K.; Raghavan, G.

2018-03-01

Density matrices and Discrete Wigner Functions are equally valid representations of multiqubit quantum states. For density matrices, the partial trace operation is used to obtain the quantum state of subsystems, but an analogous prescription is not available for discrete Wigner Functions. Further, the discrete Wigner function corresponding to a density matrix is not unique but depends on the choice of the quantum net used for its reconstruction. In the present work, we derive a reduction formula for discrete Wigner functions of a general multiqubit state which works for arbitrary quantum nets. These results would be useful for the analysis and classification of entangled states and the study of decoherence purely in a discrete phase space setting and also in applications to quantum computing.

Hierarchical relaxation dynamics in a tilted two-band Bose-Hubbard model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cosme, Jayson G.

2018-04-01

We numerically examine slow and hierarchical relaxation dynamics of interacting bosons described by a tilted two-band Bose-Hubbard model. The system is found to exhibit signatures of quantum chaos within the spectrum and the validity of the eigenstate thermalization hypothesis for relevant physical observables is demonstrated for certain parameter regimes. Using the truncated Wigner representation in the semiclassical limit of the system, dynamics of relevant observables reveal hierarchical relaxation and the appearance of prethermalized states is studied from the perspective of statistics of the underlying mean-field trajectories. The observed prethermalization scenario can be attributed to different stages of glassy dynamics in the mode-time configuration space due to dynamical phase transition between ergodic and nonergodic trajectories.

Aeroelastic Response of Swept Aircraft Wings in a Compressible Flow Field

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marzocca, Piergiovanni; Librescu, Liviu; Silva, Walter A.

2000-01-01

The present study addresses the subcritical aeroelastic response of swept wings, in various flight speed regimes, to arbitrary time-dependent external excitations. The methodology based on the concept of indicial functions is carried out in time and frequency domains. As a result of this approach, the proper unsteady aerodynamic loads necessary to study the subcritical aeroelastic response of the open/closed loop aeroelastic systems, and of flutter instability, respectively are obtained. Validation of the aeroelastic model is provided, and applications to subcritical aeroelastic response to blast pressure signatures are illustrated. In this context, an original representation of the aeroelastic response in the phase-space is displayed, and pertinent conclusions on the implications of a number of selected parameters of the system are outlined.

Fundamentals and techniques of nonimaging optics for solar energy concentration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Winston, R.; Ogallaher, J. J.

1980-09-01

Recent progress in basic research into the theoretical understanding of nonimaging optical systems and their application to the design of practical solar concentration was reviewed. Work was done to extend the previously developed geometrical vector flux formalism with the goal of applying it to the analysis of nonideal concentrators. Both phase space and vector flux representation for traditional concentrators were generated. Understanding of the thermodynamically derived relationship between concentration and cavity effects led to the design of new lossless and low loss concentrators for absorbers with gaps. Quantitative measurements of the response of real collector systems and the distribution of diffuse insolation shows that in most cases performance exceeds predictions in solar applications. These developments led to improved nonimaging solar concentrator designs and applications.

The dynamics of search, impasse, and representational change provide a coherent explanation of difficulty in the nine-dot problem.

PubMed

Öllinger, Michael; Jones, Gary; Knoblich, Günther

2014-03-01

The nine-dot problem is often used to demonstrate and explain mental impasse, creativity, and out of the box thinking. The present study investigated the interplay of a restricted initial search space, the likelihood of invoking a representational change, and the subsequent constraining of an unrestricted search space. In three experimental conditions, participants worked on different versions of the nine-dot problem that hinted at removing particular sources of difficulty from the standard problem. The hints were incremental such that the first suggested a possible route for a solution attempt; the second additionally indicated the dot at which lines meet on the solution path; and the final condition also provided non-dot locations that appear in the solution path. The results showed that in the experimental conditions, representational change is encountered more quickly and problems are solved more often than for the control group. We propose a cognitive model that focuses on general problem-solving heuristics and representational change to explain problem difficulty.

Spatial displacement of numbers on a vertical number line in spatial neglect.

PubMed

Mihulowicz, Urszula; Klein, Elise; Nuerk, Hans-Christoph; Willmes, Klaus; Karnath, Hans-Otto

2015-01-01

Previous studies that investigated the association of numbers and space in humans came to contradictory conclusions about the spatial character of the mental number magnitude representation and about how it may be influenced by unilateral spatial neglect. The present study aimed to disentangle the debated influence of perceptual vs. representational aspects via explicit mapping of numbers onto space by applying the number line estimation paradigm with vertical orientation of stimulus lines. Thirty-five acute right-brain damaged stroke patients (6 with neglect) were asked to place two-digit numbers on vertically oriented lines with 0 marked at the bottom and 100 at the top. In contrast to the expected, nearly linear mapping in the control patient group, patients with spatial neglect overestimated the position of numbers in the lower middle range. The results corroborate spatial characteristics of the number magnitude representation. In neglect patients, this representation seems to be biased towards the ipsilesional side, independent of the physical orientation of the task stimuli.

Schematic representations of local environmental space guide goal-directed navigation

PubMed Central

Marchette, Steven A.; Ryan, Jack; Epstein, Russell A.

2016-01-01

To successfully navigate to a target, it is useful to be able to define its location at multiple levels of specificity. For example, the location of a favorite coffee mug can be described in terms of which room it is in, or in terms of where it is within the room. An appealing hypothesis is that these levels of description are retrieved from memory by accessing the same representation at progressively finer levels of granularity—first remembering the general location of an object and then “zooming in.” Here we provide evidence for an alternative view, in which navigational behavior is guided by independent representations at multiple spatial scales. Subjects learned the locations of objects that were positioned within four visually distinct but geometrically similar buildings, which were in turn positioned within a broader virtual park. They were then tested on their knowledge of object location by asking them to navigate to the remembered location of each object. We examined errors during the test phase for confusions among geometrically analogous locations in different buildings—that is, navigating to the right location in the wrong building. We observed that subjects frequently made these confusions, which are analogous to remembering a passage’s location on the page of a book but not remembering the page that the passage is on. This suggests that subjects were recalling the object’s local location without recalling its global location. Further manipulations across seven experiments indicated that geometric confusions were observed even between buildings that were not metrically identical as long as geometrical equivalence could be defined. However, removing the walls so that the larger environment was no longer divided into subspaces abolished these errors. Taken together, our results suggest that human spatial memory contains two separable representations of “where” an object can be found: (i) a schematic map of where an object lies with respect to local landmarks and boundaries; (ii) a representation of the identity and location of each local environment. PMID:27814459

15-digit accuracy calculations of Ambartsumian-Chandrasekhar's H-functions for four-term phase functions with the double-exponential formula

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kawabata, Kiyoshi

2018-01-01

We have established an iterative scheme to calculate with 15-digit accuracy the numerical values of Ambartsumian-Chandrasekhar's H-functions for anisotropic scattering characterized by the four-term phase function: the method incorporates some advantageous features of the iterative procedure of Kawabata (Astrophys. Space Sci. 358:32, 2015) and the double-exponential integration formula (DE-formula) of Takahashi and Mori (Publ. Res. Inst. Math. Sci. Kyoto Univ. 9:721, 1974), which proved highly effective in Kawabata (Astrophys. Space Sci. 361:373, 2016). Actual calculations of the H-functions have been carried out employing 27 selected cases of the phase function, 56 values of the single scattering albedo π0, and 36 values of an angular variable μ(= cosθ), with θ being the zenith angle specifying the direction of incidence and/or emergence of radiation. Partial results obtained for conservative isotropic scattering, Rayleigh scattering, and anisotropic scattering due to a full four-term phase function are presented. They indicate that it is important to simultaneously verify accuracy of the numerical values of the H-functions for μ<0.05, the domain often neglected in tabulation. As a sample application of the isotropic scattering H-function, an attempt is made in Appendix to simulate by iteratively solving the Ambartsumian equation the values of the plane and spherical albedos of a semi-infinite, homogeneous atmosphere calculated by Rogovtsov and Borovik (J. Quant. Spectrosc. Radiat. Transf. 183:128, 2016), who employed their analytical representations for these quantities and the single-term and two-term Henyey-Greenstein phase functions of appreciably high degrees of anisotropy. While our results are in satisfactory agreement with theirs, our procedure is in need of a faster algorithm to routinely deal with problems involving highly anisotropic phase functions giving rise to near-conservative scattering.

Can chimpanzee infants (Pan troglodytes) form categorical representations in the same manner as human infants (Homo sapiens)?

PubMed

Murai, Chizuko; Kosugi, Daisuke; Tomonaga, Masaki; Tanaka, Masayuki; Matsuzawa, Tetsuro; Itakura, Shoji

2005-05-01

We directly compared chimpanzee infants and human infants for categorical representations of three global-like categories (mammals, furniture and vehicles), using the familiarization-novelty preference technique. Neither species received any training during the experiments. We used the time that participants spent looking at the stimulus object while touching it as a measure. During the familiarization phase, participants were presented with four familiarization objects from one of three categories (e.g. mammals). Then, they were tested with a pair of novel objects, one was a familiar-category object and another was a novel-category object (e.g. vehicle) in the test phase. The chimpanzee infants did not show significant habituation, whereas human infants did. However, most important, both species showed significant novelty-preference in the test phase. This indicates that not only human infants, but also chimpanzee infants formed categorical representations of a global-like level. Implications for the shared origins and species-specificity of categorization abilities, and the cognitive operations underlying categorization, are discussed.

Selective interference of grasp and space representations with number magnitude and serial order processing.

PubMed

van Dijck, Jean-Philippe; Fias, Wim; Andres, Michael

2015-10-01

It has been proposed that the metrics of space, time and other magnitudes relevant for action are coupled through a generalized magnitude system that also contribute to number representation. Several studies capitalized on stimulus-response compatibility effects to show that numbers map onto left-right representations and grasp representations as a function of their magnitude. However, the tasks typically used do not allow disentangling magnitude from serial order processing. Here, we devised a working memory (WM) task where participants had to remember random sequences of numbers and perform a precision/whole-hand grip (Experiment 1) or a uni-manual left/right button press (Experiment 2) in response to numbers presented during the retention interval. This task does allow differentiating the interference of number magnitude and serial order with each set of responses. Experiment 1 showed that precision grips were initiated faster than whole-hand grips in response to small numbers, irrespective of their serial position in WM. In contrast, Experiment 2 revealed an advantage of right over left button presses as serial position increased, without any influence of number magnitude. These findings demonstrate that grasping and left-right movements overlap with distinct dimensions of number processing. These findings are discussed in the light of different theories explaining the interactions between numbers, space and action.

Paying attention to working memory: Similarities in the spatial distribution of attention in mental and physical space.

PubMed

Sahan, Muhammet Ikbal; Verguts, Tom; Boehler, Carsten Nicolas; Pourtois, Gilles; Fias, Wim

2016-08-01

Selective attention is not limited to information that is physically present in the external world, but can also operate on mental representations in the internal world. However, it is not known whether the mechanisms of attentional selection operate in similar fashions in physical and mental space. We studied the spatial distributions of attention for items in physical and mental space by comparing how successfully distractors were rejected at varying distances from the attended location. The results indicated very similar distribution characteristics of spatial attention in physical and mental space. Specifically, we found that performance monotonically improved with increasing distractor distance relative to the attended location, suggesting that distractor confusability is particularly pronounced for nearby distractors, relative to distractors farther away. The present findings suggest that mental representations preserve their spatial configuration in working memory, and that similar mechanistic principles underlie selective attention in physical and in mental space.

Representation of natural numbers in quantum mechanics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Benioff, Paul

2001-03-01

This paper represents one approach to making explicit some of the assumptions and conditions implied in the widespread representation of numbers by composite quantum systems. Any nonempty set and associated operations is a set of natural numbers or a model of arithmetic if the set and operations satisfy the axioms of number theory or arithmetic. This paper is limited to k-ary representations of length L and to the axioms for arithmetic modulo k{sup L}. A model of the axioms is described based on an abstract L-fold tensor product Hilbert space H{sup arith}. Unitary maps of this space onto a physicalmore » parameter based product space H{sup phy} are then described. Each of these maps makes states in H{sup phy}, and the induced operators, a model of the axioms. Consequences of the existence of many of these maps are discussed along with the dependence of Grover's and Shor's algorithms on these maps. The importance of the main physical requirement, that the basic arithmetic operations are efficiently implementable, is discussed. This condition states that there exist physically realizable Hamiltonians that can implement the basic arithmetic operations and that the space-time and thermodynamic resources required are polynomial in L.« less

The wheelchair as a full-body tool extending the peripersonal space

PubMed Central

Galli, Giulia; Noel, Jean Paul; Canzoneri, Elisa; Blanke, Olaf; Serino, Andrea

2015-01-01

Dedicated multisensory mechanisms in the brain represent peripersonal space (PPS), a limited portion of space immediately surrounding the body. Previous studies have illustrated the malleability of PPS representation through hand-object interaction, showing that tool use extends the limits of the hand-centered PPS. In the present study we investigated the effects of a special tool, the wheelchair, in extending the action possibilities of the whole body. We used a behavioral measure to quantify the extension of the PPS around the body before and after Active (Experiment 1) and Passive (Experiment 2) training with a wheelchair and when participants were blindfolded (Experiment 3). Results suggest that a wheelchair-mediated passive exploration of far space extended PPS representation. This effect was specifically related to the possibility of receiving information from the environment through vision, since no extension effect was found when participants were blindfolded. Surprisingly, the active motor training did not induce any modification in PPS representation, probably because the wheelchair maneuver was demanding for non-expert users and thus they may have prioritized processing of information from close to the wheelchair rather than at far spatial locations. Our results suggest that plasticity in PPS representation after tool use seems not to strictly depend on active use of the tool itself, but is triggered by simultaneous processing of information from the body and the space where the body acts in the environment, which is more extended in the case of wheelchair use. These results contribute to our understanding of the mechanisms underlying body–environment interaction for developing and improving applications of assistive technological devices in different clinical populations. PMID:26042069

On the representation theory of the Bondi-Metzner-Sachs group and its variants in three space-time dimensions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Melas, Evangelos

2017-07-01

The original Bondi-Metzner-Sachs (BMS) group B is the common asymptotic symmetry group of all asymptotically flat Lorentzian radiating 4-dim space-times. As such, B is the best candidate for the universal symmetry group of General Relativity (G.R.). In 1973, with this motivation, McCarthy classified all relativistic B-invariant systems in terms of strongly continuous irreducible unitary representations (IRS) of B. Here we introduce the analogue B(2, 1) of the BMS group B in 3 space-time dimensions. B(2, 1) itself admits thirty-four analogues both real in all signatures and in complex space-times. In order to find the IRS of both B(2, 1) and its analogues, we need to extend Wigner-Mackey's theory of induced representations. The necessary extension is described and is reduced to the solution of three problems. These problems are solved in the case where B(2, 1) and its analogues are equipped with the Hilbert topology. The extended theory is necessary in order to construct the IRS of both B and its analogues in any number d of space-time dimensions, d ≥3 , and also in order to construct the IRS of their supersymmetric counterparts. We use the extended theory to obtain the necessary data in order to construct the IRS of B(2, 1). The main results of the representation theory are as follows: The IRS are induced from "little groups" which are compact. The finite "little groups" are cyclic groups of even order. The inducing construction is exhaustive notwithstanding the fact that B(2, 1) is not locally compact in the employed Hilbert topology.

Grey-box state-space identification of nonlinear mechanical vibrations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noël, J. P.; Schoukens, J.

2018-05-01

The present paper deals with the identification of nonlinear mechanical vibrations. A grey-box, or semi-physical, nonlinear state-space representation is introduced, expressing the nonlinear basis functions using a limited number of measured output variables. This representation assumes that the observed nonlinearities are localised in physical space, which is a generic case in mechanics. A two-step identification procedure is derived for the grey-box model parameters, integrating nonlinear subspace initialisation and weighted least-squares optimisation. The complete procedure is applied to an electrical circuit mimicking the behaviour of a single-input, single-output (SISO) nonlinear mechanical system and to a single-input, multiple-output (SIMO) geometrically nonlinear beam structure.

Integrating spatially explicit representations of landscape perceptions into land change research

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dorning, Monica; Van Berkel, Derek B.; Semmens, Darius J.

2017-01-01

Purpose of ReviewHuman perceptions of the landscape can influence land-use and land-management decisions. Recognizing the diversity of landscape perceptions across space and time is essential to understanding land change processes and emergent landscape patterns. We summarize the role of landscape perceptions in the land change process, demonstrate advances in quantifying and mapping landscape perceptions, and describe how these spatially explicit techniques have and may benefit land change research.Recent FindingsMapping landscape perceptions is becoming increasingly common, particularly in research focused on quantifying ecosystem services provision. Spatial representations of landscape perceptions, often measured in terms of landscape values and functions, provide an avenue for matching social and environmental data in land change studies. Integrating these data can provide new insights into land change processes, contribute to landscape planning strategies, and guide the design and implementation of land change models.SummaryChallenges remain in creating spatial representations of human perceptions. Maps must be accompanied by descriptions of whose perceptions are being represented and the validity and uncertainty of those representations across space. With these considerations, rapid advancements in mapping landscape perceptions hold great promise for improving representation of human dimensions in landscape ecology and land change research.

Ground- and Space-based Observations of Horizontally-extensive Lightning Flashes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, D.; Cummins, K. L.; Bitzer, P. M.

2017-12-01

Horizontally-extensive lightning flashes occur frequently in association with mature and late phases of multicellular thunderstorms, both in trailing stratiform regions and horizontally-extensive anvils. The spatial relationship between these flashes and the parent cloud volume is of importance for space launch operational decision making, and is of broader scientific interest. Before this question can be accurately addressed, there is a need to understand the degree to which current lightning observation systems can depict the spatial extent of these long flashes. In this ongoing work, we will intercompare the depiction of horizontally-extensive flashes using several ground-based lightning locating systems (LLSs) located at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) with space-based observations observed by the recently-launched Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM) onboard the GOES-16 satellite. Ground-based datasets include the KSC Lightning Mapping Array (KSCLMA), the operational narrowband digital interferometer network MERLIN, and the combined cloud-to-ground and cloud lightning dataset produced by the U.S. National Lightning Detection Network (NLDN). The KSCLMA system is a network of VHF time-of-arrival sensors that preferentially report breakdown processes, and MERLIN is a network of VHF interferometers that point to the discharges in the horizontal plane. Observations to date indicate that MERLIN and the KSCSLMA provide similar overall descriptions of the spatial and temporal extent of these flashes, while the NLDN does not provide adequate spatial mapping of these flashes. The KSC LMA system has much better location accuracy, and provides excellent 3-dimensional representation within 100 km of KSC. It also has sufficient sensitivity to provide 2-dimensional flash mapping within 250 km of KSC. The MERLIN system provides a more-detailed representation of fast leader propagation (in 2 dimensions) with 100 km of KSC. Earlier work during the CHUVA campaign in Brazil with similar systems and the (orbital) Lightning Imaging System (LIS) has shown that the interferometric data correlated much better in space and time with the LIS optical observations. We are currently investigating this relationship at KSC, where both the LMA and interferometer perform much better than the systems used during CHUVA.

Graphical Representations of Electronic Search Patterns.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lin, Xia; And Others

1991-01-01

Discussion of search behavior in electronic environments focuses on the development of GRIP (Graphic Representor of Interaction Patterns), a graphing tool based on HyperCard that produces graphic representations of search patterns. Search state spaces are explained, and forms of data available from electronic searches are described. (34…

Multimodal Pedagogies in Diverse Classrooms: Representation, Rights and Resources

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stein, Pippa

2012-01-01

Multimodal Pedagogies in Diverse Classrooms examines how the classroom can become a democratic space founded on the integration of different histories, modes of representation, feelings, languages and discourses, and is essential reading for anyone interested in the connection between multimodality, pedagogy, democracy and social justice in…

Learned Vector-Space Models for Document Retrieval.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Caid, William R.; And Others

1995-01-01

The Latent Semantic Indexing and MatchPlus systems examine similar contexts in which words appear and create representational models that capture the similarity of meaning of terms and then use the representation for retrieval. Text Retrieval Conference experiments using these systems demonstrate the computational feasibility of using…

The Structure of Integral Dimensions: Contrasting Topological and Cartesian Representations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Matt; Goldstone, Robert L.

2013-01-01

Diverse evidence shows that perceptually integral dimensions, such as those composing color, are represented holistically. However, the nature of these holistic representations is poorly understood. Extant theories, such as those founded on multidimensional scaling or general recognition theory, model integral stimulus spaces using a Cartesian…

Models of Conflict, with Explicit Representation of Command and Control Capabilities and Vulnerabilities.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-02-01

converting Bu’s to Bal s Case 2: Pa,cc (t) = 0.25 + 0.075t = PaA(t) =1.0 In this case a space (and hence time) varying representation of the attrition rate...34 a Attrition rates can be made time ( space ) dependent. * Note that the attrition law is assumed for illustration only to be in accordance with a...34 Systems Reserach Lab., Dept. of Industrial Eng., University of Michigan. Gaver, D.P. and Tonguc K. (1979) "Modelling the influnece of information on

Covariant scalar representation of ? and quantization of the scalar relativistic particle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jarvis, P. D.; Tsohantjis, I.

1996-03-01

A covariant scalar representation of iosp(d,2/2) is constructed and analysed in comparison with existing BFV-BRST methods for the quantization of the scalar relativistic particle. It is found that, with appropriately defined wavefunctions, this iosp(d,2/2) produced representation can be identified with the state space arising from the canonical BFV-BRST quantization of the modular-invariant, unoriented scalar particle (or antiparticle) with admissible gauge-fixing conditions. For this model, the cohomological determination of physical states can thus be obtained purely from the representation theory of the iosp(d,2/2) algebra.

An object-based visual attention model for robotic applications.

PubMed

Yu, Yuanlong; Mann, George K I; Gosine, Raymond G

2010-10-01

By extending integrated competition hypothesis, this paper presents an object-based visual attention model, which selects one object of interest using low-dimensional features, resulting that visual perception starts from a fast attentional selection procedure. The proposed attention model involves seven modules: learning of object representations stored in a long-term memory (LTM), preattentive processing, top-down biasing, bottom-up competition, mediation between top-down and bottom-up ways, generation of saliency maps, and perceptual completion processing. It works in two phases: learning phase and attending phase. In the learning phase, the corresponding object representation is trained statistically when one object is attended. A dual-coding object representation consisting of local and global codings is proposed. Intensity, color, and orientation features are used to build the local coding, and a contour feature is employed to constitute the global coding. In the attending phase, the model preattentively segments the visual field into discrete proto-objects using Gestalt rules at first. If a task-specific object is given, the model recalls the corresponding representation from LTM and deduces the task-relevant feature(s) to evaluate top-down biases. The mediation between automatic bottom-up competition and conscious top-down biasing is then performed to yield a location-based saliency map. By combination of location-based saliency within each proto-object, the proto-object-based saliency is evaluated. The most salient proto-object is selected for attention, and it is finally put into the perceptual completion processing module to yield a complete object region. This model has been applied into distinct tasks of robots: detection of task-specific stationary and moving objects. Experimental results under different conditions are shown to validate this model.

[Connectionist models of social learning: a case of learning by observing a simple task].

PubMed

Paignon, A; Desrichard, O; Bollon, T

2004-03-01

This article proposes a connectionist model of the social learning theory developed by Bandura (1977). The theory posits that an individual in an interactive situation is capable of learning new behaviours merely by observing them in others. Such learning is acquired through an initial phase in which the individual memorizes what he has observed (observation phase), followed by a second phase where he puts the recorded observations to use as a guide for adjusting his own behaviour (reproduction phase). We shall refer to the two above-mentioned phases to demonstrate that it is conceivable to simulate learning by observation otherwise than through the recording of perceived information using symbolic representation. To this end we shall rely on the formalism of ecological neuron networks (Parisi, Cecconi, & Nolfi, 1990) to implement an agent provided with the major processes identified as essential to learning through observation. The connectionist model so designed shall implement an agent capable of recording perceptive information and producing motor behaviours. The learning situation we selected associates an agent demonstrating goal-achievement behaviour and an observer agent learning the same behaviour by observation. Throughout the acquisition phase, the demonstrator supervises the observer's learning process based on association between spatial information (input) and behavioural information (output). Representation thus constructed then serves as an adjustment guide during the production phase, involving production by the observer of a sequence of actions which he compares to the representation stored in distributed form as constructed through observation. An initial simulation validates model architecture by confirming the requirement for both phases identified in the literature (Bandura, 1977) to simulate learning through observation. The representation constructed over the observation phase evidences acquisition of observed behaviours, although this phase alone is not sufficient to ensure accurate reproduction and must be made functional through the production phase (Deakin & Proteau, 2000). Results obtained through a second simulation replicate those produced by Bandura & Jeffery (1973), who observed that the individual tested following the retention phase recalled recorded information better than he realized in the production phase. The outcome of a third simulation shows that, when performing the transfer task, agents performed the task all the more effectively when they were required to learn a simple path which facilitated knowledge transfer to an adjacent situation. New explanatory assumptions of the mechanics of learning through observation may be produced through OLEANNet. Thus, observed deterioration between memorization and production is caused by successive approximations which occur in the acquisition phase then in the production phase. Further, depending on the type of learning undergone by agents, use of representation as a production guide induces a more or less stringent constraint in the approximation of actual behaviour. This results, during the transfer task, in the ability to effectively generalize acquired knowledge where such knowledge is not specifically related to the task at hand. In conclusion, connectionist model architecture appears valid for modeling learning through observation as defined by Bandura (1977). However, certain limitations appear during implementation, especially in terms of the observed behaviour's availability and the planning of produced behaviours that future developments are liable to counter.

Simple Z2 lattice gauge theories at finite fermion density

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prosko, Christian; Lee, Shu-Ping; Maciejko, Joseph

2017-11-01

Lattice gauge theories are a powerful language to theoretically describe a variety of strongly correlated systems, including frustrated magnets, high-Tc superconductors, and topological phases. However, in many cases gauge fields couple to gapless matter degrees of freedom, and such theories become notoriously difficult to analyze quantitatively. In this paper we study several examples of Z2 lattice gauge theories with gapless fermions at finite density, in one and two spatial dimensions, that are either exactly soluble or whose solution reduces to that of a known problem. We consider complex fermions (spinless and spinful) as well as Majorana fermions and study both theories where Gauss' law is strictly imposed and those where all background charge sectors are kept in the physical Hilbert space. We use a combination of duality mappings and the Z2 slave-spin representation to map our gauge theories to models of gauge-invariant fermions that are either free, or with on-site interactions of the Hubbard or Falicov-Kimball type that are amenable to further analysis. In 1D, the phase diagrams of these theories include free-fermion metals, insulators, and superconductors, Luttinger liquids, and correlated insulators. In 2D, we find a variety of gapped and gapless phases, the latter including uniform and spatially modulated flux phases featuring emergent Dirac fermions, some violating Luttinger's theorem.

GRASP/Ada (Graphical Representations of Algorithms, Structures, and Processes for Ada): The development of a program analysis environment for Ada. Reverse engineering tools for Ada, task 1, phase 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cross, James H., II

1990-01-01

The study, formulation, and generation of structures for Ada (GRASP/Ada) are discussed in this second phase report of a three phase effort. Various graphical representations that can be extracted or generated from source code are described and categorized with focus on reverse engineering. The overall goal is to provide the foundation for a CASE (computer-aided software design) environment in which reverse engineering and forward engineering (development) are tightly coupled. Emphasis is on a subset of architectural diagrams that can be generated automatically from source code with the control structure diagram (CSD) included for completeness.

Direction-dependent stability of skyrmion lattice in helimagnets induced by exchange anisotropy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Yangfan

2018-06-01

Exchange anisotropy provides a direction dependent mechanism for the stability of the skyrmion lattice phase in noncentrosymmetric bulk chiral magnets. Based on the Fourier representation of the skyrmion lattice, we explain the direction dependence of the temperature-magnetic field phase diagram for bulk MnSi through a phenomenological mean-field model incorporating exchange anisotropy. Through quantitative comparison with experimental results, we clarify that the stability of the skyrmion lattice phase in bulk MnSi is determined by a combined effect of negative exchange anisotropy and thermal fluctuation. The effect of exchange anisotropy and the order of Fourier representation on the equilibrium properties of the skyrmion lattice is discussed in detail.

WavePacket: A Matlab package for numerical quantum dynamics. I: Closed quantum systems and discrete variable representations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmidt, Burkhard; Lorenz, Ulf

2017-04-01

WavePacket is an open-source program package for the numerical simulation of quantum-mechanical dynamics. It can be used to solve time-independent or time-dependent linear Schrödinger and Liouville-von Neumann-equations in one or more dimensions. Also coupled equations can be treated, which allows to simulate molecular quantum dynamics beyond the Born-Oppenheimer approximation. Optionally accounting for the interaction with external electric fields within the semiclassical dipole approximation, WavePacket can be used to simulate experiments involving tailored light pulses in photo-induced physics or chemistry. The graphical capabilities allow visualization of quantum dynamics 'on the fly', including Wigner phase space representations. Being easy to use and highly versatile, WavePacket is well suited for the teaching of quantum mechanics as well as for research projects in atomic, molecular and optical physics or in physical or theoretical chemistry. The present Part I deals with the description of closed quantum systems in terms of Schrödinger equations. The emphasis is on discrete variable representations for spatial discretization as well as various techniques for temporal discretization. The upcoming Part II will focus on open quantum systems and dimension reduction; it also describes the codes for optimal control of quantum dynamics. The present work introduces the MATLAB version of WavePacket 5.2.1 which is hosted at the Sourceforge platform, where extensive Wiki-documentation as well as worked-out demonstration examples can be found.

Is There "Space" for International Baccalaureate? A Case Study Exploring Space and the Adoption of the IB Middle Year Programme

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Monreal, Timothy

2016-01-01

Henri Lefebvre (1991) wrote, "[representational] space is alive: it speaks" (p. 42). This article explores how we might "listen" to space in education by examining the role of space in one school's decision to adopt the International Baccalaureate's Middle Years Programme [IB MYP]. It builds upon recent scholarship that applies…

Resignifying the Negative Space: Troubling the Representation of Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fendler, Rachel

2017-01-01

Informed by the results of a collaborative project carried out with six secondary school students, this paper reflects on the methodological and epistemological issues related to the representation of informal learning practices. Borrowing a concept from the arts, I suggest that a representationalist logic in both schooling and educational…

A Nomad Faculty: English Professors Negotiate Self-Representation in University Web Space.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hess, Micky

2002-01-01

Calls for increased awareness of the self-representation, gender, labor, and intellectual property issues that surround faculty members' homepages, arguing that faculty members construct identity online in context of the university as workplace. Examines the homepages of 18 faculty members within English programs. Draws on research from…

Individuals and Leadership in an Australian Secondary Science Department: A Qualitative Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Melville, Wayne; Wallace, John; Bartley, Anthony

2007-01-01

In this article, we consider the complex and dynamic inter-relationships between individual science teachers, the social space of their work and their dispositions towards teacher leadership. Research into the representation of school science departments through individual science teachers is scarce. We explore the representations of four…

Geometric Representations of Condition Queries on Three-Dimensional Vector Fields

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Henze, Chris

1999-01-01

Condition queries on distributed data ask where particular conditions are satisfied. It is possible to represent condition queries as geometric objects by plotting field data in various spaces derived from the data, and by selecting loci within these derived spaces which signify the desired conditions. Rather simple geometric partitions of derived spaces can represent complex condition queries because much complexity can be encapsulated in the derived space mapping itself A geometric view of condition queries provides a useful conceptual unification, allowing one to intuitively understand many existing vector field feature detection algorithms -- and to design new ones -- as variations on a common theme. A geometric representation of condition queries also provides a simple and coherent basis for computer implementation, reducing a wide variety of existing and potential vector field feature detection techniques to a few simple geometric operations.

Strategies to Evaluate the Visibility Along AN Indoor Path in a Point Cloud Representation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grasso, N.; Verbree, E.; Zlatanova, S.; Piras, M.

2017-09-01

Many research works have been oriented to the formulation of different algorithms for estimating the paths in indoor environments from three-dimensional representations of space. The architectural configuration, the actions that take place within it, and the location of some objects in the space influence the paths along which is it possible to move, as they may cause visibility problems. To overcome the visibility issue, different methods have been proposed which allow to identify the visible areas and from a certain point of view, but often they do not take into account the user's visual perception of the environment and not allow estimating how much may be complicated to follow a certain path. In the field of space syntax and cognitive science, it has been attempted to describe the characteristics of a building or an urban environment by the isovists and visibility graphs methods; some numerical properties of these representations allow to describe the space as for how it is perceived by a user. However, most of these studies are directed to analyze the environment in a two-dimensional space. In this paper we propose a method to evaluate in a quantitative way the complexity of a certain path within an environment represented by a three-dimensional point cloud, by the combination of some of the previously mentioned techniques, considering the space visible from a certain point of view, depending on the moving agent (pedestrian , people in wheelchairs, UAV, UGV, robot).

Re-engineering NASA's space communications to remain viable in a constrained fiscal environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hornstein, Rhoda Shaller; Hei, Donald J., Jr.; Kelly, Angelita C.; Lightfoot, Patricia C.; Bell, Holland T.; Cureton-Snead, Izeller E.; Hurd, William J.; Scales, Charles H.

1994-11-01

Along with the Red and Blue Teams commissioned by the NASA Administrator in 1992, NASA's Associate Administrator for Space Communications commissioned a Blue Team to review the Office of Space Communications (Code O) Core Program and determine how the program could be conducted faster, better, and cheaper. Since there was no corresponding Red Team for the Code O Blue Team, the Blue Team assumed a Red Team independent attitude and challenged the status quo, including current work processes, functional distinctions, interfaces, and information flow, as well as traditional management and system development practices. The Blue Team's unconstrained, non-parochial, and imaginative look at NASA's space communications program produced a simplified representation of the space communications infrastructure that transcends organizational and functional boundaries, in addition to existing systems and facilities. Further, the Blue Team adapted the 'faster, better, cheaper' charter to be relevant to the multi-mission, continuous nature of the space communications program and to serve as a gauge for improving customer services concurrent with achieving more efficient operations and infrastructure life cycle economies. This simplified representation, together with the adapted metrics, offers a future view and process model for reengineering NASA's space communications to remain viable in a constrained fiscal environment. Code O remains firm in its commitment to improve productivity, effectiveness, and efficiency. In October 1992, the Associate Administrator reconstituted the Blue Team as the Code O Success Team (COST) to serve as a catalyst for change. In this paper, the COST presents the chronicle and significance of the simplified representation and adapted metrics, and their application during the FY 1993-1994 activities.

Re-engineering NASA's space communications to remain viable in a constrained fiscal environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hornstein, Rhoda Shaller; Hei, Donald J., Jr.; Kelly, Angelita C.; Lightfoot, Patricia C.; Bell, Holland T.; Cureton-Snead, Izeller E.; Hurd, William J.; Scales, Charles H.

1994-01-01

Along with the Red and Blue Teams commissioned by the NASA Administrator in 1992, NASA's Associate Administrator for Space Communications commissioned a Blue Team to review the Office of Space Communications (Code O) Core Program and determine how the program could be conducted faster, better, and cheaper. Since there was no corresponding Red Team for the Code O Blue Team, the Blue Team assumed a Red Team independent attitude and challenged the status quo, including current work processes, functional distinctions, interfaces, and information flow, as well as traditional management and system development practices. The Blue Team's unconstrained, non-parochial, and imaginative look at NASA's space communications program produced a simplified representation of the space communications infrastructure that transcends organizational and functional boundaries, in addition to existing systems and facilities. Further, the Blue Team adapted the 'faster, better, cheaper' charter to be relevant to the multi-mission, continuous nature of the space communications program and to serve as a gauge for improving customer services concurrent with achieving more efficient operations and infrastructure life cycle economies. This simplified representation, together with the adapted metrics, offers a future view and process model for reengineering NASA's space communications to remain viable in a constrained fiscal environment. Code O remains firm in its commitment to improve productivity, effectiveness, and efficiency. In October 1992, the Associate Administrator reconstituted the Blue Team as the Code O Success Team (COST) to serve as a catalyst for change. In this paper, the COST presents the chronicle and significance of the simplified representation and adapted metrics, and their application during the FY 1993-1994 activities.

A configuration space of homologous proteins conserving mutual information and allowing a phylogeny inference based on pair-wise Z-score probabilities.

PubMed

Bastien, Olivier; Ortet, Philippe; Roy, Sylvaine; Maréchal, Eric

2005-03-10

Popular methods to reconstruct molecular phylogenies are based on multiple sequence alignments, in which addition or removal of data may change the resulting tree topology. We have sought a representation of homologous proteins that would conserve the information of pair-wise sequence alignments, respect probabilistic properties of Z-scores (Monte Carlo methods applied to pair-wise comparisons) and be the basis for a novel method of consistent and stable phylogenetic reconstruction. We have built up a spatial representation of protein sequences using concepts from particle physics (configuration space) and respecting a frame of constraints deduced from pair-wise alignment score properties in information theory. The obtained configuration space of homologous proteins (CSHP) allows the representation of real and shuffled sequences, and thereupon an expression of the TULIP theorem for Z-score probabilities. Based on the CSHP, we propose a phylogeny reconstruction using Z-scores. Deduced trees, called TULIP trees, are consistent with multiple-alignment based trees. Furthermore, the TULIP tree reconstruction method provides a solution for some previously reported incongruent results, such as the apicomplexan enolase phylogeny. The CSHP is a unified model that conserves mutual information between proteins in the way physical models conserve energy. Applications include the reconstruction of evolutionary consistent and robust trees, the topology of which is based on a spatial representation that is not reordered after addition or removal of sequences. The CSHP and its assigned phylogenetic topology, provide a powerful and easily updated representation for massive pair-wise genome comparisons based on Z-score computations.

Group-level variations in motor representation areas of thenar and anterior tibial muscles: Navigated Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Study.

PubMed

Niskanen, Eini; Julkunen, Petro; Säisänen, Laura; Vanninen, Ritva; Karjalainen, Pasi; Könönen, Mervi

2010-08-01

Navigated transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) can be used to stimulate functional cortical areas at precise anatomical location to induce measurable responses. The stimulation has commonly been focused on anatomically predefined motor areas: TMS of that area elicits a measurable muscle response, the motor evoked potential. In clinical pathologies, however, the well-known homunculus somatotopy theory may not be straightforward, and the representation area of the muscle is not fixed. Traditionally, the anatomical locations of TMS stimulations have not been reported at the group level in standard space. This study describes a methodology for group-level analysis by investigating the normal representation areas of thenar and anterior tibial muscle in the primary motor cortex. The optimal representation area for these muscles was mapped in 59 healthy right-handed subjects using navigated TMS. The coordinates of the optimal stimulation sites were then normalized into standard space to determine the representation areas of these muscles at the group-level in healthy subjects. Furthermore, 95% confidence interval ellipsoids were fitted into the optimal stimulation site clusters to define the variation between subjects in optimal stimulation sites. The variation was found to be highest in the anteroposterior direction along the superior margin of the precentral gyrus. These results provide important normative information for clinical studies assessing changes in the functional cortical areas because of plasticity of the brain. Furthermore, it is proposed that the presented methodology to study TMS locations at the group level on standard space will be a suitable tool for research purposes in population studies. 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Water, Water Everywhere: Phase Diagrams of Ordinary Water Substance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Glasser, L.

2004-01-01

The full phase diagram of water in the form of a graphical representation of the three-dimensional (3D) PVT diagram using authentic data is presented. An interesting controversy regarding the phase behavior of water was the much-touted proposal of a solid phase of water, polywater, supposedly stable under atmospheric conditions.

Fundamental Principles of Proper Space Kinematics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wade, Sean

It is desirable to understand the movement of both matter and energy in the universe based upon fundamental principles of space and time. Time dilation and length contraction are features of Special Relativity derived from the observed constancy of the speed of light. Quantum Mechanics asserts that motion in the universe is probabilistic and not deterministic. While the practicality of these dissimilar theories is well established through widespread application inconsistencies in their marriage persist, marring their utility, and preventing their full expression. After identifying an error in perspective the current theories are tested by modifying logical assumptions to eliminate paradoxical contradictions. Analysis of simultaneous frames of reference leads to a new formulation of space and time that predicts the motion of both kinds of particles. Proper Space is a real, three-dimensional space clocked by proper time that is undergoing a densification at the rate of c. Coordinate transformations to a familiar object space and a mathematical stationary space clarify the counterintuitive aspects of Special Relativity. These symmetries demonstrate that within the local universe stationary observers are a forbidden frame of reference; all is in motion. In lieu of Quantum Mechanics and Uncertainty the use of the imaginary number i is restricted for application to the labeling of mass as either material or immaterial. This material phase difference accounts for both the perceived constant velocity of light and its apparent statistical nature. The application of Proper Space Kinematics will advance more accurate representations of microscopic, oscopic, and cosmological processes and serve as a foundation for further study and reflection thereafter leading to greater insight.

Lossless Coding Standards for Space Data Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rice, R. F.

1996-01-01

The International Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems (CCSDS) is preparing to issue its first recommendation for a digital data compression standard. Because the space data systems of primary interest are employed to support scientific investigations requiring accurate representation, this initial standard will be restricted to lossless compression.

Bulk nuclear properties from dynamical description of heavy-ion collisions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hong, Jun

Mapping out the equation of state (EOS) of nuclear matter is a long standing problem in nuclear physics. Both experimentalists and theoretical physicists spare no effort in improving understanding of the EOS. In this thesis, we examine observables sensitive to the EOS within the pBUU transport model based on the Boltzmann equation. By comparing theoretical predictions with experimental data, we arrive at new constraints for the EOS. Further we propose novel promising observables for analysis of future experimental data. One set of observables that we examine within the pBUU model are pion yields. First, we find that net pion yields in central heavy-ion collisions (HIC) are strongly sensitive to the momentum dependence of the isoscalar nuclear mean field. We reexamine the momentum dependence that is assumed in the Boltzmann equation model for the collisions and optimize that dependence to describe the FOPI measurements of pion yields from the Au+Au collisions at different beam energies. Alas such optimized dependence yields a somewhat weaker baryonic elliptic flow than seen in measurements. Subsequently, we use the same pBUU model to generate predictions for baryonic elliptic flow observable in HIC, while varying the incompressibility of nuclear matter. In parallel, we test the sensitivity of pion multiplicity to the density dependence of EOS, and in particular to incompressibility, and optimize that dependence to describe both the elliptic flow and pion yields. Upon arriving at acceptable regions of density dependence of pressure and energy, we compare our constraints on EOS with those recently arrived at by the joint experiment and theory effort FOPI-IQMD. We should mention that, for the more advanced observables from HIC, there remain discrepancies of up to 30%, depending on energy, between the theory and experiment, indicating the limitations of the transport theory. Next, we explore the impact of the density dependence of the symmetry energy on observables, motivated by experiments aiming at constraining the symmetry energy. In contradiction to IBUU and ImIQMD models in the literature, that claim sensitivity of net charged pion yields to the density dependence of the symmetry energy, albeit in direction opposite from each other, we find practically no such sensitivity in pBUU. However, we find a rather dramatic sensitivity of differential high-energy charged-pion yield ratio to that density dependence, which can be qualitatively understood, and we propose that differential ratio be used in future experiments to constrain the symmetry energy. Finally, we present Gaussian phase-space representation method for studying strongly correlated systems. This approach allows to follow time evolution of quantum many-body systems with large Hilbert spaces through stochastic sampling, provided the interactions are two-body in nature. We demonstrate the advantage of the Gaussian phase-space representation method in coping with the notorious numerical sign problem for fermion systems. Lastly, we discuss the difficulty in trying to stabilize the system during its time evolution, within the Gaussian phase-space method.

The Role of Familiarity for Representations in Norm-Based Face Space

PubMed Central

Faerber, Stella J.; Kaufmann, Jürgen M.; Leder, Helmut; Martin, Eva Maria; Schweinberger, Stefan R.

2016-01-01

According to the norm-based version of the multidimensional face space model (nMDFS, Valentine, 1991), any given face and its corresponding anti-face (which deviates from the norm in exactly opposite direction as the original face) should be equidistant to a hypothetical prototype face (norm), such that by definition face and anti-face should bear the same level of perceived typicality. However, it has been argued that familiarity affects perceived typicality and that representations of familiar faces are qualitatively different (e.g., more robust and image-independent) from those for unfamiliar faces. Here we investigated the role of face familiarity for rated typicality, using two frequently used operationalisations of typicality (deviation-based: DEV), and distinctiveness (face in the crowd: FITC) for faces of celebrities and their corresponding anti-faces. We further assessed attractiveness, likeability and trustworthiness ratings of the stimuli, which are potentially related to typicality. For unfamiliar faces and their corresponding anti-faces, in line with the predictions of the nMDFS, our results demonstrate comparable levels of perceived typicality (DEV). In contrast, familiar faces were perceived much less typical than their anti-faces. Furthermore, familiar faces were rated higher than their anti-faces in distinctiveness, attractiveness, likability and trustworthiness. These findings suggest that familiarity strongly affects the distribution of facial representations in norm-based face space. Overall, our study suggests (1) that familiarity needs to be considered in studies of mental representations of faces, and (2) that familiarity, general distance-to-norm and more specific vector directions in face space make different and interactive contributions to different types of facial evaluations. PMID:27168323

The Role of Familiarity for Representations in Norm-Based Face Space.

PubMed

Faerber, Stella J; Kaufmann, Jürgen M; Leder, Helmut; Martin, Eva Maria; Schweinberger, Stefan R

2016-01-01

According to the norm-based version of the multidimensional face space model (nMDFS, Valentine, 1991), any given face and its corresponding anti-face (which deviates from the norm in exactly opposite direction as the original face) should be equidistant to a hypothetical prototype face (norm), such that by definition face and anti-face should bear the same level of perceived typicality. However, it has been argued that familiarity affects perceived typicality and that representations of familiar faces are qualitatively different (e.g., more robust and image-independent) from those for unfamiliar faces. Here we investigated the role of face familiarity for rated typicality, using two frequently used operationalisations of typicality (deviation-based: DEV), and distinctiveness (face in the crowd: FITC) for faces of celebrities and their corresponding anti-faces. We further assessed attractiveness, likeability and trustworthiness ratings of the stimuli, which are potentially related to typicality. For unfamiliar faces and their corresponding anti-faces, in line with the predictions of the nMDFS, our results demonstrate comparable levels of perceived typicality (DEV). In contrast, familiar faces were perceived much less typical than their anti-faces. Furthermore, familiar faces were rated higher than their anti-faces in distinctiveness, attractiveness, likability and trustworthiness. These findings suggest that familiarity strongly affects the distribution of facial representations in norm-based face space. Overall, our study suggests (1) that familiarity needs to be considered in studies of mental representations of faces, and (2) that familiarity, general distance-to-norm and more specific vector directions in face space make different and interactive contributions to different types of facial evaluations.

Auditory peripersonal space in humans.

PubMed

Farnè, Alessandro; Làdavas, Elisabetta

2002-10-01

In the present study we report neuropsychological evidence of the existence of an auditory peripersonal space representation around the head in humans and its characteristics. In a group of right brain-damaged patients with tactile extinction, we found that a sound delivered near the ipsilesional side of the head (20 cm) strongly extinguished a tactile stimulus delivered to the contralesional side of the head (cross-modal auditory-tactile extinction). By contrast, when an auditory stimulus was presented far from the head (70 cm), cross-modal extinction was dramatically reduced. This spatially specific cross-modal extinction was most consistently found (i.e., both in the front and back spaces) when a complex sound was presented, like a white noise burst. Pure tones produced spatially specific cross-modal extinction when presented in the back space, but not in the front space. In addition, the most severe cross-modal extinction emerged when sounds came from behind the head, thus showing that the back space is more sensitive than the front space to the sensory interaction of auditory-tactile inputs. Finally, when cross-modal effects were investigated by reversing the spatial arrangement of cross-modal stimuli (i.e., touch on the right and sound on the left), we found that an ipsilesional tactile stimulus, although inducing a small amount of cross-modal tactile-auditory extinction, did not produce any spatial-specific effect. Therefore, the selective aspects of cross-modal interaction found near the head cannot be explained by a competition between a damaged left spatial representation and an intact right spatial representation. Thus, consistent with neurophysiological evidence from monkeys, our findings strongly support the existence, in humans, of an integrated cross-modal system coding auditory and tactile stimuli near the body, that is, in the peripersonal space.

Evaluation of an Intelligent Tutoring System in Pathology: Effects of External Representation on Performance Gains, Metacognition, and Acceptance

PubMed Central

Crowley, Rebecca S.; Legowski, Elizabeth; Medvedeva, Olga; Tseytlin, Eugene; Roh, Ellen; Jukic, Drazen

2007-01-01

Objective Determine effects of computer-based tutoring on diagnostic performance gains, meta-cognition, and acceptance using two different problem representations. Describe impact of tutoring on spectrum of diagnostic skills required for task performance. Identify key features of student-tutor interaction contributing to learning gains. Design Prospective, between-subjects study, controlled for participant level of training. Resident physicians in two academic pathology programs spent four hours using one of two interfaces which differed mainly in external problem representation. The case-focused representation provided an open-learning environment in which students were free to explore evidence-hypothesis relationships within a case, but could not visualize the entire diagnostic space. The knowledge-focused representation provided an interactive representation of the entire diagnostic space, which more tightly constrained student actions. Measurements Metrics included results of pretest, post-test and retention-test for multiple choice and case diagnosis tests, ratios of performance to student reported certainty, results of participant survey, learning curves, and interaction behaviors during tutoring. Results Students had highly significant learning gains after one tutoring session. Learning was retained at one week. There were no differences between the two interfaces in learning gains on post-test or retention test. Only students in the knowledge-focused interface exhibited significant metacognitive gains from pretest to post-test and pretest to retention test. Students rated the knowledge-focused interface significantly higher than the case-focused interface. Conclusions Cognitive tutoring is associated with improved diagnostic performance in a complex medical domain. The effect is retained at one-week post-training. Knowledge-focused external problem representation shows an advantage over case-focused representation for metacognitive effects and user acceptance. PMID:17213494

Evaluation of an intelligent tutoring system in pathology: effects of external representation on performance gains, metacognition, and acceptance.

PubMed

Crowley, Rebecca S; Legowski, Elizabeth; Medvedeva, Olga; Tseytlin, Eugene; Roh, Ellen; Jukic, Drazen

2007-01-01

Determine effects of computer-based tutoring on diagnostic performance gains, meta-cognition, and acceptance using two different problem representations. Describe impact of tutoring on spectrum of diagnostic skills required for task performance. Identify key features of student-tutor interaction contributing to learning gains. Prospective, between-subjects study, controlled for participant level of training. Resident physicians in two academic pathology programs spent four hours using one of two interfaces which differed mainly in external problem representation. The case-focused representation provided an open-learning environment in which students were free to explore evidence-hypothesis relationships within a case, but could not visualize the entire diagnostic space. The knowledge-focused representation provided an interactive representation of the entire diagnostic space, which more tightly constrained student actions. Metrics included results of pretest, post-test and retention-test for multiple choice and case diagnosis tests, ratios of performance to student reported certainty, results of participant survey, learning curves, and interaction behaviors during tutoring. Students had highly significant learning gains after one tutoring session. Learning was retained at one week. There were no differences between the two interfaces in learning gains on post-test or retention test. Only students in the knowledge-focused interface exhibited significant metacognitive gains from pretest to post-test and pretest to retention test. Students rated the knowledge-focused interface significantly higher than the case-focused interface. Cognitive tutoring is associated with improved diagnostic performance in a complex medical domain. The effect is retained at one-week post-training. Knowledge-focused external problem representation shows an advantage over case-focused representation for metacognitive effects and user acceptance.

Spinor Geometry and Signal Transmission in Three-Space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Binz, Ernst; Pods, Sonja; Schempp, Walter

2002-09-01

For a singularity free gradient field in an open set of an oriented Euclidean space of dimension three we define a natural principal bundle out of an immanent complex line bundle. The elements of both bundles are called internal variables. Several other natural bundles are associated with the principal bundle and, in turn, determine the vector field. Two examples are given and it is shown that for a constant vector field circular polarized waves travelling along a field line can be considered as waves of internal variables. Einstein's equation epsilon = m [middle dot] c2 is derived from the geometry of the principal bundle. On SU(2) a relation between spin representations and Schrodinger representations is established. The link between the spin 1/2-model and the Schrodinger representations yields a connection between a microscopic and a macroscopic viewpoint.

Individual differences in ensemble perception reveal multiple, independent levels of ensemble representation.

PubMed

Haberman, Jason; Brady, Timothy F; Alvarez, George A

2015-04-01

Ensemble perception, including the ability to "see the average" from a group of items, operates in numerous feature domains (size, orientation, speed, facial expression, etc.). Although the ubiquity of ensemble representations is well established, the large-scale cognitive architecture of this process remains poorly defined. We address this using an individual differences approach. In a series of experiments, observers saw groups of objects and reported either a single item from the group or the average of the entire group. High-level ensemble representations (e.g., average facial expression) showed complete independence from low-level ensemble representations (e.g., average orientation). In contrast, low-level ensemble representations (e.g., orientation and color) were correlated with each other, but not with high-level ensemble representations (e.g., facial expression and person identity). These results suggest that there is not a single domain-general ensemble mechanism, and that the relationship among various ensemble representations depends on how proximal they are in representational space. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Using Common Graphics Paradigms Implemented in a Java Applet to Represent Complex Scheduling Requirements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jaap, John; Meyer, Patrick; Davis, Elizabeth

1997-01-01

The experiments planned for the International Space Station promise to be complex, lengthy and diverse. The scarcity of the space station resources will cause significant competition for resources between experiments. The scheduling job facing the Space Station mission planning software requires a concise and comprehensive description of the experiments' requirements (to ensure a valid schedule) and a good description of the experiments' flexibility (to effectively utilize available resources). In addition, the continuous operation of the station, the wide geographic dispersion of station users, and the budgetary pressure to reduce operations manpower make a low-cost solution mandatory. A graphical representation of the scheduling requirements for station payloads implemented via an Internet-based application promises to be an elegant solution that addresses all of these issues. The graphical representation of experiment requirements permits a station user to describe his experiment by defining "activities" and "sequences of activities". Activities define the resource requirements (with alternatives) and other quantitative constraints of tasks to be performed. Activities definitions use an "outline" graphics paradigm. Sequences define the time relationships between activities. Sequences may also define time relationships with activities of other payloads or space station systems. Sequences of activities are described by a "network" graphics paradigm. The bulk of this paper will describe the graphical approach to representing requirements and provide examples that show the ease and clarity with which complex requirements can be represented. A Java applet, to run in a web browser, is being developed to support the graphical representation of payload scheduling requirements. Implementing the entry and editing of requirements via the web solves the problems introduced by the geographic dispersion of users. Reducing manpower is accomplished by developing a concise representation which eliminates the misunderstanding possible with verbose representations and which captures the complete requirements and flexibility of the experiments.

Self-consistent pseudopotential calculation of the bulk properties of Mo and W

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zunger, A.; Cohen, M.L.

The bulk properties of Mo and W are calculated using the recently developed momentum-space approach for calculating total energy via a nonlocal pseudopotential. This approach avoids any shape approximation to the variational charge density (e.g., muffin tins), is fully self-consistent, and replaces the multidimensional and multicenter integrals akin to real-space representations by simple and readily convergent reciprocal-space lattice sums. We use first-principles atomic pseudopotentials which have been previously demonstrated to yield band structures and charge densities for both semiconductors and transition metals in good agreement with experiment and all-electron calculations. Using a mixed-basis representation for the crystalline wave function, wemore » are able to accurately reproduce both the localized and itinerant features of the electronic states in these systems. These first-principles pseudopotentials, together with the self-consistent density-functional representation for both the exchange and the correlation screening, yields agreement with experiment of 0.2% in the lattice parameters, 2% and 11% for the binding energies of Mo and W, respectively, and 12% and 7% for the bulk moduli of Mo and W, respectively.« less

Operator product expansion for conformal defects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fukuda, Masayuki; Kobayashi, Nozomu; Nishioka, Tatsuma

2018-01-01

We study the operator product expansion (OPE) for scalar conformal defects of any codimension in CFT. The OPE for defects is decomposed into "defect OPE blocks", the irreducible representations of the conformal group, each of which packages the contribution from a primary operator and its descendants. We use the shadow formalism to deduce an integral representation of the defect OPE blocks. They are shown to obey a set of constraint equations that can be regarded as equations of motion for a scalar field propagating on the moduli space of the defects. By employing the Radon transform between the AdS space and the moduli space, we obtain a formula of constructing an AdS scalar field from the defect OPE block for a conformal defect of any codimension in a scalar representation of the conformal group, which turns out to be the Euclidean version of the HKLL formula. We also introduce a duality between conformal defects of different codimensions and prove the equivalence between the defect OPE block for codimension-two defects and the OPE block for a pair of local operators.

Social representations, individual and collective mind: a study of Wundt, Cattaneo and Moscovici.

PubMed

Tateo, Luca; Iannaccone, Antonio

2012-03-01

The paper presents a discussion on the role of Social Representations in the articulation between individual and collective dimensions of mental activity. An analysis of some concepts in the works of Wundt and Cattaneo is the starting point for a discussion of the relationship between individual processes, practices, artifacts, symbolic systems and functions of Social Representations in the development of culture and individuals. In this perspective, Social Representations could be considered a space of negotiation of the meaning. The relationship between Social Representations, symbolic systems, practices and sense making involves the elaboration of the tension between continuity and innovation, which is developed through communication and practice along time in the interaction between individual and collective minds.

Coherent multiscale image processing using dual-tree quaternion wavelets.

PubMed

Chan, Wai Lam; Choi, Hyeokho; Baraniuk, Richard G

2008-07-01

The dual-tree quaternion wavelet transform (QWT) is a new multiscale analysis tool for geometric image features. The QWT is a near shift-invariant tight frame representation whose coefficients sport a magnitude and three phases: two phases encode local image shifts while the third contains image texture information. The QWT is based on an alternative theory for the 2-D Hilbert transform and can be computed using a dual-tree filter bank with linear computational complexity. To demonstrate the properties of the QWT's coherent magnitude/phase representation, we develop an efficient and accurate procedure for estimating the local geometrical structure of an image. We also develop a new multiscale algorithm for estimating the disparity between a pair of images that is promising for image registration and flow estimation applications. The algorithm features multiscale phase unwrapping, linear complexity, and sub-pixel estimation accuracy.

Space-time modeling using environmental constraints in a mobile robot system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Slack, Marc G.

1990-01-01

Grid-based models of a robot's local environment have been used by many researchers building mobile robot control systems. The attraction of grid-based models is their clear parallel between the internal model and the external world. However, the discrete nature of such representations does not match well with the continuous nature of actions and usually serves to limit the abilities of the robot. This work describes a spatial modeling system that extracts information from a grid-based representation to form a symbolic representation of the robot's local environment. The approach makes a separation between the representation provided by the sensing system and the representation used by the action system. Separation allows asynchronous operation between sensing and action in a mobile robot, as well as the generation of a more continuous representation upon which to base actions.

Distinct Representations of Magnitude and Spatial Position within Parietal Cortex during Number-Space Mapping.

PubMed

Kanayet, Frank J; Mattarella-Micke, Andrew; Kohler, Peter J; Norcia, Anthony M; McCandliss, Bruce D; McClelland, James L

2018-02-01

Mapping numbers onto space is foundational to mathematical cognition. These cognitive operations are often conceptualized in the context of a "mental number line" and involve multiple brain regions in or near the intraparietal sulcus (IPS) that have been implicated both in numeral and spatial cognition. Here we examine possible differentiation of function within these brain areas in relating numbers to spatial positions. By isolating the planning phase of a number line task and introducing spatiotopic mapping tools from fMRI into mental number line task research, we are able to focus our analysis on the neural activity of areas in anterior IPS (aIPS) previously associated with number processing and on spatiotopically organized areas in and around posterior IPS (pIPS), while participants prepare to place a number on a number line. Our results support the view that the nonpositional magnitude of a numerical symbol is coded in aIPS, whereas the position of a number in space is coded in posterior areas of IPS. By focusing on the planning phase, we are able to isolate activation related to the cognitive, rather than the sensory-motor, aspects of the task. Also, to allow the separation of spatial position from magnitude, we tested both a standard positive number line (0 to 100) and a zero-centered mixed number line (-100 to 100). We found evidence of a functional dissociation between aIPS and pIPS: Activity in aIPS was associated with a landmark distance effect not modulated by spatial position, whereas activity in pIPS revealed a contralateral preference effect.

Quantum dynamics in phase space: Moyal trajectories 2

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Braunss, G.

Continuing a previous paper [G. Braunss, J. Phys. A: Math. Theor. 43, 025302 (2010)] where we had calculated Planck-Constant-Over-Two-Pi {sup 2}-approximations of quantum phase space viz. Moyal trajectories of examples with one and two degrees of freedom, we present in this paper the calculation of Planck-Constant-Over-Two-Pi {sup 2}-approximations for four examples: a two-dimensional Toda chain, the radially symmetric Schwarzschild field, and two examples with three degrees of freedom, the latter being the nonrelativistic spherically Coulomb potential and the relativistic cylinder symmetrical Coulomb potential with a magnetic field H. We show in particular that an Planck-Constant-Over-Two-Pi {sup 2}-approximation of the nonrelativisticmore » Coulomb field has no singularity at the origin (r= 0) whereas the classical trajectories are singular at r= 0. In the third example, we show in particular that for an arbitrary function {gamma}(H, z) the expression {beta}{identical_to}p{sub z}+{gamma}(H, z) is classically ( Planck-Constant-Over-Two-Pi = 0) a constant of motion, whereas for Planck-Constant-Over-Two-Pi {ne} 0 this holds only if {gamma}(H, z) is an arbitrary polynomial of second order in z. This statement is shown to extend correspondingly to a cylinder symmetrical Schwarzschild field with a magnetic field. We exhibit in detail a number of properties of the radially symmetric Schwarzschild field. We exhibit finally the problems of the nonintegrable Henon-Heiles Hamiltonian and give a short review of the regular Hilbert space representation of Moyal operators.« less

Spaces of Possibility in Pre-Service Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ryan, Mary

2011-01-01

Pre-service teacher education is a spatialised enterprise. It operates across a number of spaces that may or may not be linked ideologically and/or physically. These spaces can include daily practices, locations, infrastructure, relationships and representations of power and ideology. The interrelationships between and within these (sometimes…

Edgelist phase unwrapping algorithm for time series InSAR analysis.

PubMed

Shanker, A Piyush; Zebker, Howard

2010-03-01

We present here a new integer programming formulation for phase unwrapping of multidimensional data. Phase unwrapping is a key problem in many coherent imaging systems, including time series synthetic aperture radar interferometry (InSAR), with two spatial and one temporal data dimensions. The minimum cost flow (MCF) [IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sens. 36, 813 (1998)] phase unwrapping algorithm describes a global cost minimization problem involving flow between phase residues computed over closed loops. Here we replace closed loops by reliable edges as the basic construct, thus leading to the name "edgelist." Our algorithm has several advantages over current methods-it simplifies the representation of multidimensional phase unwrapping, it incorporates data from external sources, such as GPS, where available to better constrain the unwrapped solution, and it treats regularly sampled or sparsely sampled data alike. It thus is particularly applicable to time series InSAR, where data are often irregularly spaced in time and individual interferograms can be corrupted with large decorrelated regions. We show that, similar to the MCF network problem, the edgelist formulation also exhibits total unimodularity, which enables us to solve the integer program problem by using efficient linear programming tools. We apply our method to a persistent scatterer-InSAR data set from the creeping section of the Central San Andreas Fault and find that the average creep rate of 22 mm/Yr is constant within 3 mm/Yr over 1992-2004 but varies systematically with ground location, with a slightly higher rate in 1992-1998 than in 1999-2003.

Decomposition of the polynomial kernel of arbitrary higher spin Dirac operators

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Eelbode, D., E-mail: David.Eelbode@ua.ac.be; Raeymaekers, T., E-mail: Tim.Raeymaekers@UGent.be; Van der Jeugt, J., E-mail: Joris.VanderJeugt@UGent.be

2015-10-15

In a series of recent papers, we have introduced higher spin Dirac operators, which are generalisations of the classical Dirac operator. Whereas the latter acts on spinor-valued functions, the former acts on functions taking values in arbitrary irreducible half-integer highest weight representations for the spin group. In this paper, we describe how the polynomial kernel spaces of such operators decompose in irreducible representations of the spin group. We will hereby make use of results from representation theory.

REPRESENTATIONS OF WEAK AND STRONG INTEGRALS IN BANACH SPACES

PubMed Central

Brooks, James K.

1969-01-01

We establish a representation of the Gelfand-Pettis (weak) integral in terms of unconditionally convergent series. Moreover, absolute convergence of the series is a necessary and sufficient condition in order that the weak integral coincide with the Bochner integral. Two applications of the representation are given. The first is a simplified proof of the countable additivity and absolute continuity of the indefinite weak integral. The second application is to probability theory; we characterize the conditional expectation of a weakly integrable function. PMID:16591755

Deformation Theory and Physics Model Building

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sternheimer, Daniel

2006-08-01

The mathematical theory of deformations has proved to be a powerful tool in modeling physical reality. We start with a short historical and philosophical review of the context and concentrate this rapid presentation on a few interrelated directions where deformation theory is essential in bringing a new framework - which has then to be developed using adapted tools, some of which come from the deformation aspect. Minkowskian space-time can be deformed into Anti de Sitter, where massless particles become composite (also dynamically): this opens new perspectives in particle physics, at least at the electroweak level, including prediction of new mesons. Nonlinear group representations and covariant field equations, coming from interactions, can be viewed as some deformation of their linear (free) part: recognizing this fact can provide a good framework for treating problems in this area, in particular global solutions. Last but not least, (algebras associated with) classical mechanics (and field theory) on a Poisson phase space can be deformed to (algebras associated with) quantum mechanics (and quantum field theory). That is now a frontier domain in mathematics and theoretical physics called deformation quantization, with multiple ramifications, avatars and connections in both mathematics and physics. These include representation theory, quantum groups (when considering Hopf algebras instead of associative or Lie algebras), noncommutative geometry and manifolds, algebraic geometry, number theory, and of course what is regrouped under the name of M-theory. We shall here look at these from the unifying point of view of deformation theory and refer to a limited number of papers as a starting point for further study.

A four-dimensional motion field atlas of the tongue from tagged and cine magnetic resonance imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xing, Fangxu; Prince, Jerry L.; Stone, Maureen; Wedeen, Van J.; El Fakhri, Georges; Woo, Jonghye

2017-02-01

Representation of human tongue motion using three-dimensional vector fields over time can be used to better understand tongue function during speech, swallowing, and other lingual behaviors. To characterize the inter-subject variability of the tongue's shape and motion of a population carrying out one of these functions it is desirable to build a statistical model of the four-dimensional (4D) tongue. In this paper, we propose a method to construct a spatio-temporal atlas of tongue motion using magnetic resonance (MR) images acquired from fourteen healthy human subjects. First, cine MR images revealing the anatomical features of the tongue are used to construct a 4D intensity image atlas. Second, tagged MR images acquired to capture internal motion are used to compute a dense motion field at each time frame using a phase-based motion tracking method. Third, motion fields from each subject are pulled back to the cine atlas space using the deformation fields computed during the cine atlas construction. Finally, a spatio-temporal motion field atlas is created to show a sequence of mean motion fields and their inter-subject variation. The quality of the atlas was evaluated by deforming cine images in the atlas space. Comparison between deformed and original cine images showed high correspondence. The proposed method provides a quantitative representation to observe the commonality and variability of the tongue motion field for the first time, and shows potential in evaluation of common properties such as strains and other tensors based on motion fields.

A Four-dimensional Motion Field Atlas of the Tongue from Tagged and Cine Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

PubMed

Xing, Fangxu; Prince, Jerry L; Stone, Maureen; Wedeen, Van J; Fakhri, Georges El; Woo, Jonghye

2017-01-01

Representation of human tongue motion using three-dimensional vector fields over time can be used to better understand tongue function during speech, swallowing, and other lingual behaviors. To characterize the inter-subject variability of the tongue's shape and motion of a population carrying out one of these functions it is desirable to build a statistical model of the four-dimensional (4D) tongue. In this paper, we propose a method to construct a spatio-temporal atlas of tongue motion using magnetic resonance (MR) images acquired from fourteen healthy human subjects. First, cine MR images revealing the anatomical features of the tongue are used to construct a 4D intensity image atlas. Second, tagged MR images acquired to capture internal motion are used to compute a dense motion field at each time frame using a phase-based motion tracking method. Third, motion fields from each subject are pulled back to the cine atlas space using the deformation fields computed during the cine atlas construction. Finally, a spatio-temporal motion field atlas is created to show a sequence of mean motion fields and their inter-subject variation. The quality of the atlas was evaluated by deforming cine images in the atlas space. Comparison between deformed and original cine images showed high correspondence. The proposed method provides a quantitative representation to observe the commonality and variability of the tongue motion field for the first time, and shows potential in evaluation of common properties such as strains and other tensors based on motion fields.

Relationship among Environmental Pointing Accuracy, Mental Rotation, Sex, and Hormones

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bell, Scott; Saucier, Deborah

2004-01-01

Humans rely on internal representations to solve a variety of spatial problems including navigation. Navigation employs specific information to compose a representation of space that is distinct from that obtained through static bird's-eye or horizontal perspectives. The ability to point to on-route locations, off-route locations, and the route…

The Council Estate: Representation, Space and the Potential for Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beswick, Katie

2011-01-01

The image of the archetypal housing estate is often used in popular representation, from documentary and television to music video, to symbolise the urban "grit" of contemporary inner-city life. In the theatre, urban political and "working-class" drama has been set on or around estates in attempts to deconstruct or expose the…

High-Dimensional Semantic Space Accounts of Priming

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Michael N.; Kintsch, Walter; Mewhort, Douglas J. K.

2006-01-01

A broad range of priming data has been used to explore the structure of semantic memory and to test between models of word representation. In this paper, we examine the computational mechanisms required to learn distributed semantic representations for words directly from unsupervised experience with language. To best account for the variety of…

Facilitating the Genesis of Functional Working Spaces in Guided Explorations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miranda, Vicente Carrión; Pluvinage, François; Adjiage, Robert

2016-01-01

Approximating given real-valued functions by affine functions is among the most basic activities with functions. In this study we examine two contexts in which two such approximations are performed. The first involves a microscopic representation of functions for the study of tangents; the second a macroscopic representation of functions for the…

Mental "Space" Travel: Damage to Posterior Parietal Cortex Prevents Egocentric Navigation and Reexperiencing of Remote Spatial Memories

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ciaramelli, Elisa; Rosenbaum, R. Shayna; Solcz, Stephanie; Levine, Brian; Moscovitch, Morris

2010-01-01

The ability to navigate in a familiar environment depends on both an intact mental representation of allocentric spatial information and the integrity of systems supporting complementary egocentric representations. Although the hippocampus has been implicated in learning new allocentric spatial information, converging evidence suggests that the…

Unconstrained handwritten numeral recognition based on radial basis competitive and cooperative networks with spatio-temporal feature representation.

PubMed

Lee, S; Pan, J J

1996-01-01

This paper presents a new approach to representation and recognition of handwritten numerals. The approach first transforms a two-dimensional (2-D) spatial representation of a numeral into a three-dimensional (3-D) spatio-temporal representation by identifying the tracing sequence based on a set of heuristic rules acting as transformation operators. A multiresolution critical-point segmentation method is then proposed to extract local feature points, at varying degrees of scale and coarseness. A new neural network architecture, referred to as radial-basis competitive and cooperative network (RCCN), is presented especially for handwritten numeral recognition. RCCN is a globally competitive and locally cooperative network with the capability of self-organizing hidden units to progressively achieve desired network performance, and functions as a universal approximator of arbitrary input-output mappings. Three types of RCCNs are explored: input-space RCCN (IRCCN), output-space RCCN (ORCCN), and bidirectional RCCN (BRCCN). Experiments against handwritten zip code numerals acquired by the U.S. Postal Service indicated that the proposed method is robust in terms of variations, deformations, transformations, and corruption, achieving about 97% recognition rate.

The neural representation of objects formed through the spatiotemporal integration of visual transients

PubMed Central

Erlikhman, Gennady; Gurariy, Gennadiy; Mruczek, Ryan E.B.; Caplovitz, Gideon P.

2016-01-01

Oftentimes, objects are only partially and transiently visible as parts of them become occluded during observer or object motion. The visual system can integrate such object fragments across space and time into perceptual wholes or spatiotemporal objects. This integrative and dynamic process may involve both ventral and dorsal visual processing pathways, along which shape and spatial representations are thought to arise. We measured fMRI BOLD response to spatiotemporal objects and used multi-voxel pattern analysis (MVPA) to decode shape information across 20 topographic regions of visual cortex. Object identity could be decoded throughout visual cortex, including intermediate (V3A, V3B, hV4, LO1-2,) and dorsal (TO1-2, and IPS0-1) visual areas. Shape-specific information, therefore, may not be limited to early and ventral visual areas, particularly when it is dynamic and must be integrated. Contrary to the classic view that the representation of objects is the purview of the ventral stream, intermediate and dorsal areas may play a distinct and critical role in the construction of object representations across space and time. PMID:27033688

Sensory motor remapping of space in human–machine interfaces

PubMed Central

Mussa-Ivaldi, Ferdinando A.; Casadio, Maura; Danziger, Zachary C.; Mosier, Kristine M.; Scheidt, Robert A.

2012-01-01

Studies of adaptation to patterns of deterministic forces have revealed the ability of the motor control system to form and use predictive representations of the environment. These studies have also pointed out that adaptation to novel dynamics is aimed at preserving the trajectories of a controlled endpoint, either the hand of a subject or a transported object. We review some of these experiments and present more recent studies aimed at understanding how the motor system forms representations of the physical space in which actions take place. An extensive line of investigations in visual information processing has dealt with the issue of how the Euclidean properties of space are recovered from visual signals that do not appear to possess these properties. The same question is addressed here in the context of motor behavior and motor learning by observing how people remap hand gestures and body motions that control the state of an external device. We present some theoretical considerations and experimental evidence about the ability of the nervous system to create novel patterns of coordination that are consistent with the representation of extrapersonal space. We also discuss the perspective of endowing human–machine interfaces with learning algorithms that, combined with human learning, may facilitate the control of powered wheelchairs and other assistive devices. PMID:21741543

Chimpanzees' context-dependent tool use provides evidence for separable representations of hand and tool even during active use within peripersonal space.

PubMed

Povinelli, Daniel J; Reaux, James E; Frey, Scott H

2010-01-01

Considerable attention has been devoted to behaviors in which tools are used to perform actions in extrapersonal space by extending the reach. Evidence suggests that these behaviors result in an expansion of the body schema and peripersonal space. However, humans often use tools to perform tasks within peripersonal space that cannot be accomplished with the hands. In some of these instances (e.g., cooking), a tool is used as a substitute for the hand in order to pursue actions that would otherwise be hazardous. These behaviors suggest that even during the active use of tools, we maintain non-isomorphic representations that distinguish between our hands and handheld tools. Understanding whether such representations are a human specialization is of potentially great relevance to understand the evolutionary history of technological behaviors including the controlled use of fire. We tested six captive adult chimpanzees to determine whether they would elect to use a tool, rather than their hands, when acting in potentially hazardous vs. nonhazardous circumstances located within reach. Their behavior suggests that, like humans, chimpanzees represent the distinction between the hand vs. tool even during active use. We discuss the implications of this evidence for our understanding of tool use and its evolution.

Gender in facial representations: a contrast-based study of adaptation within and between the sexes.

PubMed

Oruç, Ipek; Guo, Xiaoyue M; Barton, Jason J S

2011-01-18

Face aftereffects are proving to be an effective means of examining the properties of face-specific processes in the human visual system. We examined the role of gender in the neural representation of faces using a contrast-based adaptation method. If faces of different genders share the same representational face space, then adaptation to a face of one gender should affect both same- and different-gender faces. Further, if these aftereffects differ in magnitude, this may indicate distinct gender-related factors in the organization of this face space. To control for a potential confound between physical similarity and gender, we used a Bayesian ideal observer and human discrimination data to construct a stimulus set in which pairs of different-gender faces were equally dissimilar as same-gender pairs. We found that the recognition of both same-gender and different-gender faces was suppressed following a brief exposure of 100 ms. Moreover, recognition was more suppressed for test faces of a different-gender than those of the same-gender as the adaptor, despite the equivalence in physical and psychophysical similarity. Our results suggest that male and female faces likely occupy the same face space, allowing transfer of aftereffects between the genders, but that there are special properties that emerge along gender-defining dimensions of this space.

The vestibular system: a spatial reference for bodily self-consciousness

PubMed Central

Pfeiffer, Christian; Serino, Andrea; Blanke, Olaf

2014-01-01

Self-consciousness is the remarkable human experience of being a subject: the “I”. Self-consciousness is typically bound to a body, and particularly to the spatial dimensions of the body, as well as to its location and displacement in the gravitational field. Because the vestibular system encodes head position and movement in three-dimensional space, vestibular cortical processing likely contributes to spatial aspects of bodily self-consciousness. We review here recent data showing vestibular effects on first-person perspective (the feeling from where “I” experience the world) and self-location (the feeling where “I” am located in space). We compare these findings to data showing vestibular effects on mental spatial transformation, self-motion perception, and body representation showing vestibular contributions to various spatial representations of the body with respect to the external world. Finally, we discuss the role for four posterior brain regions that process vestibular and other multisensory signals to encode spatial aspects of bodily self-consciousness: temporoparietal junction, parietoinsular vestibular cortex, ventral intraparietal region, and medial superior temporal region. We propose that vestibular processing in these cortical regions is critical in linking multisensory signals from the body (personal and peripersonal space) with external (extrapersonal) space. Therefore, the vestibular system plays a critical role for neural representations of spatial aspects of bodily self-consciousness. PMID:24860446

Higher Dimensional Spacetimes for Visualizing and Modeling Subluminal, Luminal and Superluminal Flight

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Froning, H. David; Meholic, Gregory V.

2010-01-28

This paper briefly explores higher dimensional spacetimes that extend Meholic's visualizable, fluidic views of: subluminal-luminal-superluminal flight; gravity, inertia, light quanta, and electromagnetism from 2-D to 3-D representations. Although 3-D representations have the potential to better model features of Meholic's most fundamental entities (Transluminal Energy Quantum) and of the zero-point quantum vacuum that pervades all space, the more complex 3-D representations loose some of the clarity of Meholic's 2-D representations of subluminal and superlumimal realms. So, much new work would be needed to replace Meholic's 2-D views of reality with 3-D ones.

Representation of the Auroral and Polar Ionosphere in the International Reference Ionosphere (IRI)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bilitza, Dieter; Reinisch, Bodo

2013-01-01

This issue of Advances in Space Research presents a selection of papers that document the progress in developing and improving the International Reference Ionosphere (IRI), a widely used standard for the parameters that describe the Earths ionosphere. The core set of papers was presented during the 2010 General Assembly of the Committee on Space Research in Bremen, Germany in a session that focused on the representation of the auroral and polar ionosphere in the IRI model. In addition, papers were solicited and submitted from the scientific community in a general call for appropriate papers.

Spinors in Hilbert Space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Plymen, Roger; Robinson, Paul

1995-01-01

Infinite-dimensional Clifford algebras and their Fock representations originated in the quantum mechanical study of electrons. In this book, the authors give a definitive account of the various Clifford algebras over a real Hilbert space and of their Fock representations. A careful consideration of the latter's transformation properties under Bogoliubov automorphisms leads to the restricted orthogonal group. From there, a study of inner Bogoliubov automorphisms enables the authors to construct infinite-dimensional spin groups. Apart from assuming a basic background in functional analysis and operator algebras, the presentation is self-contained with complete proofs, many of which offer a fresh perspective on the subject.

A time-frequency approach for the analysis of normal and arrhythmia cardiac signals.

PubMed

Mahmoud, Seedahmed S; Fang, Qiang; Davidović, Dragomir M; Cosic, Irena

2006-01-01

Previously, electrocardiogram (ECG) signals have been analyzed in either a time-indexed or spectral form. The reality, is that the ECG and all other biological signals belong to the family of multicomponent nonstationary signals. Due to this reason, the use of time-frequency analysis can be unavoidable for these signals. The Husimi and Wigner distributions are normally used in quantum mechanics for phase space representations of the wavefunction. In this paper, we introduce the Husimi distribution (HD) to analyze the normal and abnormal ECG signals in time-frequency domain. The abnormal cardiac signal was taken from a patient with supraventricular arrhythmia. Simulation results show that the HD has a good performance in the analysis of the ECG signals comparing with the Wigner-Ville distribution (WVD).

Supersymmetric black holes and Freudenthal duality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marrani, Alessio; Mandal, Taniya; Tripathy, Prasanta K.

2017-07-01

We study the effect of Freudenthal duality on supersymmetric extremal black hole attractors in 𝒩 = 2, D = 4 ungauged supergravity. Freudenthal duality acts on the dyonic black hole charges as an anti-involution which keeps the black hole entropy and the critical points of the effective black hole potential invariant. We analyze its effect on the recently discovered distinct, mutually exclusive phases of axionic supersymmetric black holes, related to the existence of nontrivial involutory constant matrices. In particular, we consider a supersymmetric D0 - D4 - D6 black hole and we explicitly Freudenthal-map it to a supersymmetric D0 - D2 - D4 - D6 black hole. We thus show that the charge representation space of a supersymmetric D0 - D2 - D4 - D6 black hole also contains mutually exclusive domains.

Noncommutative coherent states and related aspects of Berezin-Toeplitz quantization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hasibul Hassan Chowdhury, S.; Twareque Ali, S.; Engliš, Miroslav

2017-05-01

In this paper, we construct noncommutative coherent states using various families of unitary irreducible representations (UIRs) of Gnc , a connected, simply connected nilpotent Lie group, which was identified as the kinematical symmetry group of noncommutative quantum mechanics for a system of two degrees of freedom in an earlier paper. Similarly described are the degenerate noncommutative coherent states arising from the degenerate UIRs of Gnc . We then compute the reproducing kernels associated with both these families of coherent states and study the Berezin-Toeplitz quantization of the observables on the underlying 4-dimensional phase space, analyzing in particular the semi-classical asymptotics for both these cases. Dedicated by the first and the third authors to the memory of the second author, with gratitude for his friendship and for all they learnt from him.

Harmonic Fourier beads method for studying rare events on rugged energy surfaces.

PubMed

Khavrutskii, Ilja V; Arora, Karunesh; Brooks, Charles L

2006-11-07

We present a robust, distributable method for computing minimum free energy paths of large molecular systems with rugged energy landscapes. The method, which we call harmonic Fourier beads (HFB), exploits the Fourier representation of a path in an appropriate coordinate space and proceeds iteratively by evolving a discrete set of harmonically restrained path points-beads-to generate positions for the next path. The HFB method does not require explicit knowledge of the free energy to locate the path. To compute the free energy profile along the final path we employ an umbrella sampling method in two generalized dimensions. The proposed HFB method is anticipated to aid the study of rare events in biomolecular systems. Its utility is demonstrated with an application to conformational isomerization of the alanine dipeptide in gas phase.

RPA treatment of a motivated QCD Hamiltonian in the SO(4) (2 + 1)-flavor limit: Light and strange mesons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yepez-Martinez, Tochtli; Civitarese, Osvaldo; Hess, Peter O.

The SO(4) symmetry of a sector of the quantum chromodynamics (QCD) Hamiltonian was analyzed in a previous work. The numerical calculations were then restricted to a particle-hole (ph) space and the comparison with experimental data was reasonable in spite of the complexity of the QCD spectrum at low energy. Here on, we continue along this line of research and show our new results of the treatment of the QCD Hamiltonian in the SO(4) representation, including ground state correlations by means of the Random Phase Approximation (RPA). We are able to identify, within this model, states which may be associated to physical pseudo-scalar and vector mesons, like η,η‧,K,ρ,ω,ϕ, as well as the pion (π).

Toda Systems, Cluster Characters, and Spectral Networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Williams, Harold

2016-11-01

We show that the Hamiltonians of the open relativistic Toda system are elements of the generic basis of a cluster algebra, and in particular are cluster characters of nonrigid representations of a quiver with potential. Using cluster coordinates defined via spectral networks, we identify the phase space of this system with the wild character variety related to the periodic nonrelativistic Toda system by the wild nonabelian Hodge correspondence. We show that this identification takes the relativistic Toda Hamiltonians to traces of holonomies around a simple closed curve. In particular, this provides nontrivial examples of cluster coordinates on SL n -character varieties for n > 2 where canonical functions associated to simple closed curves can be computed in terms of quivers with potential, extending known results in the SL 2 case.

Continuum Vlasov Simulation in Four Phase-space Dimensions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cohen, B. I.; Banks, J. W.; Berger, R. L.; Hittinger, J. A.; Brunner, S.

2010-11-01

In the VALHALLA project, we are developing scalable algorithms for the continuum solution of the Vlasov-Maxwell equations in two spatial and two velocity dimensions. We use fourth-order temporal and spatial discretizations of the conservative form of the equations and a finite-volume representation to enable adaptive mesh refinement and nonlinear oscillation control [1]. The code has been implemented with and without adaptive mesh refinement, and with electromagnetic and electrostatic field solvers. A goal is to study the efficacy of continuum Vlasov simulations in four phase-space dimensions for laser-plasma interactions. We have verified the code in examples such as the two-stream instability, the weak beam-plasma instability, Landau damping, electron plasma waves with electron trapping and nonlinear frequency shifts [2]^ extended from 1D to 2D propagation, and light wave propagation.^ We will report progress on code development, computational methods, and physics applications. This work was performed under the auspices of the U.S. DOE by LLNL under contract no. DE-AC52-07NA27344. This work was funded by the Lab. Dir. Res. and Dev. Prog. at LLNL under project tracking code 08-ERD-031. [1] J.W. Banks and J.A.F. Hittinger, to appear in IEEE Trans. Plas. Sci. (Sept., 2010). [2] G.J. Morales and T.M. O'Neil, Phys. Rev. Lett. 28,417 (1972); R. L. Dewar, Phys. Fluids 15,712 (1972).

Energy dissipation in the blade tip region of an axial fan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bizjan, B.; Milavec, M.; Širok, B.; Trenc, F.; Hočevar, M.

2016-11-01

A study of velocity and pressure fluctuations in the tip clearance flow of an axial fan is presented in this paper. Two different rotor blade tip designs were investigated: the standard one with straight blade tips and the modified one with swept-back tip winglets. Comparison of integral sound parameters indicates a significant noise level reduction for the modified blade tip design. To study the underlying mechanisms of the energy conversion and noise generation, a novel experimental method based on simultaneous measurements of local flow velocity and pressure has also been developed and is presented here. The method is based on the phase space analysis by the use of attractors, which enable more accurate identification and determination of the local flow structures and turbulent flow properties. Specific gap flow energy derived from the pressure and velocity time series was introduced as an additional attractor parameter to assess the flow energy distribution and dissipation within the phase space, and thus determines characteristic sources of the fan acoustic emission. The attractors reveal a more efficient conversion of the pressure to kinetic flow energy in the case of the modified (tip winglet) fan blade design, and also a reduction in emitted noise levels. The findings of the attractor analysis are in a good agreement with integral fan characteristics (efficiency and noise level), while offering a much more accurate and detailed representation of gap flow phenomena.

Full dyon excitation spectrum in extended Levin-Wen models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Yuting; Geer, Nathan; Wu, Yong-Shi

2018-05-01

In Levin-Wen (LW) models, a wide class of exactly solvable discrete models, for two-dimensional topological phases, it is relatively easy to describe only single-fluxon excitations, but not the charge and dyonic as well as many-fluxon excitations. To incorporate charged and dyonic excitations in (doubled) topological phases, an extension of the LW models is proposed in this paper. We first enlarge the Hilbert space with adding a tail on one of the edges of each trivalent vertex to describe the internal charge degrees of freedom at the vertex. Then, we study the full dyon spectrum of the extended LW models, including both quantum numbers and wave functions for dyonic quasiparticle excitations. The local operators associated with the dyonic excitations are shown to form the so-called tube algebra, whose representations (modules) form the quantum double (categoric center) of the input data (unitary fusion category). In physically relevant cases, the input data are from a finite or quantum group (with braiding R matrices), and we find that the elementary excitations (or dyon species), as well as any localized/isolated excited states, are characterized by three quantum numbers: charge, fluxon type, and twist. They provide a "complete basis" for many-body states in the enlarged Hilbert space. Concrete examples are presented and the relevance of our results to the electric-magnetic duality existing in the models is addressed.

The Cacophony of Space and the Clink Clunk Clang in Architecture The mall corridor redux

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cipriano, Nolan

The element of sound is nearly inescapable. The various ways in which sound is generated, perceived, represented, and hindered resonates not only within the realm of the auditory sense, but as well as the visual and tactile. Through investigating the representation of sound, both in the aural and visual worlds, a deeper understanding of its profound effects can be observed. In the world of architectural space it is the element of sound that is often forgotten, whereas the sonic nature of a space is not designed. This thesis endeavours to examine how, through a comprehensive understanding of the various facets of sound representations, effects, and history, it can inform specifically designed sonorously beneficial spaces that directly reflect and support their purpose. This notion will be explored through the redesign of the shopping-mall corridor within the heritage structure of the Ogilvy Building in Ottawa, Ontario. Through adaptive architecture, the possibility exists to create a subjective aural space.

Costs and benefits of tool-use on the perception of reachable space.

PubMed

Bourgeois, Jérémy; Farnè, Alessandro; Coello, Yann

2014-05-01

Previous studies have shown that using a tool modifies in a short time-scale both near-body space perception and arm-length representation in the body schema. However, to date no research has specifically investigated the effect of tool-use on an action-related perceptual task. We report here a study assessing the effect of tool-use on the perception of reachable space for perceptual estimates made in reference to either the tool or the hand. Using the tool on distal objects resulted in an extension of perceived reachable space with the tool and reduced the variability of reachability estimates. Tool use also extended perceived reachable space with the hand, but with a concomitant increase of the variability of reachability estimates. These findings suggest that tool incorporation into the represented arm following tool-use improves the anticipation of action possibilities with the tool, while hand representation becomes less accurate. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Dioptric power: its nature and its representation in three- and four-dimensional space.

PubMed

Harris, W F

1997-06-01

Dioptric power expressed in the familiar three-component form of sphere, cylinder, and axis is unsuited to mathematical and statistical treatments; there is a particular class of power that cannot be represented in the familiar form; and it is possible that sphere, cylinder, and axis will prove inadequate in future clinical and research applications in optometry and ophthalmology. Dioptric power expressed as the four-component dioptric power matrix, however, overcomes these shortcomings. The intention in this paper is to provide a definitive statement on the nature, function, and mathematical representation of dioptric power in terms of the matrix and within the limitations of paraxial or linear optics. The approach is universal in the sense that its point of departure is not power of the familiar form (that is, of thin systems) but of systems in general (thick or thin). Familiar types of power are then seen within the context of power in general. Dioptric power is defined, for systems that may be thick and astigmatic, in terms of the ray transfer matrix. A functional definition is presented for dioptric power and its components: it defines the additive contribution of incident position to emergent direction of a ray passing through the system. For systems that are thin (or thin-equivalent) it becomes possible to describe an alternative and more familiar function; for such systems dioptric power can be regarded as the increase in reduced surface curvature of a wavefront brought about by the system as the wavefront passes through it. The curvital and torsional components of the power are explored in some detail. Dioptric power, at its most general, defines a four-dimensional inner product space called dioptric power space. The familiar types of power define a three-dimensional subspace called symmetric dioptric power space. For completeness a one-dimensional antisymmetric power space is also defined: it is orthogonal in four dimensions to symmetric dioptric power space. Various bases are defined for the spaces as are coordinate vectors with respect to them. Vectorial representations of power in the literature apply only to thin systems and are not obviously generalizable to systems in general. They are shown to be merely different coordinate representations of the same subspace, the space of symmetric powers. Some of the uses and disadvantages of the different representations are described. None of the coordinate vectors fully represent, by themselves, the essential character of dioptric power. Their use is limited to applications, such as finding a mean, where addition and scalar multiplication are involved. The full character of power is represented by the dioptric power matrix; it is in this form that power is appropriate for all mathematical relationships.

Gender Representation and Social Justice: Ideology, Methodology and Smoke-Screens

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lumby, Jacky

2011-01-01

A number of researchers have provided an overview of the progress of research focusing on gender and educational leadership/management in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Some cast studies of representation as an early phase overtaken by later concern with phenomenological and radical perspectives. More recently, a focus on women and…

Developing Explanations and Developing Understanding: Students Explain the Phases of the Moon Using Visual Representations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parnafes, Orit

2012-01-01

This article presents a theoretical model of the process by which students construct and elaborate explanations of scientific phenomena using visual representations. The model describes progress in the underlying conceptual processes in students' explanations as a reorganization of fine-grained knowledge elements based on the Knowledge in Pieces…

Gaining Insight by Transforming between Temporal Representations of Human Interaction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lund, Kristine; Quignard, Matthieu; Shaffer, David Williamson

2017-01-01

Recordings of human interaction data can be organized into temporal representations with different affordances. We use audio data of a learning-related discussion analyzed for its low-level emotional indicators and divided into four phases, each characterized by an overarching emotion. After arguing for the relevance of emotion to learning, we…

Cognitive mechanisms of insight: the role of heuristics and representational change in solving the eight-coin problem.

PubMed

Öllinger, Michael; Jones, Gary; Faber, Amory H; Knoblich, Günther

2013-05-01

The 8-coin insight problem requires the problem solver to move 2 coins so that each coin touches exactly 3 others. Ormerod, MacGregor, and Chronicle (2002) explained differences in task performance across different versions of the 8-coin problem using the availability of particular moves in a 2-dimensional search space. We explored 2 further explanations by developing 6 new versions of the 8-coin problem in order to investigate the influence of grouping and self-imposed constraints on solutions. The results identified 2 sources of problem difficulty: first, the necessity to overcome the constraint that a solution can be found in 2-dimensional space and, second, the necessity to decompose perceptual groupings. A detailed move analysis suggested that the selection of moves was driven by the established representation rather than the application of the appropriate heuristics. Both results support the assumptions of representational change theory (Ohlsson, 1992).

The spatial representation of power in children.

PubMed

Lu, Lifeng; Schubert, Thomas W; Zhu, Lei

2017-11-01

Previous evidence demonstrates that power is mentally represented as vertical space by adults. However, little is known about how power is mentally represented in children. The current research examines such representations. The influence of vertical information (motor cues) was tested in both an explicit power evaluation task (judge whether labels refer to powerless or powerful groups) and an incidental task (judge whether labels refer to people or animals). The results showed that when power was explicitly evaluated, vertical motor responses interfered with responding in children and adults, i.e., they responded to words representing powerful groups faster with the up than the down cursor key (and vice versa for powerless groups). However, this interference effect disappeared in the incidental task in children. The findings suggest that children have developed a spatial representation of power before they have been taught power-space associations formally, but that they do not judge power spontaneously.

Widespread correlation patterns of fMRI signal across visual cortex reflect eccentricity organization.

PubMed

Arcaro, Michael J; Honey, Christopher J; Mruczek, Ryan E B; Kastner, Sabine; Hasson, Uri

2015-02-19

The human visual system can be divided into over two-dozen distinct areas, each of which contains a topographic map of the visual field. A fundamental question in vision neuroscience is how the visual system integrates information from the environment across different areas. Using neuroimaging, we investigated the spatial pattern of correlated BOLD signal across eight visual areas on data collected during rest conditions and during naturalistic movie viewing. The correlation pattern between areas reflected the underlying receptive field organization with higher correlations between cortical sites containing overlapping representations of visual space. In addition, the correlation pattern reflected the underlying widespread eccentricity organization of visual cortex, in which the highest correlations were observed for cortical sites with iso-eccentricity representations including regions with non-overlapping representations of visual space. This eccentricity-based correlation pattern appears to be part of an intrinsic functional architecture that supports the integration of information across functionally specialized visual areas.

Exploring children's face-space: a multidimensional scaling analysis of the mental representation of facial identity.

PubMed

Nishimura, Mayu; Maurer, Daphne; Gao, Xiaoqing

2009-07-01

We explored differences in the mental representation of facial identity between 8-year-olds and adults. The 8-year-olds and adults made similarity judgments of a homogeneous set of faces (individual hair cues removed) using an "odd-man-out" paradigm. Multidimensional scaling (MDS) analyses were performed to represent perceived similarity of faces in a multidimensional space. Five dimensions accounted optimally for the judgments of both children and adults, with similar local clustering of faces. However, the fit of the MDS solutions was better for adults, in part because children's responses were more variable. More children relied predominantly on a single dimension, namely eye color, whereas adults appeared to use multiple dimensions for each judgment. The pattern of findings suggests that children's mental representation of faces has a structure similar to that of adults but that children's judgments are influenced less consistently by that overall structure.

Adolescent Girls' Representations of Their Genital Inner Space.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Amann-Gainotti, Merete; And Others

1989-01-01

Examined relationship between representative modalities of genital inner space and identity formation in adolescent girls (N=275) aged 11 to 18 years by asking them to draw the inside of their bodies and their sexual organs. Found structuration and integration of genital inner space in the body image was a slow developmental process. (Author/ABL)

A path-oriented matrix-based knowledge representation system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Feyock, Stefan; Karamouzis, Stamos T.

1993-01-01

Experience has shown that designing a good representation is often the key to turning hard problems into simple ones. Most AI (Artificial Intelligence) search/representation techniques are oriented toward an infinite domain of objects and arbitrary relations among them. In reality much of what needs to be represented in AI can be expressed using a finite domain and unary or binary predicates. Well-known vector- and matrix-based representations can efficiently represent finite domains and unary/binary predicates, and allow effective extraction of path information by generalized transitive closure/path matrix computations. In order to avoid space limitations a set of abstract sparse matrix data types was developed along with a set of operations on them. This representation forms the basis of an intelligent information system for representing and manipulating relational data.

Third Conference on Artificial Intelligence for Space Applications, part 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Denton, Judith S. (Compiler); Freeman, Michael S. (Compiler); Vereen, Mary (Compiler)

1987-01-01

The application of artificial intelligence to spacecraft and aerospace systems is discussed. Expert systems, robotics, space station automation, fault diagnostics, parallel processing, knowledge representation, scheduling, man-machine interfaces and neural nets are among the topics discussed.

Adaptive Sparse Representation for Source Localization with Gain/Phase Errors

PubMed Central

Sun, Ke; Liu, Yimin; Meng, Huadong; Wang, Xiqin

2011-01-01

Sparse representation (SR) algorithms can be implemented for high-resolution direction of arrival (DOA) estimation. Additionally, SR can effectively separate the coherent signal sources because the spectrum estimation is based on the optimization technique, such as the L1 norm minimization, but not on subspace orthogonality. However, in the actual source localization scenario, an unknown gain/phase error between the array sensors is inevitable. Due to this nonideal factor, the predefined overcomplete basis mismatches the actual array manifold so that the estimation performance is degraded in SR. In this paper, an adaptive SR algorithm is proposed to improve the robustness with respect to the gain/phase error, where the overcomplete basis is dynamically adjusted using multiple snapshots and the sparse solution is adaptively acquired to match with the actual scenario. The simulation results demonstrate the estimation robustness to the gain/phase error using the proposed method. PMID:22163875

Memory as Perception of the Past: Compressed Time inMind and Brain.

PubMed

Howard, Marc W

2018-02-01

In the visual system retinal space is compressed such that acuity decreases further from the fovea. Different forms of memory may rely on a compressed representation of time, manifested as decreased accuracy for events that happened further in the past. Neurophysiologically, "time cells" show receptive fields in time. Analogous to the compression of visual space, time cells show less acuity for events further in the past. Behavioral evidence suggests memory can be accessed by scanning a compressed temporal representation, analogous to visual search. This suggests a common computational language for visual attention and memory retrieval. In this view, time functions like a scaffolding that organizes memories in much the same way that retinal space functions like a scaffolding for visual perception. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Intrinsic and Extrinsic Evaluation of Spatiotemporal Text Representations in Twitter Streams

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Phillips, Lawrence A.; Shaffer, Kyle J.; Arendt, Dustin L.

Language in social media is a dynamic system, constantly evolving and adapting, with words and concepts rapidly emerging, disappearing, and changing their meaning. These changes can be estimated using word representations in context, over time and across locations. A number of methods have been proposed to track these spatiotemporal changes but no general method exists to evaluate the quality of these representations. Previous work largely focused on qualitative evaluation, which we improve by proposing a set of visualizations that highlight changes in text representation over both space and time. We demonstrate usefulness of novel spatiotemporal representations to explore and characterizemore » specific aspects of the corpus of tweets collected from European countries over a two-week period centered around the terrorist attacks in Brussels in March 2016. In addition, we quantitatively evaluate spatiotemporal representations by feeding them into a downstream classification task – event type prediction. Thus, our work is the first to provide both intrinsic (qualitative) and extrinsic (quantitative) evaluation of text representations for spatiotemporal trends.« less

Adaptable Constrained Genetic Programming: Extensions and Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Janikow, Cezary Z.

2005-01-01

An evolutionary algorithm applies evolution-based principles to problem solving. To solve a problem, the user defines the space of potential solutions, the representation space. Sample solutions are encoded in a chromosome-like structure. The algorithm maintains a population of such samples, which undergo simulated evolution by means of mutation, crossover, and survival of the fittest principles. Genetic Programming (GP) uses tree-like chromosomes, providing very rich representation suitable for many problems of interest. GP has been successfully applied to a number of practical problems such as learning Boolean functions and designing hardware circuits. To apply GP to a problem, the user needs to define the actual representation space, by defining the atomic functions and terminals labeling the actual trees. The sufficiency principle requires that the label set be sufficient to build the desired solution trees. The closure principle allows the labels to mix in any arity-consistent manner. To satisfy both principles, the user is often forced to provide a large label set, with ad hoc interpretations or penalties to deal with undesired local contexts. This unfortunately enlarges the actual representation space, and thus usually slows down the search. In the past few years, three different methodologies have been proposed to allow the user to alleviate the closure principle by providing means to define, and to process, constraints on mixing the labels in the trees. Last summer we proposed a new methodology to further alleviate the problem by discovering local heuristics for building quality solution trees. A pilot system was implemented last summer and tested throughout the year. This summer we have implemented a new revision, and produced a User's Manual so that the pilot system can be made available to other practitioners and researchers. We have also designed, and partly implemented, a larger system capable of dealing with much more powerful heuristics.

Spatiotemporal Object History Affects the Selection of Task-Relevant Properties

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schreij, Daniel; Olivers, Christian N. L.

2013-01-01

For stable perception, we maintain mental representations of objects across space and time. What information is linked to such a representation? In this study, we extended our work showing that the spatiotemporal history of an object affects the way the object is attended the next time it is encountered. Observers conducted a visual search for a…