An OpenMI Implementation of a Water Resources System using Simple Script Wrappers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Steward, D. R.; Aistrup, J. A.; Kulcsar, L.; Peterson, J. M.; Welch, S. M.; Andresen, D.; Bernard, E. A.; Staggenborg, S. A.; Bulatewicz, T.

2013-12-01

This team has developed an adaption of the Open Modelling Interface (OpenMI) that utilizes Simple Script Wrappers. Code is made OpenMI compliant through organization within three modules that initialize, perform time steps, and finalize results. A configuration file is prepared that specifies variables a model expects to receive as input and those it will make available as output. An example is presented for groundwater, economic, and agricultural production models in the High Plains Aquifer region of Kansas. Our models use the programming environments in Scilab and Matlab, along with legacy Fortran code, and our Simple Script Wrappers can also use Python. These models are collectively run within this interdisciplinary framework from initial conditions into the future. It will be shown that by applying model constraints to one model, the impact may be accessed on changes to the water resources system.

Manipulators with flexible links: A simple model and experiments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shimoyama, Isao; Oppenheim, Irving J.

1989-01-01

A simple dynamic model proposed for flexible links is briefly reviewed and experimental control results are presented for different flexible systems. A simple dynamic model is useful for rapid prototyping of manipulators and their control systems, for possible application to manipulator design decisions, and for real time computation as might be applied in model based or feedforward control. Such a model is proposed, with the further advantage that clear physical arguments and explanations can be associated with its simplifying features and with its resulting analytical properties. The model is mathematically equivalent to Rayleigh's method. Taking the example of planar bending, the approach originates in its choice of two amplitude variables, typically chosen as the link end rotations referenced to the chord (or the tangent) motion of the link. This particular choice is key in establishing the advantageous features of the model, and it was used to support the series of experiments reported.

The application of sensitivity analysis to models of large scale physiological systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leonard, J. I.

1974-01-01

A survey of the literature of sensitivity analysis as it applies to biological systems is reported as well as a brief development of sensitivity theory. A simple population model and a more complex thermoregulatory model illustrate the investigatory techniques and interpretation of parameter sensitivity analysis. The role of sensitivity analysis in validating and verifying models, and in identifying relative parameter influence in estimating errors in model behavior due to uncertainty in input data is presented. This analysis is valuable to the simulationist and the experimentalist in allocating resources for data collection. A method for reducing highly complex, nonlinear models to simple linear algebraic models that could be useful for making rapid, first order calculations of system behavior is presented.

Landau-Zener transitions and Dykhne formula in a simple continuum model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dunham, Yujin; Garmon, Savannah

The Landau-Zener model describing the interaction between two linearly driven discrete levels is useful in describing many simple dynamical systems; however, no system is completely isolated from the surrounding environment. Here we examine a generalizations of the original Landau-Zener model to study simple environmental influences. We consider a model in which one of the discrete levels is replaced with a energy continuum, in which we find that the survival probability for the initially occupied diabatic level is unaffected by the presence of the continuum. This result can be predicted by assuming that each step in the evolution for the diabatic state evolves independently according to the Landau-Zener formula, even in the continuum limit. We also show that, at least for the simplest model, this result can also be predicted with the natural generalization of the Dykhne formula for open systems. We also observe dissipation as the non-escape probability from the discrete levels is no longer equal to one.

Simple Climate Model Evaluation Using Impulse Response Tests

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schwarber, A.; Hartin, C.; Smith, S. J.

2017-12-01

Simple climate models (SCMs) are central tools used to incorporate climate responses into human-Earth system modeling. SCMs are computationally inexpensive, making them an ideal tool for a variety of analyses, including consideration of uncertainty. Despite their wide use, many SCMs lack rigorous testing of their fundamental responses to perturbations. Here, following recommendations of a recent National Academy of Sciences report, we compare several SCMs (Hector-deoclim, MAGICC 5.3, MAGICC 6.0, and the IPCC AR5 impulse response function) to diagnose model behavior and understand the fundamental system responses within each model. We conduct stylized perturbations (emissions and forcing/concentration) of three different chemical species: CO2, CH4, and BC. We find that all 4 models respond similarly in terms of overall shape, however, there are important differences in the timing and magnitude of the responses. For example, the response to a BC pulse differs over the first 20 years after the pulse among the models, a finding that is due to differences in model structure. Such perturbation experiments are difficult to conduct in complex models due to internal model noise, making a direct comparison with simple models challenging. We can, however, compare the simplified model response from a 4xCO2 step experiment to the same stylized experiment carried out by CMIP5 models, thereby testing the ability of SCMs to emulate complex model results. This work allows an assessment of how well current understanding of Earth system responses are incorporated into multi-model frameworks by way of simple climate models.

Mathematical model for steady state, simple ampholyte isoelectric focusing: Development, computer simulation and implementation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Palusinski, O. A.; Allgyer, T. T.

1979-01-01

The elimination of Ampholine from the system by establishing the pH gradient with simple ampholytes is proposed. A mathematical model was exercised at the level of the two-component system by using values for mobilities, diffusion coefficients, and dissociation constants representative of glutamic acid and histidine. The constants assumed in the calculations are reported. The predictions of the model and computer simulation of isoelectric focusing experiments are in direct importance to obtain Ampholine-free, stable pH gradients.

Modeling the stylized facts in finance through simple nonlinear adaptive systems

PubMed Central

Hommes, Cars H.

2002-01-01

Recent work on adaptive systems for modeling financial markets is discussed. Financial markets are viewed as evolutionary systems between different, competing trading strategies. Agents are boundedly rational in the sense that they tend to follow strategies that have performed well, according to realized profits or accumulated wealth, in the recent past. Simple technical trading rules may survive evolutionary competition in a heterogeneous world where prices and beliefs co-evolve over time. Evolutionary models can explain important stylized facts, such as fat tails, clustered volatility, and long memory, of real financial series. PMID:12011401

Significance of modeling internal damping in the control of structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Banks, H. T.; Inman, D. J.

1992-01-01

Several simple systems are examined to illustrate the importance of the estimation of damping parameters in closed-loop system performance and stability. The negative effects of unmodeled damping are particularly pronounced in systems that do not use collocated sensors and actuators. An example is considered for which even the actuators (a tip jet nozzle and flexible hose) for a simple beam produce significant damping which, if ignored, results in a model that cannot yield a reasonable time response using physically meaningful parameter values. It is concluded that correct damping modeling is essential in structure control.

Wave cybernetics: A simple model of wave-controlled nonlinear and nonlocal cooperative phenomena

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yasue, Kunio

1988-09-01

A simple theoretical description of nonlinear and nonlocal cooperative phenomena is presented in which the global control mechanism of the whole system is given by the tuned-wave propagation. It provides us with an interesting universal scheme of systematization in physical and biological systems called wave cybernetics, and may be understood as a model realizing Bohm's idea of implicate order in natural philosophy.

Stimulation from Simulation? A Teaching Model of Hillslope Hydrology for Use on Microcomputers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burt, Tim; Butcher, Dave

1986-01-01

The design and use of a simple computer model which simulates a hillslope hydrology is described in a teaching context. The model shows a relatively complex environmental system can be constructed on the basis of a simple but realistic theory, thus allowing students to simulate the hydrological response of real hillslopes. (Author/TRS)

Model validation of simple-graph representations of metabolism

PubMed Central

Holme, Petter

2009-01-01

The large-scale properties of chemical reaction systems, such as metabolism, can be studied with graph-based methods. To do this, one needs to reduce the information, lists of chemical reactions, available in databases. Even for the simplest type of graph representation, this reduction can be done in several ways. We investigate different simple network representations by testing how well they encode information about one biologically important network structure—network modularity (the propensity for edges to be clustered into dense groups that are sparsely connected between each other). To achieve this goal, we design a model of reaction systems where network modularity can be controlled and measure how well the reduction to simple graphs captures the modular structure of the model reaction system. We find that the network types that best capture the modular structure of the reaction system are substrate–product networks (where substrates are linked to products of a reaction) and substance networks (with edges between all substances participating in a reaction). Furthermore, we argue that the proposed model for reaction systems with tunable clustering is a general framework for studies of how reaction systems are affected by modularity. To this end, we investigate statistical properties of the model and find, among other things, that it recreates correlations between degree and mass of the molecules. PMID:19158012

Comparative system identification of flower tracking performance in three hawkmoth species reveals adaptations for dim light vision.

PubMed

Stöckl, Anna L; Kihlström, Klara; Chandler, Steven; Sponberg, Simon

2017-04-05

Flight control in insects is heavily dependent on vision. Thus, in dim light, the decreased reliability of visual signal detection also prompts consequences for insect flight. We have an emerging understanding of the neural mechanisms that different species employ to adapt the visual system to low light. However, much less explored are comparative analyses of how low light affects the flight behaviour of insect species, and the corresponding links between physiological adaptations and behaviour. We investigated whether the flower tracking behaviour of three hawkmoth species with different diel activity patterns revealed luminance-dependent adaptations, using a system identification approach. We found clear luminance-dependent differences in flower tracking in all three species, which were explained by a simple luminance-dependent delay model, which generalized across species. We discuss physiological and anatomical explanations for the variance in tracking responses, which could not be explained by such simple models. Differences between species could not be explained by the simple delay model. However, in several cases, they could be explained through the addition on a second model parameter, a simple scaling term, that captures the responsiveness of each species to flower movements. Thus, we demonstrate here that much of the variance in the luminance-dependent flower tracking responses of hawkmoths with different diel activity patterns can be captured by simple models of neural processing.This article is part of the themed issue 'Vision in dim light'. © 2017 The Author(s).

Two simple models of classical heat pumps.

PubMed

Marathe, Rahul; Jayannavar, A M; Dhar, Abhishek

2007-03-01

Motivated by recent studies of models of particle and heat quantum pumps, we study similar simple classical models and examine the possibility of heat pumping. Unlike many of the usual ratchet models of molecular engines, the models we study do not have particle transport. We consider a two-spin system and a coupled oscillator system which exchange heat with multiple heat reservoirs and which are acted upon by periodic forces. The simplicity of our models allows accurate numerical and exact solutions and unambiguous interpretation of results. We demonstrate that while both our models seem to be built on similar principles, one is able to function as a heat pump (or engine) while the other is not.

Accounting For Gains And Orientations In Polarimetric SAR

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Freeman, Anthony

1992-01-01

Calibration method accounts for characteristics of real radar equipment invalidating standard 2 X 2 complex-amplitude R (receiving) and T (transmitting) matrices. Overall gain in each combination of transmitting and receiving channels assumed different even when only one transmitter and one receiver used. One characterizes departure of polarimetric Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) system from simple 2 X 2 model in terms of single parameter used to transform measurements into format compatible with simple 2 X 2 model. Data processed by applicable one of several prior methods based on simple model.

The Design and Development of the Dragoon Intelligent Tutoring System for Model Construction: Lessons Learned

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wetzel, Jon; VanLehn, Kurt; Butler, Dillan; Chaudhari, Pradeep; Desai, Avaneesh; Feng, Jingxian; Grover, Sachin; Joiner, Reid; Kong-Sivert, Mackenzie; Patade, Vallabh; Samala, Ritesh; Tiwari, Megha; van de Sande, Brett

2017-01-01

This paper describes Dragoon, a simple intelligent tutoring system which teaches the construction of models of dynamic systems. Modelling is one of seven practices dictated in two new sets of educational standards in the U.S.A., and Dragoon is one of the first systems for teaching model construction for dynamic systems. Dragoon can be classified…

pyhector: A Python interface for the simple climate model Hector

DOE PAGES

Willner, Sven N.; Hartin, Corinne; Gieseke, Robert

2017-04-01

Here, pyhector is a Python interface for the simple climate model Hector (Hartin et al. 2015) developed in C++. Simple climate models like Hector can, for instance, be used in the analysis of scenarios within integrated assessment models like GCAM1, in the emulation of complex climate models, and in uncertainty analyses. Hector is an open-source, object oriented, simple global climate carbon cycle model. Its carbon cycle consists of a one pool atmosphere, three terrestrial pools which can be broken down into finer biomes or regions, and four carbon pools in the ocean component. The terrestrial carbon cycle includes primary productionmore » and respiration fluxes. The ocean carbon cycle circulates carbon via a simplified thermohaline circulation, calculating air-sea fluxes as well as the marine carbonate system. The model input is time series of greenhouse gas emissions; as example scenarios for these the Pyhector package contains the Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs)2.« less

A modeling paradigm for interdisciplinary water resources modeling: Simple Script Wrappers (SSW)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Steward, David R.; Bulatewicz, Tom; Aistrup, Joseph A.; Andresen, Daniel; Bernard, Eric A.; Kulcsar, Laszlo; Peterson, Jeffrey M.; Staggenborg, Scott A.; Welch, Stephen M.

2014-05-01

Holistic understanding of a water resources system requires tools capable of model integration. This team has developed an adaptation of the OpenMI (Open Modelling Interface) that allows easy interactions across the data passed between models. Capabilities have been developed to allow programs written in common languages such as matlab, python and scilab to share their data with other programs and accept other program's data. We call this interface the Simple Script Wrapper (SSW). An implementation of SSW is shown that integrates groundwater, economic, and agricultural models in the High Plains region of Kansas. Output from these models illustrates the interdisciplinary discovery facilitated through use of SSW implemented models. Reference: Bulatewicz, T., A. Allen, J.M. Peterson, S. Staggenborg, S.M. Welch, and D.R. Steward, The Simple Script Wrapper for OpenMI: Enabling interdisciplinary modeling studies, Environmental Modelling & Software, 39, 283-294, 2013. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.envsoft.2012.07.006 http://code.google.com/p/simple-script-wrapper/

Modeling shared resources with generalized synchronization within a Petri net bottom-up approach.

PubMed

Ferrarini, L; Trioni, M

1996-01-01

This paper proposes a simple and effective way to represent shared resources in manufacturing systems within a Petri net model previously developed. Such a model relies on the bottom-up and modular approach to synthesis and analysis. The designer may define elementary tasks and then connect them with one another with three kinds of connections: self-loops, inhibitor arcs and simple synchronizations. A theoretical framework has been established for the analysis of liveness and reversibility of such models. The generalized synchronization, here formalized, represents an extension of the simple synchronization, allowing the merging of suitable subnets among elementary tasks. It is proved that under suitable, but not restrictive, hypotheses the generalized synchronization may be substituted for a simple one, thus being compatible with all the developed theoretical body.

Chaos and simple determinism in reversed field pinch plasmas: Nonlinear analysis of numerical simulation and experimental data

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

Watts, Christopher A.

In this dissertation the possibility that chaos and simple determinism are governing the dynamics of reversed field pinch (RFP) plasmas is investigated. To properly assess this possibility, data from both numerical simulations and experiment are analyzed. A large repertoire of nonlinear analysis techniques is used to identify low dimensional chaos in the data. These tools include phase portraits and Poincare sections, correlation dimension, the spectrum of Lyapunov exponents and short term predictability. In addition, nonlinear noise reduction techniques are applied to the experimental data in an attempt to extract any underlying deterministic dynamics. Two model systems are used to simulatemore » the plasma dynamics. These are the DEBS code, which models global RFP dynamics, and the dissipative trapped electron mode (DTEM) model, which models drift wave turbulence. Data from both simulations show strong indications of low dimensional chaos and simple determinism. Experimental date were obtained from the Madison Symmetric Torus RFP and consist of a wide array of both global and local diagnostic signals. None of the signals shows any indication of low dimensional chaos or low simple determinism. Moreover, most of the analysis tools indicate the experimental system is very high dimensional with properties similar to noise. Nonlinear noise reduction is unsuccessful at extracting an underlying deterministic system.« less

Investigating decoherence in a simple system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Albrecht, Andreas

1991-01-01

The results of some simple calculations designed to study quantum decoherence are presented. The physics of quantum decoherence are briefly reviewed, and a very simple 'toy' model is analyzed. Exact solutions are found using numerical techniques. The type of incoherence exhibited by the model can be changed by varying a coupling strength. The author explains why the conventional approach to studying decoherence by checking the diagonality of the density matrix is not always adequate. Two other approaches, the decoherence functional and the Schmidt paths approach, are applied to the toy model and contrasted to each other. Possible problems with each are discussed.

System-level modeling of acetone-butanol-ethanol fermentation.

PubMed

Liao, Chen; Seo, Seung-Oh; Lu, Ting

2016-05-01

Acetone-butanol-ethanol (ABE) fermentation is a metabolic process of clostridia that produces bio-based solvents including butanol. It is enabled by an underlying metabolic reaction network and modulated by cellular gene regulation and environmental cues. Mathematical modeling has served as a valuable strategy to facilitate the understanding, characterization and optimization of this process. In this review, we highlight recent advances in system-level, quantitative modeling of ABE fermentation. We begin with an overview of integrative processes underlying the fermentation. Next we survey modeling efforts including early simple models, models with a systematic metabolic description, and those incorporating metabolism through simple gene regulation. Particular focus is given to a recent system-level model that integrates the metabolic reactions, gene regulation and environmental cues. We conclude by discussing the remaining challenges and future directions towards predictive understanding of ABE fermentation. © FEMS 2016. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Modelling melting in crustal environments, with links to natural systems in the Nepal Himalayas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Isherwood, C.; Holland, T.; Bickle, M.; Harris, N.

2003-04-01

Melt bodies of broadly granitic character occur frequently in mountain belts such as the Himalayan chain which exposes leucogranitic intrusions along its entire length (e.g. Le Fort, 1975). The genesis and disposition of these bodies have considerable implications for the development of tectonic evolution models for such mountain belts. However, melting processes and melt migration behaviour are influenced by many factors (Hess, 1995; Wolf &McMillan, 1995) which are as yet poorly understood. Recent improvements in internally consistent thermodynamic datasets have allowed the modelling of simple granitic melt systems (Holland &Powell, 2001) at pressures below 10 kbar, of which Himalayan leucogranites provide a good natural example. Model calculations such as these have been extended to include an asymmetrical melt-mixing model based on the Van Laar approach, which uses volumes (or pseudovolumes) for the different end-members in a mixture to control the asymmetry of non-ideal mixing. This asymmetrical formalism has been used in conjunction with several different entropy of mixing assumptions in an attempt to find the closest fit to available experimental data for melting in simple binary and ternary haplogranite systems. The extracted mixing data are extended to more complex systems and allow the construction of phase relations in NKASH necessary to model simple haplogranitic melts involving albite, K-feldspar, quartz, sillimanite and {H}2{O}. The models have been applied to real bulk composition data from Himalayan leucogranites.

A Simple Double-Source Model for Interference of Capillaries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hou, Zhibo; Zhao, Xiaohong; Xiao, Jinghua

2012-01-01

A simple but physically intuitive double-source model is proposed to explain the interferogram of a laser-capillary system, where two effective virtual sources are used to describe the rays reflected by and transmitted through the capillary. The locations of the two virtual sources are functions of the observing positions on the target screen. An…

Nonequilibrium Green's functions and atom-surface dynamics: Simple views from a simple model system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boström, E.; Hopjan, M.; Kartsev, A.; Verdozzi, C.; Almbladh, C.-O.

2016-03-01

We employ Non-equilibrium Green's functions (NEGF) to describe the real-time dynamics of an adsorbate-surface model system exposed to ultrafast laser pulses. For a finite number of electronic orbitals, the system is solved exactly and within different levels of approximation. Specifically i) the full exact quantum mechanical solution for electron and nuclear degrees of freedom is used to benchmark ii) the Ehrenfest approximation (EA) for the nuclei, with the electron dynamics still treated exactly. Then, using the EA, electronic correlations are treated with NEGF within iii) 2nd Born and with iv) a recently introduced hybrid scheme, which mixes 2nd Born self-energies with non-perturbative, local exchange- correlation potentials of Density Functional Theory (DFT). Finally, the effect of a semi-infinite substrate is considered: we observe that a macroscopic number of de-excitation channels can hinder desorption. While very preliminary in character and based on a simple and rather specific model system, our results clearly illustrate the large potential of NEGF to investigate atomic desorption, and more generally, the non equilibrium dynamics of material surfaces subject to ultrafast laser fields.

A simple model of hysteresis behavior using spreadsheet analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ehrmann, A.; Blachowicz, T.

2015-01-01

Hysteresis loops occur in many scientific and technical problems, especially as field dependent magnetization of ferromagnetic materials, but also as stress-strain-curves of materials measured by tensile tests including thermal effects, liquid-solid phase transitions, in cell biology or economics. While several mathematical models exist which aim to calculate hysteresis energies and other parameters, here we offer a simple model for a general hysteretic system, showing different hysteresis loops depending on the defined parameters. The calculation which is based on basic spreadsheet analysis plus an easy macro code can be used by students to understand how these systems work and how the parameters influence the reactions of the system on an external field. Importantly, in the step-by-step mode, each change of the system state, compared to the last step, becomes visible. The simple program can be developed further by several changes and additions, enabling the building of a tool which is capable of answering real physical questions in the broad field of magnetism as well as in other scientific areas, in which similar hysteresis loops occur.

A simple 2D biofilm model yields a variety of morphological features.

PubMed

Hermanowicz, S W

2001-01-01

A two-dimensional biofilm model was developed based on the concept of cellular automata. Three simple, generic processes were included in the model: cell growth, internal and external mass transport and cell detachment (erosion). The model generated a diverse range of biofilm morphologies (from dense layers to open, mushroom-like forms) similar to those observed in real biofilm systems. Bulk nutrient concentration and external mass transfer resistance had a large influence on the biofilm structure.

A dynamical systems approach to actin-based motility in Listeria monocytogenes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hotton, S.

2010-11-01

A simple kinematic model for the trajectories of Listeria monocytogenes is generalized to a dynamical system rich enough to exhibit the resonant Hopf bifurcation structure of excitable media and simple enough to be studied geometrically. It is shown how L. monocytogenes trajectories and meandering spiral waves are organized by the same type of attracting set.

Modelling a Simple Mechanical System.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morland, Tim

1999-01-01

Provides an example of the modeling power of Mathematics, demonstrated in a piece of A-Level student coursework which was undertaken as part of the MEI Structured Mathematics scheme. A system of two masses and two springs oscillating in one dimension is found to be accurately modeled by a system of linear differential equations. (Author/ASK)

Biomat development in soil treatment units for on-site wastewater treatment.

PubMed

Winstanley, H F; Fowler, A C

2013-10-01

We provide a simple mathematical model of the bioremediation of contaminated wastewater leaching into the subsoil below a septic tank percolation system. The model comprises a description of the percolation system's flows, together with equations describing the growth of biomass and the uptake of an organic contaminant concentration. By first rendering the model dimensionless, it can be partially solved, to provide simple insights into the processes which control the efficacy of the system. In particular, we provide quantitative insight into the effect of a near surface biomat on subsoil permeability; this can lead to trench ponding, and thus propagation of effluent further down the trench. Using the computed vadose zone flow field, the model can be simply extended to include reactive transport of other contaminants of interest.

Model compilation: An approach to automated model derivation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Keller, Richard M.; Baudin, Catherine; Iwasaki, Yumi; Nayak, Pandurang; Tanaka, Kazuo

1990-01-01

An approach is introduced to automated model derivation for knowledge based systems. The approach, model compilation, involves procedurally generating the set of domain models used by a knowledge based system. With an implemented example, how this approach can be used to derive models of different precision and abstraction is illustrated, and models are tailored to different tasks, from a given set of base domain models. In particular, two implemented model compilers are described, each of which takes as input a base model that describes the structure and behavior of a simple electromechanical device, the Reaction Wheel Assembly of NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. The compilers transform this relatively general base model into simple task specific models for troubleshooting and redesign, respectively, by applying a sequence of model transformations. Each transformation in this sequence produces an increasingly more specialized model. The compilation approach lessens the burden of updating and maintaining consistency among models by enabling their automatic regeneration.

Introducing a simple model system for binding studies of known and novel inhibitors of AMPK: a therapeutic target for prostate cancer.

PubMed

Kumar, Rakesh; Maurya, Ranjana; Saran, Shweta

2018-02-23

Prostate cancer (PC) is one of the leading cancers in men, raising a serious health issue worldwide. Due to lack of suitable biomarker, their inhibitors and the platform for testing those inhibitors result in poor prognosis of PC. AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a highly conserved protein kinase found in eukaryotes that is involved in growth and development, and also acts as a therapeutic target for PC. The aim of the present study is to identify novel potent inhibitors of AMPK and propose a simple cellular model system for understanding its biology. Structural modelling and MD simulations were performed to construct and refine the 3D models of Dictyostelium and human AMPK. Binding mechanisms of different drug compounds were studied by performing molecular docking, molecular dynamics and MM-PBSA methods. Two novel drugs were isolated having higher binding affinity over the known drugs and hydrophobic forces that played a key role during protein-ligand interactions. The study also explored the simple cellular model system for drug screening and understanding the biology of a therapeutic target by performing in vitro experiments.

Comparison of ACCENT 2000 Shuttle Plume Data with SIMPLE Model Predictions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Swaminathan, P. K.; Taylor, J. C.; Ross, M. N.; Zittel, P. F.; Lloyd, S. A.

2001-12-01

The JHU/APL Stratospheric IMpact of PLume Effluents (SIMPLE)model was employed to analyze the trace species in situ composition data collected during the ACCENT 2000 intercepts of the space shuttle Space Transportation Launch System (STS) rocket plume as a function of time and radial location within the cold plume. The SIMPLE model is initialized using predictions for species depositions calculated using an afterburning model based on standard TDK/SPP nozzle and SPF plume flowfield codes with an expanded chemical kinetic scheme. The time dependent ambient stratospheric chemistry is fully coupled to the plume species evolution whose transport is based on empirically derived diffusion. Model/data comparisons are encouraging through capturing observed local ozone recovery times as well as overall morphology of chlorine chemistry.

Comparing convective heat fluxes derived from thermodynamics to a radiative-convective model and GCMs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dhara, Chirag; Renner, Maik; Kleidon, Axel

2015-04-01

The convective transport of heat and moisture plays a key role in the climate system, but the transport is typically parameterized in models. Here, we aim at the simplest possible physical representation and treat convective heat fluxes as the result of a heat engine. We combine the well-known Carnot limit of this heat engine with the energy balances of the surface-atmosphere system that describe how the temperature difference is affected by convective heat transport, yielding a maximum power limit of convection. This results in a simple analytic expression for convective strength that depends primarily on surface solar absorption. We compare this expression with an idealized grey atmosphere radiative-convective (RC) model as well as Global Circulation Model (GCM) simulations at the grid scale. We find that our simple expression as well as the RC model can explain much of the geographic variation of the GCM output, resulting in strong linear correlations among the three approaches. The RC model, however, shows a lower bias than our simple expression. We identify the use of the prescribed convective adjustment in RC-like models as the reason for the lower bias. The strength of our model lies in its ability to capture the geographic variation of convective strength with a parameter-free expression. On the other hand, the comparison with the RC model indicates a method for improving the formulation of radiative transfer in our simple approach. We also find that the latent heat fluxes compare very well among the approaches, as well as their sensitivity to surface warming. What our comparison suggests is that the strength of convection and their sensitivity in the climatic mean can be estimated relatively robustly by rather simple approaches.

The problem with simple lumped parameter models: Evidence from tritium mean transit times

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stewart, Michael; Morgenstern, Uwe; Gusyev, Maksym; Maloszewski, Piotr

2017-04-01

Simple lumped parameter models (LPMs) based on assuming homogeneity and stationarity in catchments and groundwater bodies are widely used to model and predict hydrological system outputs. However, most systems are not homogeneous or stationary, and errors resulting from disregard of the real heterogeneity and non-stationarity of such systems are not well understood and rarely quantified. As an example, mean transit times (MTTs) of streamflow are usually estimated from tracer data using simple LPMs. The MTT or transit time distribution of water in a stream reveals basic catchment properties such as water flow paths, storage and mixing. Importantly however, Kirchner (2016a) has shown that there can be large (several hundred percent) aggregation errors in MTTs inferred from seasonal cycles in conservative tracers such as chloride or stable isotopes when they are interpreted using simple LPMs (i.e. a range of gamma models or GMs). Here we show that MTTs estimated using tritium concentrations are similarly affected by aggregation errors due to heterogeneity and non-stationarity when interpreted using simple LPMs (e.g. GMs). The tritium aggregation error series from the strong nonlinearity between tritium concentrations and MTT, whereas for seasonal tracer cycles it is due to the nonlinearity between tracer cycle amplitudes and MTT. In effect, water from young subsystems in the catchment outweigh water from old subsystems. The main difference between the aggregation errors with the different tracers is that with tritium it applies at much greater ages than it does with seasonal tracer cycles. We stress that the aggregation errors arise when simple LPMs are applied (with simple LPMs the hydrological system is assumed to be a homogeneous whole with parameters representing averages for the system). With well-chosen compound LPMs (which are combinations of simple LPMs) on the other hand, aggregation errors are very much smaller because young and old water flows are treated separately. "Well-chosen" means that the compound LPM is based on hydrologically- and geologically-validated information, and the choice can be assisted by matching simulations to time series of tritium measurements. References: Kirchner, J.W. (2016a): Aggregation in environmental systems - Part 1: Seasonal tracer cycles quantify young water fractions, but not mean transit times, in spatially heterogeneous catchments. Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. 20, 279-297. Stewart, M.K., Morgenstern, U., Gusyev, M.A., Maloszewski, P. 2016: Aggregation effects on tritium-based mean transit times and young water fractions in spatially heterogeneous catchments and groundwater systems, and implications for past and future applications of tritium. Submitted to Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 10 October 2016, doi:10.5194/hess-2016-532.

Modeling method of time sequence model based grey system theory and application proceedings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, Xuexia; Luo, Yaling; Zhang, Shiqiang

2015-12-01

This article gives a modeling method of grey system GM(1,1) model based on reusing information and the grey system theory. This method not only extremely enhances the fitting and predicting accuracy of GM(1,1) model, but also maintains the conventional routes' merit of simple computation. By this way, we have given one syphilis trend forecast method based on reusing information and the grey system GM(1,1) model.

A simple model for studying rotation errors of gimbal mount axes in laser tracking system based on spherical mirror as a reflection unit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Huixu; Shi, Zhaoyao; Chen, Hongfang; Sun, Yanqiang

2018-01-01

This paper presents a novel experimental approach and a simple model for verifying that spherical mirror of laser tracking system could lessen the effect of rotation errors of gimbal mount axes based on relative motion thinking. Enough material and evidence are provided to support that this simple model could replace complex optical system in laser tracking system. This experimental approach and model interchange the kinematic relationship between spherical mirror and gimbal mount axes in laser tracking system. Being fixed stably, gimbal mount axes' rotation error motions are replaced by spatial micro-displacements of spherical mirror. These motions are simulated by driving spherical mirror along the optical axis and vertical direction with the use of precision positioning platform. The effect on the laser ranging measurement accuracy of displacement caused by the rotation errors of gimbal mount axes could be recorded according to the outcome of laser interferometer. The experimental results show that laser ranging measurement error caused by the rotation errors is less than 0.1 μm if radial error motion and axial error motion are under 10 μm. The method based on relative motion thinking not only simplifies the experimental procedure but also achieves that spherical mirror owns the ability to reduce the effect of rotation errors of gimbal mount axes in laser tracking system.

Distributed run of a one-dimensional model in a regional application using SOAP-based web services

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smiatek, Gerhard

This article describes the setup of a distributed computing system in Perl. It facilitates the parallel run of a one-dimensional environmental model on a number of simple network PC hosts. The system uses Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) driven web services offering the model run on remote hosts and a multi-thread environment distributing the work and accessing the web services. Its application is demonstrated in a regional run of a process-oriented biogenic emission model for the area of Germany. Within a network consisting of up to seven web services implemented on Linux and MS-Windows hosts, a performance increase of approximately 400% has been reached compared to a model run on the fastest single host.

Cooling tower plume - model and experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cizek, Jan; Gemperle, Jiri; Strob, Miroslav; Nozicka, Jiri

The paper discusses the description of the simple model of the, so-called, steam plume, which in many cases forms during the operation of the evaporative cooling systems of the power plants, or large technological units. The model is based on semi-empirical equations that describe the behaviour of a mixture of two gases in case of the free jet stream. In the conclusion of the paper, a simple experiment is presented through which the results of the designed model shall be validated in the subsequent period.

Simple Forest Canopy Thermal Exitance Model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith J. A.; Goltz, S. M.

1999-01-01

We describe a model to calculate brightness temperature and surface energy balance for a forest canopy system. The model is an extension of an earlier vegetation only model by inclusion of a simple soil layer. The root mean square error in brightness temperature for a dense forest canopy was 2.5 C. Surface energy balance predictions were also in good agreement. The corresponding root mean square errors for net radiation, latent, and sensible heat were 38.9, 30.7, and 41.4 W/sq m respectively.

Use of paired simple and complex models to reduce predictive bias and quantify uncertainty

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Doherty, John; Christensen, Steen

2011-12-01

Modern environmental management and decision-making is based on the use of increasingly complex numerical models. Such models have the advantage of allowing representation of complex processes and heterogeneous system property distributions inasmuch as these are understood at any particular study site. The latter are often represented stochastically, this reflecting knowledge of the character of system heterogeneity at the same time as it reflects a lack of knowledge of its spatial details. Unfortunately, however, complex models are often difficult to calibrate because of their long run times and sometimes questionable numerical stability. Analysis of predictive uncertainty is also a difficult undertaking when using models such as these. Such analysis must reflect a lack of knowledge of spatial hydraulic property details. At the same time, it must be subject to constraints on the spatial variability of these details born of the necessity for model outputs to replicate observations of historical system behavior. In contrast, the rapid run times and general numerical reliability of simple models often promulgates good calibration and ready implementation of sophisticated methods of calibration-constrained uncertainty analysis. Unfortunately, however, many system and process details on which uncertainty may depend are, by design, omitted from simple models. This can lead to underestimation of the uncertainty associated with many predictions of management interest. The present paper proposes a methodology that attempts to overcome the problems associated with complex models on the one hand and simple models on the other hand, while allowing access to the benefits each of them offers. It provides a theoretical analysis of the simplification process from a subspace point of view, this yielding insights into the costs of model simplification, and into how some of these costs may be reduced. It then describes a methodology for paired model usage through which predictive bias of a simplified model can be detected and corrected, and postcalibration predictive uncertainty can be quantified. The methodology is demonstrated using a synthetic example based on groundwater modeling environments commonly encountered in northern Europe and North America.

New ARCH: Future Generation Internet Architecture

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-08-01

a vocabulary to talk about a system . This provides a framework ( a “reference model ...layered model Modularity and abstraction are central tenets of Computer Science thinking. Modularity breaks a system into parts, normally to permit...this complexity is hidden. Abstraction suggests a structure for the system . A popular and simple structure is a layered model : lower layer

Dataflow models for fault-tolerant control systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Papadopoulos, G. M.

1984-01-01

Dataflow concepts are used to generate a unified hardware/software model of redundant physical systems which are prone to faults. Basic results in input congruence and synchronization are shown to reduce to a simple model of data exchanges between processing sites. Procedures are given for the construction of congruence schemata, the distinguishing features of any correctly designed redundant system.

Modeling Students' Memory for Application in Adaptive Educational Systems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pelánek, Radek

2015-01-01

Human memory has been thoroughly studied and modeled in psychology, but mainly in laboratory setting under simplified conditions. For application in practical adaptive educational systems we need simple and robust models which can cope with aspects like varied prior knowledge or multiple-choice questions. We discuss and evaluate several models of…

Simplification and its consequences in biological modelling: conclusions from a study of calcium oscillations in hepatocytes.

PubMed

Hetherington, James P J; Warner, Anne; Seymour, Robert M

2006-04-22

Systems Biology requires that biological modelling is scaled up from small components to system level. This can produce exceedingly complex models, which obscure understanding rather than facilitate it. The successful use of highly simplified models would resolve many of the current problems faced in Systems Biology. This paper questions whether the conclusions of simple mathematical models of biological systems are trustworthy. The simplification of a specific model of calcium oscillations in hepatocytes is examined in detail, and the conclusions drawn from this scrutiny generalized. We formalize our choice of simplification approach through the use of functional 'building blocks'. A collection of models is constructed, each a progressively more simplified version of a well-understood model. The limiting model is a piecewise linear model that can be solved analytically. We find that, as expected, in many cases the simpler models produce incorrect results. However, when we make a sensitivity analysis, examining which aspects of the behaviour of the system are controlled by which parameters, the conclusions of the simple model often agree with those of the richer model. The hypothesis that the simplified model retains no information about the real sensitivities of the unsimplified model can be very strongly ruled out by treating the simplification process as a pseudo-random perturbation on the true sensitivity data. We conclude that sensitivity analysis is, therefore, of great importance to the analysis of simple mathematical models in biology. Our comparisons reveal which results of the sensitivity analysis regarding calcium oscillations in hepatocytes are robust to the simplifications necessarily involved in mathematical modelling. For example, we find that if a treatment is observed to strongly decrease the period of the oscillations while increasing the proportion of the cycle during which cellular calcium concentrations are rising, without affecting the inter-spike or maximum calcium concentrations, then it is likely that the treatment is acting on the plasma membrane calcium pump.

Automated knowledge-base refinement

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mooney, Raymond J.

1994-01-01

Over the last several years, we have developed several systems for automatically refining incomplete and incorrect knowledge bases. These systems are given an imperfect rule base and a set of training examples and minimally modify the knowledge base to make it consistent with the examples. One of our most recent systems, FORTE, revises first-order Horn-clause knowledge bases. This system can be viewed as automatically debugging Prolog programs based on examples of correct and incorrect I/O pairs. In fact, we have already used the system to debug simple Prolog programs written by students in a programming language course. FORTE has also been used to automatically induce and revise qualitative models of several continuous dynamic devices from qualitative behavior traces. For example, it has been used to induce and revise a qualitative model of a portion of the Reaction Control System (RCS) of the NASA Space Shuttle. By fitting a correct model of this portion of the RCS to simulated qualitative data from a faulty system, FORTE was also able to correctly diagnose simple faults in this system.

Neuroendocrine control of seasonal plasticity in the auditory and vocal systems of fish

PubMed Central

Forlano, Paul M.; Sisneros, Joseph A.; Rohmann, Kevin N.; Bass, Andrew H.

2014-01-01

Seasonal changes in reproductive-related vocal behavior are widespread among fishes. This review highlights recent studies of the vocal plainfin midshipman fish, Porichthys notatus, a neuroethological model system used for the past two decades to explore neural and endocrine mechanisms of vocal-acoustic social behaviors shared with tetrapods. Integrative approaches combining behavior, neurophysiology, neuropharmacology, neuroanatomy, and gene expression methodologies have taken advantage of simple, stereotyped and easily quantifiable behaviors controlled by discrete neural networks in this model system to enable discoveries such as the first demonstration of adaptive seasonal plasticity in the auditory periphery of a vertebrate as well as rapid steroid and neuropeptide effects on vocal physiology and behavior. This simple model system has now revealed cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying seasonal and steroid-driven auditory and vocal plasticity in the vertebrate brain. PMID:25168757

Simple models for rope substructure mechanics: application to electro-mechanical lifts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herrera, I.; Kaczmarczyk, S.

2016-05-01

Mechanical systems modelled as rigid mass elements connected by tensioned slender structural members such as ropes and cables represent quite common substructures used in lift engineering and hoisting applications. Special interest is devoted by engineers and researchers to the vibratory response of such systems for optimum performance and durability. This paper presents simplified models that can be employed to determine the natural frequencies of systems having substructures of two rigid masses constrained by tensioned rope/cable elements. The exact solution for free un-damped longitudinal displacement response is discussed in the context of simple two-degree-of-freedom models. The results are compared and the influence of characteristics parameters such as the ratio of the average mass of the two rigid masses with respect to the rope mass and the deviation ratio of the two rigid masses with respect to the average mass is analyzed. This analysis gives criteria for the application of such simplified models in complex elevator and hoisting system configurations.

An Analytic Model for the Success Rate of a Robotic Actuator System in Hitting Random Targets.

PubMed

Bradley, Stuart

2015-11-20

Autonomous robotic systems are increasingly being used in a wide range of applications such as precision agriculture, medicine, and the military. These systems have common features which often includes an action by an "actuator" interacting with a target. While simulations and measurements exist for the success rate of hitting targets by some systems, there is a dearth of analytic models which can give insight into, and guidance on optimization, of new robotic systems. The present paper develops a simple model for estimation of the success rate for hitting random targets from a moving platform. The model has two main dimensionless parameters: the ratio of actuator spacing to target diameter; and the ratio of platform distance moved (between actuator "firings") to the target diameter. It is found that regions of parameter space having specified high success are described by simple equations, providing guidance on design. The role of a "cost function" is introduced which, when minimized, provides optimization of design, operating, and risk mitigation costs.

SPARK: A Framework for Multi-Scale Agent-Based Biomedical Modeling.

PubMed

Solovyev, Alexey; Mikheev, Maxim; Zhou, Leming; Dutta-Moscato, Joyeeta; Ziraldo, Cordelia; An, Gary; Vodovotz, Yoram; Mi, Qi

2010-01-01

Multi-scale modeling of complex biological systems remains a central challenge in the systems biology community. A method of dynamic knowledge representation known as agent-based modeling enables the study of higher level behavior emerging from discrete events performed by individual components. With the advancement of computer technology, agent-based modeling has emerged as an innovative technique to model the complexities of systems biology. In this work, the authors describe SPARK (Simple Platform for Agent-based Representation of Knowledge), a framework for agent-based modeling specifically designed for systems-level biomedical model development. SPARK is a stand-alone application written in Java. It provides a user-friendly interface, and a simple programming language for developing Agent-Based Models (ABMs). SPARK has the following features specialized for modeling biomedical systems: 1) continuous space that can simulate real physical space; 2) flexible agent size and shape that can represent the relative proportions of various cell types; 3) multiple spaces that can concurrently simulate and visualize multiple scales in biomedical models; 4) a convenient graphical user interface. Existing ABMs of diabetic foot ulcers and acute inflammation were implemented in SPARK. Models of identical complexity were run in both NetLogo and SPARK; the SPARK-based models ran two to three times faster.

The Yes-No Question Answering System and Statement Verification.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akiyama, M. Michael; And Others

1979-01-01

Two experiments investigated the relationship of verification to the answering of yes-no questions. Subjects verified simple statements or answered simple questions. Various proposals concerning the relative difficulty of answering questions and verifying statements were considered, and a model was proposed. (SW)

Chaos in plasma simulation and experiment

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

Watts, C.; Newman, D.E.; Sprott, J.C.

1993-09-01

We investigate the possibility that chaos and simple determinism are governing the dynamics of reversed field pinch (RFP) plasmas using data from both numerical simulations and experiment. A large repertoire of nonlinear analysis techniques is used to identify low dimensional chaos. These tools include phase portraits and Poincard sections, correlation dimension, the spectrum of Lyapunov exponents and short term predictability. In addition, nonlinear noise reduction techniques are applied to the experimental data in an attempt to extract any underlying deterministic dynamics. Two model systems are used to simulate the plasma dynamics. These are -the DEBS code, which models global RFPmore » dynamics, and the dissipative trapped electron mode (DTEM) model, which models drift wave turbulence. Data from both simulations show strong indications of low,dimensional chaos and simple determinism. Experimental data were obtained from the Madison Symmetric Torus RFP and consist of a wide array of both global and local diagnostic signals. None of the signals shows any indication of low dimensional chaos or other simple determinism. Moreover, most of the analysis tools indicate the experimental system is very high dimensional with properties similar to noise. Nonlinear noise reduction is unsuccessful at extracting an underlying deterministic system.« less

Simple gain probability functions for large reflector antennas of JPL/NASA

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jamnejad, V.

2003-01-01

Simple models for the patterns as well as their cumulative gain probability and probability density functions of the Deep Space Network antennas are developed. These are needed for the study and evaluation of interference from unwanted sources such as the emerging terrestrial system, High Density Fixed Service, with the Ka-band receiving antenna systems in Goldstone Station of the Deep Space Network.

BehavePlus fire modeling system, version 5.0: Design and Features

Treesearch

Faith Ann Heinsch; Patricia L. Andrews

2010-01-01

The BehavePlus fire modeling system is a computer program that is based on mathematical models that describe wildland fire behavior and effects and the fire environment. It is a flexible system that produces tables, graphs, and simple diagrams. It can be used for a host of fire management applications, including projecting the behavior of an ongoing fire, planning...

BehavePlus fire modeling system, version 4.0: User's Guide

Treesearch

Patricia L. Andrews; Collin D. Bevins; Robert C. Seli

2005-01-01

The BehavePlus fire modeling system is a program for personal computers that is a collection of mathematical models that describe fire and the fire environment. It is a flexible system that produces tables, graphs, and simple diagrams. It can be used for a multitude of fire management applications including projecting the behavior of an ongoing fire, planning...

Hierarchical modeling for reliability analysis using Markov models. B.S./M.S. Thesis - MIT

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fagundo, Arturo

1994-01-01

Markov models represent an extremely attractive tool for the reliability analysis of many systems. However, Markov model state space grows exponentially with the number of components in a given system. Thus, for very large systems Markov modeling techniques alone become intractable in both memory and CPU time. Often a particular subsystem can be found within some larger system where the dependence of the larger system on the subsystem is of a particularly simple form. This simple dependence can be used to decompose such a system into one or more subsystems. A hierarchical technique is presented which can be used to evaluate these subsystems in such a way that their reliabilities can be combined to obtain the reliability for the full system. This hierarchical approach is unique in that it allows the subsystem model to pass multiple aggregate state information to the higher level model, allowing more general systems to be evaluated. Guidelines are developed to assist in the system decomposition. An appropriate method for determining subsystem reliability is also developed. This method gives rise to some interesting numerical issues. Numerical error due to roundoff and integration are discussed at length. Once a decomposition is chosen, the remaining analysis is straightforward but tedious. However, an approach is developed for simplifying the recombination of subsystem reliabilities. Finally, a real world system is used to illustrate the use of this technique in a more practical context.

Analytically tractable climate-carbon cycle feedbacks under 21st century anthropogenic forcing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lade, Steven J.; Donges, Jonathan F.; Fetzer, Ingo; Anderies, John M.; Beer, Christian; Cornell, Sarah E.; Gasser, Thomas; Norberg, Jon; Richardson, Katherine; Rockström, Johan; Steffen, Will

2018-05-01

Changes to climate-carbon cycle feedbacks may significantly affect the Earth system's response to greenhouse gas emissions. These feedbacks are usually analysed from numerical output of complex and arguably opaque Earth system models. Here, we construct a stylised global climate-carbon cycle model, test its output against comprehensive Earth system models, and investigate the strengths of its climate-carbon cycle feedbacks analytically. The analytical expressions we obtain aid understanding of carbon cycle feedbacks and the operation of the carbon cycle. Specific results include that different feedback formalisms measure fundamentally the same climate-carbon cycle processes; temperature dependence of the solubility pump, biological pump, and CO2 solubility all contribute approximately equally to the ocean climate-carbon feedback; and concentration-carbon feedbacks may be more sensitive to future climate change than climate-carbon feedbacks. Simple models such as that developed here also provide workbenches for simple but mechanistically based explorations of Earth system processes, such as interactions and feedbacks between the planetary boundaries, that are currently too uncertain to be included in comprehensive Earth system models.

Testing the Structure of Hydrological Models using Genetic Programming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Selle, B.; Muttil, N.

2009-04-01

Genetic Programming is able to systematically explore many alternative model structures of different complexity from available input and response data. We hypothesised that genetic programming can be used to test the structure hydrological models and to identify dominant processes in hydrological systems. To test this, genetic programming was used to analyse a data set from a lysimeter experiment in southeastern Australia. The lysimeter experiment was conducted to quantify the deep percolation response under surface irrigated pasture to different soil types, water table depths and water ponding times during surface irrigation. Using genetic programming, a simple model of deep percolation was consistently evolved in multiple model runs. This simple and interpretable model confirmed the dominant process contributing to deep percolation represented in a conceptual model that was published earlier. Thus, this study shows that genetic programming can be used to evaluate the structure of hydrological models and to gain insight about the dominant processes in hydrological systems.

Glassy behaviour in simple kinetically constrained models: topological networks, lattice analogues and annihilation-diffusion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sherrington, David; Davison, Lexie; Buhot, Arnaud; Garrahan, Juan P.

2002-02-01

We report a study of a series of simple model systems with only non-interacting Hamiltonians, and hence simple equilibrium thermodynamics, but with constrained dynamics of a type initially suggested by foams and idealized covalent glasses. We demonstrate that macroscopic dynamical features characteristic of real and more complex model glasses, such as two-time decays in energy and auto-correlation functions, arise from the dynamics and we explain them qualitatively and quantitatively in terms of annihilation-diffusion concepts and theory. The comparison is with strong glasses. We also consider fluctuation-dissipation relations and demonstrate subtleties of interpretation. We find no FDT breakdown when the correct normalization is chosen.

Tracking trade transactions in water resource systems: A node-arc optimization formulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Erfani, Tohid; Huskova, Ivana; Harou, Julien J.

2013-05-01

We formulate and apply a multicommodity network flow node-arc optimization model capable of tracking trade transactions in complex water resource systems. The model uses a simple node to node network connectivity matrix and does not require preprocessing of all possible flow paths in the network. We compare the proposed node-arc formulation with an existing arc-path (flow path) formulation and explain the advantages and difficulties of both approaches. We verify the proposed formulation model on a hypothetical water distribution network. Results indicate the arc-path model solves the problem with fewer constraints, but the proposed formulation allows using a simple network connectivity matrix which simplifies modeling large or complex networks. The proposed algorithm allows converting existing node-arc hydroeconomic models that broadly represent water trading to ones that also track individual supplier-receiver relationships (trade transactions).

Simple model of inhibition of chain-branching combustion processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Babushok, Valeri I.; Gubernov, Vladimir V.; Minaev, Sergei S.; Miroshnichenko, Taisia P.

2017-11-01

A simple kinetic model has been suggested to describe the inhibition and extinction of flame propagation in reaction systems with chain-branching reactions typical for hydrocarbon systems. The model is based on the generalised model of the combustion process with chain-branching reaction combined with the one-stage reaction describing the thermal mode of flame propagation with the addition of inhibition reaction steps. Inhibitor addition suppresses the radical overshoot in flame and leads to the change of reaction mode from the chain-branching reaction to a thermal mode of flame propagation. With the increase of inhibitor the transition of chain-branching mode of reaction to the reaction with straight-chains (non-branching chain reaction) is observed. The inhibition part of the model includes a block of three reactions to describe the influence of the inhibitor. The heat losses are incorporated into the model via Newton cooling. The flame extinction is the result of the decreased heat release of inhibited reaction processes and the suppression of radical overshoot with the further decrease of the reaction rate due to the temperature decrease and mixture dilution. A comparison of the results of modelling laminar premixed methane/air flames inhibited by potassium bicarbonate (gas phase model, detailed kinetic model) with the results obtained using the suggested simple model is presented. The calculations with the detailed kinetic model demonstrate the following modes of combustion process: (1) flame propagation with chain-branching reaction (with radical overshoot, inhibitor addition decreases the radical overshoot down to the equilibrium level); (2) saturation of chemical influence of inhibitor, and (3) transition to thermal mode of flame propagation (non-branching chain mode of reaction). The suggested simple kinetic model qualitatively reproduces the modes of flame propagation with the addition of the inhibitor observed using detailed kinetic models.

Particle-tracking analysis of contributing areas of public-supply wells in simple and complex flow systems, Cape Cod, Massachusetts

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barlow, Paul M.

1997-01-01

Steady-state, two- and three-dimensional, ground-water-flow models coupled with particle tracking were evaluated to determine their effectiveness in delineating contributing areas of wells pumping from stratified-drift aquifers of Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Several contributing areas delineated by use of the three-dimensional models do not conform to simple ellipsoidal shapes that are typically delineated by use of two-dimensional analytical and numerical modeling techniques and included discontinuous areas of the water table.

Masquerade Detection Using a Taxonomy-Based Multinomial Modeling Approach in UNIX Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-08-25

primarily the modeling of statistical features , such as the frequency of events, the duration of events, the co- occurrence of multiple events...are identified, we can extract features representing such behavior while auditing the user’s behavior. Figure1: Taxonomy of Linux and Unix...achieved when the features are extracted just from simple commands. Method Hit Rate False Positive Rate ocSVM using simple cmds (freq.-based

Estimating linear temporal trends from aggregated environmental monitoring data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Erickson, Richard A.; Gray, Brian R.; Eager, Eric A.

2017-01-01

Trend estimates are often used as part of environmental monitoring programs. These trends inform managers (e.g., are desired species increasing or undesired species decreasing?). Data collected from environmental monitoring programs is often aggregated (i.e., averaged), which confounds sampling and process variation. State-space models allow sampling variation and process variations to be separated. We used simulated time-series to compare linear trend estimations from three state-space models, a simple linear regression model, and an auto-regressive model. We also compared the performance of these five models to estimate trends from a long term monitoring program. We specifically estimated trends for two species of fish and four species of aquatic vegetation from the Upper Mississippi River system. We found that the simple linear regression had the best performance of all the given models because it was best able to recover parameters and had consistent numerical convergence. Conversely, the simple linear regression did the worst job estimating populations in a given year. The state-space models did not estimate trends well, but estimated population sizes best when the models converged. We found that a simple linear regression performed better than more complex autoregression and state-space models when used to analyze aggregated environmental monitoring data.

Models for Models: An Introduction to Polymer Models Employing Simple Analogies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tarazona, M. Pilar; Saiz, Enrique

1998-11-01

An introduction to the most common models used in the calculations of conformational properties of polymers, ranging from the freely jointed chain approximation to Monte Carlo or molecular dynamics methods, is presented. Mathematical formalism is avoided and simple analogies, such as human chains, gases, opinion polls, or marketing strategies, are used to explain the different models presented. A second goal of the paper is to teach students how models required for the interpretation of a system can be elaborated, starting with the simplest model and introducing successive improvements until the refinements become so sophisticated that it is much better to use an alternative approach.

A survey of commercial object-oriented database management systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Atkins, John

1992-01-01

The object-oriented data model is the culmination of over thirty years of database research. Initially, database research focused on the need to provide information in a consistent and efficient manner to the business community. Early data models such as the hierarchical model and the network model met the goal of consistent and efficient access to data and were substantial improvements over simple file mechanisms for storing and accessing data. However, these models required highly skilled programmers to provide access to the data. Consequently, in the early 70's E.F. Codd, an IBM research computer scientists, proposed a new data model based on the simple mathematical notion of the relation. This model is known as the Relational Model. In the relational model, data is represented in flat tables (or relations) which have no physical or internal links between them. The simplicity of this model fostered the development of powerful but relatively simple query languages that now made data directly accessible to the general database user. Except for large, multi-user database systems, a database professional was in general no longer necessary. Database professionals found that traditional data in the form of character data, dates, and numeric data were easily represented and managed via the relational model. Commercial relational database management systems proliferated and performance of relational databases improved dramatically. However, there was a growing community of potential database users whose needs were not met by the relational model. These users needed to store data with data types not available in the relational model and who required a far richer modelling environment than that provided by the relational model. Indeed, the complexity of the objects to be represented in the model mandated a new approach to database technology. The Object-Oriented Model was the result.

Electrical Lumped Model Examination for Load Variation of Circulation System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koya, Yoshiharu; Ito, Mitsuyo; Mizoshiri, Isao

Modeling and analysis of the circulation system enables the characteristic decision of circulation system in the body to be made. So, many models of circulation system have been proposed. But, they are complicated because the models include a lot of elements. Therefore, we proposed a complete circulation model as a lumped electrical circuit, which is comparatively simple. In this paper, we examine the effectiveness of the complete circulation model as a lumped electrical circuit. We use normal, angina pectoris, dilated cardiomyopathy and myocardial infarction for evaluation of the ventricular contraction function.

PHOTOCHEMICAL MODELING APPLIED TO NATURAL WATERS

EPA Science Inventory

The study examines the application of modeling photochemical processes in natural water systems. For many photochemical reactions occurring in natural waters, a simple photochemical model describing reaction rate as a function of intensity, radiation attenuation, reactant absorpt...

Rubber friction and tire dynamics.

PubMed

Persson, B N J

2011-01-12

We propose a simple rubber friction law, which can be used, for example, in models of tire (and vehicle) dynamics. The friction law is tested by comparing numerical results to the full rubber friction theory (Persson 2006 J. Phys.: Condens. Matter 18 7789). Good agreement is found between the two theories. We describe a two-dimensional (2D) tire model which combines the rubber friction model with a simple mass-spring description of the tire body. The tire model is very flexible and can be used to accurately calculate μ-slip curves (and the self-aligning torque) for braking and cornering or combined motion (e.g. braking during cornering). We present numerical results which illustrate the theory. Simulations of anti-blocking system (ABS) braking are performed using two simple control algorithms.

Simple explanations and reasoning: From philosophy of science to expert systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rochowiak, Daniel

1988-01-01

A preliminary prototype of a simple explanation system was constructed. Although the system, based on the idea of storytelling, did not incorporate all of the principles of simple explanation, it did demonstrate the potential of the approach. The system incorporated a hypertext system, an inference engine, and facilities for constructing contrast type explanations. The continued development of such a system should prove to be valuable. By extending the resources of the expert system paradigm, the knowledge engineer is not forced to learn a new set of skills, and the domain knowledge already acquired by him is not lost. Further, both the beginning user and the more advanced user can be accommodated. For the beginning user, corrective explanations and ES explanations provide facilities for more clearly understanding the way in which the system is functioning. For the more advanced user, the instance and state explanations allow him to focus on the issues at hand. The simple model of explanation attempts to exploit and show how the why and how facilities of the expert system paradigm can be extended by attending to the pragmatics of explanation and adding texture to the ordinary pattern of reasoning in a rule based system.

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

Willner, Sven N.; Hartin, Corinne; Gieseke, Robert

Here, pyhector is a Python interface for the simple climate model Hector (Hartin et al. 2015) developed in C++. Simple climate models like Hector can, for instance, be used in the analysis of scenarios within integrated assessment models like GCAM1, in the emulation of complex climate models, and in uncertainty analyses. Hector is an open-source, object oriented, simple global climate carbon cycle model. Its carbon cycle consists of a one pool atmosphere, three terrestrial pools which can be broken down into finer biomes or regions, and four carbon pools in the ocean component. The terrestrial carbon cycle includes primary productionmore » and respiration fluxes. The ocean carbon cycle circulates carbon via a simplified thermohaline circulation, calculating air-sea fluxes as well as the marine carbonate system. The model input is time series of greenhouse gas emissions; as example scenarios for these the Pyhector package contains the Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs)2.« less

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

Campbell, Philip LaRoche

At the end of his life, Stephen Jay Kline, longtime professor of mechanical engineering at Stanford University, completed a book on how to address complex systems. The title of the book is 'Conceptual Foundations of Multi-Disciplinary Thinking' (1995), but the topic of the book is systems. Kline first establishes certain limits that are characteristic of our conscious minds. Kline then establishes a complexity measure for systems and uses that complexity measure to develop a hierarchy of systems. Kline then argues that our minds, due to their characteristic limitations, are unable to model the complex systems in that hierarchy. Computers aremore » of no help to us here. Our attempts at modeling these complex systems are based on the way we successfully model some simple systems, in particular, 'inert, naturally-occurring' objects and processes, such as what is the focus of physics. But complex systems overwhelm such attempts. As a result, the best we can do in working with these complex systems is to use a heuristic, what Kline calls the 'Guideline for Complex Systems.' Kline documents the problems that have developed due to 'oversimple' system models and from the inappropriate application of a system model from one domain to another. One prominent such problem is the Procrustean attempt to make the disciplines that deal with complex systems be 'physics-like.' Physics deals with simple systems, not complex ones, using Kline's complexity measure. The models that physics has developed are inappropriate for complex systems. Kline documents a number of the wasteful and dangerous fallacies of this type.« less

Small should be the New Big: High-resolution Models with Small Segments have Big Advantages when Modeling Eutrophication in the Great Lakes

EPA Science Inventory

Historical mathematical models, especially Great Lakes eutrophication models, traditionally used course segmentation schemes and relatively simple hydrodynamics to represent system behavior. Although many modelers have claimed success using such models, these representations can ...

Modeling Speed-Accuracy Tradeoff in Adaptive System for Practicing Estimation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nižnan, Juraj

2015-01-01

Estimation is useful in situations where an exact answer is not as important as a quick answer that is good enough. A web-based adaptive system for practicing estimates is currently being developed. We propose a simple model for estimating student's latent skill of estimation. This model combines a continuous measure of correctness and response…

PENDISC: a simple method for constructing a mathematical model from time-series data of metabolite concentrations.

PubMed

Sriyudthsak, Kansuporn; Iwata, Michio; Hirai, Masami Yokota; Shiraishi, Fumihide

2014-06-01

The availability of large-scale datasets has led to more effort being made to understand characteristics of metabolic reaction networks. However, because the large-scale data are semi-quantitative, and may contain biological variations and/or analytical errors, it remains a challenge to construct a mathematical model with precise parameters using only these data. The present work proposes a simple method, referred to as PENDISC (Parameter Estimation in a N on- DImensionalized S-system with Constraints), to assist the complex process of parameter estimation in the construction of a mathematical model for a given metabolic reaction system. The PENDISC method was evaluated using two simple mathematical models: a linear metabolic pathway model with inhibition and a branched metabolic pathway model with inhibition and activation. The results indicate that a smaller number of data points and rate constant parameters enhances the agreement between calculated values and time-series data of metabolite concentrations, and leads to faster convergence when the same initial estimates are used for the fitting. This method is also shown to be applicable to noisy time-series data and to unmeasurable metabolite concentrations in a network, and to have a potential to handle metabolome data of a relatively large-scale metabolic reaction system. Furthermore, it was applied to aspartate-derived amino acid biosynthesis in Arabidopsis thaliana plant. The result provides confirmation that the mathematical model constructed satisfactorily agrees with the time-series datasets of seven metabolite concentrations.

Pulsed Rabi oscillations in quantum two-level systems: beyond the area theorem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fischer, Kevin A.; Hanschke, Lukas; Kremser, Malte; Finley, Jonathan J.; Müller, Kai; Vučković, Jelena

2018-01-01

The area theorem states that when a short optical pulse drives a quantum two-level system, it undergoes Rabi oscillations in the probability of scattering a single photon. In this work, we investigate the breakdown of the area theorem as both the pulse length becomes non-negligible and for certain pulse areas. Using simple quantum trajectories, we provide an analytic approximation to the photon emission dynamics of a two-level system. Our model provides an intuitive way to understand re-excitation, which elucidates the mechanism behind the two-photon emission events that can spoil single-photon emission. We experimentally measure the emission statistics from a semiconductor quantum dot, acting as a two-level system, and show good agreement with our simple model for short pulses. Additionally, the model clearly explains our recent results (Fischer and Hanschke 2017 et al Nat. Phys.) showing dominant two-photon emission from a two-level system for pulses with interaction areas equal to an even multiple of π.

Integrated control strategy for autonomous decentralized conveyance systems based on distributed MEMS arrays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Lingfei; Chapuis, Yves-Andre; Blonde, Jean-Philippe; Bervillier, Herve; Fukuta, Yamato; Fujita, Hiroyuki

2004-07-01

In this paper, the authors proposed to study a model and a control strategy of a two-dimensional conveyance system based on the principles of the Autonomous Decentralized Microsystems (ADM). The microconveyance system is based on distributed cooperative MEMS actuators which can produce a force field onto the surface of the device to grip and move a micro-object. The modeling approach proposed here is based on a simple model of a microconveyance system which is represented by a 5 x 5 matrix of cells. Each cell is consisted of a microactuator, a microsensor, and a microprocessor to provide actuation, autonomy and decentralized intelligence to the cell. Thus, each cell is able to identify a micro-object crossing on it and to decide by oneself the appropriate control strategy to convey the micro-object to its destination target. The control strategy could be established through five simple decision rules that the cell itself has to respect at each calculate cycle time. Simulation and FPGA implementation results are given in the end of the paper in order to validate model and control approach of the microconveyance system.

Simulation of Combustion Systems with Realistic g-jitter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mell, William E.; McGrattan, Kevin B.; Baum, Howard R.

2003-01-01

In this project a transient, fully three-dimensional computer simulation code was developed to simulate the effects of realistic g-jitter on a number of combustion systems. The simulation code is capable of simulating flame spread on a solid and nonpremixed or premixed gaseous combustion in nonturbulent flow with simple combustion models. Simple combustion models were used to preserve computational efficiency since this is meant to be an engineering code. Also, the use of sophisticated turbulence models was not pursued (a simple Smagorinsky type model can be implemented if deemed appropriate) because if flow velocities are large enough for turbulence to develop in a reduced gravity combustion scenario it is unlikely that g-jitter disturbances (in NASA's reduced gravity facilities) will play an important role in the flame dynamics. Acceleration disturbances of realistic orientation, magnitude, and time dependence can be easily included in the simulation. The simulation algorithm was based on techniques used in an existing large eddy simulation code which has successfully simulated fire dynamics in complex domains. A series of simulations with measured and predicted acceleration disturbances on the International Space Station (ISS) are presented. The results of this series of simulations suggested a passive isolation system and appropriate scheduling of crew activity would provide a sufficiently "quiet" acceleration environment for spherical diffusion flames.

Simple formula for the surface area of the body and a simple model for anthropometry.

PubMed

Reading, Bruce D; Freeman, Brian

2005-03-01

The body surface area (BSA) of any adult, when derived from the arithmetic mean of the different values calculated from four independent accepted formulae, can be expressed accurately in Systeme International d'Unites (SI) units by the simple equation BSA = 1/6(WH)0.5, where W is body weight in kg, H is body height in m, and BSA is in m2. This formula, which is derived in part by modeling the body as a simple solid of revolution or a prolate spheroid (i.e., a stretched ellipsoid of revolution) gives students, teachers, and clinicians a simple rule for the rapid estimation of surface area using rational units. The formula was tested independently for human subjects by using it to predict body volume and then comparing this prediction against the actual volume measured by Archimedes' principle. Copyright 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Simple potential model for interaction of dark particles with massive bodies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takibayev, Nurgali

2018-01-01

A simple model for interaction of dark particles with matter based on resonance behavior in a three-body system is proposed. The model describes resonant amplification of effective interaction between two massive bodies at large distances between them. The phenomenon is explained by catalytic action of dark particles rescattering at a system of two heavy bodies which are understood here as the big stellar objects. Resonant amplification of the effective interaction between the two heavy bodies imitates the increase in their mass while their true gravitational mass remains unchanged. Such increased interaction leads to more pronounced gravitational lensing of bypassing light. It is shown that effective interaction between the heavy bodies is changed at larger distances and can transform into repulsive action.

Identifying and Evaluating the Relationships that Control a Land Surface Model's Hydrological Behavior

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Koster, Randal D.; Mahanama, Sarith P.

2012-01-01

The inherent soil moisture-evaporation relationships used in today 's land surface models (LSMs) arguably reflect a lot of guesswork given the lack of contemporaneous evaporation and soil moisture observations at the spatial scales represented by regional and global models. The inherent soil moisture-runoff relationships used in the LSMs are also of uncertain accuracy. Evaluating these relationships is difficult but crucial given that they have a major impact on how the land component contributes to hydrological and meteorological variability within the climate system. The relationships, it turns out, can be examined efficiently and effectively with a simple water balance model framework. The simple water balance model, driven with multi-decadal observations covering the conterminous United States, shows how different prescribed relationships lead to different manifestations of hydrological variability, some of which can be compared directly to observations. Through the testing of a wide suite of relationships, the simple model provides estimates for the underlying relationships that operate in nature and that should be operating in LSMs. We examine the relationships currently used in a number of different LSMs in the context of the simple water balance model results and make recommendations for potential first-order improvements to these LSMs.

MODELING THE INFLUENCE OF ACTIVE SUBSLAB DEPRESSURIZATION (ASD) SYSTEMS ON AIRFLOWS IN SUBSLAB AGGREGATE BEDS

EPA Science Inventory

A simple model is presented that allows the pressure difference in a subslab aggregate layer to be estimated as a function of radial distance from the central suction point of an active subslab depressurization system by knowing the average size, thickness, porosity, and permeabi...

Adaptive Control Of Remote Manipulator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Seraji, Homayoun

1989-01-01

Robotic control system causes remote manipulator to follow closely reference trajectory in Cartesian reference frame in work space, without resort to computationally intensive mathematical model of robot dynamics and without knowledge of robot and load parameters. System, derived from linear multivariable theory, uses relatively simple feedforward and feedback controllers with model-reference adaptive control.

A simple physical model for X-ray burst sources

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Joss, P. C.; Rappaport, S.

1977-01-01

In connection with information considered by Illarianov and Sunyaev (1975) and van den Heuvel (1975), a simple physical model for an X-ray burst source in the galactic disk is proposed. The model includes an unevolved OB star with a relatively weak stellar wind and a compact object in a close binary system. For some reason, the stellar wind from the OB star is unable to accrete steadily on to the compact object. When the stellar wind is sufficiently weak, the compact object accretes irregularly, leading to X-ray bursts.

A Simple Model for Complex Dynamical Transitions in Epidemics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Earn, David J. D.; Rohani, Pejman; Bolker, Benjamin M.; Grenfell, Bryan T.

2000-01-01

Dramatic changes in patterns of epidemics have been observed throughout this century. For childhood infectious diseases such as measles, the major transitions are between regular cycles and irregular, possibly chaotic epidemics, and from regionally synchronized oscillations to complex, spatially incoherent epidemics. A simple model can explain both kinds of transitions as the consequences of changes in birth and vaccination rates. Measles is a natural ecological system that exhibits different dynamical transitions at different times and places, yet all of these transitions can be predicted as bifurcations of a single nonlinear model.

Constructing a simple parametric model of shoulder from medical images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Atmani, H.; Fofi, D.; Merienne, F.; Trouilloud, P.

2006-02-01

The modelling of the shoulder joint is an important step to set a Computer-Aided Surgery System for shoulder prosthesis placement. Our approach mainly concerns the bones structures of the scapulo-humeral joint. Our goal is to develop a tool that allows the surgeon to extract morphological data from medical images in order to interpret the biomechanical behaviour of a prosthesised shoulder for preoperative and peroperative virtual surgery. To provide a light and easy-handling representation of the shoulder, a geometrical model composed of quadrics, planes and other simple forms is proposed.

Development of methodology for horizontal axis wind turbine dynamic analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dugundji, J.

1982-01-01

Horizontal axis wind turbine dynamics were studied. The following findings are summarized: (1) review of the MOSTAS computer programs for dynamic analysis of horizontal axis wind turbines; (2) review of various analysis methods for rotating systems with periodic coefficients; (3) review of structural dynamics analysis tools for large wind turbine; (4) experiments for yaw characteristics of a rotating rotor; (5) development of a finite element model for rotors; (6) development of simple models for aeroelastics; and (7) development of simple models for stability and response of wind turbines on flexible towers.

Laponite as carrier for controlled in vitro delivery of dexamethasone in vitreous humor models.

PubMed

Fraile, José M; Garcia-Martin, Elena; Gil, Cristina; Mayoral, José A; Pablo, Luis E; Polo, Vicente; Prieto, Esther; Vispe, Eugenio

2016-11-01

Laponite clay is able to retain dexamethasone by simple physisorption, presumably accomplished by hydrogen bonding formation and/or complexation with sodium counterions, as shown by solid state NMR. The physisorption can be somehow modulated by changing the solvent in the adsorption process. This simple system is able to deliver dexamethasone in a controlled manner to solutions used as models for vitreous humor. The proven biocompatibility of laponite as well as its transparency in the gel state, together with the simplicity of the preparation method, makes this system suitable for future in vivo tests of ophthalmic treatment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Simple Chaotic Flow with Circle and Square Equilibrium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gotthans, Tomas; Sprott, Julien Clinton; Petrzela, Jiri

Simple systems of third-order autonomous nonlinear differential equations can exhibit chaotic behavior. In this paper, we present a new class of chaotic flow with a square-shaped equilibrium. This unique property has apparently not yet been described. Such a system belongs to a newly introduced category of chaotic systems with hidden attractors that are interesting and important in engineering applications. The mathematical model is accompanied by an electrical circuit implementation, demonstrating structural stability of the strange attractor. The circuit is simulated with PSpice, constructed, and analyzed (measured).

Dynamic Systems Modeling in Educational System Design & Policy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Groff, Jennifer Sterling

2013-01-01

Over the last several hundred years, local and national educational systems have evolved from relatively simple systems to incredibly complex, interdependent, policy-laden structures, to which many question their value, effectiveness, and direction they are headed. System Dynamics is a field of analysis used to guide policy and system design in…

Multiloop Manual Control of Dynamic Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hess, R. A.; Mcnally, B. D.

1984-01-01

Human interaction with a simple, multiloop dynamic system in which the human's activity was systematically varied by changing the levels of automation was studied. The control loop structure resulting from the task definition parallels that for any multiloop manual control system, is considered a sterotype. Simple models of the human in the task, and upon extending a technique for describing the manner in which the human subjectively quantifies his opinion of task difficulty were developed. A man in the loop simulation which provides data to support and direct the analytical effort is presented.

Design of ground test suspension systems for verification of flexible space structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cooley, V. M.; Juang, J. N.; Ghaemmaghami, P.

1988-01-01

A simple model demonstrates the frequency-increasing effects of a simple cable suspension on flexible test article/suspension systems. Two passive suspension designs, namely a negative spring mechanism and a rolling cart mechanism, are presented to alleviate the undesirable frequency-increasing effects. Analysis methods are provided for systems in which the augmentations are applied to both discrete and continuous representations of test articles. The damping analyses are based on friction equivalent viscous damping. Numerical examples are given for comparing the two augmentations with respect to minimizing frequency and damping increases.

Formal verification of automated teller machine systems using SPIN

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iqbal, Ikhwan Mohammad; Adzkiya, Dieky; Mukhlash, Imam

2017-08-01

Formal verification is a technique for ensuring the correctness of systems. This work focuses on verifying a model of the Automated Teller Machine (ATM) system against some specifications. We construct the model as a state transition diagram that is suitable for verification. The specifications are expressed as Linear Temporal Logic (LTL) formulas. We use Simple Promela Interpreter (SPIN) model checker to check whether the model satisfies the formula. This model checker accepts models written in Process Meta Language (PROMELA), and its specifications are specified in LTL formulas.

Boxes of Poison: Baroque Technique as Antidote to Simple Views of Literacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burnett, Cathy; Merchant, Guy

2016-01-01

Rich and complex meaning making experiences, such as those associated with virtual play, sit uneasily with the view of literacy reflected in and sustained by current systems of accountability in education. This article develops a baroque perspective as a way of destabilizing the "regime of truth" associated with simple models of…

Mantle convection and the state of the Earth's interior

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hager, Bradford H.

1987-01-01

During 1983 to 1986 emphasis in the study of mantle convection shifted away from fluid mechanical analysis of simple systems with uniform material properties and simple geometries, toward analysis of the effects of more complicated, presumably more realistic models. The important processes related to mantle convection are considered. The developments in seismology are discussed.

Quantum Darwinism: Entanglement, branches, and the emergent classicality of redundantly stored quantum information

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blume-Kohout, Robin; Zurek, Wojciech H.

2006-06-01

We lay a comprehensive foundation for the study of redundant information storage in decoherence processes. Redundancy has been proposed as a prerequisite for objectivity, the defining property of classical objects. We consider two ensembles of states for a model universe consisting of one system and many environments: the first consisting of arbitrary states, and the second consisting of “singly branching” states consistent with a simple decoherence model. Typical states from the random ensemble do not store information about the system redundantly, but information stored in branching states has a redundancy proportional to the environment’s size. We compute the specific redundancy for a wide range of model universes, and fit the results to a simple first-principles theory. Our results show that the presence of redundancy divides information about the system into three parts: classical (redundant); purely quantum; and the borderline, undifferentiated or “nonredundant,” information.

Comparative Climates of the Trappist-1 Planetary System: Results from a Simple Climate-vegetation Model

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

Alberti, Tommaso; Carbone, Vincenzo; Lepreti, Fabio

The recent discovery of the planetary system hosted by the ultracool dwarf star TRAPPIST-1 could open new paths for investigations of the planetary climates of Earth-sized exoplanets, their atmospheres, and their possible habitability. In this paper, we use a simple climate-vegetation energy-balance model to study the climate of the seven TRAPPIST-1 planets and the climate dependence on various factors: the global albedo, the fraction of vegetation that could cover their surfaces, and the different greenhouse conditions. The model allows us to investigate whether liquid water could be maintained on the planetary surfaces (i.e., by defining a “surface water zone (SWZ)”)more » in different planetary conditions, with or without the presence of a greenhouse effect. It is shown that planet TRAPPIST-1d seems to be the most stable from an Earth-like perspective, since it resides in the SWZ for a wide range of reasonable values of the model parameters. Moreover, according to the model, outer planets (f, g, and h) cannot host liquid water on their surfaces, even with Earth-like conditions, entering a snowball state. Although very simple, the model allows us to extract the main features of the TRAPPIST-1 planetary climates.« less

Stratospheric General Circulation with Chemistry Model (SGCCM)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rood, Richard B.; Douglass, Anne R.; Geller, Marvin A.; Kaye, Jack A.; Nielsen, J. Eric; Rosenfield, Joan E.; Stolarski, Richard S.

1990-01-01

In the past two years constituent transport and chemistry experiments have been performed using both simple single constituent models and more complex reservoir species models. Winds for these experiments have been taken from the data assimilation effort, Stratospheric Data Analysis System (STRATAN).

Dynamical systems, attractors, and neural circuits.

PubMed

Miller, Paul

2016-01-01

Biology is the study of dynamical systems. Yet most of us working in biology have limited pedagogical training in the theory of dynamical systems, an unfortunate historical fact that can be remedied for future generations of life scientists. In my particular field of systems neuroscience, neural circuits are rife with nonlinearities at all levels of description, rendering simple methodologies and our own intuition unreliable. Therefore, our ideas are likely to be wrong unless informed by good models. These models should be based on the mathematical theories of dynamical systems since functioning neurons are dynamic-they change their membrane potential and firing rates with time. Thus, selecting the appropriate type of dynamical system upon which to base a model is an important first step in the modeling process. This step all too easily goes awry, in part because there are many frameworks to choose from, in part because the sparsely sampled data can be consistent with a variety of dynamical processes, and in part because each modeler has a preferred modeling approach that is difficult to move away from. This brief review summarizes some of the main dynamical paradigms that can arise in neural circuits, with comments on what they can achieve computationally and what signatures might reveal their presence within empirical data. I provide examples of different dynamical systems using simple circuits of two or three cells, emphasizing that any one connectivity pattern is compatible with multiple, diverse functions.

Safe and Efficient Support for Embeded Multi-Processors in ADA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruiz, Jose F.

2010-08-01

New software demands increasing processing power, and multi-processor platforms are spreading as the answer to achieve the required performance. Embedded real-time systems are also subject to this trend, but in the case of real-time mission-critical systems, the properties of reliability, predictability and analyzability are also paramount. The Ada 2005 language defined a subset of its tasking model, the Ravenscar profile, that provides the basis for the implementation of deterministic and time analyzable applications on top of a streamlined run-time system. This Ravenscar tasking profile, originally designed for single processors, has proven remarkably useful for modelling verifiable real-time single-processor systems. This paper proposes a simple extension to the Ravenscar profile to support multi-processor systems using a fully partitioned approach. The implementation of this scheme is simple, and it can be used to develop applications amenable to schedulability analysis.

Availability model of stand-alone photovoltaic system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mazurek, G.

2017-08-01

In this paper we present a simple, empirical model of stand-alone photovoltaic power system availability. The model is a final result of five-year long studies and ground measurements of solar irradiation carried out in Central Europe. The obtained results facilitate sizing of PV modules that have to be installed with taking into account system's availability level in each month of a year. The model can be extended to different geographical locations, with help of local meteorological data or solar irradiation datasets derived from satellite measurements.

Prediction of aircraft handling qualities using analytical models of the human pilot

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hess, R. A.

1982-01-01

The optimal control model (OCM) of the human pilot is applied to the study of aircraft handling qualities. Attention is focused primarily on longitudinal tasks. The modeling technique differs from previous applications of the OCM in that considerable effort is expended in simplifying the pilot/vehicle analysis. After briefly reviewing the OCM, a technique for modeling the pilot controlling higher order systems is introduced. Following this, a simple criterion for determining the susceptibility of an aircraft to pilot-induced oscillations (PIO) is formulated. Finally, a model-based metric for pilot rating prediction is discussed. The resulting modeling procedure provides a relatively simple, yet unified approach to the study of a variety of handling qualities problems.

Prediction of aircraft handling qualities using analytical models of the human pilot

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hess, R. A.

1982-01-01

The optimal control model (OCM) of the human pilot is applied to the study of aircraft handling qualities. Attention is focused primarily on longitudinal tasks. The modeling technique differs from previous applications of the OCM in that considerable effort is expended in simplifying the pilot/vehicle analysis. After briefly reviewing the OCM, a technique for modeling the pilot controlling higher order systems is introduced. Following this, a simple criterion for determining the susceptibility of an aircraft to pilot induced oscillations is formulated. Finally, a model based metric for pilot rating prediction is discussed. The resulting modeling procedure provides a relatively simple, yet unified approach to the study of a variety of handling qualities problems.

Reducing usage of the computational resources by event driven approach to model predictive control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Misik, Stefan; Bradac, Zdenek; Cela, Arben

2017-08-01

This paper deals with a real-time and optimal control of dynamic systems while also considers the constraints which these systems might be subject to. Main objective of this work is to propose a simple modification of the existing Model Predictive Control approach to better suit needs of computational resource-constrained real-time systems. An example using model of a mechanical system is presented and the performance of the proposed method is evaluated in a simulated environment.

Simplified aeroelastic modeling of horizontal axis wind turbines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wendell, J. H.

1982-01-01

Certain aspects of the aeroelastic modeling and behavior of the horizontal axis wind turbine (HAWT) are examined. Two simple three degree of freedom models are described in this report, and tools are developed which allow other simple models to be derived. The first simple model developed is an equivalent hinge model to study the flap-lag-torsion aeroelastic stability of an isolated rotor blade. The model includes nonlinear effects, preconing, and noncoincident elastic axis, center of gravity, and aerodynamic center. A stability study is presented which examines the influence of key parameters on aeroelastic stability. Next, two general tools are developed to study the aeroelastic stability and response of a teetering rotor coupled to a flexible tower. The first of these tools is an aeroelastic model of a two-bladed rotor on a general flexible support. The second general tool is a harmonic balance solution method for the resulting second order system with periodic coefficients. The second simple model developed is a rotor-tower model which serves to demonstrate the general tools. This model includes nacelle yawing, nacelle pitching, and rotor teetering. Transient response time histories are calculated and compared to a similar model in the literature. Agreement between the two is very good, especially considering how few harmonics are used. Finally, a stability study is presented which examines the effects of support stiffness and damping, inflow angle, and preconing.

A Simple Model of Nitrogen Concentration, Throughput, and Denitrification in Estuaries

EPA Science Inventory

The Estuary Nitrogen Model (ENM) is a mass balance model that includes calculation of nitrogen losses within bays and estuaries using system flushing time. The model has been used to demonstrate the dependence of throughput and denitrification of nitrogen in bays and estuaries on...

Can we estimate the cellular phone RF peak output power with a simple experiment?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fioreze, Maycon; dos Santos Junior, Sauli; Goncalves Hönnicke, Marcelo

2016-07-01

Cellular phones are becoming increasingly useful tools for students. Since cell phones operate in the microwave bandwidth, they can be used to motivate students to demonstrate and better understand the properties of electromagnetic waves. However, since these waves operate at higher frequencies (L-band, from 800 MHz to 2 GHz) it is not simple to detect them. Usually, expensive real-time high frequency oscilloscopes are required. Indirect measurements are also possible through heat-based and diode-detector-based radio-frequency (RF) power sensors. Another didactic and intuitive way is to explore a simple and inexpensive detection system, based on the interference effect caused in the electronic circuit of TV and PC soundspeakers, and to try to investigate different properties of the cell phones’ RF electromagnetic waves, such as its power and modulated frequency. This manuscript proposes a trial to quantify these measurements, based on a simple Friis equation model and the time constant of the circuit used in the detection system, in order to show it didactically to the students and even allow them also to explore such a simple detection system at home.

Testing the structure of a hydrological model using Genetic Programming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Selle, Benny; Muttil, Nitin

2011-01-01

SummaryGenetic Programming is able to systematically explore many alternative model structures of different complexity from available input and response data. We hypothesised that Genetic Programming can be used to test the structure of hydrological models and to identify dominant processes in hydrological systems. To test this, Genetic Programming was used to analyse a data set from a lysimeter experiment in southeastern Australia. The lysimeter experiment was conducted to quantify the deep percolation response under surface irrigated pasture to different soil types, watertable depths and water ponding times during surface irrigation. Using Genetic Programming, a simple model of deep percolation was recurrently evolved in multiple Genetic Programming runs. This simple and interpretable model supported the dominant process contributing to deep percolation represented in a conceptual model that was published earlier. Thus, this study shows that Genetic Programming can be used to evaluate the structure of hydrological models and to gain insight about the dominant processes in hydrological systems.

Comparison of heaving buoy and oscillating flap wave energy converters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abu Bakar, Mohd Aftar; Green, David A.; Metcalfe, Andrew V.; Najafian, G.

2013-04-01

Waves offer an attractive source of renewable energy, with relatively low environmental impact, for communities reasonably close to the sea. Two types of simple wave energy converters (WEC), the heaving buoy WEC and the oscillating flap WEC, are studied. Both WECs are considered as simple energy converters because they can be modelled, to a first approximation, as single degree of freedom linear dynamic systems. In this study, we estimate the response of both WECs to typical wave inputs; wave height for the buoy and corresponding wave surge for the flap, using spectral methods. A nonlinear model of the oscillating flap WEC that includes the drag force, modelled by the Morison equation is also considered. The response to a surge input is estimated by discrete time simulation (DTS), using central difference approximations to derivatives. This is compared with the response of the linear model obtained by DTS and also validated using the spectral method. Bendat's nonlinear system identification (BNLSI) technique was used to analyze the nonlinear dynamic system since the spectral analysis was only suitable for linear dynamic system. The effects of including the nonlinear term are quantified.

Mathematical Modeling Of Life-Support Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Seshan, Panchalam K.; Ganapathi, Balasubramanian; Jan, Darrell L.; Ferrall, Joseph F.; Rohatgi, Naresh K.

1994-01-01

Generic hierarchical model of life-support system developed to facilitate comparisons of options in design of system. Model represents combinations of interdependent subsystems supporting microbes, plants, fish, and land animals (including humans). Generic model enables rapid configuration of variety of specific life support component models for tradeoff studies culminating in single system design. Enables rapid evaluation of effects of substituting alternate technologies and even entire groups of technologies and subsystems. Used to synthesize and analyze life-support systems ranging from relatively simple, nonregenerative units like aquariums to complex closed-loop systems aboard submarines or spacecraft. Model, called Generic Modular Flow Schematic (GMFS), coded in such chemical-process-simulation languages as Aspen Plus and expressed as three-dimensional spreadsheet.

A simple, mass balance model of carbon flow in a controlled ecological life support system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Garland, Jay L.

1989-01-01

Internal cycling of chemical elements is a fundamental aspect of a Controlled Ecological Life Support System (CELSS). Mathematical models are useful tools for evaluating fluxes and reservoirs of elements associated with potential CELSS configurations. A simple mass balance model of carbon flow in CELSS was developed based on data from the CELSS Breadboard project at Kennedy Space Center. All carbon reservoirs and fluxes were calculated based on steady state conditions and modelled using linear, donor-controlled transfer coefficients. The linear expression of photosynthetic flux was replaced with Michaelis-Menten kinetics based on dynamical analysis of the model which found that the latter produced more adequate model output. Sensitivity analysis of the model indicated that accurate determination of the maximum rate of gross primary production is critical to the development of an accurate model of carbon flow. Atmospheric carbon dioxide was particularly sensitive to changes in photosynthetic rate. The small reservoir of CO2 relative to large CO2 fluxes increases the potential for volatility in CO2 concentration. Feedback control mechanisms regulating CO2 concentration will probably be necessary in a CELSS to reduce this system instability.

Optimal concentrations in transport systems

PubMed Central

Jensen, Kaare H.; Kim, Wonjung; Holbrook, N. Michele; Bush, John W. M.

2013-01-01

Many biological and man-made systems rely on transport systems for the distribution of material, for example matter and energy. Material transfer in these systems is determined by the flow rate and the concentration of material. While the most concentrated solutions offer the greatest potential in terms of material transfer, impedance typically increases with concentration, thus making them the most difficult to transport. We develop a general framework for describing systems for which impedance increases with concentration, and consider material flow in four different natural systems: blood flow in vertebrates, sugar transport in vascular plants and two modes of nectar drinking in birds and insects. The model provides a simple method for determining the optimum concentration copt in these systems. The model further suggests that the impedance at the optimum concentration μopt may be expressed in terms of the impedance of the pure (c = 0) carrier medium μ0 as μopt∼2αμ0, where the power α is prescribed by the specific flow constraints, for example constant pressure for blood flow (α = 1) or constant work rate for certain nectar-drinking insects (α = 6). Comparing the model predictions with experimental data from more than 100 animal and plant species, we find that the simple model rationalizes the observed concentrations and impedances. The model provides a universal framework for studying flows impeded by concentration, and yields insight into optimization in engineered systems, such as traffic flow. PMID:23594815

Ciona as a Simple Chordate Model for Heart Development and Regeneration

PubMed Central

Evans Anderson, Heather; Christiaen, Lionel

2016-01-01

Cardiac cell specification and the genetic determinants that govern this process are highly conserved among Chordates. Recent studies have established the importance of evolutionarily-conserved mechanisms in the study of congenital heart defects and disease, as well as cardiac regeneration. As a basal Chordate, the Ciona model system presents a simple scaffold that recapitulates the basic blueprint of cardiac development in Chordates. Here we will focus on the development and cellular structure of the heart of the ascidian Ciona as compared to other Chordates, principally vertebrates. Comparison of the Ciona model system to heart development in other Chordates presents great potential for dissecting the genetic mechanisms that underlie congenital heart defects and disease at the cellular level and might provide additional insight into potential pathways for therapeutic cardiac regeneration. PMID:27642586

Large deviation analysis of a simple information engine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maitland, Michael; Grosskinsky, Stefan; Harris, Rosemary J.

2015-11-01

Information thermodynamics provides a framework for studying the effect of feedback loops on entropy production. It has enabled the understanding of novel thermodynamic systems such as the information engine, which can be seen as a modern version of "Maxwell's Dæmon," whereby a feedback controller processes information gained by measurements in order to extract work. Here, we analyze a simple model of such an engine that uses feedback control based on measurements to obtain negative entropy production. We focus on the distribution and fluctuations of the information obtained by the feedback controller. Significantly, our model allows an analytic treatment for a two-state system with exact calculation of the large deviation rate function. These results suggest an approximate technique for larger systems, which is corroborated by simulation data.

Modeling of two-phase porous flow with damage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cai, Z.; Bercovici, D.

2009-12-01

Two-phase dynamics has been broadly studied in Earth Science in a convective system. We investigate the basic physics of compaction with damage theory and present preliminary results of both steady state and time-dependent transport when melt migrates through porous medium. In our simple 1-D model, damage would play an important role when we consider the ascent of melt-rich mixture at constant velocity. Melt segregation becomes more difficult so that porosity is larger than that in simple compaction in the steady-state compaction profile. Scaling analysis for compaction equation is performed to predict the behavior of melt segregation with damage. The time-dependent of the compacting system is investigated by looking at solitary wave solutions to the two-phase model. We assume that the additional melt is injected to the fracture material through a single pulse with determined shape and velocity. The existence of damage allows the pulse to keep moving further than that in simple compaction. Therefore more melt could be injected to the two-phase mixture and future application such as carbon dioxide injection is proposed.

Developing Models to Convey Understanding Rather than Merely Knowledge of the Methods of Science.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pinet, Paul Raymond

1989-01-01

A teaching method in which students develop models of simple systems to learn critical thinking and scientific methodology is presented. Discussed are the stages of the development of a model and the possible outcomes of the use of model development for students. (CW)

Communication: Simple liquids' high-density viscosity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Costigliola, Lorenzo; Pedersen, Ulf R.; Heyes, David M.; Schrøder, Thomas B.; Dyre, Jeppe C.

2018-02-01

This paper argues that the viscosity of simple fluids at densities above that of the triple point is a specific function of temperature relative to the freezing temperature at the density in question. The proposed viscosity expression, which is arrived at in part by reference to the isomorph theory of systems with hidden scale invariance, describes computer simulations of the Lennard-Jones system as well as argon and methane experimental data and simulation results for an effective-pair-potential model of liquid sodium.

Integrated Reconfigurable Intelligent Systems (IRIS) for Complex Naval Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-02-23

INTRODUCTION 35 2.2 GENERAL MODEL SETUP 36 2.2.1 Co-Simulation Principles 36 2.2.2 Double pendulum : a simple example 38 2.2.3 Description of numerical... pendulum sample problem 45 2.3 DISCUSSION OF APPROACH WITH RESPECT TO PROPOSED SUBTASKS 49 2.4 RESULTS DISCUSSION AND FUTURE WORK 49 TASK 3...Kim and Praehofer 2000]. 2.2.2 Double pendulum : a simple example In order to be able to evaluate co-simulation principles, specifically an

Estimation of kinematic parameters in CALIFA galaxies: no-assumption on internal dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

García-Lorenzo, B.; Barrera-Ballesteros, J.; CALIFA Team

2016-06-01

We propose a simple approach to homogeneously estimate kinematic parameters of a broad variety of galaxies (elliptical, spirals, irregulars or interacting systems). This methodology avoids the use of any kinematical model or any assumption on internal dynamics. This simple but novel approach allows us to determine: the frequency of kinematic distortions, systemic velocity, kinematic center, and kinematic position angles which are directly measured from the two dimensional-distributions of radial velocities. We test our analysis tools using the CALIFA Survey

A Center of Excellence in the Mathematical Sciences - at Cornell University

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-03-01

of my recent efforts go in two directions. 1. Cellular Automata. The Greenberg Hastings model is a simple system that models the behavior of an... Greenberg -Hastings Model. We also obtained results concerning the crucial value for a threshold voter model. This resulted in the papers "Some Rigorous...Results for the Greenberg - Hastings Model" and "Fixation Results for Threshold Voter Systems." Together with Scot Adams, I wrote "An Application of the

A simple white noise analysis of neuronal light responses.

PubMed

Chichilnisky, E J

2001-05-01

A white noise technique is presented for estimating the response properties of spiking visual system neurons. The technique is simple, robust, efficient and well suited to simultaneous recordings from multiple neurons. It provides a complete and easily interpretable model of light responses even for neurons that display a common form of response nonlinearity that precludes classical linear systems analysis. A theoretical justification of the technique is presented that relies only on elementary linear algebra and statistics. Implementation is described with examples. The technique and the underlying model of neural responses are validated using recordings from retinal ganglion cells, and in principle are applicable to other neurons. Advantages and disadvantages of the technique relative to classical approaches are discussed.

Numerical model for the thermal behavior of thermocline storage tanks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ehtiwesh, Ismael A. S.; Sousa, Antonio C. M.

2018-03-01

Energy storage is a critical factor in the advancement of solar thermal power systems for the sustained delivery of electricity. In addition, the incorporation of thermal energy storage into the operation of concentrated solar power systems (CSPs) offers the potential of delivering electricity without fossil-fuel backup even during peak demand, independent of weather conditions and daylight. Despite this potential, some areas of the design and performance of thermocline systems still require further attention for future incorporation in commercial CSPs, particularly, their operation and control. Therefore, the present study aims to develop a simple but efficient numerical model to allow the comprehensive analysis of thermocline storage systems aiming better understanding of their dynamic temperature response. The validation results, despite the simplifying assumptions of the numerical model, agree well with the experiments for the time evolution of the thermocline region. Three different cases are considered to test the versatility of the numerical model; for the particular type of a storage tank with top round impingement inlet, a simple analytical model was developed to take into consideration the increased turbulence level in the mixing region. The numerical predictions for the three cases are in general good agreement against the experimental results.

Analysis of aircraft longitudinal handling qualities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hess, R. A.

1981-01-01

The optimal control model (OCM) of the human pilot is applied to the study of aircraft handling qualities. Attention is focused primarily on longitudinal tasks. The modeling technique differs from previous applications of the OCM in that considerable effort is expended in simplifying the pilot/vehicle analysis. After briefly reviewing the OCM, a technique for modeling the pilot controlling higher order systems is introduced. Following this, a simple criterion for determining the susceptibility of an aircraft to pilot induced oscillations (PIO) is formulated. Finally, a model-based metric for pilot rating prediction is discussed. The resulting modeling procedure provides a relatively simple, yet unified approach to the study of a variety of handling qualities problems.

An analytical approach for predicting pilot induced oscillations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hess, R. A.

1981-01-01

The optimal control model (OCM) of the human pilot is applied to the study of aircraft handling qualities. Attention is focused primarily on longitudinal tasks. The modeling technique differs from previous applications of the OCM in that considerable effort is expended in simplifying the pilot/vehicle analysis. After briefly reviewing the OCM, a technique for modeling the pilot controlling higher order systems is introduced. Following this, a simple criterion or determining the susceptability of an aircraft to pilot induced oscillations (PIO) is formulated. Finally, a model-based metric for pilot rating prediction is discussed. The resulting modeling procedure provides a relatively simple, yet unified approach to the study of a variety of handling qualities problems.

Generating self-organizing collective behavior using separation dynamics from experimental data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dieck Kattas, Graciano; Xu, Xiao-Ke; Small, Michael

2012-09-01

Mathematical models for systems of interacting agents using simple local rules have been proposed and shown to exhibit emergent swarming behavior. Most of these models are constructed by intuition or manual observations of real phenomena, and later tuned or verified to simulate desired dynamics. In contrast to this approach, we propose using a model that attempts to follow an averaged rule of the essential distance-dependent collective behavior of real pigeon flocks, which was abstracted from experimental data. By using a simple model to follow the behavioral tendencies of real data, we show that our model can exhibit a wide range of emergent self-organizing dynamics such as flocking, pattern formation, and counter-rotating vortices.

Generating self-organizing collective behavior using separation dynamics from experimental data.

PubMed

Dieck Kattas, Graciano; Xu, Xiao-Ke; Small, Michael

2012-09-01

Mathematical models for systems of interacting agents using simple local rules have been proposed and shown to exhibit emergent swarming behavior. Most of these models are constructed by intuition or manual observations of real phenomena, and later tuned or verified to simulate desired dynamics. In contrast to this approach, we propose using a model that attempts to follow an averaged rule of the essential distance-dependent collective behavior of real pigeon flocks, which was abstracted from experimental data. By using a simple model to follow the behavioral tendencies of real data, we show that our model can exhibit a wide range of emergent self-organizing dynamics such as flocking, pattern formation, and counter-rotating vortices.

Mining Peripheral Arterial Disease Cases from Narrative Clinical Notes Using Natural Language Processing

PubMed Central

Afzal, Naveed; Sohn, Sunghwan; Abram, Sara; Scott, Christopher G.; Chaudhry, Rajeev; Liu, Hongfang; Kullo, Iftikhar J.; Arruda-Olson, Adelaide M.

2016-01-01

Objective Lower extremity peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is highly prevalent and affects millions of individuals worldwide. We developed a natural language processing (NLP) system for automated ascertainment of PAD cases from clinical narrative notes and compared the performance of the NLP algorithm to billing code algorithms, using ankle-brachial index (ABI) test results as the gold standard. Methods We compared the performance of the NLP algorithm to 1) results of gold standard ABI; 2) previously validated algorithms based on relevant ICD-9 diagnostic codes (simple model) and 3) a combination of ICD-9 codes with procedural codes (full model). A dataset of 1,569 PAD patients and controls was randomly divided into training (n= 935) and testing (n= 634) subsets. Results We iteratively refined the NLP algorithm in the training set including narrative note sections, note types and service types, to maximize its accuracy. In the testing dataset, when compared with both simple and full models, the NLP algorithm had better accuracy (NLP: 91.8%, full model: 81.8%, simple model: 83%, P<.001), PPV (NLP: 92.9%, full model: 74.3%, simple model: 79.9%, P<.001), and specificity (NLP: 92.5%, full model: 64.2%, simple model: 75.9%, P<.001). Conclusions A knowledge-driven NLP algorithm for automatic ascertainment of PAD cases from clinical notes had greater accuracy than billing code algorithms. Our findings highlight the potential of NLP tools for rapid and efficient ascertainment of PAD cases from electronic health records to facilitate clinical investigation and eventually improve care by clinical decision support. PMID:28189359

Anticipatory Cognitive Systems: a Theoretical Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Terenzi, Graziano

This paper deals with the problem of understanding anticipation in biological and cognitive systems. It is argued that a physical theory can be considered as biologically plausible only if it incorporates the ability to describe systems which exhibit anticipatory behaviors. The paper introduces a cognitive level description of anticipation and provides a simple theoretical characterization of anticipatory systems on this level. Specifically, a simple model of a formal anticipatory neuron and a model (i.e. the τ-mirror architecture) of an anticipatory neural network which is based on the former are introduced and discussed. The basic feature of this architecture is that a part of the network learns to represent the behavior of the other part over time, thus constructing an implicit model of its own functioning. As a consequence, the network is capable of self-representation; anticipation, on a oscopic level, is nothing but a consequence of anticipation on a microscopic level. Some learning algorithms are also discussed together with related experimental tasks and possible integrations. The outcome of the paper is a formal characterization of anticipation in cognitive systems which aims at being incorporated in a comprehensive and more general physical theory.

Multibody dynamic analysis using a rotation-free shell element with corotational frame

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shi, Jiabei; Liu, Zhuyong; Hong, Jiazhen

2018-03-01

Rotation-free shell formulation is a simple and effective method to model a shell with large deformation. Moreover, it can be compatible with the existing theories of finite element method. However, a rotation-free shell is seldom employed in multibody systems. Using a derivative of rigid body motion, an efficient nonlinear shell model is proposed based on the rotation-free shell element and corotational frame. The bending and membrane strains of the shell have been simplified by isolating deformational displacements from the detailed description of rigid body motion. The consistent stiffness matrix can be obtained easily in this form of shell model. To model the multibody system consisting of the presented shells, joint kinematic constraints including translational and rotational constraints are deduced in the context of geometric nonlinear rotation-free element. A simple node-to-surface contact discretization and penalty method are adopted for contacts between shells. A series of analyses for multibody system dynamics are presented to validate the proposed formulation. Furthermore, the deployment of a large scaled solar array is presented to verify the comprehensive performance of the nonlinear shell model.

Simple Harmonics Motion experiment based on LabVIEW interface for Arduino

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tong-on, Anusorn; Saphet, Parinya; Thepnurat, Meechai

2017-09-01

In this work, we developed an affordable modern innovative physics lab apparatus. The ultrasonic sensor is used to measure the position of a mass attached on a spring as a function of time. The data acquisition system and control device were developed based on LabVIEW interface for Arduino UNO R3. The experiment was designed to explain wave propagation which is modeled by simple harmonic motion. The simple harmonic system (mass and spring) was observed and the motion can be realized using curve fitting to the wave equation in Mathematica. We found that the spring constants provided by Hooke’s law and the wave equation fit are 9.9402 and 9.1706 N/m, respectively.

Simulations of Flame Acceleration and Deflagration-to-Detonation Transitions in Methane-Air Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-03-17

are neglected. 3. Model parameter calibration The one-step Arrhenius kinetics used in this model cannot ex- actly reproduce all properties of laminar...with obstacles are compared to previ- ously reported experimental data. The results obtained using the simple reaction model qualitatively, and in...have taken in developing a multidimensional numerical model to study explosions in large-scale systems containing mixtures of nat- ural gas and air

General model and control of an n rotor helicopter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sidea, A. G.; Yding Brogaard, R.; Andersen, N. A.; Ravn, O.

2014-12-01

The purpose of this study was to create a dynamic, nonlinear mathematical model of a multirotor that would be valid for different numbers of rotors. Furthermore, a set of Single Input Single Output (SISO) controllers were implemented for attitude control. Both model and controllers were tested experimentally on a quadcopter. Using the combined model and controllers, simple system simulation and control is possible, by replacing the physical values for the individual systems.

Computational models of the Posner simple and choice reaction time tasks

PubMed Central

Feher da Silva, Carolina; Baldo, Marcus V. C.

2015-01-01

The landmark experiments by Posner in the late 1970s have shown that reaction time (RT) is faster when the stimulus appears in an expected location, as indicated by a cue; since then, the so-called Posner task has been considered a “gold standard” test of spatial attention. It is thus fundamental to understand the neural mechanisms involved in performing it. To this end, we have developed a Bayesian detection system and small integrate-and-fire neural networks, which modeled sensory and motor circuits, respectively, and optimized them to perform the Posner task under different cue type proportions and noise levels. In doing so, main findings of experimental research on RT were replicated: the relative frequency effect, suboptimal RTs and significant error rates due to noise and invalid cues, slower RT for choice RT tasks than for simple RT tasks, fastest RTs for valid cues and slowest RTs for invalid cues. Analysis of the optimized systems revealed that the employed mechanisms were consistent with related findings in neurophysiology. Our models predict that (1) the results of a Posner task may be affected by the relative frequency of valid and neutral trials, (2) in simple RT tasks, input from multiple locations are added together to compose a stronger signal, and (3) the cue affects motor circuits more strongly in choice RT tasks than in simple RT tasks. In discussing the computational demands of the Posner task, attention has often been described as a filter that protects the nervous system, whose capacity is limited, from information overload. Our models, however, reveal that the main problems that must be overcome to perform the Posner task effectively are distinguishing signal from external noise and selecting the appropriate response in the presence of internal noise. PMID:26190997

Foreshock and aftershocks in simple earthquake models.

PubMed

Kazemian, J; Tiampo, K F; Klein, W; Dominguez, R

2015-02-27

Many models of earthquake faults have been introduced that connect Gutenberg-Richter (GR) scaling to triggering processes. However, natural earthquake fault systems are composed of a variety of different geometries and materials and the associated heterogeneity in physical properties can cause a variety of spatial and temporal behaviors. This raises the question of how the triggering process and the structure interact to produce the observed phenomena. Here we present a simple earthquake fault model based on the Olami-Feder-Christensen and Rundle-Jackson-Brown cellular automata models with long-range interactions that incorporates a fixed percentage of stronger sites, or asperity cells, into the lattice. These asperity cells are significantly stronger than the surrounding lattice sites but eventually rupture when the applied stress reaches their higher threshold stress. The introduction of these spatial heterogeneities results in temporal clustering in the model that mimics that seen in natural fault systems along with GR scaling. In addition, we observe sequences of activity that start with a gradually accelerating number of larger events (foreshocks) prior to a main shock that is followed by a tail of decreasing activity (aftershocks). This work provides further evidence that the spatial and temporal patterns observed in natural seismicity are strongly influenced by the underlying physical properties and are not solely the result of a simple cascade mechanism.

Developing model asphalt systems using molecular simulation : final model.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-09-01

Computer based molecular simulations have been used towards developing simple mixture compositions whose : physical properties resemble those of real asphalts. First, Monte Carlo simulations with the OPLS all-atom force : field were used to predict t...

Computational methods for the control of distributed parameter systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burns, J. A.; Cliff, E. M.; Powers, R. K.

1985-01-01

It is shown that care must be taken to ensure that finite dimensional approximations of distributed parameter systems preserve important system properties (i.e., controllability, observability, stabilizability, detectability, etc.). It is noted that, if the particular scheme used to construct the finite dimensional model does not take into account these system properties, the model may not be suitable for control design and analysis. These ideas are illustrated by a simple example, i.e., a cable-spring-mass system.

The Thermodynamic Limit in Mean Field Spin Glass Models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guerra, Francesco; Toninelli, Fabio Lucio

We present a simple strategy in order to show the existence and uniqueness of the infinite volume limit of thermodynamic quantities, for a large class of mean field disordered models, as for example the Sherrington-Kirkpatrick model, and the Derrida p-spin model. The main argument is based on a smooth interpolation between a large system, made of N spin sites, and two similar but independent subsystems, made of N1 and N2 sites, respectively, with N1+N2=N. The quenched average of the free energy turns out to be subadditive with respect to the size of the system. This gives immediately convergence of the free energy per site, in the infinite volume limit. Moreover, a simple argument, based on concentration of measure, gives the almost sure convergence, with respect to the external noise. Similar results hold also for the ground state energy per site.

Knowledge-based vision and simple visual machines.

PubMed Central

Cliff, D; Noble, J

1997-01-01

The vast majority of work in machine vision emphasizes the representation of perceived objects and events: it is these internal representations that incorporate the 'knowledge' in knowledge-based vision or form the 'models' in model-based vision. In this paper, we discuss simple machine vision systems developed by artificial evolution rather than traditional engineering design techniques, and note that the task of identifying internal representations within such systems is made difficult by the lack of an operational definition of representation at the causal mechanistic level. Consequently, we question the nature and indeed the existence of representations posited to be used within natural vision systems (i.e. animals). We conclude that representations argued for on a priori grounds by external observers of a particular vision system may well be illusory, and are at best place-holders for yet-to-be-identified causal mechanistic interactions. That is, applying the knowledge-based vision approach in the understanding of evolved systems (machines or animals) may well lead to theories and models that are internally consistent, computationally plausible, and entirely wrong. PMID:9304684

What Is a Simple Liquid?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ingebrigtsen, Trond S.; Schrøder, Thomas B.; Dyre, Jeppe C.

2012-01-01

This paper is an attempt to identify the real essence of simplicity of liquids in John Locke’s understanding of the term. Simple liquids are traditionally defined as many-body systems of classical particles interacting via radially symmetric pair potentials. We suggest that a simple liquid should be defined instead by the property of having strong correlations between virial and potential-energy equilibrium fluctuations in the NVT ensemble. There is considerable overlap between the two definitions, but also some notable differences. For instance, in the new definition simplicity is not a direct property of the intermolecular potential because a liquid is usually only strongly correlating in part of its phase diagram. Moreover, not all simple liquids are atomic (i.e., with radially symmetric pair potentials) and not all atomic liquids are simple. The main part of the paper motivates the new definition of liquid simplicity by presenting evidence that a liquid is strongly correlating if and only if its intermolecular interactions may be ignored beyond the first coordination shell (FCS). This is demonstrated by NVT simulations of the structure and dynamics of several atomic and three molecular model liquids with a shifted-forces cutoff placed at the first minimum of the radial distribution function. The liquids studied are inverse power-law systems (r-n pair potentials with n=18,6,4), Lennard-Jones (LJ) models (the standard LJ model, two generalized Kob-Andersen binary LJ mixtures, and the Wahnstrom binary LJ mixture), the Buckingham model, the Dzugutov model, the LJ Gaussian model, the Gaussian core model, the Hansen-McDonald molten salt model, the Lewis-Wahnstrom ortho-terphenyl model, the asymmetric dumbbell model, and the single-point charge water model. The final part of the paper summarizes properties of strongly correlating liquids, emphasizing that these are simpler than liquids in general. Simple liquids, as defined here, may be characterized in three quite different ways: (1) chemically by the fact that the liquid’s properties are fully determined by interactions from the molecules within the FCS, (2) physically by the fact that there are isomorphs in the phase diagram, i.e., curves along which several properties like excess entropy, structure, and dynamics, are invariant in reduced units, and (3) mathematically by the fact that throughout the phase diagram the reduced-coordinate constant-potential-energy hypersurfaces define a one-parameter family of compact Riemannian manifolds. No proof is given that the chemical characterization follows from the strong correlation property, but we show that this FCS characterization is consistent with the existence of isomorphs in strongly correlating liquids’ phase diagram. Finally, we note that the FCS characterization of simple liquids calls into question the physical basis of standard perturbation theory, according to which the repulsive and attractive forces play fundamentally different roles for the physics of liquids.

Automation tools for demonstration of goal directed and self-repairing flight control systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Agarwal, A. K.

1988-01-01

The coupling of expert systems and control design and analysis techniques are documented to provide a realizable self repairing flight control system. Key features of such a flight control system are identified and a limited set of rules for a simple aircraft model are presented.

Adequate model complexity for scenario analysis of VOC stripping in a trickling filter.

PubMed

Vanhooren, H; Verbrugge, T; Boeije, G; Demey, D; Vanrolleghem, P A

2001-01-01

Two models describing the stripping of volatile organic contaminants (VOCs) in an industrial trickling filter system are developed. The aim of the models is to investigate the effect of different operating conditions (VOC loads and air flow rates) on the efficiency of VOC stripping and the resulting concentrations in the gas and liquid phases. The first model uses the same principles as the steady-state non-equilibrium activated sludge model Simple Treat, in combination with an existing biofilm model. The second model is a simple mass balance based model only incorporating air and liquid and thus neglecting biofilm effects. In a first approach, the first model was incorporated in a five-layer hydrodynamic model of the trickling filter, using the carrier material design specifications for porosity, water hold-up and specific surface area. A tracer test with lithium was used to validate this approach, and the gas mixing in the filters was studied using continuous CO2 and O2 measurements. With the tracer test results, the biodegradation model was adapted, and it became clear that biodegradation and adsorption to solids can be neglected. On this basis, a simple dynamic mass balance model was built. Simulations with this model reveal that changing the air flow rate in the trickling filter system has little effect on the VOC stripping efficiency at steady state. However, immediately after an air flow rate change, quite high flux and concentration peaks of VOCs can be expected. These phenomena are of major importance for the design of an off-gas treatment facility.

Simulating fail-stop in asynchronous distributed systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sabel, Laura; Marzullo, Keith

1994-01-01

The fail-stop failure model appears frequently in the distributed systems literature. However, in an asynchronous distributed system, the fail-stop model cannot be implemented. In particular, it is impossible to reliably detect crash failures in an asynchronous system. In this paper, we show that it is possible to specify and implement a failure model that is indistinguishable from the fail-stop model from the point of view of any process within an asynchronous system. We give necessary conditions for a failure model to be indistinguishable from the fail-stop model, and derive lower bounds on the amount of process replication needed to implement such a failure model. We present a simple one-round protocol for implementing one such failure model, which we call simulated fail-stop.

Parameter and Structure Inference for Nonlinear Dynamical Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morris, Robin D.; Smelyanskiy, Vadim N.; Millonas, Mark

2006-01-01

A great many systems can be modeled in the non-linear dynamical systems framework, as x = f(x) + xi(t), where f() is the potential function for the system, and xi is the excitation noise. Modeling the potential using a set of basis functions, we derive the posterior for the basis coefficients. A more challenging problem is to determine the set of basis functions that are required to model a particular system. We show that using the Bayesian Information Criteria (BIC) to rank models, and the beam search technique, that we can accurately determine the structure of simple non-linear dynamical system models, and the structure of the coupling between non-linear dynamical systems where the individual systems are known. This last case has important ecological applications.

Teaching Case: IS Security Requirements Identification from Conceptual Models in Systems Analysis and Design: The Fun & Fitness, Inc. Case

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spears, Janine L.; Parrish, James L., Jr.

2013-01-01

This teaching case introduces students to a relatively simple approach to identifying and documenting security requirements within conceptual models that are commonly taught in systems analysis and design courses. An introduction to information security is provided, followed by a classroom example of a fictitious company, "Fun &…

Continuous "in vitro" Evolution of a Ribozyme Ligase: A Model Experiment for the Evolution of a Biomolecule

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ledbetter, Michael P.; Hwang, Tony W.; Stovall, Gwendolyn M.; Ellington, Andrew D.

2013-01-01

Evolution is a defining criterion of life and is central to understanding biological systems. However, the timescale of evolutionary shifts in phenotype limits most classroom evolution experiments to simple probability simulations. "In vitro" directed evolution (IVDE) frequently serves as a model system for the study of Darwinian…

Site-specific temporal and spatial validation of a generic plant pest forecast system with observations of Bactrocera dorsalis (oriental fruit fly).

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

This study introduces a simple generic model, the Generic Pest Forecast System (GPFS), for simulatingthe relative populations of non-indigenousarthropod pests in space and time. The model was designed to calculate the population index or relative population using hourly weather dataas influenced by...

Nonlinear Dynamic Models in Advanced Life Support

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, Harry

2002-01-01

To facilitate analysis, ALS systems are often assumed to be linear and time invariant, but they usually have important nonlinear and dynamic aspects. Nonlinear dynamic behavior can be caused by time varying inputs, changes in system parameters, nonlinear system functions, closed loop feedback delays, and limits on buffer storage or processing rates. Dynamic models are usually cataloged according to the number of state variables. The simplest dynamic models are linear, using only integration, multiplication, addition, and subtraction of the state variables. A general linear model with only two state variables can produce all the possible dynamic behavior of linear systems with many state variables, including stability, oscillation, or exponential growth and decay. Linear systems can be described using mathematical analysis. Nonlinear dynamics can be fully explored only by computer simulations of models. Unexpected behavior is produced by simple models having only two or three state variables with simple mathematical relations between them. Closed loop feedback delays are a major source of system instability. Exceeding limits on buffer storage or processing rates forces systems to change operating mode. Different equilibrium points may be reached from different initial conditions. Instead of one stable equilibrium point, the system may have several equilibrium points, oscillate at different frequencies, or even behave chaotically, depending on the system inputs and initial conditions. The frequency spectrum of an output oscillation may contain harmonics and the sums and differences of input frequencies, but it may also contain a stable limit cycle oscillation not related to input frequencies. We must investigate the nonlinear dynamic aspects of advanced life support systems to understand and counter undesirable behavior.

A model for the space shuttle main engine high pressure oxidizer turbopump shaft seal system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Paxson, Daniel E.

1990-01-01

A simple static model is presented which solves for the flow properties of pressure, temperature, and mass flow in the Space Shuttle Main Engine pressure Oxidizer Turbopump Shaft Seal Systems. This system includes the primary and secondary turbine seals, the primary and secondary turbine drains, the helium purge seals and feed line, the primary oxygen drain, and the slinger/labyrinth oxygen seal pair. The model predicts the changes in flow variables that occur during and after failures of the various seals. Such information would be particularly useful in a post flight situation where processing of sensor information using this model could identify a particular seal that had experienced excessive wear. Most of the seals in the system are modeled using simple one dimensional equations which can be applied to almost any seal provided that the fluid is gaseous. A failure is modeled as an increase in the clearance between the shaft and the seal. Thus, the model does not attempt to predict how the failure process actually occurs (e.g., wear, seal crack initiation). The results presented were obtained using a FORTRAN implementation of the model running on a VAX computer. Solution for the seal system properties is obtained iteratively; however, a further simplified implementation (which does not include the slinger/labyrinth combination) was also developed which provides fast and reasonable results for most engine operating conditions. Results from the model compare favorably with the limited redline data available.

Response of Simple, Model Systems to Extreme Conditions

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

Ewing, Rodney C.; Lang, Maik

2015-07-30

The focus of the research was on the application of high-pressure/high-temperature techniques, together with intense energetic ion beams, to the study of the behavior of simple oxide systems (e.g., SiO 2, GeO 2, CeO 2, TiO 2, HfO 2, SnO 2, ZnO and ZrO 2) under extreme conditions. These simple stoichiometries provide unique model systems for the analysis of structural responses to pressure up to and above 1 Mbar, temperatures of up to several thousands of kelvin, and the extreme energy density generated by energetic heavy ions (tens of keV/atom). The investigations included systematic studies of radiation- and pressure-induced amorphizationmore » of high P-T polymorphs. By studying the response of simple stoichiometries that have multiple structural “outcomes”, we have established the basic knowledge required for the prediction of the response of more complex structures to extreme conditions. We especially focused on the amorphous state and characterized the different non-crystalline structure-types that result from the interplay of radiation and pressure. For such experiments, we made use of recent technological developments, such as the perforated diamond-anvil cell and in situ investigation using synchrotron x-ray sources. We have been particularly interested in using extreme pressures to alter the electronic structure of a solid prior to irradiation. We expected that the effects of modified band structure would be evident in the track structure and morphology, information which is much needed to describe theoretically the fundamental physics of track-formation. Finally, we investigated the behavior of different simple-oxide, composite nanomaterials (e.g., uncoated nanoparticles vs. core/shell systems) under coupled, extreme conditions. This provided insight into surface and boundary effects on phase stability under extreme conditions.« less

Animal models to study microRNA function

PubMed Central

Pal, Arpita S.; Kasinski, Andrea L.

2018-01-01

The discovery of the microRNAs, lin-4 and let-7 as critical mediators of normal development in Caenorhabditis elegans and their conservation throughout evolution has spearheaded research towards identifying novel roles of microRNAs in other cellular processes. To accurately elucidate these fundamental functions, especially in the context of an intact organism various microRNA transgenic models have been generated and evaluated. Transgenic C. elegans (worms), Drosophila melanogaster (flies), Danio rerio (zebrafish), and Mus musculus (mouse) have contributed immensely towards uncovering the roles of multiple microRNAs in cellular processes such as proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis, pathways that are severely altered in human diseases such as cancer. The simple model organisms, C. elegans, D. melanogaster and D. rerio do not develop cancers, but have proved to be convenient systesm in microRNA research, especially in characterizing the microRNA biogenesis machinery which is often dysregulated during human tumorigenesis. The microRNA-dependent events delineated via these simple in vivo systems have been further verified in vitro, and in more complex models of cancers, such as M. musculus. The focus of this review is to provide an overview of the important contributions made in the microRNA field using model organisms. The simple model systems provided the basis for the importance of microRNAs in normal cellular physiology, while the more complex animal systems provided evidence for the role of microRNAs dysregulation in cancers. Highlights include an overview of the various strategies used to generate transgenic organisms and a review of the use of transgenic mice for evaluating pre-clinical efficacy of microRNA-based cancer therapeutics. PMID:28882225

The Dairy Greenhouse Gas Emission Model: Reference Manual

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The Dairy Greenhouse Gas Model (DairyGHG) is a software tool for estimating the greenhouse gas emissions and carbon footprint of dairy production systems. A relatively simple process-based model is used to predict the primary greenhouse gas emissions, which include the net emission of carbon dioxide...

What's Next: Recruitment of a Grounded Predictive Body Model for Planning a Robot's Actions.

PubMed

Schilling, Malte; Cruse, Holk

2012-01-01

Even comparatively simple, reactive systems are able to control complex motor tasks, such as hexapod walking on unpredictable substrate. The capability of such a controller can be improved by introducing internal models of the body and of parts of the environment. Such internal models can be applied as inverse models, as forward models or to solve the problem of sensor fusion. Usually, separate models are used for these functions. Furthermore, separate models are used to solve different tasks. Here we concentrate on internal models of the body as the brain considers its own body the most important part of the world. The model proposed is formed by a recurrent neural network with the property of pattern completion. The model shows a hierarchical structure but nonetheless comprises a holistic system. One and the same model can be used as a forward model, as an inverse model, for sensor fusion, and, with a simple expansion, as a model to internally simulate (new) behaviors to be used for prediction. The model embraces the geometrical constraints of a complex body with many redundant degrees of freedom, and allows finding geometrically possible solutions. To control behavior such as walking, climbing, or reaching, this body model is complemented by a number of simple reactive procedures together forming a procedural memory. In this article, we illustrate the functioning of this network. To this end we present examples for solutions of the forward function and the inverse function, and explain how the complete network might be used for predictive purposes. The model is assumed to be "innate," so learning the parameters of the model is not (yet) considered.

Queueing Network Models for Parallel Processing of Task Systems: an Operational Approach

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mak, Victor W. K.

1986-01-01

Computer performance modeling of possibly complex computations running on highly concurrent systems is considered. Earlier works in this area either dealt with a very simple program structure or resulted in methods with exponential complexity. An efficient procedure is developed to compute the performance measures for series-parallel-reducible task systems using queueing network models. The procedure is based on the concept of hierarchical decomposition and a new operational approach. Numerical results for three test cases are presented and compared to those of simulations.

Component model reduction via the projection and assembly method

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bernard, Douglas E.

1989-01-01

The problem of acquiring a simple but sufficiently accurate model of a dynamic system is made more difficult when the dynamic system of interest is a multibody system comprised of several components. A low order system model may be created by reducing the order of the component models and making use of various available multibody dynamics programs to assemble them into a system model. The difficulty is in choosing the reduced order component models to meet system level requirements. The projection and assembly method, proposed originally by Eke, solves this difficulty by forming the full order system model, performing model reduction at the the system level using system level requirements, and then projecting the desired modes onto the components for component level model reduction. The projection and assembly method is analyzed to show the conditions under which the desired modes are captured exactly; to the numerical precision of the algorithm.

Mathematical and Numerical Analysis of Model Equations on Interactions of the HIV/AIDS Virus and the Immune System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parumasur, N.; Willie, R.

2008-09-01

We consider a simple HIV/AIDs finite dimensional mathematical model on interactions of the blood cells, the HIV/AIDs virus and the immune system for consistence of the equations to the real biomedical situation that they model. A better understanding to a cure solution to the illness modeled by the finite dimensional equations is given. This is accomplished through rigorous mathematical analysis and is reinforced by numerical analysis of models developed for real life cases.

A Simulation Model for Procedure Inference from a Mental Model for a Simple Device.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-05-25

can flow to, and the indicator lights show where the power is present. According to these results, the critical information is the system topology...show the flow of power into the energon storage system. Maintenance of a collapsed energon ring requires a supply of vector bosons which is...model; in some tasks there is clearly no effect. The device model in that study was developed intuitivIy. But upon examining the model in light of the

Applications of the Simple Multi-Fluid Model to Correlations of the Vapor-Liquid Equilibrium of Refrigerant Mixtures Containing Carbon Dioxide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akasaka, Ryo

This study presents a simple multi-fluid model for Helmholtz energy equations of state. The model contains only three parameters, whereas rigorous multi-fluid models developed for several industrially important mixtures usually have more than 10 parameters and coefficients. Therefore, the model can be applied to mixtures where experimental data is limited. Vapor-liquid equilibrium (VLE) of the following seven mixtures have been successfully correlated with the model: CO2 + difluoromethane (R-32), CO2 + trifluoromethane (R-23), CO2 + fluoromethane (R-41), CO2 + 1,1,1,2- tetrafluoroethane (R-134a), CO2 + pentafluoroethane (R-125), CO2 + 1,1-difluoroethane (R-152a), and CO2 + dimethyl ether (DME). The best currently available equations of state for the pure refrigerants were used for the correlations. For all mixtures, average deviations in calculated bubble-point pressures from experimental values are within 2%. The simple multi-fluid model will be helpful for design and simulations of heat pumps and refrigeration systems using the mixtures as working fluid.

SynBioSS-aided design of synthetic biological constructs.

PubMed

Kaznessis, Yiannis N

2011-01-01

We present walkthrough examples of using SynBioSS to design, model, and simulate synthetic gene regulatory networks. SynBioSS stands for Synthetic Biology Software Suite, a platform that is publicly available with Open Licenses at www.synbioss.org. An important aim of computational synthetic biology is the development of a mathematical modeling formalism that is applicable to a wide variety of simple synthetic biological constructs. SynBioSS-based modeling of biomolecular ensembles that interact away from the thermodynamic limit and not necessarily at steady state affords for a theoretical framework that is generally applicable to known synthetic biological systems, such as bistable switches, AND gates, and oscillators. Here, we discuss how SynBioSS creates links between DNA sequences and targeted dynamic phenotypes of these simple systems. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Comparison of human driver dynamics in simulators with complex and simple visual displays and in an automobile on the road

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcruer, D. T.; Klein, R. H.

1975-01-01

As part of a comprehensive program exploring driver/vehicle system response in lateral steering tasks, driver/vehicle system describing functions and other dynamic data have been gathered in several milieu. These include a simple fixed base simulator with an elementary roadway delineation only display; a fixed base statically operating automobile with a terrain model based, wide angle projection system display; and a full scale moving base automobile operating on the road. Dynamic data with the two fixed base simulators compared favorably, implying that the impoverished visual scene, lack of engine noise, and simplified steering wheel feel characteristics in the simple simulator did not induce significant driver dynamic behavior variations. The fixed base vs. moving base comparisons showed substantially greater crossover frequencies and phase margins on the road course.

Modelling of nanoscale quantum tunnelling structures using algebraic topology method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sankaran, Krishnaswamy; Sairam, B.

2018-05-01

We have modelled nanoscale quantum tunnelling structures using Algebraic Topology Method (ATM). The accuracy of ATM is compared to the analytical solution derived based on the wave nature of tunnelling electrons. ATM provides a versatile, fast, and simple model to simulate complex structures. We are currently expanding the method for modelling electrodynamic systems.

The Money-Creation Model: An Alternative Pedagogy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thornton, Mark; And Others

1991-01-01

Presents a teaching model that is consistent with the traditional approach to demonstrating the expansion and contraction of the money supply. Suggests that the model provides a simple and convenient visual image of changes in the monetary system. Describes the model as juxtaposing the behavior of the moneyholding public with that of the…

A dynamical system of deposit and loan volumes based on the Lotka-Volterra model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sumarti, N.; Nurfitriyana, R.; Nurwenda, W.

2014-02-01

In this research, we proposed a dynamical system of deposit and loan volumes of a bank using a predator-prey paradigm, where the predator is loan volumes, and the prey is deposit volumes. The existence of loan depends on the existence of deposit because the bank will allocate the loan volume from a portion of the deposit volume. The dynamical systems have been constructed are a simple model, a model with Michaelis-Menten Response and a model with the Reserve Requirement. Equilibria of the systems are analysed whether they are stable or unstable based on their linearised system.

Comparative Performance Evaluation of Rainfall-runoff Models, Six of Black-box Type and One of Conceptual Type, From The Galway Flow Forecasting System (gffs) Package, Applied On Two Irish Catchments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goswami, M.; O'Connor, K. M.; Shamseldin, A. Y.

The "Galway Real-Time River Flow Forecasting System" (GFFS) is a software pack- age developed at the Department of Engineering Hydrology, of the National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland. It is based on a selection of lumped black-box and con- ceptual rainfall-runoff models, all developed in Galway, consisting primarily of both the non-parametric (NP) and parametric (P) forms of two black-box-type rainfall- runoff models, namely, the Simple Linear Model (SLM-NP and SLM-P) and the seasonally-based Linear Perturbation Model (LPM-NP and LPM-P), together with the non-parametric wetness-index-based Linearly Varying Gain Factor Model (LVGFM), the black-box Artificial Neural Network (ANN) Model, and the conceptual Soil Mois- ture Accounting and Routing (SMAR) Model. Comprised of the above suite of mod- els, the system enables the user to calibrate each model individually, initially without updating, and it is capable also of producing combined (i.e. consensus) forecasts us- ing the Simple Average Method (SAM), the Weighted Average Method (WAM), or the Artificial Neural Network Method (NNM). The updating of each model output is achieved using one of four different techniques, namely, simple Auto-Regressive (AR) updating, Linear Transfer Function (LTF) updating, Artificial Neural Network updating (NNU), and updating by the Non-linear Auto-Regressive Exogenous-input method (NARXM). The models exhibit a considerable range of variation in degree of complexity of structure, with corresponding degrees of complication in objective func- tion evaluation. Operating in continuous river-flow simulation and updating modes, these models and techniques have been applied to two Irish catchments, namely, the Fergus and the Brosna. A number of performance evaluation criteria have been used to comparatively assess the model discharge forecast efficiency.

Lorentz Trial Function for the Hydrogen Atom: A Simple, Elegant Exercise

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sommerfeld, Thomas

2011-01-01

The quantum semester of a typical two-semester physical chemistry course is divided into two parts. The initial focus is on quantum mechanics and simple model systems for which the Schrodinger equation can be solved in closed form, but it then shifts in the second half to atoms and molecules, for which no closed solutions exist. The underlying…

A simple parametric model observer for quality assurance in computer tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anton, M.; Khanin, A.; Kretz, T.; Reginatto, M.; Elster, C.

2018-04-01

Model observers are mathematical classifiers that are used for the quality assessment of imaging systems such as computer tomography. The quality of the imaging system is quantified by means of the performance of a selected model observer. For binary classification tasks, the performance of the model observer is defined by the area under its ROC curve (AUC). Typically, the AUC is estimated by applying the model observer to a large set of training and test data. However, the recording of these large data sets is not always practical for routine quality assurance. In this paper we propose as an alternative a parametric model observer that is based on a simple phantom, and we provide a Bayesian estimation of its AUC. It is shown that a limited number of repeatedly recorded images (10–15) is already sufficient to obtain results suitable for the quality assessment of an imaging system. A MATLAB® function is provided for the calculation of the results. The performance of the proposed model observer is compared to that of the established channelized Hotelling observer and the nonprewhitening matched filter for simulated images as well as for images obtained from a low-contrast phantom on an x-ray tomography scanner. The results suggest that the proposed parametric model observer, along with its Bayesian treatment, can provide an efficient, practical alternative for the quality assessment of CT imaging systems.

Ontological Model of Business Process Management Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manoilov, G.; Deliiska, B.

2008-10-01

The activities which constitute business process management (BPM) can be grouped into five categories: design, modeling, execution, monitoring and optimization. Dedicated software packets for business process management system (BPMS) are available on the market. But the efficiency of its exploitation depends on used ontological model in the development time and run time of the system. In the article an ontological model of BPMS in area of software industry is investigated. The model building is preceded by conceptualization of the domain and taxonomy of BPMS development. On the base of the taxonomy an simple online thesaurus is created.

Evaluating North American Electric Grid Reliability Using the Barabasi-Albert Network Model

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

Chassin, David P.; Posse, Christian

2005-09-15

The reliability of electric transmission systems is examined using a scale-free model of network topology and failure propagation. The topologies of the North American eastern and western electric grids are analyzed to estimate their reliability based on the Barabási-Albert network model. A commonly used power system reliability index is computed using a simple failure propagation model. The results are compared to the values of power system reliability indices previously obtained using other methods and they suggest that scale-free network models are usable to estimate aggregate electric grid reliability.

Evaluating North American Electric Grid Reliability Using the Barabasi-Albert Network Model

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

Chassin, David P.; Posse, Christian

2005-09-15

The reliability of electric transmission systems is examined using a scale-free model of network topology and failure propagation. The topologies of the North American eastern and western electric grids are analyzed to estimate their reliability based on the Barabasi-Albert network model. A commonly used power system reliability index is computed using a simple failure propagation model. The results are compared to the values of power system reliability indices previously obtained using standard power engineering methods, and they suggest that scale-free network models are usable to estimate aggregate electric grid reliability.

Dynamic calibration of agent-based models using data assimilation.

PubMed

Ward, Jonathan A; Evans, Andrew J; Malleson, Nicolas S

2016-04-01

A widespread approach to investigating the dynamical behaviour of complex social systems is via agent-based models (ABMs). In this paper, we describe how such models can be dynamically calibrated using the ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF), a standard method of data assimilation. Our goal is twofold. First, we want to present the EnKF in a simple setting for the benefit of ABM practitioners who are unfamiliar with it. Second, we want to illustrate to data assimilation experts the value of using such methods in the context of ABMs of complex social systems and the new challenges these types of model present. We work towards these goals within the context of a simple question of practical value: how many people are there in Leeds (or any other major city) right now? We build a hierarchy of exemplar models that we use to demonstrate how to apply the EnKF and calibrate these using open data of footfall counts in Leeds.

Simple control-theoretic models of human steering activity in visually guided vehicle control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hess, Ronald A.

1991-01-01

A simple control theoretic model of human steering or control activity in the lateral-directional control of vehicles such as automobiles and rotorcraft is discussed. The term 'control theoretic' is used to emphasize the fact that the model is derived from a consideration of well-known control system design principles as opposed to psychological theories regarding egomotion, etc. The model is employed to emphasize the 'closed-loop' nature of tasks involving the visually guided control of vehicles upon, or in close proximity to, the earth and to hypothesize how changes in vehicle dynamics can significantly alter the nature of the visual cues which a human might use in such tasks.

Validation of the replica trick for simple models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shinzato, Takashi

2018-04-01

We discuss the replica analytic continuation using several simple models in order to prove mathematically the validity of the replica analysis, which is used in a wide range of fields related to large-scale complex systems. While replica analysis consists of two analytical techniques—the replica trick (or replica analytic continuation) and the thermodynamical limit (and/or order parameter expansion)—we focus our study on replica analytic continuation, which is the mathematical basis of the replica trick. We apply replica analysis to solve a variety of analytical models, and examine the properties of replica analytic continuation. Based on the positive results for these models we propose that replica analytic continuation is a robust procedure in replica analysis.

Accurate prediction of pregnancy viability by means of a simple scoring system.

PubMed

Bottomley, Cecilia; Van Belle, Vanya; Kirk, Emma; Van Huffel, Sabine; Timmerman, Dirk; Bourne, Tom

2013-01-01

What is the performance of a simple scoring system to predict whether women will have an ongoing viable intrauterine pregnancy beyond the first trimester? A simple scoring system using demographic and initial ultrasound variables accurately predicts pregnancy viability beyond the first trimester with an area under the curve (AUC) in a receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.924 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.900-0.947] on an independent test set. Individual demographic and ultrasound factors, such as maternal age, vaginal bleeding and gestational sac size, are strong predictors of miscarriage. Previous mathematical models have combined individual risk factors with reasonable performance. A simple scoring system derived from a mathematical model that can be easily implemented in clinical practice has not previously been described for the prediction of ongoing viability. This was a prospective observational study in a single early pregnancy assessment centre during a 9-month period. A cohort of 1881 consecutive women undergoing transvaginal ultrasound scan at a gestational age <84 days were included. Women were excluded if the first trimester outcome was not known. Demographic features, symptoms and ultrasound variables were tested for their influence on ongoing viability. Logistic regression was used to determine the influence on first trimester viability from demographics and symptoms alone, ultrasound findings alone and then from all the variables combined. Each model was developed on a training data set, and a simple scoring system was derived from this. This scoring system was tested on an independent test data set. The final outcome based on a total of 1435 participants was an ongoing viable pregnancy in 885 (61.7%) and early pregnancy loss in 550 (38.3%) women. The scoring system using significant demographic variables alone (maternal age and amount of bleeding) to predict ongoing viability gave an AUC of 0.724 (95% CI = 0.692-0.756) in the training set and 0.729 (95% CI = 0.684-0.774) in the test set. The scoring system using significant ultrasound variables alone (mean gestation sac diameter, mean yolk sac diameter and the presence of fetal heart beat) gave an AUC of 0.873 (95% CI = 0.850-0.897) and 0.900 (95% CI = 0.871-0.928) in the training and the test sets, respectively. The final scoring system using demographic and ultrasound variables together gave an AUC of 0.901 (95% CI = 0.881-0.920) and 0.924 (CI = 0.900-0.947) in the training and the test sets, respectively. After defining the cut-off at which the sensitivity is 0.90 on the training set, this model performed with a sensitivity of 0.92, specificity of 0.73, positive predictive value of 84.7% and negative predictive value of 85.4% in the test set. BMI and smoking variables were a potential omission in the data collection and might further improve the model performance if included. A further limitation is the absence of information on either bleeding or pain in 18% of women. Caution should be exercised before implementation of this scoring system prior to further external validation studies This simple scoring system incorporates readily available data that are routinely collected in clinical practice and does not rely on complex data entry. As such it could, unlike most mathematical models, be easily incorporated into normal early pregnancy care, where women may appreciate an individualized calculation of the likelihood of ongoing pregnancy viability. Research by V.V.B. supported by Research Council KUL: GOA MaNet, PFV/10/002 (OPTEC), several PhD/postdoc & fellow grants; IWT: TBM070706-IOTA3, PhD Grants; IBBT; Belgian Federal Science Policy Office: IUAP P7/(DYSCO, `Dynamical systems, control and optimization', 2012-2017). T.B. is supported by the Imperial Healthcare NHS Trust NIHR Biomedical Research Centre. Not applicable.

Soft Modular Robotic Cubes: Toward Replicating Morphogenetic Movements of the Embryo

PubMed Central

Mendoza-Garcia, Ricardo-Franco; Zagal, Juan Cristóbal

2017-01-01

In this paper we present a new type of simple, pneumatically actuated, soft modular robotic system that can reproduce fundamental cell behaviors observed during morphogenesis; the initial shaping stage of the living embryo. The fabrication method uses soft lithography for producing composite elastomeric hollow cubes and permanent magnets as passive docking mechanism. Actuation is achieved by controlling the internal pressurization of cubes with external micro air pumps. Our experiments show how simple soft robotic modules can serve to reproduce to great extend the overall mechanics of collective cell migration, delamination, invagination, involution, epiboly and even simple forms of self-reconfiguration. Instead of relying in complex rigid onboard docking hardware, we exploit the coordinated inflation/deflation of modules as a simple mechanism to detach/attach modules and even rearrange the spatial position of components. Our results suggest new avenues for producing inexpensive, yet functioning, synthetic morphogenetic systems and provide new tangible models of cell behavior. PMID:28060878

ESTIMATION OF INFILTRATION RATE IN THE VADOSE ZONE: COMPILATION OF SIMPLE MATHEMATICAL MODELS - VOLUME I

EPA Science Inventory

The unsaturated or vadose zone provides a complex system for the simulation of water movement and contaminant transport and fate. Numerous models are available for performing simulations related to the movement of water. There exists extensive documentation of these models. Ho...

Systems Engineering of Education V: Quantitative Concepts for Education Systems.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Silvern, Leonard C.

The fifth (of 14) volume of the Education and Training Consultant's (ETC) series on systems engineering of education is designed for readers who have completed others in the series. It reviews arithmetic and algebraic procedures and applies these to simple education and training systems. Flowchart models of example problems are developed and…

Using emergent order to shape a space society

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Graps, Amara L.

1993-01-01

A fast-growing movement in the scientific community is reshaping the way that we view the world around us. The short-hand name for this movement is 'chaos'. Chaos is a science of the global, nonlinear nature of systems. The center of this set of ideas is that simple, deterministic systems can breed complexity. Systems as complex as the human body, ecology, the mind or a human society. While it is true that simple laws can breed complexity, the other side is that complex systems can breed order. It is the latter that I will focus on in this paper. In the past, nonlinear was nearly synonymous with unsolvable because no general analytic solutions exist. Mathematically, an essential difference exists between linear and nonlinear systems. For linear systems, you just break up the complicated system into many simple pieces and patch together the separated solutions for each piece to form a solution to the full problem. In contrast, solutions to a nonlinear system cannot be added to form a new solution. The system must be treated in its full complexity. While it is true that no general analytical approach exists for reducing a complex system such as a society, it can be modeled. The technical involves a mathematical construct called phase space. In this space stable structures can appear which I use as analogies for the stable structures that appear in a complex system such as an ecology, the mind or a society. The common denominator in all of these systems is that they rely on a process called feedback loops. Feedback loops link the microscopic (individual) parts to the macroscopic (global) parts. The key, then, in shaping a space society, is in effectively using feedback loops. This paper will illustrate how one can model a space society by using methods that chaoticists have developed over the last hundred years. And I will show that common threads exist in the modeling of biological, economical, philosophical, and sociological systems.

A computer model of context-dependent perception in a very simple world

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lara-Dammer, Francisco; Hofstadter, Douglas R.; Goldstone, Robert L.

2017-11-01

We propose the foundations of a computer model of scientific discovery that takes into account certain psychological aspects of human observation of the world. To this end, we simulate two main components of such a system. The first is a dynamic microworld in which physical events take place, and the second is an observer that visually perceives entities and events in the microworld. For reason of space, this paper focuses only on the starting phase of discovery, which is the relatively simple visual inputs of objects and collisions.

Encouraging moderation: clues from a simple model of ideological conflict.

PubMed

Marvel, Seth A; Hong, Hyunsuk; Papush, Anna; Strogatz, Steven H

2012-09-14

Some of the most pivotal moments in intellectual history occur when a new ideology sweeps through a society, supplanting an established system of beliefs in a rapid revolution of thought. Yet in many cases the new ideology is as extreme as the old. Why is it then that moderate positions so rarely prevail? Here, in the context of a simple model of opinion spreading, we test seven plausible strategies for deradicalizing a society and find that only one of them significantly expands the moderate subpopulation without risking its extinction in the process.

Encouraging Moderation: Clues from a Simple Model of Ideological Conflict

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marvel, Seth A.; Hong, Hyunsuk; Papush, Anna; Strogatz, Steven H.

2012-09-01

Some of the most pivotal moments in intellectual history occur when a new ideology sweeps through a society, supplanting an established system of beliefs in a rapid revolution of thought. Yet in many cases the new ideology is as extreme as the old. Why is it then that moderate positions so rarely prevail? Here, in the context of a simple model of opinion spreading, we test seven plausible strategies for deradicalizing a society and find that only one of them significantly expands the moderate subpopulation without risking its extinction in the process.

Saponification reaction system: a detailed mass transfer coefficient determination.

PubMed

Pečar, Darja; Goršek, Andreja

2015-01-01

The saponification of an aromatic ester with an aqueous sodium hydroxide was studied within a heterogeneous reaction medium in order to determine the overall kinetics of the selected system. The extended thermo-kinetic model was developed compared to the previously used simple one. The reaction rate within a heterogeneous liquid-liquid system incorporates a chemical kinetics term as well as mass transfer between both phases. Chemical rate constant was obtained from experiments within a homogeneous medium, whilst the mass-transfer coefficient was determined separately. The measured thermal profiles were then the bases for determining the overall reaction-rate. This study presents the development of an extended kinetic model for considering mass transfer regarding the saponification of ethyl benzoate with sodium hydroxide within a heterogeneous reaction medium. The time-dependences are presented for the mass transfer coefficient and the interfacial areas at different heterogeneous stages and temperatures. The results indicated an important role of reliable kinetic model, as significant difference in k(L)a product was obtained with extended and simple approach.

An Alternative Derivation of the Energy Levels of the "Particle on a Ring" System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vincent, Alan

1996-10-01

All acceptable wave functions must be continuous mathematical functions. This criterion limits the acceptable functions for a particle in a linear 1-dimensional box to sine functions. If, however, the linear box is bent round into a ring, acceptable wave functions are those which are continuous at the 'join'. On this model some acceptable linear functions become unacceptable for the ring and some unacceptable cosine functions become acceptable. This approach can be used to produce a straightforward derivation of the energy levels and wave functions of the particle on a ring. These simple wave mechanical systems can be used as models of linear and cyclic delocalised systems such as conjugated hydrocarbons or the benzene ring. The promotion energy of an electron can then be used to calculate the wavelength of absorption of uv light. The simple model gives results of the correct order of magnitude and shows that, as the chain length increases, the uv maximum moves to longer wavelengths, as found experimentally.

Implications of Biospheric Energization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Budding, Edd; Demircan, Osman; Gündüz, Güngör; Emin Özel, Mehmet

2016-07-01

Our physical model relating to the origin and development of lifelike processes from very simple beginnings is reviewed. This molecular ('ABC') process is compared with the chemoton model, noting the role of the autocatalytic tuning to the time-dependent source of energy. This substantiates a Darwinian character to evolution. The system evolves from very simple beginnings to a progressively more highly tuned, energized and complex responding biosphere, that grows exponentially; albeit with a very low net growth factor. Rates of growth and complexity in the evolution raise disturbing issues of inherent stability. Autocatalytic processes can include a fractal character to their development allowing recapitulative effects to be observed. This property, in allowing similarities of pattern to be recognized, can be useful in interpreting complex (lifelike) systems.

Mining peripheral arterial disease cases from narrative clinical notes using natural language processing.

PubMed

Afzal, Naveed; Sohn, Sunghwan; Abram, Sara; Scott, Christopher G; Chaudhry, Rajeev; Liu, Hongfang; Kullo, Iftikhar J; Arruda-Olson, Adelaide M

2017-06-01

Lower extremity peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is highly prevalent and affects millions of individuals worldwide. We developed a natural language processing (NLP) system for automated ascertainment of PAD cases from clinical narrative notes and compared the performance of the NLP algorithm with billing code algorithms, using ankle-brachial index test results as the gold standard. We compared the performance of the NLP algorithm to (1) results of gold standard ankle-brachial index; (2) previously validated algorithms based on relevant International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision diagnostic codes (simple model); and (3) a combination of International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision codes with procedural codes (full model). A dataset of 1569 patients with PAD and controls was randomly divided into training (n = 935) and testing (n = 634) subsets. We iteratively refined the NLP algorithm in the training set including narrative note sections, note types, and service types, to maximize its accuracy. In the testing dataset, when compared with both simple and full models, the NLP algorithm had better accuracy (NLP, 91.8%; full model, 81.8%; simple model, 83%; P < .001), positive predictive value (NLP, 92.9%; full model, 74.3%; simple model, 79.9%; P < .001), and specificity (NLP, 92.5%; full model, 64.2%; simple model, 75.9%; P < .001). A knowledge-driven NLP algorithm for automatic ascertainment of PAD cases from clinical notes had greater accuracy than billing code algorithms. Our findings highlight the potential of NLP tools for rapid and efficient ascertainment of PAD cases from electronic health records to facilitate clinical investigation and eventually improve care by clinical decision support. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Structure and atomic correlations in molecular systems probed by XAS reverse Monte Carlo refinement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Di Cicco, Andrea; Iesari, Fabio; Trapananti, Angela; D'Angelo, Paola; Filipponi, Adriano

2018-03-01

The Reverse Monte Carlo (RMC) algorithm for structure refinement has been applied to x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) multiple-edge data sets for six gas phase molecular systems (SnI2, CdI2, BBr3, GaI3, GeBr4, GeI4). Sets of thousands of molecular replicas were involved in the refinement process, driven by the XAS data and constrained by available electron diffraction results. The equilibrated configurations were analysed to determine the average tridimensional structure and obtain reliable bond and bond-angle distributions. Detectable deviations from Gaussian models were found in some cases. This work shows that a RMC refinement of XAS data is able to provide geometrical models for molecular structures compatible with present experimental evidence. The validation of this approach on simple molecular systems is particularly important in view of its possible simple extension to more complex and extended systems including metal-organic complexes, biomolecules, or nanocrystalline systems.

Improved Analysis of Earth System Models and Observations using Simple Climate Models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nadiga, B. T.; Urban, N. M.

2016-12-01

Earth system models (ESM) are the most comprehensive tools we have to study climate change and develop climate projections. However, the computational infrastructure required and the cost incurred in running such ESMs precludes direct use of such models in conjunction with a wide variety of tools that can further our understanding of climate. Here we are referring to tools that range from dynamical systems tools that give insight into underlying flow structure and topology to tools that come from various applied mathematical and statistical techniques and are central to quantifying stability, sensitivity, uncertainty and predictability to machine learning tools that are now being rapidly developed or improved. Our approach to facilitate the use of such models is to analyze output of ESM experiments (cf. CMIP) using a range of simpler models that consider integral balances of important quantities such as mass and/or energy in a Bayesian framework.We highlight the use of this approach in the context of the uptake of heat by the world oceans in the ongoing global warming. Indeed, since in excess of 90% of the anomalous radiative forcing due greenhouse gas emissions is sequestered in the world oceans, the nature of ocean heat uptake crucially determines the surface warming that is realized (cf. climate sensitivity). Nevertheless, ESMs themselves are never run long enough to directly assess climate sensitivity. So, we consider a range of models based on integral balances--balances that have to be realized in all first-principles based models of the climate system including the most detailed state-of-the art climate simulations. The models range from simple models of energy balance to those that consider dynamically important ocean processes such as the conveyor-belt circulation (Meridional Overturning Circulation, MOC), North Atlantic Deep Water (NADW) formation, Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) and eddy mixing. Results from Bayesian analysis of such models using both ESM experiments and actual observations are presented. One such result points to the importance of direct sequestration of heat below 700 m, a process that is not allowed for in the simple models that have been traditionally used to deduce climate sensitivity.

Using CONTENT 1.5 to analyze an SIR model for childhood infectious diseases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Su, Rui; He, Daihai

2008-11-01

In this work, we introduce a standard software CONTENT 1.5 for analysis of dynamical systems. A simple model for childhood infectious diseases is used as an example. The detailed steps to obtain the bifurcation structures of the system are given. These bifurcation structures can be used to explain the observed dynamical transition in measles incidences.

The GRASP 3: Graphical Reliability Analysis Simulation Program. Version 3: A users' manual and modelling guide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Phillips, D. T.; Manseur, B.; Foster, J. W.

1982-01-01

Alternate definitions of system failure create complex analysis for which analytic solutions are available only for simple, special cases. The GRASP methodology is a computer simulation approach for solving all classes of problems in which both failure and repair events are modeled according to the probability laws of the individual components of the system.

Electromechanical Simulation of Actively Controlled Rotordynamic Systems with Piezoelectric Actuators

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lin, Reng Rong; Palazzolo, A. B.; Kascak, A. F.; Montague, G.

1991-01-01

Theories and tests for incorporating piezoelectric pushers as actuator devices for active vibration control are discussed. It started from a simple model with the assumption of ideal pusher characteristics and progressed to electromechanical models with nonideal pushers. Effects on system stability due to the nonideal characteristics of piezoelectric pushers and other elements in the control loop were investigated.

A Saturnian cam current system driven by asymmetric thermospheric heating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, C. G. A.

2011-02-01

We show that asymmetric heating of Saturn's thermosphere can drive a current system consistent with the magnetospheric ‘cam’ proposed by Espinosa, Southwood & Dougherty. A geometrically simple heating distribution is imposed on the Northern hemisphere of a simplified three-dimensional global circulation model of Saturn's thermosphere. Currents driven by the resulting winds are calculated using a globally averaged ionosphere model. Using a simple assumption about how divergences in these currents close by flowing along dipolar field lines between the Northern and Southern hemispheres, we estimate the magnetic field perturbations in the equatorial plane and show that they are broadly consistent with the proposed cam fields, showing a roughly uniform field implying radial and azimuthal components in quadrature. We also identify a small longitudinal phase drift in the cam current with radial distance as a characteristic of a thermosphere-driven current system. However, at present our model does not produce magnetic field perturbations of the required magnitude, falling short by a factor of ˜100, a discrepancy that may be a consequence of an incomplete model of the ionospheric conductance.

Fault-tolerant continuous flow systems modelling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tolbi, B.; Tebbikh, H.; Alla, H.

2017-01-01

This paper presents a structural modelling of faults with hybrid Petri nets (HPNs) for the analysis of a particular class of hybrid dynamic systems, continuous flow systems. HPNs are first used for the behavioural description of continuous flow systems without faults. Then, faults' modelling is considered using a structural method without having to rebuild the model to new. A translation method is given in hierarchical way, it gives a hybrid automata (HA) from an elementary HPN. This translation preserves the behavioural semantics (timed bisimilarity), and reflects the temporal behaviour by giving semantics for each model in terms of timed transition systems. Thus, advantages of the power modelling of HPNs and the analysis ability of HA are taken. A simple example is used to illustrate the ideas.

Quantum Theories of Self-Localization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bernstein, Lisa Joan

In the classical dynamics of coupled oscillator systems, nonlinearity leads to the existence of stable solutions in which energy remains localized for all time. Here the quantum-mechanical counterpart of classical self-localization is investigated in the context of two model systems. For these quantum models, the terms corresponding to classical nonlinearities modify a subset of the stationary quantum states to be particularly suited to the creation of nonstationary wavepackets that localize energy for long times. The first model considered here is the Quantized Discrete Self-Trapping model (QDST), a system of anharmonic oscillators with linear dispersive coupling used to model local modes of vibration in polyatomic molecules. A simple formula is derived for a particular symmetry class of QDST systems which gives an analytic connection between quantum self-localization and classical local modes. This formula is also shown to be useful in the interpretation of the vibrational spectra of some molecules. The second model studied is the Frohlich/Einstein Dimer (FED), a two-site system of anharmonically coupled oscillators based on the Frohlich Hamiltonian and motivated by the theory of Davydov solitons in biological protein. The Born-Oppenheimer perturbation method is used to obtain approximate stationary state wavefunctions with error estimates for the FED at the first excited level. A second approach is used to reduce the first excited level FED eigenvalue problem to a system of ordinary differential equations. A simple theory of low-energy self-localization in the FED is discussed. The quantum theories of self-localization in the intrinsic QDST model and the extrinsic FED model are compared.

Greenhouse effect: temperature of a metal sphere surrounded by a glass shell and heated by sunlight

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nguyen, Phuc H.; Matzner, Richard A.

2012-01-01

We study the greenhouse effect on a model satellite consisting of a tungsten sphere surrounded by a thin spherical, concentric glass shell, with a small gap between the sphere and the shell. The system sits in vacuum and is heated by sunlight incident along the z-axis. This development is a generalization of the simple treatment of the greenhouse effect given by Kittel and Kroemer (1980 Thermal Physics (San Francisco: Freeman)) and can serve as a very simple model demonstrating the much more complex Earth greenhouse effect. Solution of the model problem provides an excellent pedagogical tool at the Junior/Senior undergraduate level.

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

Cottam, Joseph A.; Blaha, Leslie M.

Systems have biases. Their interfaces naturally guide a user toward specific patterns of action. For example, modern word-processors and spreadsheets are both capable of taking word wrapping, checking spelling, storing tables, and calculating formulas. You could write a paper in a spreadsheet or could do simple business modeling in a word-processor. However, their interfaces naturally communicate which function they are designed for. Visual analytic interfaces also have biases. In this paper, we outline why simple Markov models are a plausible tool for investigating that bias and how they might be applied. We also discuss some anticipated difficulties in such modelingmore » and touch briefly on what some Markov model extensions might provide.« less

Simple biophysical model of tumor evasion from immune system control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

D'Onofrio, Alberto; Ciancio, Armando

2011-09-01

The competitive nonlinear interplay between a tumor and the host's immune system is not only very complex but is also time-changing. A fundamental aspect of this issue is the ability of the tumor to slowly carry out processes that gradually allow it to become less harmed and less susceptible to recognition by the immune system effectors. Here we propose a simple epigenetic escape mechanism that adaptively depends on the interactions per time unit between cells of the two systems. From a biological point of view, our model is based on the concept that a tumor cell that has survived an encounter with a cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) has an information gain that it transmits to the other cells of the neoplasm. The consequence of this information increase is a decrease in both the probabilities of being killed and of being recognized by a CTL. We show that the mathematical model of this mechanism is formally equal to an evolutionary imitation game dynamics. Numerical simulations of transitory phases complement the theoretical analysis. Implications of the interplay between the above mechanisms and the delivery of immunotherapies are also illustrated.

Moving toward climate-informed agricultural decision support - can we use PRISM data for more than just monthly averages?

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Decision support systems/models for agriculture are varied in target application and complexity, ranging from simple worksheets to near real-time forecast systems requiring significant computational and manpower resources. Until recently, most such decision support systems have been constructed with...

A Model for S&T Information Provision to Small R&D Systems in Developing Countries with Case Studies in Ethiopia and Tanzania. Stockholm Papers in Library and Information Science.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Winkel, Annette; Schwarz, Stephan

By carefully considering the special characteristics of two small African scientific and technical (S&T) information systems for research and development (R&D), this report defines a simple and straightforward model which can be easily implemented in similar situations with a minimum of external support. The model is designed to build up a…

On one-parametric formula relating the frequencies of twin-peak quasi-periodic oscillations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Török, Gabriel; Goluchová, Kateřina; Šrámková, Eva; Horák, Jiří; Bakala, Pavel; Urbanec, Martin

2018-01-01

Twin-peak quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs) are observed in several low-mass X-ray binary systems containing neutron stars. Timing the analysis of X-ray fluxes of more than dozen of such systems reveals remarkable correlations between the frequencies of two characteristic peaks present in the power density spectra. The individual correlations clearly differ, but they roughly follow a common individual pattern. High values of measured QPO frequencies and strong modulation of the X-ray flux both suggest that the observed correlations are connected to orbital motion in the innermost part of an accretion disc. Several attempts to model these correlations with simple geodesic orbital models or phenomenological relations have failed in the past. We find and explore a surprisingly simple analytic relation that reproduces individual correlations for a group of several sources through a single parameter. When an additional free parameter is considered within our relation, it well reproduces the data of a large group of 14 sources. The very existence and form of this simple relation support the hypothesis of the orbital origin of QPOs and provide the key for further development of QPO models. We discuss a possible physical interpretation of our relation's parameters and their links to concrete QPO models.

CODIT

Treesearch

Walter C. Shortle

2000-01-01

CODIT is an acronym for compartmentalization of decay in trees. It is a simple model system originally designed to help forest managers understand the patterns of discoloration and decay in living trees.

A simple Lagrangian forecast system with aviation forecast potential

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Petersen, R. A.; Homan, J. H.

1983-01-01

A trajectory forecast procedure is developed which uses geopotential tendency fields obtained from a simple, multiple layer, potential vorticity conservative isentropic model. This model can objectively account for short-term advective changes in the mass field when combined with fine-scale initial analyses. This procedure for producing short-term, upper-tropospheric trajectory forecasts employs a combination of a detailed objective analysis technique, an efficient mass advection model, and a diagnostically proven trajectory algorithm, none of which require extensive computer resources. Results of initial tests are presented, which indicate an exceptionally good agreement for trajectory paths entering the jet stream and passing through an intensifying trough. It is concluded that this technique not only has potential for aiding in route determination, fuel use estimation, and clear air turbulence detection, but also provides an example of the types of short range forecasting procedures which can be applied at local forecast centers using simple algorithms and a minimum of computer resources.

Application of thermal model for pan evaporation to the hydrology of a defined medium, the sponge

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Trenchard, M. H.; Artley, J. A. (Principal Investigator)

1981-01-01

A technique is presented which estimates pan evaporation from the commonly observed values of daily maximum and minimum air temperatures. These two variables are transformed to saturation vapor pressure equivalents which are used in a simple linear regression model. The model provides reasonably accurate estimates of pan evaporation rates over a large geographic area. The derived evaporation algorithm is combined with precipitation to obtain a simple moisture variable. A hypothetical medium with a capacity of 8 inches of water is initialized at 4 inches. The medium behaves like a sponge: it absorbs all incident precipitation, with runoff or drainage occurring only after it is saturated. Water is lost from this simple system through evaporation just as from a Class A pan, but at a rate proportional to its degree of saturation. The contents of the sponge is a moisture index calculated from only the maximum and minium temperatures and precipitation.

Application of Mathematical Modeling in Potentially Survivable Blast Threats in Military Vehicles

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-12-01

elastic – compression and tension of body under loading if elastic tolerances are exceeded, (b) viscous – when fluid matter is involved in the...lumbar spine biomechanical response. The model is a simple spring and damper system and its equation of motion is represented as: 2...dynamic motion. The seat structural management system was represented using Kelvin spring damper element provided in MADYMO. In the actual seat system

Aerosol Complexity and Implications for Predictability and Short-Term Forecasting

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Colarco, Peter

2016-01-01

There are clear NWP and climate impacts from including aerosol radiative and cloud interactions. Changes in dynamics and cloud fields affect aerosol lifecycle, plume height, long-range transport, overall forcing of the climate system, etc. Inclusion of aerosols in NWP systems has benefit to surface field biases (e.g., T2m, U10m). Including aerosol affects has impact on analysis increments and can have statistically significant impacts on, e.g., tropical cyclogenesis. Above points are made especially with respect to aerosol radiative interactions, but aerosol-cloud interaction is a bigger signal on the global system. Many of these impacts are realized even in models with relatively simple (bulk) aerosol schemes (approx.10 -20 tracers). Simple schemes though imply simple representation of aerosol absorption and importantly for aerosol-cloud interaction particle-size distribution. Even so, more complex schemes exhibit a lot of diversity between different models, with issues such as size selection both for emitted particles and for modes. Prospects for complex sectional schemes to tune modal (and even bulk) schemes toward better selection of size representation. I think this is a ripe topic for more research -Systematic documentation of benefits of no vs. climatological vs. interactive (direct and then direct+indirect) aerosols. Document aerosol impact on analysis increments, inclusion in NWP data assimilation operator -Further refinement of baseline assumptions in model design (e.g., absorption, particle size distribution). Did not get into model resolution and interplay of other physical processes with aerosols (e.g., moist physics, obviously important), chemistry

A simple analytical model for signal amplification by reversible exchange (SABRE) process.

PubMed

Barskiy, Danila A; Pravdivtsev, Andrey N; Ivanov, Konstantin L; Kovtunov, Kirill V; Koptyug, Igor V

2016-01-07

We demonstrate an analytical model for the description of the signal amplification by reversible exchange (SABRE) process. The model relies on a combined analysis of chemical kinetics and the evolution of the nuclear spin system during the hyperpolarization process. The presented model for the first time provides rationale for deciding which system parameters (i.e. J-couplings, relaxation rates, reaction rate constants) have to be optimized in order to achieve higher signal enhancement for a substrate of interest in SABRE experiments.

Efficient micromagnetic modelling of spin-transfer torque and spin-orbit torque

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abert, Claas; Bruckner, Florian; Vogler, Christoph; Suess, Dieter

2018-05-01

While the spin-diffusion model is considered one of the most complete and accurate tools for the description of spin transport and spin torque, its solution in the context of dynamical micromagnetic simulations is numerically expensive. We propose a procedure to retrieve the free parameters of a simple macro-spin like spin-torque model through the spin-diffusion model. In case of spin-transfer torque the simplified model complies with the model of Slonczewski. A similar model can be established for the description of spin-orbit torque. In both cases the spin-diffusion model enables the retrieval of free model parameters from the geometry and the material parameters of the system. Since these parameters usually have to be determined phenomenologically through experiments, the proposed method combines the strength of the diffusion model to resolve material parameters and geometry with the high performance of simple torque models.

Theoretical estimation of Photons flow rate Production in quark gluon interaction at high energies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al-Agealy, Hadi J. M.; Hamza Hussein, Hyder; Mustafa Hussein, Saba

2018-05-01

photons emitted from higher energetic collisions in quark-gluon system have been theoretical studied depending on color quantum theory. A simple model for photons emission at quark-gluon system have been investigated. In this model, we use a quantum consideration which enhances to describing the quark system. The photons current rate are estimation for two system at different fugacity coefficient. We discussion the behavior of photons rate and quark gluon system properties in different photons energies with Boltzmann model. The photons rate depending on anisotropic coefficient : strong constant, photons energy, color number, fugacity parameter, thermal energy and critical energy of system are also discussed.

The nature of the colloidal 'glass' transition.

PubMed

Dawson, Kenneth A; Lawlor, A; DeGregorio, Paolo; McCullagh, Gavin D; Zaccarelli, Emanuela; Foffi, Giuseppe; Tartaglia, Piero

2003-01-01

The dynamically arrested state of matter is discussed in the context of athermal systems, such as the hard sphere colloidal arrest. We believe that the singular dynamical behaviour near arrest expressed, for example, in how the diffusion constant vanishes may be 'universal', in a sense to be discussed in the paper. Based on this we argue the merits of studying the problem with simple lattice models. This, by analogy with the the critical point of the Ising model, should lead us to clarify the questions, and begin the program of establishing the degree of universality to be expected. We deal only with 'ideal' athermal dynamical arrest transitions, such as those found for hard sphere systems. However, it is argued that dynamically available volume (DAV) is the relevant order parameter of the transition, and that universal mechanisms may be well expressed in terms of DAV. For simple lattice models we give examples of simple laws that emerge near the dynamical arrest, emphasising the idea of a near-ideal gas of 'holes', interacting to give the power law diffusion constant scaling near the arrest. We also seek to open the discussion of the possibility of an underlying weak coupling theory of the dynamical arrest transition, based on DAV.

Organisational Intelligence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yolles, Maurice

2005-01-01

Purpose: Seeks to explore the notion of organisational intelligence as a simple extension of the notion of the idea of collective intelligence. Design/methodology/approach: Discusses organisational intelligence using previous research, which includes the Purpose, Properties and Practice model of Dealtry, and the Viable Systems model. Findings: The…

EPA MODELING TOOLS FOR CAPTURE ZONE DELINEATION

EPA Science Inventory

The EPA Office of Research and Development supports a step-wise modeling approach for design of wellhead protection areas for water supply wells. A web-based WellHEDSS (wellhead decision support system) is under development for determining when simple capture zones (e.g., centri...

The 'cube' meta-model for the information system of large health sector organizations--a (platform neutral) mapping tool to integrate information system development with changing business functions and organizational development.

PubMed

Balkányi, László

2002-01-01

To develop information systems (IS) in the changing environment of the health sector, a simple but throughout model, avoiding the techno-jargon of informatics, might be useful for the top management. A platform neutral, extensible, transparent conceptual model should be established. Limitations of current methods lead to a simple, but comprehensive mapping, in the form of a three-dimensional cube. The three 'orthogonal' views are (a) organization functionality, (b) organizational structures and (c) information technology. Each of the cube-sides is described according to its nature. This approach enables to define any kind of an IS component as a certain point/layer/domain of the cube and enables also the management to label all IS components independently form any supplier(s) and/or any specific platform. The model handles changes in organization structure, business functionality and the serving info-system independently form each other. Practical application extends to (a) planning complex, new ISs, (b) guiding development of multi-vendor, multi-site ISs, (c) supporting large-scale public procurement procedures and the contracting, implementation phase by establishing a platform neutral reference, (d) keeping an exhaustive inventory of an existing large-scale system, that handles non-tangible aspects of the IS.

Sustainability Indicators for Coupled Human-Earth Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Motesharrei, S.; Rivas, J. R.; Kalnay, E.

2014-12-01

Over the last two centuries, the Human System went from having a small impact on the Earth System (including the Climate System) to becoming dominant, because both population and per capita consumption have grown extremely fast, especially since about 1950. We therefore argue that Human System Models must be included into Earth System Models through bidirectional couplings with feedbacks. In particular, population should be modeled endogenously, rather than exogenously as done currently in most Integrated Assessment Models. The growth of the Human System threatens to overwhelm the Carrying Capacity of the Earth System, and may be leading to catastrophic climate change and collapse. We propose a set of Ecological and Economic "Sustainability Indicators" that can employ large data-sets for developing and assessing effective mitigation and adaptation policies. Using the Human and Nature Dynamical Model (HANDY) and Coupled Human-Climate-Water Model (COWA), we carry out experiments with this set of Sustainability Indicators and show that they are applicable to various coupled systems including Population, Climate, Water, Energy, Agriculture, and Economy. Impact of nonrenewable resources and fossil fuels could also be understood using these indicators. We demonstrate interconnections of Ecological and Economic Indicators. Coupled systems often include feedbacks and can thus display counterintuitive dynamics. This makes it difficult for even experts to see coming catastrophes from just the raw data for different variables. Sustainability Indicators boil down the raw data into a set of simple numbers that cross their sustainability thresholds with a large time-lag before variables enter their catastrophic regimes. Therefore, we argue that Sustainability Indicators constitute a powerful but simple set of tools that could be directly used for making policies for sustainability.

Post-game analysis: An initial experiment for heuristic-based resource management in concurrent systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yan, Jerry C.

1987-01-01

In concurrent systems, a major responsibility of the resource management system is to decide how the application program is to be mapped onto the multi-processor. Instead of using abstract program and machine models, a generate-and-test framework known as 'post-game analysis' that is based on data gathered during program execution is proposed. Each iteration consists of (1) (a simulation of) an execution of the program; (2) analysis of the data gathered; and (3) the proposal of a new mapping that would have a smaller execution time. These heuristics are applied to predict execution time changes in response to small perturbations applied to the current mapping. An initial experiment was carried out using simple strategies on 'pipeline-like' applications. The results obtained from four simple strategies demonstrated that for this kind of application, even simple strategies can produce acceptable speed-up with a small number of iterations.

Fractality à la carte: a general particle aggregation model.

PubMed

Nicolás-Carlock, J R; Carrillo-Estrada, J L; Dossetti, V

2016-01-19

In nature, fractal structures emerge in a wide variety of systems as a local optimization of entropic and energetic distributions. The fractality of these systems determines many of their physical, chemical and/or biological properties. Thus, to comprehend the mechanisms that originate and control the fractality is highly relevant in many areas of science and technology. In studying clusters grown by aggregation phenomena, simple models have contributed to unveil some of the basic elements that give origin to fractality, however, the specific contribution from each of these elements to fractality has remained hidden in the complex dynamics. Here, we propose a simple and versatile model of particle aggregation that is, on the one hand, able to reveal the specific entropic and energetic contributions to the clusters' fractality and morphology, and, on the other, capable to generate an ample assortment of rich natural-looking aggregates with any prescribed fractal dimension.

Control-structure interaction study for the Space Station solar dynamic power module

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cheng, J.; Ianculescu, G.; Ly, J.; Kim, M.

1991-01-01

The authors investigate the feasibility of using a conventional PID (proportional plus integral plus derivative) controller design to perform the pointing and tracking functions for the Space Station Freedom solar dynamic power module. Using this simple controller design, the control/structure interaction effects were also studied without assuming frequency bandwidth separation. From the results, the feasibility of a simple solar dynamic control solution with a reduced-order model, which satisfies the basic system pointing and stability requirements, is suggested. However, the conventional control design approach is shown to be very much influenced by the order of reduction of the plant model, i.e., the number of the retained elastic modes from the full-order model. This suggests that, for complex large space structures, such as the Space Station Freedom solar dynamic, the conventional control system design methods may not be adequate.

Geometry and Reynolds-Number Scaling on an Iced Business-Jet Wing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, Sam; Ratvasky, Thomas P.; Thacker, Michael; Barnhart, Billy P.

2005-01-01

A study was conducted to develop a method to scale the effect of ice accretion on a full-scale business jet wing model to a 1/12-scale model at greatly reduced Reynolds number. Full-scale, 5/12-scale, and 1/12-scale models of identical airfoil section were used in this study. Three types of ice accretion were studied: 22.5-minute ice protection system failure shape, 2-minute initial ice roughness, and a runback shape that forms downstream of a thermal anti-ice system. The results showed that the 22.5-minute failure shape could be scaled from full-scale to 1/12-scale through simple geometric scaling. The 2-minute roughness shape could be scaled by choosing an appropriate grit size. The runback ice shape exhibited greater Reynolds number effects and could not be scaled by simple geometric scaling of the ice shape.

FE-ANN based modeling of 3D simple reinforced concrete girders for objective structural health evaluation.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-06-01

The structural deterioration of aging infrastructure systems and the costs of repairing these systems is an increasingly important issue worldwide. Structural health monitoring (SHM), most commonly visual inspection and condition rating, has proven t...

Using explanatory crop models to develop simple tools for Advanced Life Support system studies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cavazzoni, J.

2004-01-01

System-level analyses for Advanced Life Support require mathematical models for various processes, such as for biomass production and waste management, which would ideally be integrated into overall system models. Explanatory models (also referred to as mechanistic or process models) would provide the basis for a more robust system model, as these would be based on an understanding of specific processes. However, implementing such models at the system level may not always be practicable because of their complexity. For the area of biomass production, explanatory models were used to generate parameters and multivariable polynomial equations for basic models that are suitable for estimating the direction and magnitude of daily changes in canopy gas-exchange, harvest index, and production scheduling for both nominal and off-nominal growing conditions. c2004 COSPAR. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Simple Exploration of Complexity at the Climate-Weather-Social-Conflict Nexus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shaw, M.

2017-12-01

The conceptualization, exploration, and prediction of interplay between climate, weather, important resources, and social and economic - so political - human behavior is cast, and analyzed, in terms familiar from statistical physics and nonlinear dynamics. A simple threshold toy model is presented which emulates human tendencies to either actively engage in responses deriving, in part, from environmental circumstances or to maintain some semblance of status quo, formulated based on efforts drawn from the sociophysics literature - more specifically vis a vis a model akin to spin glass depictions of human behavior - with threshold/switching of individual and collective dynamics influenced by relatively more detailed weather and land surface model (hydrological) analyses via a land data assimilation system (a custom rendition of the NASA GSFC Land Information System). Parameters relevant to human systems' - e.g., individual and collective switching - sensitivity to hydroclimatology are explored towards investigation of overall system behavior; i.e., fixed points/equilibria, oscillations, and bifurcations of systems composed of human interactions and responses to climate and weather through, e.g., agriculture. We discuss implications in terms of conceivable impacts of climate change and associated natural disasters on socioeconomics, politics, and power transfer, drawing from relatively recent literature concerning human conflict.

The properties of an ion selective enzymatic asymmetric synthetic membrane.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mitz, M. A.

1971-01-01

With the aid of a simple model membrane system, the properties of cellulose enzymes and of membrane selectivity and pump-like action are considered. The model is based on materials possibly present on a primitive earth, as well as on a membrane able to sort or concentrate these materials. An overview of the model membrane system is presented in terms of how it is constructed, what its properties are, and what to expect in performance characteristics. The model system is shown to be useful for studying the selective and in some cases accelerated transfer of nutrients and metabolites.

A measurement-based performability model for a multiprocessor system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ilsueh, M. C.; Iyer, Ravi K.; Trivedi, K. S.

1987-01-01

A measurement-based performability model based on real error-data collected on a multiprocessor system is described. Model development from the raw errror-data to the estimation of cumulative reward is described. Both normal and failure behavior of the system are characterized. The measured data show that the holding times in key operational and failure states are not simple exponential and that semi-Markov process is necessary to model the system behavior. A reward function, based on the service rate and the error rate in each state, is then defined in order to estimate the performability of the system and to depict the cost of different failure types and recovery procedures.

Statistical mechanics of homogeneous partly pinned fluid systems.

PubMed

Krakoviack, Vincent

2010-12-01

The homogeneous partly pinned fluid systems are simple models of a fluid confined in a disordered porous matrix obtained by arresting randomly chosen particles in a one-component bulk fluid or one of the two components of a binary mixture. In this paper, their configurational properties are investigated. It is shown that a peculiar complementarity exists between the mobile and immobile phases, which originates from the fact that the solid is prepared in presence of and in equilibrium with the adsorbed fluid. Simple identities follow, which connect different types of configurational averages, either relative to the fluid-matrix system or to the bulk fluid from which it is prepared. Crucial simplifications result for the computation of important structural quantities, both in computer simulations and in theoretical approaches. Finally, possible applications of the model in the field of dynamics in confinement or in strongly asymmetric mixtures are suggested.

Aggregative Learning Method and Its Application for Communication Quality Evaluation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akhmetov, Dauren F.; Kotaki, Minoru

2007-12-01

In this paper, so-called Aggregative Learning Method (ALM) is proposed to improve and simplify the learning and classification abilities of different data processing systems. It provides a universal basis for design and analysis of mathematical models of wide class. A procedure was elaborated for time series model reconstruction and analysis for linear and nonlinear cases. Data approximation accuracy (during learning phase) and data classification quality (during recall phase) are estimated from introduced statistic parameters. The validity and efficiency of the proposed approach have been demonstrated through its application for monitoring of wireless communication quality, namely, for Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) system. Low memory and computation resources were shown to be needed for the procedure realization, especially for data classification (recall) stage. Characterized with high computational efficiency and simple decision making procedure, the derived approaches can be useful for simple and reliable real-time surveillance and control system design.

Sensory Perception and Aging in Model Systems: From the Outside In

PubMed Central

Linford, Nancy J.; Kuo, Tsung-Han; Chan, Tammy P.; Pletcher, Scott D.

2014-01-01

Sensory systems provide organisms from bacteria to human with the ability to interact with the world. Numerous senses have evolved that allow animals to detect and decode cues from sources in both their external and internal environments. Recent advances in understanding the central mechanisms by which the brains of simple organisms evaluate different cues and initiate behavioral decisions, coupled with observations that sensory manipulations are capable of altering organism lifespan, have opened the door for powerful new research into aging. While direct links between sensory perception and aging have been established only recently, here we discuss these initial discoveries and evaluate the potential for different forms of sensory processing to modulate lifespan across taxa. Harnessing the neurobiology of simple model systems to study the biological impact of sensory experiences will yield insights into the broad influence of sensory perception in mammals and may help uncover new mechanisms of healthy aging. PMID:21756108

Sensory perception and aging in model systems: from the outside in.

PubMed

Linford, Nancy J; Kuo, Tsung-Han; Chan, Tammy P; Pletcher, Scott D

2011-01-01

Sensory systems provide organisms from bacteria to humans with the ability to interact with the world. Numerous senses have evolved that allow animals to detect and decode cues from sources in both their external and internal environments. Recent advances in understanding the central mechanisms by which the brains of simple organisms evaluate different cues and initiate behavioral decisions, coupled with observations that sensory manipulations are capable of altering organismal lifespan, have opened the door for powerful new research into aging. Although direct links between sensory perception and aging have been established only recently, here we discuss these initial discoveries and evaluate the potential for different forms of sensory processing to modulate lifespan across taxa. Harnessing the neurobiology of simple model systems to study the biological impact of sensory experiences will yield insights into the broad influence of sensory perception in mammals and may help uncover new mechanisms of healthy aging.

Great Lakes modeling: Are the mathematics outpacing the data and our understanding of the system?

EPA Science Inventory

Mathematical modeling in the Great Lakes has come a long way from the pioneering work done by Manhattan College in the 1970s, when the models operated on coarse computational grids (often lake-wide) and used simple eutrophication formulations. Moving forward 40 years, we are now...

Improved methods for the measurement and modeling of PV module and system performance for all operating conditions

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

King, D.L.

1995-11-01

The objective of this work was to develop improved performance model for modules and systems for for all operating conditions for use in module specifications, system and BOS component design, and system rating or monitoring. The approach taken was to identify and quantify the influence of dominant factors of solar irradiance, cell temperature, angle-of-incidence; and solar spectrum; use outdoor test procedures to separate the effects of electrical, thermal, and optical performance; use fundamental cell characteristics to improve analysis; and combine factors in simple model using the common variables.

Simple rules for a "simple" nervous system? Molecular and biomathematical approaches to enteric nervous system formation and malformation.

PubMed

Newgreen, Donald F; Dufour, Sylvie; Howard, Marthe J; Landman, Kerry A

2013-10-01

We review morphogenesis of the enteric nervous system from migratory neural crest cells, and defects of this process such as Hirschsprung disease, centering on cell motility and assembly, and cell adhesion and extracellular matrix molecules, along with cell proliferation and growth factors. We then review continuum and agent-based (cellular automata) models with rules of cell movement and logistical proliferation. Both movement and proliferation at the individual cell level are modeled with stochastic components from which stereotyped outcomes emerge at the population level. These models reproduced the wave-like colonization of the intestine by enteric neural crest cells, and several new properties emerged, such as colonization by frontal expansion, which were later confirmed biologically. These models predict a surprising level of clonal heterogeneity both in terms of number and distribution of daughter cells. Biologically, migrating cells form stable chains made up of unstable cells, but this is not seen in the initial model. We outline additional rules for cell differentiation into neurons, axon extension, cell-axon and cell-cell adhesions, chemotaxis and repulsion which can reproduce chain migration. After the migration stage, the cells re-arrange as a network of ganglia. Changes in cell adhesion molecules parallel this, and we describe additional rules based on Steinberg's Differential Adhesion Hypothesis, reflecting changing levels of adhesion in neural crest cells and neurons. This was able to reproduce enteric ganglionation in a model. Mouse mutants with disturbances of enteric nervous system morphogenesis are discussed, and these suggest future refinement of the models. The modeling suggests a relatively simple set of cell behavioral rules could account for complex patterns of morphogenesis. The model has allowed the proposal that Hirschsprung disease is mostly an enteric neural crest cell proliferation defect, not a defect of cell migration. In addition, the model suggests an explanations for zonal and skip segment variants of Hirschsprung disease, and also gives a novel stochastic explanation for the observed discordancy of Hirschsprung disease in identical twins. © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Empirical testing of an analytical model predicting electrical isolation of photovoltaic models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garcia, A., III; Minning, C. P.; Cuddihy, E. F.

A major design requirement for photovoltaic modules is that the encapsulation system be capable of withstanding large DC potentials without electrical breakdown. Presented is a simple analytical model which can be used to estimate material thickness to meet this requirement for a candidate encapsulation system or to predict the breakdown voltage of an existing module design. A series of electrical tests to verify the model are described in detail. The results of these verification tests confirmed the utility of the analytical model for preliminary design of photovoltaic modules.

An Investigation of the Effects of Boundary Avoidance on Pilot Tracking

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-12-01

for the most pressing tracking task. 14 2.2.4 System Plant A simple second order system was used to provide representative aircraft system... plant , a small pulse was input into the system at the onset of the simulation. 2.2.5 Model Results The values used by the author in both the...13 2.2.4 System Plant

A Simple Analytical Model for Asynchronous Dense WDM/OOK Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-06-01

asynchronous dense WDM systems employing an external OOK modulator. Our model is based upon a close approximation of the optical Fabry - Perot filter in the...receiver as a single-pole RC filter for signals that are bandlimitr i, & -equency band approximately equal to one sixtieth of the Fabry - Perot filter’s...4 A. INPUT SIGNAL ............................................................................................... 4 B. FABRY - PEROT FILTERED OUTPUT

Funding Higher Education and Wage Uncertainty: Income Contingent Loan versus Mortgage Loan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Migali, Giuseppe

2012-01-01

We propose a simple theoretical model which shows how the combined effect of wage uncertainty and risk aversion can modify the individual willingness to pay for a HE system financed by an ICL or a ML. We calibrate our model using real data from the 1970 British Cohort Survey together with the features of the English HE financing system. We allow…

The Effects of Swedish Knife Model on Students' Understanding of the Digestive System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cerrah Ozsevgec, Lale; Artun, Huseyin; Unal, Melike

2012-01-01

This study was designed to examine the effect of Swedish Knife Model on students' understanding of digestive system. A simple experimental design (pretest-treatment-posttest) was used in the study and internal comparison of the results of the one group was made. The sample consisted of 40 7th grade Turkish students whose ages range from 13 to 15.…

Hot cheese: a processed Swiss cheese model.

PubMed

Li, Y; Thimbleby, H

2014-01-01

James Reason's classic Swiss cheese model is a vivid and memorable way to visualise how patient harm happens only when all system defences fail. Although Reason's model has been criticised for its simplicity and static portrait of complex systems, its use has been growing, largely because of the direct clarity of its simple and memorable metaphor. A more general, more flexible and equally memorable model of accident causation in complex systems is needed. We present the hot cheese model, which is more realistic, particularly in portraying defence layers as dynamic and active - more defences may cause more hazards. The hot cheese model, being more flexible, encourages deeper discussion of incidents than the simpler Swiss cheese model permits.

Fitting neuron models to spike trains.

PubMed

Rossant, Cyrille; Goodman, Dan F M; Fontaine, Bertrand; Platkiewicz, Jonathan; Magnusson, Anna K; Brette, Romain

2011-01-01

Computational modeling is increasingly used to understand the function of neural circuits in systems neuroscience. These studies require models of individual neurons with realistic input-output properties. Recently, it was found that spiking models can accurately predict the precisely timed spike trains produced by cortical neurons in response to somatically injected currents, if properly fitted. This requires fitting techniques that are efficient and flexible enough to easily test different candidate models. We present a generic solution, based on the Brian simulator (a neural network simulator in Python), which allows the user to define and fit arbitrary neuron models to electrophysiological recordings. It relies on vectorization and parallel computing techniques to achieve efficiency. We demonstrate its use on neural recordings in the barrel cortex and in the auditory brainstem, and confirm that simple adaptive spiking models can accurately predict the response of cortical neurons. Finally, we show how a complex multicompartmental model can be reduced to a simple effective spiking model.

A simple model of bipartite cooperation for ecological and organizational networks.

PubMed

Saavedra, Serguei; Reed-Tsochas, Felix; Uzzi, Brian

2009-01-22

In theoretical ecology, simple stochastic models that satisfy two basic conditions about the distribution of niche values and feeding ranges have proved successful in reproducing the overall structural properties of real food webs, using species richness and connectance as the only input parameters. Recently, more detailed models have incorporated higher levels of constraint in order to reproduce the actual links observed in real food webs. Here, building on previous stochastic models of consumer-resource interactions between species, we propose a highly parsimonious model that can reproduce the overall bipartite structure of cooperative partner-partner interactions, as exemplified by plant-animal mutualistic networks. Our stochastic model of bipartite cooperation uses simple specialization and interaction rules, and only requires three empirical input parameters. We test the bipartite cooperation model on ten large pollination data sets that have been compiled in the literature, and find that it successfully replicates the degree distribution, nestedness and modularity of the empirical networks. These properties are regarded as key to understanding cooperation in mutualistic networks. We also apply our model to an extensive data set of two classes of company engaged in joint production in the garment industry. Using the same metrics, we find that the network of manufacturer-contractor interactions exhibits similar structural patterns to plant-animal pollination networks. This surprising correspondence between ecological and organizational networks suggests that the simple rules of cooperation that generate bipartite networks may be generic, and could prove relevant in many different domains, ranging from biological systems to human society.

Modeling sound transmission and reflection in the pulmonary system and chest with application to diagnosis of a collapsed lung

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Royston, Thomas J.; Zhang, Xiangling; Mansy, Hussein A.; Sandler, Richard H.

2002-05-01

Experimental studies have shown that a pneumothorax (collapsed lung) substantially alters the propagation of sound introduced at the mouth of an intubated subject and measured at the chest surface. Thus, it is hypothesized that an inexpensive diagnostic procedure could be developed for detection of a pneumothorax based on a simple acoustic test. In the present study, theoretical models of sound transmission through the pulmonary system and chest region are reviewed in the context of their ability to predict acoustic changes caused by a pneumothorax, as well as other pathologic conditions. Such models could aid in parametric design studies to develop acoustic means of diagnosing pneumothorax and other lung pathologies. Extensions of previously developed simple models of the authors are presented that are in more quantitative agreement with experimental results and that simulate both transmission from the bronchial airways to the chest wall, as well as reflection in the bronchial airways. [Research supported by NIH NCRR Grant No. 14250 and NIH NHLBI Grant No. 61108.

Self-organized criticality in asymmetric exclusion model with noise for freeway traffic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nagatani, Takashi

1995-02-01

The one-dimensional asymmetric simple-exclusion model with open boundaries for parallel update is extended to take into account temporary stopping of particles. The model presents the traffic flow on a highway with temporary deceleration of cars. Introducing temporary stopping into the asymmetric simple-exclusion model drives the system asymptotically into a steady state exhibiting a self-organized criticality. In the self-organized critical state, start-stop waves (or traffic jams) appear with various sizes (or lifetimes). The typical interval < s>between consecutive jams scales as < s> ≃ Lv with v = 0.51 ± 0.05 where L is the system size. It is shown that the cumulative jam-interval distribution Ns( L) satisfies the finite-size scaling form ( Ns( L) ≃ L- vf( s/ Lv). Also, the typical lifetime ≃ Lv‧ with v‧ = 0.52 ± 0.05. The cumulative distribution Nm( L) of lifetimes satisfies the finite-size scaling form Nm( L)≃ L-1g( m/ Lv‧).

Evaluation of a simple, point-scale hydrologic model in simulating soil moisture using the Delaware environmental observing system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Legates, David R.; Junghenn, Katherine T.

2018-04-01

Many local weather station networks that measure a number of meteorological variables (i.e. , mesonetworks) have recently been established, with soil moisture occasionally being part of the suite of measured variables. These mesonetworks provide data from which detailed estimates of various hydrological parameters, such as precipitation and reference evapotranspiration, can be made which, when coupled with simple surface characteristics available from soil surveys, can be used to obtain estimates of soil moisture. The question is Can meteorological data be used with a simple hydrologic model to estimate accurately daily soil moisture at a mesonetwork site? Using a state-of-the-art mesonetwork that also includes soil moisture measurements across the US State of Delaware, the efficacy of a simple, modified Thornthwaite/Mather-based daily water balance model based on these mesonetwork observations to estimate site-specific soil moisture is determined. Results suggest that the model works reasonably well for most well-drained sites and provides good qualitative estimates of measured soil moisture, often near the accuracy of the soil moisture instrumentation. The model exhibits particular trouble in that it cannot properly simulate the slow drainage that occurs in poorly drained soils after heavy rains and interception loss, resulting from grass not being short cropped as expected also adversely affects the simulation. However, the model could be tuned to accommodate some non-standard siting characteristics.

A simple prescription for simulating and characterizing gravitational arcs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Furlanetto, C.; Santiago, B. X.; Makler, M.; de Bom, C.; Brandt, C. H.; Neto, A. F.; Ferreira, P. C.; da Costa, L. N.; Maia, M. A. G.

2013-01-01

Simple models of gravitational arcs are crucial for simulating large samples of these objects with full control of the input parameters. These models also provide approximate and automated estimates of the shape and structure of the arcs, which are necessary for detecting and characterizing these objects on massive wide-area imaging surveys. We here present and explore the ArcEllipse, a simple prescription for creating objects with a shape similar to gravitational arcs. We also present PaintArcs, which is a code that couples this geometrical form with a brightness distribution and adds the resulting object to images. Finally, we introduce ArcFitting, which is a tool that fits ArcEllipses to images of real gravitational arcs. We validate this fitting technique using simulated arcs and apply it to CFHTLS and HST images of tangential arcs around clusters of galaxies. Our simple ArcEllipse model for the arc, associated to a Sérsic profile for the source, recovers the total signal in real images typically within 10%-30%. The ArcEllipse+Sérsic models also automatically recover visual estimates of length-to-width ratios of real arcs. Residual maps between data and model images reveal the incidence of arc substructure. They may thus be used as a diagnostic for arcs formed by the merging of multiple images. The incidence of these substructures is the main factor that prevents ArcEllipse models from accurately describing real lensed systems.

The Bern Simple Climate Model (BernSCM) v1.0: an extensible and fully documented open-source re-implementation of the Bern reduced-form model for global carbon cycle-climate simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Strassmann, Kuno M.; Joos, Fortunat

2018-05-01

The Bern Simple Climate Model (BernSCM) is a free open-source re-implementation of a reduced-form carbon cycle-climate model which has been used widely in previous scientific work and IPCC assessments. BernSCM represents the carbon cycle and climate system with a small set of equations for the heat and carbon budget, the parametrization of major nonlinearities, and the substitution of complex component systems with impulse response functions (IRFs). The IRF approach allows cost-efficient yet accurate substitution of detailed parent models of climate system components with near-linear behavior. Illustrative simulations of scenarios from previous multimodel studies show that BernSCM is broadly representative of the range of the climate-carbon cycle response simulated by more complex and detailed models. Model code (in Fortran) was written from scratch with transparency and extensibility in mind, and is provided open source. BernSCM makes scientifically sound carbon cycle-climate modeling available for many applications. Supporting up to decadal time steps with high accuracy, it is suitable for studies with high computational load and for coupling with integrated assessment models (IAMs), for example. Further applications include climate risk assessment in a business, public, or educational context and the estimation of CO2 and climate benefits of emission mitigation options.

Coupled Particle Transport and Pattern Formation in a Nonlinear Leaky-Box Model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barghouty, A. F.; El-Nemr, K. W.; Baird, J. K.

2009-01-01

Effects of particle-particle coupling on particle characteristics in nonlinear leaky-box type descriptions of the acceleration and transport of energetic particles in space plasmas are examined in the framework of a simple two-particle model based on the Fokker-Planck equation in momentum space. In this model, the two particles are assumed coupled via a common nonlinear source term. In analogy with a prototypical mathematical system of diffusion-driven instability, this work demonstrates that steady-state patterns with strong dependence on the magnetic turbulence but a rather weak one on the coupled particles attributes can emerge in solutions of a nonlinearly coupled leaky-box model. The insight gained from this simple model may be of wider use and significance to nonlinearly coupled leaky-box type descriptions in general.

Fuzzy logic-based flight control system design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nho, Kyungmoon

The application of fuzzy logic to aircraft motion control is studied in this dissertation. The self-tuning fuzzy techniques are developed by changing input scaling factors to obtain a robust fuzzy controller over a wide range of operating conditions and nonlinearities for a nonlinear aircraft model. It is demonstrated that the properly adjusted input scaling factors can meet the required performance and robustness in a fuzzy controller. For a simple demonstration of the easy design and control capability of a fuzzy controller, a proportional-derivative (PD) fuzzy control system is compared to the conventional controller for a simple dynamical system. This thesis also describes the design principles and stability analysis of fuzzy control systems by considering the key features of a fuzzy control system including the fuzzification, rule-base and defuzzification. The wing-rock motion of slender delta wings, a linear aircraft model and the six degree of freedom nonlinear aircraft dynamics are considered to illustrate several self-tuning methods employing change in input scaling factors. Finally, this dissertation is concluded with numerical simulation of glide-slope capture in windshear demonstrating the robustness of the fuzzy logic based flight control system.

A Real-Time Nearshore Wave and Current Prediction System

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-01-01

this component of the The Dclfl3D system, developed by Delft Hydraulics nearshorc modeling system was tailored specifically tbr ( htp :,’www.wldelft.nl...Walstra. DA-., 2004. Keeping it simple by using Tolman. ILL., 2002. U.ser Manual and Systrn [Documentation of complex models, The 6th tnt. Conf. an...Stelling, 6.S., Van Kester, J.A.TM., 1994. Otil the approximation of WL D)elft I lvdratifis. 2001. User Manual l)MIUD-FLIAW. horizontal gradients in

PVWatts Version 1 Technical Reference

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

Dobos, A. P.

2013-10-01

The NREL PVWatts(TM) calculator is a web application developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) that estimates the electricity production of a grid-connected photovoltaic system based on a few simple inputs. PVWatts combines a number of sub-models to predict overall system performance, and makes several hidden assumptions about performance parameters. This technical reference details the individual sub-models, documents assumptions and hidden parameters, and explains the sequence of calculations that yield the final system performance estimation.

Sustained currents in coupled diffusive systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Larralde, Hernán; Sanders, David P.

2014-08-01

Coupling two diffusive systems may give rise to a nonequilibrium stationary state (NESS) with a non-trivial persistent, circulating current. We study a simple example that is exactly soluble, consisting of random walkers with different biases towards a reflecting boundary, modelling, for example, Brownian particles with different charge states in an electric field. We obtain analytical expressions for the concentrations and currents in the NESS for this model, and exhibit the main features of the system by numerical simulation.

A simple, analytic 3-dimensional downburst model based on boundary layer stagnation flow

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oseguera, Rosa M.; Bowles, Roland L.

1988-01-01

A simple downburst model is developed for use in batch and real-time piloted simulation studies of guidance strategies for terminal area transport aircraft operations in wind shear conditions. The model represents an axisymmetric stagnation point flow, based on velocity profiles from the Terminal Area Simulation System (TASS) model developed by Proctor and satisfies the mass continuity equation in cylindrical coordinates. Altitude dependence, including boundary layer effects near the ground, closely matches real-world measurements, as do the increase, peak, and decay of outflow and downflow with increasing distance from the downburst center. Equations for horizontal and vertical winds were derived, and found to be infinitely differentiable, with no singular points existent in the flow field. In addition, a simple relationship exists among the ratio of maximum horizontal to vertical velocities, the downdraft radius, depth of outflow, and altitude of maximum outflow. In use, a microburst can be modeled by specifying four characteristic parameters, velocity components in the x, y and z directions, and the corresponding nine partial derivatives are obtained easily from the velocity equations.

On heart rate variability and autonomic activity in homeostasis and in systemic inflammation.

PubMed

Scheff, Jeremy D; Griffel, Benjamin; Corbett, Siobhan A; Calvano, Steve E; Androulakis, Ioannis P

2014-06-01

Analysis of heart rate variability (HRV) is a promising diagnostic technique due to the noninvasive nature of the measurements involved and established correlations with disease severity, particularly in inflammation-linked disorders. However, the complexities underlying the interpretation of HRV complicate understanding the mechanisms that cause variability. Despite this, such interpretations are often found in literature. In this paper we explored mathematical modeling of the relationship between the autonomic nervous system and the heart, incorporating basic mechanisms such as perturbing mean values of oscillating autonomic activities and saturating signal transduction pathways to explore their impacts on HRV. We focused our analysis on human endotoxemia, a well-established, controlled experimental model of systemic inflammation that provokes changes in HRV representative of acute stress. By contrasting modeling results with published experimental data and analyses, we found that even a simple model linking the autonomic nervous system and the heart confound the interpretation of HRV changes in human endotoxemia. Multiple plausible alternative hypotheses, encoded in a model-based framework, equally reconciled experimental results. In total, our work illustrates how conventional assumptions about the relationships between autonomic activity and frequency-domain HRV metrics break down, even in a simple model. This underscores the need for further experimental work towards unraveling the underlying mechanisms of autonomic dysfunction and HRV changes in systemic inflammation. Understanding the extent of information encoded in HRV signals is critical in appropriately analyzing prior and future studies. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

On heart rate variability and autonomic activity in homeostasis and in systemic inflammation

PubMed Central

Scheff, Jeremy D.; Griffel, Benjamin; Corbett, Siobhan A.; Calvano, Steve E.; Androulakis, Ioannis P.

2014-01-01

Analysis of heart rate variability (HRV) is a promising diagnostic technique due to the noninvasive nature of the measurements involved and established correlations with disease severity, particularly in inflammation-linked disorders. However, the complexities underlying the interpretation of HRV complicate understanding the mechanisms that cause variability. Despite this, such interpretations are often found in literature. In this paper we explored mathematical modeling of the relationship between the autonomic nervous system and the heart, incorporating basic mechanisms such as perturbing mean values of oscillating autonomic activities and saturating signal transduction pathways to explore their impacts on HRV. We focused our analysis on human endotoxemia, a well-established, controlled experimental model of systemic inflammation that provokes changes in HRV representative of acute stress. By contrasting modeling results with published experimental data and analyses, we found that even a simple model linking the autonomic nervous system and the heart confound the interpretation of HRV changes in human endotoxemia. Multiple plausible alternative hypotheses, encoded in a model-based framework, equally reconciled experimental results. In total, our work illustrates how conventional assumptions about the relationships between autonomic activity and frequency-domain HRV metrics break down, even in a simple model. This underscores the need for further experimental work towards unraveling the underlying mechanisms of autonomic dysfunction and HRV changes in systemic inflammation. Understanding the extent of information encoded in HRV signals is critical in appropriately analyzing prior and future studies. PMID:24680646

Center for Parallel Optimization.

DTIC Science & Technology

1996-03-19

A NEW OPTIMIZATION BASED APPROACH TO IMPROVING GENERALIZATION IN MACHINE LEARNING HAS BEEN PROPOSED AND COMPUTATIONALLY VALIDATED ON SIMPLE LINEAR MODELS AS WELL AS ON HIGHLY NONLINEAR SYSTEMS SUCH AS NEURAL NETWORKS.

Emergent of Burden Sharing of Robots with Emotion Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kusano, Takuya; Nozawa, Akio; Ide, Hideto

Cooperated multi robots system has much dominance in comparison with single robot system. Multi robots system is able to adapt to various circumstances and has a flexibility for variation of tasks. Robots are necessary that build a cooperative relations and acts as an organization to attain a purpose in multi robots system. Then, group behavior of insects which doesn't have advanced ability is observed. For example, ants called a sociality insect emerge systematic activities by the interaction with using a very simple way. Though ants make a communication with chemical matter, a human plans a communication by words and gestures. In this paper, we paid attention to the interaction based on psychological viewpoint. And a human's emotion model was used for the parameter which became a base of the motion planning of robots. These robots were made to do both-way action in test field with obstacle. As a result, a burden sharing like guide or carrier was seen even though those had a simple setup.

A Pareto-optimal moving average multigene genetic programming model for daily streamflow prediction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Danandeh Mehr, Ali; Kahya, Ercan

2017-06-01

Genetic programming (GP) is able to systematically explore alternative model structures of different accuracy and complexity from observed input and output data. The effectiveness of GP in hydrological system identification has been recognized in recent studies. However, selecting a parsimonious (accurate and simple) model from such alternatives still remains a question. This paper proposes a Pareto-optimal moving average multigene genetic programming (MA-MGGP) approach to develop a parsimonious model for single-station streamflow prediction. The three main components of the approach that take us from observed data to a validated model are: (1) data pre-processing, (2) system identification and (3) system simplification. The data pre-processing ingredient uses a simple moving average filter to diminish the lagged prediction effect of stand-alone data-driven models. The multigene ingredient of the model tends to identify the underlying nonlinear system with expressions simpler than classical monolithic GP and, eventually simplification component exploits Pareto front plot to select a parsimonious model through an interactive complexity-efficiency trade-off. The approach was tested using the daily streamflow records from a station on Senoz Stream, Turkey. Comparing to the efficiency results of stand-alone GP, MGGP, and conventional multi linear regression prediction models as benchmarks, the proposed Pareto-optimal MA-MGGP model put forward a parsimonious solution, which has a noteworthy importance of being applied in practice. In addition, the approach allows the user to enter human insight into the problem to examine evolved models and pick the best performing programs out for further analysis.

Influence of the Mesh Geometry Evolution on Gearbox Dynamics during Its Maintenance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dąbrowski, Z.; Dziurdź, J.; Klekot, G.

2017-12-01

Toothed gears constitute the necessary elements of power transmission systems. They are applied as stationary devices in drive systems of road vehicles, ships and crafts as well as airplanes and helicopters. One of the problems related to the toothed gears usage is the determination of their technical state or its evolutions. Assuming that the gear slippage velocity is attributed to vibrations and noises generated by cooperating toothed wheels, the application of a simple cooperation model of rolled wheels of skew teeth is proposed for the analysis of the mesh evolution influence on the gear dynamics. In addition, an example of utilising an ordinary coherence function for investigating evolutionary mesh changes related to the effects impossible to be described by means of the simple kinematic model is presented.

Life extending control: An interdisciplinary engineering thrust

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lorenzo, Carl F.; Merrill, Walter C.

1991-01-01

The concept of Life Extending Control (LEC) is introduced. Possible extensions to the cyclic damage prediction approach are presented based on the identification of a model from elementary forms. Several candidate elementary forms are presented. These extensions will result in a continuous or differential form of the damage prediction model. Two possible approaches to the LEC based on the existing cyclic damage prediction method, the measured variables LEC and the estimated variables LEC, are defined. Here, damage estimates or measurements would be used directly in the LEC. A simple hydraulic actuator driven position control system example is used to illustrate the main ideas behind LEC. Results from a simple hydraulic actuator example demonstrate that overall system performance (dynamic plus life) can be maximized by accounting for component damage in the control design.

A Simple and Accurate Method To Calculate Free Energy Profiles and Reaction Rates from Restrained Molecular Simulations of Diffusive Processes.

PubMed

Ovchinnikov, Victor; Nam, Kwangho; Karplus, Martin

2016-08-25

A method is developed to obtain simultaneously free energy profiles and diffusion constants from restrained molecular simulations in diffusive systems. The method is based on low-order expansions of the free energy and diffusivity as functions of the reaction coordinate. These expansions lead to simple analytical relationships between simulation statistics and model parameters. The method is tested on 1D and 2D model systems; its accuracy is found to be comparable to or better than that of the existing alternatives, which are briefly discussed. An important aspect of the method is that the free energy is constructed by integrating its derivatives, which can be computed without need for overlapping sampling windows. The implementation of the method in any molecular simulation program that supports external umbrella potentials (e.g., CHARMM) requires modification of only a few lines of code. As a demonstration of its applicability to realistic biomolecular systems, the method is applied to model the α-helix ↔ β-sheet transition in a 16-residue peptide in implicit solvent, with the reaction coordinate provided by the string method. Possible modifications of the method are briefly discussed; they include generalization to multidimensional reaction coordinates [in the spirit of the model of Ermak and McCammon (Ermak, D. L.; McCammon, J. A. J. Chem. Phys. 1978, 69, 1352-1360)], a higher-order expansion of the free energy surface, applicability in nonequilibrium systems, and a simple test for Markovianity. In view of the small overhead of the method relative to standard umbrella sampling, we suggest its routine application in the cases where umbrella potential simulations are appropriate.

Effects of host social hierarchy on disease persistence.

PubMed

Davidson, Ross S; Marion, Glenn; Hutchings, Michael R

2008-08-07

The effects of social hierarchy on population dynamics and epidemiology are examined through a model which contains a number of fundamental features of hierarchical systems, but is simple enough to allow analytical insight. In order to allow for differences in birth rates, contact rates and movement rates among different sets of individuals the population is first divided into subgroups representing levels in the hierarchy. Movement, representing dominance challenges, is allowed between any two levels, giving a completely connected network. The model includes hierarchical effects by introducing a set of dominance parameters which affect birth rates in each social level and movement rates between social levels, dependent upon their rank. Although natural hierarchies vary greatly in form, the skewing of contact patterns, introduced here through non-uniform dominance parameters, has marked effects on the spread of disease. A simple homogeneous mixing differential equation model of a disease with SI dynamics in a population subject to simple birth and death process is presented and it is shown that the hierarchical model tends to this as certain parameter regions are approached. Outside of these parameter regions correlations within the system give rise to deviations from the simple theory. A Gaussian moment closure scheme is developed which extends the homogeneous model in order to take account of correlations arising from the hierarchical structure, and it is shown that the results are in reasonable agreement with simulations across a range of parameters. This approach helps to elucidate the origin of hierarchical effects and shows that it may be straightforward to relate the correlations in the model to measurable quantities which could be used to determine the importance of hierarchical corrections. Overall, hierarchical effects decrease the levels of disease present in a given population compared to a homogeneous unstructured model, but show higher levels of disease than structured models with no hierarchy. The separation between these three models is greatest when the rate of dominance challenges is low, reducing mixing, and when the disease prevalence is low. This suggests that these effects will often need to be considered in models being used to examine the impact of control strategies where the low disease prevalence behaviour of a model is critical.

Digital image classification with the help of artificial neural network by simple histogram.

PubMed

Dey, Pranab; Banerjee, Nirmalya; Kaur, Rajwant

2016-01-01

Visual image classification is a great challenge to the cytopathologist in routine day-to-day work. Artificial neural network (ANN) may be helpful in this matter. In this study, we have tried to classify digital images of malignant and benign cells in effusion cytology smear with the help of simple histogram data and ANN. A total of 404 digital images consisting of 168 benign cells and 236 malignant cells were selected for this study. The simple histogram data was extracted from these digital images and an ANN was constructed with the help of Neurointelligence software [Alyuda Neurointelligence 2.2 (577), Cupertino, California, USA]. The network architecture was 6-3-1. The images were classified as training set (281), validation set (63), and test set (60). The on-line backpropagation training algorithm was used for this study. A total of 10,000 iterations were done to train the ANN system with the speed of 609.81/s. After the adequate training of this ANN model, the system was able to identify all 34 malignant cell images and 24 out of 26 benign cells. The ANN model can be used for the identification of the individual malignant cells with the help of simple histogram data. This study will be helpful in the future to identify malignant cells in unknown situations.

ALC: automated reduction of rule-based models

PubMed Central

Koschorreck, Markus; Gilles, Ernst Dieter

2008-01-01

Background Combinatorial complexity is a challenging problem for the modeling of cellular signal transduction since the association of a few proteins can give rise to an enormous amount of feasible protein complexes. The layer-based approach is an approximative, but accurate method for the mathematical modeling of signaling systems with inherent combinatorial complexity. The number of variables in the simulation equations is highly reduced and the resulting dynamic models show a pronounced modularity. Layer-based modeling allows for the modeling of systems not accessible previously. Results ALC (Automated Layer Construction) is a computer program that highly simplifies the building of reduced modular models, according to the layer-based approach. The model is defined using a simple but powerful rule-based syntax that supports the concepts of modularity and macrostates. ALC performs consistency checks on the model definition and provides the model output in different formats (C MEX, MATLAB, Mathematica and SBML) as ready-to-run simulation files. ALC also provides additional documentation files that simplify the publication or presentation of the models. The tool can be used offline or via a form on the ALC website. Conclusion ALC allows for a simple rule-based generation of layer-based reduced models. The model files are given in different formats as ready-to-run simulation files. PMID:18973705

Heat pipe life and processing study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Antoniuk, D.; Luedke, E. E.

1979-01-01

The merit of adding water to the reflux charge in chemically and solvent cleaned aluminum/slab wick/ammonia heat pipes was evaluated. The effect of gas in the performance of three heat pipe thermal control systems was found significant in simple heat pipes, less significant in a modified simple heat pipe model with a short wickless pipe section. Use of gas data for the worst and best heat pipes of the matrix in a variable conductance heat pipe model showed a 3 C increase in the source temperature at full on condition after 20 and 246 years, respectively.

Agent Model Development for Assessing Climate-Induced Geopolitical Instability.

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

Boslough, Mark B.; Backus, George A.

2005-12-01

We present the initial stages of development of new agent-based computational methods to generate and test hypotheses about linkages between environmental change and international instability. This report summarizes the first year's effort of an originally proposed three-year Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) project. The preliminary work focused on a set of simple agent-based models and benefited from lessons learned in previous related projects and case studies of human response to climate change and environmental scarcity. Our approach was to define a qualitative model using extremely simple cellular agent models akin to Lovelock's Daisyworld and Schelling's segregation model. Such modelsmore » do not require significant computing resources, and users can modify behavior rules to gain insights. One of the difficulties in agent-based modeling is finding the right balance between model simplicity and real-world representation. Our approach was to keep agent behaviors as simple as possible during the development stage (described herein) and to ground them with a realistic geospatial Earth system model in subsequent years. This work is directed toward incorporating projected climate data--including various C02 scenarios from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Third Assessment Report--and ultimately toward coupling a useful agent-based model to a general circulation model.3« less

Self-Organized Criticality and Scaling in Lifetime of Traffic Jams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nagatani, Takashi

1995-01-01

The deterministic cellular automaton 184 (the one-dimensional asymmetric simple-exclusion model with parallel dynamics) is extended to take into account injection or extraction of particles. The model presents the traffic flow on a highway with inflow or outflow of cars.Introducing injection or extraction of particles into the asymmetric simple-exclusion model drives the system asymptotically into a steady state exhibiting a self-organized criticality. The typical lifetime of traffic jams scales as \\cong Lν with ν=0.65±0.04. It is shown that the cumulative distribution Nm (L) of lifetimes satisfies the finite-size scaling form Nm (L) \\cong L-1 f(m/Lν).

Local Difference Measures between Complex Networks for Dynamical System Model Evaluation

PubMed Central

Lange, Stefan; Donges, Jonathan F.; Volkholz, Jan; Kurths, Jürgen

2015-01-01

A faithful modeling of real-world dynamical systems necessitates model evaluation. A recent promising methodological approach to this problem has been based on complex networks, which in turn have proven useful for the characterization of dynamical systems. In this context, we introduce three local network difference measures and demonstrate their capabilities in the field of climate modeling, where these measures facilitate a spatially explicit model evaluation. Building on a recent study by Feldhoff et al. [1] we comparatively analyze statistical and dynamical regional climate simulations of the South American monsoon system. Three types of climate networks representing different aspects of rainfall dynamics are constructed from the modeled precipitation space-time series. Specifically, we define simple graphs based on positive as well as negative rank correlations between rainfall anomaly time series at different locations, and such based on spatial synchronizations of extreme rain events. An evaluation against respective networks built from daily satellite data provided by the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission 3B42 V7 reveals far greater differences in model performance between network types for a fixed but arbitrary climate model than between climate models for a fixed but arbitrary network type. We identify two sources of uncertainty in this respect. Firstly, climate variability limits fidelity, particularly in the case of the extreme event network; and secondly, larger geographical link lengths render link misplacements more likely, most notably in the case of the anticorrelation network; both contributions are quantified using suitable ensembles of surrogate networks. Our model evaluation approach is applicable to any multidimensional dynamical system and especially our simple graph difference measures are highly versatile as the graphs to be compared may be constructed in whatever way required. Generalizations to directed as well as edge- and node-weighted graphs are discussed. PMID:25856374

Local difference measures between complex networks for dynamical system model evaluation.

PubMed

Lange, Stefan; Donges, Jonathan F; Volkholz, Jan; Kurths, Jürgen

2015-01-01

A faithful modeling of real-world dynamical systems necessitates model evaluation. A recent promising methodological approach to this problem has been based on complex networks, which in turn have proven useful for the characterization of dynamical systems. In this context, we introduce three local network difference measures and demonstrate their capabilities in the field of climate modeling, where these measures facilitate a spatially explicit model evaluation.Building on a recent study by Feldhoff et al. [8] we comparatively analyze statistical and dynamical regional climate simulations of the South American monsoon system [corrected]. types of climate networks representing different aspects of rainfall dynamics are constructed from the modeled precipitation space-time series. Specifically, we define simple graphs based on positive as well as negative rank correlations between rainfall anomaly time series at different locations, and such based on spatial synchronizations of extreme rain events. An evaluation against respective networks built from daily satellite data provided by the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission 3B42 V7 reveals far greater differences in model performance between network types for a fixed but arbitrary climate model than between climate models for a fixed but arbitrary network type. We identify two sources of uncertainty in this respect. Firstly, climate variability limits fidelity, particularly in the case of the extreme event network; and secondly, larger geographical link lengths render link misplacements more likely, most notably in the case of the anticorrelation network; both contributions are quantified using suitable ensembles of surrogate networks. Our model evaluation approach is applicable to any multidimensional dynamical system and especially our simple graph difference measures are highly versatile as the graphs to be compared may be constructed in whatever way required. Generalizations to directed as well as edge- and node-weighted graphs are discussed.

Simple Model of the Circulation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greenway, Clive A.

1980-01-01

Describes a program in BASIC-11 that explores the relationships between various variables in the circulatory system and permits manipulation of several semiindependent variables to model the effects of hemorrhage, drug infusions, etc. A flow chart and accompanying sample printout are provided; the program is listed in the appendix. (CS)

BIOGENIC HYDROCARBON EMISSION INVENTORY FOR THE U.S. USING A SIMPLE FOREST CANOPY MODEL

EPA Science Inventory

A biogenic hydrocarbon emission inventory system, developed for acid deposition and regional oxidant modeling, is described, and results for a U.S. emission inventory are presented. or deciduous and coniferous forests, scaling relationships are used to account for canopy effects ...

How-to-Do-It: Countercurrent Heat Exchange in Vertebrate Limbs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Franklin, George B.; Plakke, Ronald K.

1988-01-01

Describes principals of physics that are manifested in simple biological systems of heat conservation structures. Outlines materials needed, data collection, analysis, and discussion questions for construction and operation of two models, one that is a countercurrent heat exchange model and one that is not. (RT)

Scalar field dark energy with a minimal coupling in a spherically symmetric background

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matsumoto, Jiro

Dark energy models and modified gravity theories have been actively studied and the behaviors in the solar system have been also carefully investigated in a part of the models. However, the isotropic solutions of the field equations in the simple models of dark energy, e.g. quintessence model without matter coupling, have not been well investigated. One of the reason would be the nonlinearity of the field equations. In this paper, a method to evaluate the solution of the field equations is constructed, and it is shown that there is a model that can easily pass the solar system tests, whereas, there is also a model that is constrained from the solar system tests.

Modeling, system identification, and control of ASTREX

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abhyankar, Nandu S.; Ramakrishnan, J.; Byun, K. W.; Das, A.; Cossey, Derek F.; Berg, J.

1993-01-01

The modeling, system identification and controller design aspects of the ASTREX precision space structure are presented in this work. Modeling of ASTREX is performed using NASTRAN, TREETOPS and I-DEAS. The models generated range from simple linear time-invariant models to nonlinear models used for large angle simulations. Identification in both the time and frequency domains are presented. The experimental set up and the results from the identification experiments are included. Finally, controller design for ASTREX is presented. Simulation results using this optimal controller demonstrate the controller performance. Finally the future directions and plans for the facility are addressed.

Building a Formal Model of a Human-Interactive System: Insights into the Integration of Formal Methods and Human Factors Engineering

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bolton, Matthew L.; Bass, Ellen J.

2009-01-01

Both the human factors engineering (HFE) and formal methods communities are concerned with finding and eliminating problems with safety-critical systems. This work discusses a modeling effort that leveraged methods from both fields to use model checking with HFE practices to perform formal verification of a human-interactive system. Despite the use of a seemingly simple target system, a patient controlled analgesia pump, the initial model proved to be difficult for the model checker to verify in a reasonable amount of time. This resulted in a number of model revisions that affected the HFE architectural, representativeness, and understandability goals of the effort. If formal methods are to meet the needs of the HFE community, additional modeling tools and technological developments are necessary.

Simulation of green roof runoff under different substrate depths and vegetation covers by coupling a simple conceptual and a physically based hydrological model.

PubMed

Soulis, Konstantinos X; Valiantzas, John D; Ntoulas, Nikolaos; Kargas, George; Nektarios, Panayiotis A

2017-09-15

In spite of the well-known green roof benefits, their widespread adoption in the management practices of urban drainage systems requires the use of adequate analytical and modelling tools. In the current study, green roof runoff modeling was accomplished by developing, testing, and jointly using a simple conceptual model and a physically based numerical simulation model utilizing HYDRUS-1D software. The use of such an approach combines the advantages of the conceptual model, namely simplicity, low computational requirements, and ability to be easily integrated in decision support tools with the capacity of the physically based simulation model to be easily transferred in conditions and locations other than those used for calibrating and validating it. The proposed approach was evaluated with an experimental dataset that included various green roof covers (either succulent plants - Sedum sediforme, or xerophytic plants - Origanum onites, or bare substrate without any vegetation) and two substrate depths (either 8 cm or 16 cm). Both the physically based and the conceptual models matched very closely the observed hydrographs. In general, the conceptual model performed better than the physically based simulation model but the overall performance of both models was sufficient in most cases as it is revealed by the Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiency index which was generally greater than 0.70. Finally, it was showcased how a physically based and a simple conceptual model can be jointly used to allow the use of the simple conceptual model for a wider set of conditions than the available experimental data and in order to support green roof design. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A simple thermodynamic model useful for calculating gas solubilities in water/brine/hydrocarbon mixtures from 0 to 250 C and 1 to 150 bars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perez, R. J.; Shevalier, M.; Hutcheon, I.

2004-05-01

Gas solubility is of considerable interest, not only for the theoretical understanding of vapor-liquid equilibria, but also due to extensive applications in combined geochemical, engineering, and environmental problems, such as greenhouse gas sequestration. Reliable models for gas solubility calculations in salt waters and hydrocarbons are also valuable when evaluating fluid inclusions saturated with gas components. We have modeled the solubility of methane, ethane, hydrogen, carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, and five other gases in a water-brine-hydrocarbon system by solving a non-linear system of equations composed by modified Henry's Law Constants (HLC), gas fugacities, and assuming binary mixtures. HLCs are a function of pressure, temperature, brine salinity, and hydrocarbon density. Experimental data of vapor pressures and mutual solubilities of binary mixtures provide the basis for the calibration of the proposed model. It is demonstrated that, by using the Setchenow equation, only a relatively simple modification of the pure water model is required to assess the solubility of gases in brine solutions. Henry's Law constants for gases in hydrocarbons are derived using regular solution theory and Ostwald coefficients available from the literature. We present a set of two-parameter polynomial expressions, which allow simple computation and formulation of the model. Our calculations show that solubility predictions using modified HLCs are acceptable within 0 to 250 C, 1 to 150 bars, salinity up to 5 molar, and gas concentrations up to 4 molar. Our model is currently being used in the IEA Weyburn CO2 monitoring and storage project.

Hierarchical Ada robot programming system (HARPS)- A complete and working telerobot control system based on the NASREM model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leake, Stephen; Green, Tom; Cofer, Sue; Sauerwein, Tim

1989-01-01

HARPS is a telerobot control system that can perform some simple but useful tasks. This capability is demonstrated by performing the ORU exchange demonstration. HARPS is based on NASREM (NASA Standard Reference Model). All software is developed in Ada, and the project incorporates a number of different CASE (computer-aided software engineering) tools. NASREM was found to be a valid and useful model for building a telerobot control system. Its hierarchical and distributed structure creates a natural and logical flow for implementing large complex robust control systems. The ability of Ada to create and enforce abstraction enhanced the implementation of such control systems.

On the successful use of a simplified model to simulate the succession of toxic cyanobacteria in a hypereutrophic reservoir with a highly fluctuating water level.

PubMed

Fadel, Ali; Lemaire, Bruno J; Vinçon-Leite, Brigitte; Atoui, Ali; Slim, Kamal; Tassin, Bruno

2017-09-01

Many freshwater bodies worldwide that suffer from harmful algal blooms would benefit for their management from a simple ecological model that requires few field data, e.g. for early warning systems. Beyond a certain degree, adding processes to ecological models can reduce model predictive capabilities. In this work, we assess whether a simple ecological model without nutrients is able to describe the succession of cyanobacterial blooms of different species in a hypereutrophic reservoir and help understand the factors that determine these blooms. In our study site, Karaoun Reservoir, Lebanon, cyanobacteria Aphanizomenon ovalisporum and Microcystis aeruginosa alternatively bloom. A simple configuration of the model DYRESM-CAEDYM was used; both cyanobacteria were simulated, with constant vertical migration velocity for A. ovalisporum, with vertical migration velocity dependent on light for M. aeruginosa and with growth limited by light and temperature and not by nutrients for both species. The model was calibrated on two successive years with contrasted bloom patterns and high variations in water level. It was able to reproduce the measurements; it showed a good performance for the water level (root-mean-square error (RMSE) lower than 1 m, annual variation of 25 m), water temperature profiles (RMSE of 0.22-1.41 °C, range 13-28 °C) and cyanobacteria biomass (RMSE of 1-57 μg Chl a L -1 , range 0-206 μg Chl a L -1 ). The model also helped understand the succession of blooms in both years. The model results suggest that the higher growth rate of M. aeruginosa during favourable temperature and light conditions allowed it to outgrow A. ovalisporum. Our results show that simple model configurations can be sufficient not only for theoretical works when few major processes can be identified but also for operational applications. This approach could be transposed on other hypereutrophic lakes and reservoirs to describe the competition between dominant phytoplankton species, contribute to early warning systems or be used for management scenarios.

On the context-dependent scaling of consumer feeding rates.

PubMed

Barrios-O'Neill, Daniel; Kelly, Ruth; Dick, Jaimie T A; Ricciardi, Anthony; MacIsaac, Hugh J; Emmerson, Mark C

2016-06-01

The stability of consumer-resource systems can depend on the form of feeding interactions (i.e. functional responses). Size-based models predict interactions - and thus stability - based on consumer-resource size ratios. However, little is known about how interaction contexts (e.g. simple or complex habitats) might alter scaling relationships. Addressing this, we experimentally measured interactions between a large size range of aquatic predators (4-6400 mg over 1347 feeding trials) and an invasive prey that transitions among habitats: from the water column (3D interactions) to simple and complex benthic substrates (2D interactions). Simple and complex substrates mediated successive reductions in capture rates - particularly around the unimodal optimum - and promoted prey population stability in model simulations. Many real consumer-resource systems transition between 2D and 3D interactions, and along complexity gradients. Thus, Context-Dependent Scaling (CDS) of feeding interactions could represent an unrecognised aspect of food webs, and quantifying the extent of CDS might enhance predictive ecology. © The Authors. Ecology Letters published by CNRS and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Performance of Geno-Fuzzy Model on rainfall-runoff predictions in claypan watersheds

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Fuzzy logic provides a relatively simple approach to simulate complex hydrological systems while accounting for the uncertainty of environmental variables. The objective of this study was to develop a fuzzy inference system (FIS) with genetic algorithm (GA) optimization for membership functions (MF...

Steady flow model user's guide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Doughty, C.; Hellstrom, G.; Tsang, C. F.; Claesson, J.

1984-07-01

Sophisticated numerical models that solve the coupled mass and energy transport equations for nonisothermal fluid flow in a porous medium were used to match analytical results and field data for aquifer thermal energy storage (ATES) systems. As an alternative to the ATES problem the Steady Flow Model (SFM), a simplified but fast numerical model was developed. A steady purely radial flow field is prescribed in the aquifer, and incorporated into the heat transport equation which is then solved numerically. While the radial flow assumption limits the range of ATES systems that can be studied using the SFM, it greatly simplifies use of this code. The preparation of input is quite simple compared to that for a sophisticated coupled mass and energy model, and the cost of running the SFM is far cheaper. The simple flow field allows use of a special calculational mesh that eliminates the numerical dispersion usually associated with the numerical solution of convection problems. The problem is defined, the algorithm used to solve it are outllined, and the input and output for the SFM is described.

Electrical conductivity of metal powders under pressure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Montes, J. M.; Cuevas, F. G.; Cintas, J.; Urban, P.

2011-12-01

A model for calculating the electrical conductivity of a compressed powder mass consisting of oxide-coated metal particles has been derived. A theoretical tool previously developed by the authors, the so-called `equivalent simple cubic system', was used in the model deduction. This tool is based on relating the actual powder system to an equivalent one consisting of deforming spheres packed in a simple cubic lattice, which is much easier to examine. The proposed model relates the effective electrical conductivity of the powder mass under compression to its level of porosity. Other physically measurable parameters in the model are the conductivities of the metal and oxide constituting the powder particles, their radii, the mean thickness of the oxide layer and the tap porosity of the powder. Two additional parameters controlling the effect of the descaling of the particle oxide layer were empirically introduced. The proposed model was experimentally verified by measurements of the electrical conductivity of aluminium, bronze, iron, nickel and titanium powders under pressure. The consistency between theoretical predictions and experimental results was reasonably good in all cases.

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

Gavignet, A.A.; Wick, C.J.

In current practice, pressure drops in the mud circulating system and the settling velocity of cuttings are calculated with simple rheological models and simple equations. Wellsite computers now allow more sophistication in drilling computations. In this paper, experimental results on the settling velocity of spheres in drilling fluids are reported, along with rheograms done over a wide range of shear rates. The flow curves are fitted to polynomials and general methods are developed to predict friction losses and settling velocities as functions of the polynomial coefficients. These methods were incorporated in a software package that can handle any rig configurationmore » system, including riser booster. Graphic displays show the effect of each parameter on the performance of the circulating system.« less

Linear analysis of auto-organization in Hebbian neural networks.

PubMed

Carlos Letelier, J; Mpodozis, J

1995-01-01

The self-organization of neurotopies where neural connections follow Hebbian dynamics is framed in terms of linear operator theory. A general and exact equation describing the time evolution of the overall synaptic strength connecting two neural laminae is derived. This linear matricial equation, which is similar to the equations used to describe oscillating systems in physics, is modified by the introduction of non-linear terms, in order to capture self-organizing (or auto-organizing) processes. The behavior of a simple and small system, that contains a non-linearity that mimics a metabolic constraint, is analyzed by computer simulations. The emergence of a simple "order" (or degree of organization) in this low-dimensionality model system is discussed.

Measurement-based reliability/performability models

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hsueh, Mei-Chen

1987-01-01

Measurement-based models based on real error-data collected on a multiprocessor system are described. Model development from the raw error-data to the estimation of cumulative reward is also described. A workload/reliability model is developed based on low-level error and resource usage data collected on an IBM 3081 system during its normal operation in order to evaluate the resource usage/error/recovery process in a large mainframe system. Thus, both normal and erroneous behavior of the system are modeled. The results provide an understanding of the different types of errors and recovery processes. The measured data show that the holding times in key operational and error states are not simple exponentials and that a semi-Markov process is necessary to model the system behavior. A sensitivity analysis is performed to investigate the significance of using a semi-Markov process, as opposed to a Markov process, to model the measured system.

Configurational coupled cluster approach with applications to magnetic model systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Siyuan; Nooijen, Marcel

2018-05-01

A general exponential, coupled cluster like, approach is discussed to extract an effective Hamiltonian in configurational space, as a sum of 1-body, 2-body up to n-body operators. The simplest two-body approach is illustrated by calculations on simple magnetic model systems. A key feature of the approach is that equations up to a certain rank do not depend on higher body cluster operators.

A simple daily soil-water balance model for estimating the spatial and temporal distribution of groundwater recharge in temperate humid areas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dripps, W.R.; Bradbury, K.R.

2007-01-01

Quantifying the spatial and temporal distribution of natural groundwater recharge is usually a prerequisite for effective groundwater modeling and management. As flow models become increasingly utilized for management decisions, there is an increased need for simple, practical methods to delineate recharge zones and quantify recharge rates. Existing models for estimating recharge distributions are data intensive, require extensive parameterization, and take a significant investment of time in order to establish. The Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey (WGNHS) has developed a simple daily soil-water balance (SWB) model that uses readily available soil, land cover, topographic, and climatic data in conjunction with a geographic information system (GIS) to estimate the temporal and spatial distribution of groundwater recharge at the watershed scale for temperate humid areas. To demonstrate the methodology and the applicability and performance of the model, two case studies are presented: one for the forested Trout Lake watershed of north central Wisconsin, USA and the other for the urban-agricultural Pheasant Branch Creek watershed of south central Wisconsin, USA. Overall, the SWB model performs well and presents modelers and planners with a practical tool for providing recharge estimates for modeling and water resource planning purposes in humid areas. ?? Springer-Verlag 2007.

Generalized estimators of avian abundance from count survey data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Royle, J. Andrew

2004-01-01

I consider modeling avian abundance from spatially referenced bird count data collected according to common protocols such as capture?recapture, multiple observer, removal sampling and simple point counts. Small sample sizes and large numbers of parameters have motivated many analyses that disregard the spatial indexing of the data, and thus do not provide an adequate treatment of spatial structure. I describe a general framework for modeling spatially replicated data that regards local abundance as a random process, motivated by the view that the set of spatially referenced local populations (at the sample locations) constitute a metapopulation. Under this view, attention can be focused on developing a model for the variation in local abundance independent of the sampling protocol being considered. The metapopulation model structure, when combined with the data generating model, define a simple hierarchical model that can be analyzed using conventional methods. The proposed modeling framework is completely general in the sense that broad classes of metapopulation models may be considered, site level covariates on detection and abundance may be considered, and estimates of abundance and related quantities may be obtained for sample locations, groups of locations, unsampled locations. Two brief examples are given, the first involving simple point counts, and the second based on temporary removal counts. Extension of these models to open systems is briefly discussed.

Nanopore Current Oscillations: Nonlinear Dynamics on the Nanoscale.

PubMed

Hyland, Brittany; Siwy, Zuzanna S; Martens, Craig C

2015-05-21

In this Letter, we describe theoretical modeling of an experimentally realized nanoscale system that exhibits the general universal behavior of a nonlinear dynamical system. In particular, we consider the description of voltage-induced current fluctuations through a single nanopore from the perspective of nonlinear dynamics. We briefly review the experimental system and its behavior observed and then present a simple phenomenological nonlinear model that reproduces the qualitative behavior of the experimental data. The model consists of a two-dimensional deterministic nonlinear bistable oscillator experiencing both dissipation and random noise. The multidimensionality of the model and the interplay between deterministic and stochastic forces are both required to obtain a qualitatively accurate description of the physical system.

Binary encoding of multiplexed images in mixed noise.

PubMed

Lalush, David S

2008-09-01

Binary coding of multiplexed signals and images has been studied in the context of spectroscopy with models of either purely constant or purely proportional noise, and has been shown to result in improved noise performance under certain conditions. We consider the case of mixed noise in an imaging system consisting of multiple individually-controllable sources (X-ray or near-infrared, for example) shining on a single detector. We develop a mathematical model for the noise in such a system and show that the noise is dependent on the properties of the binary coding matrix and on the average number of sources used for each code. Each binary matrix has a characteristic linear relationship between the ratio of proportional-to-constant noise and the noise level in the decoded image. We introduce a criterion for noise level, which is minimized via a genetic algorithm search. The search procedure results in the discovery of matrices that outperform the Hadamard S-matrices at certain levels of mixed noise. Simulation of a seven-source radiography system demonstrates that the noise model predicts trends and rank order of performance in regions of nonuniform images and in a simple tomosynthesis reconstruction. We conclude that the model developed provides a simple framework for analysis, discovery, and optimization of binary coding patterns used in multiplexed imaging systems.

Study of the Light Received Characteristics of a Plant-Shoot-Light-Condensing System with Simple Leaves or Lobed Leaves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Obara, Shin'ya

Plant shoot configurations evolve so that maximum sunlight may be obtained. The objective of this study is to develop a compact light-condensing system mimicking a plant shoot configuration that is applicable to a light source from a large area. In this paper, the relationship between the position of a light source (the sun) and the rate at which light is absorbed by each leaf was investigated in detail for plant shoot models of a dogwood (simple leaf) and a ginkgo tree (lobed leaf). The rate of light quantum received in each leaf model is reported to an analysis program that uses cross entropy (CE). The analyses showed that the peak amount of light received in the plant-shoot-light-condensing system was during February (vernal equinox) and October (autumnal equinox). Similarly, the rate of light quantum received in each leaf was measured with the CE. The results found that the plant-shoot-light-condensing system that maximizes the amount of light received has differences in the light received in each leaf. Furthermore, the light-condensing characteristics of the ginkgo biloba model are better than the dogwood model. The light-condensing characteristics of a leaf are influenced by the size, a lobe, shape, and the length of the branch.

Interesting examples of supervised continuous variable systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chase, Christopher; Serrano, Joe; Ramadge, Peter

1990-01-01

The authors analyze two simple deterministic flow models for multiple buffer servers which are examples of the supervision of continuous variable systems by a discrete controller. These systems exhibit what may be regarded as the two extremes of complexity of the closed loop behavior: one is eventually periodic, the other is chaotic. The first example exhibits chaotic behavior that could be characterized statistically. The dual system, the switched server system, exhibits very predictable behavior, which is modeled by a finite state automaton. This research has application to multimodal discrete time systems where the controller can choose from a set of transition maps to implement.

A Channel Network Evolution Model with Subsurface Saturation Mechanism and Analysis of the Chaotic Behavior of the Model

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-09-01

between basin shapes and hydrologic responses is fundamental for the purpose of hydrologic predictions , especially in ungaged basins. Another goal is...47] studied this model and showed analitically how very small differences in the c field generated completely different leaf vein network structures... predictability impossible. Complexity is by no means a requirement in order for a system to exhibit SIC. A system as simple as the logistic equation x,,,,=ax,,(l

How much detail and accuracy is required in plant growth sub-models to address questions about optimal management strategies in agricultural systems?

PubMed Central

Renton, Michael

2011-01-01

Background and aims Simulations that integrate sub-models of important biological processes can be used to ask questions about optimal management strategies in agricultural and ecological systems. Building sub-models with more detail and aiming for greater accuracy and realism may seem attractive, but is likely to be more expensive and time-consuming and result in more complicated models that lack transparency. This paper illustrates a general integrated approach for constructing models of agricultural and ecological systems that is based on the principle of starting simple and then directly testing for the need to add additional detail and complexity. Methodology The approach is demonstrated using LUSO (Land Use Sequence Optimizer), an agricultural system analysis framework based on simulation and optimization. A simple sensitivity analysis and functional perturbation analysis is used to test to what extent LUSO's crop–weed competition sub-model affects the answers to a number of questions at the scale of the whole farming system regarding optimal land-use sequencing strategies and resulting profitability. Principal results The need for accuracy in the crop–weed competition sub-model within LUSO depended to a small extent on the parameter being varied, but more importantly and interestingly on the type of question being addressed with the model. Only a small part of the crop–weed competition model actually affects the answers to these questions. Conclusions This study illustrates an example application of the proposed integrated approach for constructing models of agricultural and ecological systems based on testing whether complexity needs to be added to address particular questions of interest. We conclude that this example clearly demonstrates the potential value of the general approach. Advantages of this approach include minimizing costs and resources required for model construction, keeping models transparent and easy to analyse, and ensuring the model is well suited to address the question of interest. PMID:22476477

Modelling Nitrogen Oxides in Los Angeles Using a Hybrid Dispersion/Land Use Regression Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilton, Darren C.

The goal of this dissertation is to develop models capable of predicting long term annual average NOx concentrations in urban areas. Predictions from simple meteorological dispersion models and seasonal proxies for NO2 oxidation were included as covariates in a land use regression (LUR) model for NOx in Los Angeles, CA. The NO x measurements were obtained from a comprehensive measurement campaign that is part of the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis Air Pollution Study (MESA Air). Simple land use regression models were initially developed using a suite of GIS-derived land use variables developed from various buffer sizes (R²=0.15). Caline3, a simple steady-state Gaussian line source model, was initially incorporated into the land-use regression framework. The addition of this spatio-temporally varying Caline3 covariate improved the simple LUR model predictions. The extent of improvement was much more pronounced for models based solely on the summer measurements (simple LUR: R²=0.45; Caline3/LUR: R²=0.70), than it was for models based on all seasons (R²=0.20). We then used a Lagrangian dispersion model to convert static land use covariates for population density, commercial/industrial area into spatially and temporally varying covariates. The inclusion of these covariates resulted in significant improvement in model prediction (R²=0.57). In addition to the dispersion model covariates described above, a two-week average value of daily peak-hour ozone was included as a surrogate of the oxidation of NO2 during the different sampling periods. This additional covariate further improved overall model performance for all models. The best model by 10-fold cross validation (R²=0.73) contained the Caline3 prediction, a static covariate for length of A3 roads within 50 meters, the Calpuff-adjusted covariates derived from both population density and industrial/commercial land area, and the ozone covariate. This model was tested against annual average NOx concentrations from an independent data set from the EPA's Air Quality System (AQS) and MESA Air fixed site monitors, and performed very well (R²=0.82).

Some properties of correlations of quantum lattice systems in thermal equilibrium

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

Fröhlich, Jürg, E-mail: juerg@phys.ethz.ch; Ueltschi, Daniel, E-mail: daniel@ueltschi.org

Simple proofs of uniqueness of the thermodynamic limit of KMS states and of the decay of equilibrium correlations are presented for a large class of quantum lattice systems at high temperatures. New quantum correlation inequalities for general Heisenberg models are described. Finally, a simplified derivation of a general result on power-law decay of correlations in 2D quantum lattice systems with continuous symmetries is given, extending results of McBryan and Spencer for the 2D classical XY model.

Study of ATES thermal behavior using a steady flow model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Doughty, C.; Hellstroem, G.; Tsang, C. F.; Claesson, J.

1981-01-01

The thermal behavior of a single well aquifer thermal energy storage system in which buoyancy flow is neglected is studied. A dimensionless formulation of the energy transport equations for the aquifer system is presented, and the key dimensionless parameters are discussed. A simple numerical model is used to generate graphs showing the thermal behavior of the system as a function of these parameters. Some comparisons with field experiments are given to illustrate the use of the dimensionless groups and graphs.

Some queuing network models of computer systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Herndon, E. S.

1980-01-01

Queuing network models of a computer system operating with a single workload type are presented. Program algorithms are adapted for use on the Texas Instruments SR-52 programmable calculator. By slightly altering the algorithm to process the G and H matrices row by row instead of column by column, six devices and an unlimited job/terminal population could be handled on the SR-52. Techniques are also introduced for handling a simple load dependent server and for studying interactive systems with fixed multiprogramming limits.

TPS In-Flight Health Monitoring Project Progress Report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kostyk, Chris; Richards, Lance; Hudston, Larry; Prosser, William

2007-01-01

Progress in the development of new thermal protection systems (TPS) is reported. New approaches use embedded lightweight, sensitive, fiber optic strain and temperature sensors within the TPS. Goals of the program are to develop and demonstrate a prototype TPS health monitoring system, develop a thermal-based damage detection algorithm, characterize limits of sensor/system performance, and develop ea methodology transferable to new designs of TPS health monitoring systems. Tasks completed during the project helped establish confidence in understanding of both test setup and the model and validated system/sensor performance in a simple TPS structure. Other progress included complete initial system testing, commencement of the algorithm development effort, generation of a damaged thermal response characteristics database, initial development of a test plan for integration testing of proven FBG sensors in simple TPS structure, and development of partnerships to apply the technology.

Cellular Gauge Symmetry and the Li Organization Principle: A Mathematical Addendum. Quantifying energetic dynamics in physical and biological systems through a simple geometric tool and geodetic curves.

PubMed

Yurkin, Alexander; Tozzi, Arturo; Peters, James F; Marijuán, Pedro C

2017-12-01

The present Addendum complements the accompanying paper "Cellular Gauge Symmetry and the Li Organization Principle"; it illustrates a recently-developed geometrical physical model able to assess electronic movements and energetic paths in atomic shells. The model describes a multi-level system of circular, wavy and zigzag paths which can be projected onto a horizontal tape. This model ushers in a visual interpretation of the distribution of atomic electrons' energy levels and the corresponding quantum numbers through rather simple tools, such as compasses, rulers and straightforward calculations. Here we show how this geometrical model, with the due corrections, among them the use of geodetic curves, might be able to describe and quantify the structure and the temporal development of countless physical and biological systems, from Langevin equations for random paths, to symmetry breaks occurring ubiquitously in physical and biological phenomena, to the relationships among different frequencies of EEG electric spikes. Therefore, in our work we explore the possible association of binomial distribution and geodetic curves configuring a uniform approach for the research of natural phenomena, in biology, medicine or the neurosciences. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Guidelines and Procedures for Computing Time-Series Suspended-Sediment Concentrations and Loads from In-Stream Turbidity-Sensor and Streamflow Data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rasmussen, Patrick P.; Gray, John R.; Glysson, G. Douglas; Ziegler, Andrew C.

2009-01-01

In-stream continuous turbidity and streamflow data, calibrated with measured suspended-sediment concentration data, can be used to compute a time series of suspended-sediment concentration and load at a stream site. Development of a simple linear (ordinary least squares) regression model for computing suspended-sediment concentrations from instantaneous turbidity data is the first step in the computation process. If the model standard percentage error (MSPE) of the simple linear regression model meets a minimum criterion, this model should be used to compute a time series of suspended-sediment concentrations. Otherwise, a multiple linear regression model using paired instantaneous turbidity and streamflow data is developed and compared to the simple regression model. If the inclusion of the streamflow variable proves to be statistically significant and the uncertainty associated with the multiple regression model results in an improvement over that for the simple linear model, the turbidity-streamflow multiple linear regression model should be used to compute a suspended-sediment concentration time series. The computed concentration time series is subsequently used with its paired streamflow time series to compute suspended-sediment loads by standard U.S. Geological Survey techniques. Once an acceptable regression model is developed, it can be used to compute suspended-sediment concentration beyond the period of record used in model development with proper ongoing collection and analysis of calibration samples. Regression models to compute suspended-sediment concentrations are generally site specific and should never be considered static, but they represent a set period in a continually dynamic system in which additional data will help verify any change in sediment load, type, and source.

Predator prey oscillations in a simple cascade model of drift wave turbulence

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

Berionni, V.; Guercan, Oe. D.

2011-11-15

A reduced three shell limit of a simple cascade model of drift wave turbulence, which emphasizes nonlocal interactions with a large scale mode, is considered. It is shown to describe both the well known predator prey dynamics between the drift waves and zonal flows and to reduce to the standard three wave interaction equations. Here, this model is considered as a dynamical system whose characteristics are investigated. The analytical solutions for the purely nonlinear limit are given in terms of the Jacobi elliptic functions. An approximate analytical solution involving Jacobi elliptic functions and exponential growth is computed using scale separationmore » for the case of unstable solutions that are observed when the energy injection rate is high. The fixed points of the system are determined, and the behavior around these fixed points is studied. The system is shown to display periodic solutions corresponding to limit cycle oscillations, apparently chaotic phase space orbits, as well as unstable solutions that grow slowly while oscillating rapidly. The period doubling route to transition to chaos is examined.« less

A non-ideal portal frame energy harvester controlled using a pendulum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iliuk, I.; Balthazar, J. M.; Tusset, A. M.; Piqueira, J. R. C.; Rodrigues de Pontes, B.; Felix, J. L. P.; Bueno, Á. M.

2013-09-01

A model of energy harvester based on a simple portal frame structure is presented. The system is considered to be non-ideal system (NIS) due to interaction with the energy source, a DC motor with limited power supply and the system structure. The nonlinearities present in the piezoelectric material are considered in the piezoelectric coupling mathematical model. The system is a bi-stable Duffing oscillator presenting a chaotic behavior. Analyzing the average power variation, and bifurcation diagrams, the value of the control variable that optimizes power or average value that stabilizes the chaotic system in the periodic orbit is determined. The control sensitivity is determined to parametric errors in the damping and stiffness parameters of the portal frame. The proposed passive control technique uses a simple pendulum to tuned to the vibration of the structure to improve the energy harvesting. The results show that with the implementation of the control strategy it is possible to eliminate the need for active or semi active control, usually more complex. The control also provides a way to regulate the energy captured to a desired operating frequency.

A thermal-based remote sensing modeling system for estimating evapotranspiration from field to global scales

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Thermal-infrared remote sensing of land surface temperature provides valuable information for quantifying root-zone water availability, evapotranspiration (ET) and crop condition. This paper describes a robust but relatively simple thermal-based energy balance model that parameterizes the key soil/s...

PREDICTING VIRUS LOADING TO STREAMS FROM GROUNDWATER: NONPOINT SOURCE APPLICATIONS FOR TMDL EVALUATIONS

EPA Science Inventory

Density of septic systems in watersheds has been identified as a contributor to pathogen loading in streams. At present, little work has been done to provide simple models to assist in evaluating groundwater loading for pathogen TMDLs. A compartmental model is being developed for...

Application and evaluation of high-resolution WRF-CMAQ with simple urban parameterization.

EPA Science Inventory

The 2-way coupled WRF-CMAQ meteorology and air quality modeling system is evaluated for high-resolution applications by comparing to a regional air quality field study (Discover-AQ). The model was modified to better account for the effects of urban environments. High-resolution...

Data management in the mission data system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wagner, David A.

2005-01-01

As spacecraft evolve from simple embedded devices to become more sophisticated computing platforms with complex behaviors it is increasingly necessary to model and manage the flow of data, and to provide uniform models for managing data that promote adaptability, yet pay heed to the physical limitations of the embedded and space environments.

Application and evaluation of high-resolution WRF-CMAQ with simple urban parameterization

EPA Science Inventory

The 2-way coupled WRF-CMAQ meteorology and air quality modeling system is evaluated for high-resolution applications by comparing to a regional air quality field study (Discover-AQ). The model was modified to better account for the effects of urban environments. High-resolution...

Probabilistic simple sticker systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Selvarajoo, Mathuri; Heng, Fong Wan; Sarmin, Nor Haniza; Turaev, Sherzod

2017-04-01

A model for DNA computing using the recombination behavior of DNA molecules, known as a sticker system, was introduced by by L. Kari, G. Paun, G. Rozenberg, A. Salomaa, and S. Yu in the paper entitled DNA computing, sticker systems and universality from the journal of Acta Informatica vol. 35, pp. 401-420 in the year 1998. A sticker system uses the Watson-Crick complementary feature of DNA molecules: starting from the incomplete double stranded sequences, and iteratively using sticking operations until a complete double stranded sequence is obtained. It is known that sticker systems with finite sets of axioms and sticker rules generate only regular languages. Hence, different types of restrictions have been considered to increase the computational power of sticker systems. Recently, a variant of restricted sticker systems, called probabilistic sticker systems, has been introduced [4]. In this variant, the probabilities are initially associated with the axioms, and the probability of a generated string is computed by multiplying the probabilities of all occurrences of the initial strings in the computation of the string. Strings for the language are selected according to some probabilistic requirements. In this paper, we study fundamental properties of probabilistic simple sticker systems. We prove that the probabilistic enhancement increases the computational power of simple sticker systems.

The Library and Human Memory Simulation Studies. Reports on File Organization Studies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reilly, Kevin D.

This report describes digital computer simulation efforts in a study of memory systems for two important cases: that of the individual the brain; and that of society, the library. A neural system model is presented in which a complex system is produced by connecting simple hypothetical neurons whose states change under application of a…

Simple dynamical models capturing the key features of the Central Pacific El Niño.

PubMed

Chen, Nan; Majda, Andrew J

2016-10-18

The Central Pacific El Niño (CP El Niño) has been frequently observed in recent decades. The phenomenon is characterized by an anomalous warm sea surface temperature (SST) confined to the central Pacific and has different teleconnections from the traditional El Niño. Here, simple models are developed and shown to capture the key mechanisms of the CP El Niño. The starting model involves coupled atmosphere-ocean processes that are deterministic, linear, and stable. Then, systematic strategies are developed for incorporating several major mechanisms of the CP El Niño into the coupled system. First, simple nonlinear zonal advection with no ad hoc parameterization of the background SST gradient is introduced that creates coupled nonlinear advective modes of the SST. Secondly, due to the recent multidecadal strengthening of the easterly trade wind, a stochastic parameterization of the wind bursts including a mean easterly trade wind anomaly is coupled to the simple atmosphere-ocean processes. Effective stochastic noise in the wind burst model facilitates the intermittent occurrence of the CP El Niño with realistic amplitude and duration. In addition to the anomalous warm SST in the central Pacific, other major features of the CP El Niño such as the rising branch of the anomalous Walker circulation being shifted to the central Pacific and the eastern Pacific cooling with a shallow thermocline are all captured by this simple coupled model. Importantly, the coupled model succeeds in simulating a series of CP El Niño that lasts for 5 y, which resembles the two CP El Niño episodes during 1990-1995 and 2002-2006.

Towards a Model for Protein Production Rates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dong, J. J.; Schmittmann, B.; Zia, R. K. P.

2007-07-01

In the process of translation, ribosomes read the genetic code on an mRNA and assemble the corresponding polypeptide chain. The ribosomes perform discrete directed motion which is well modeled by a totally asymmetric simple exclusion process (TASEP) with open boundaries. Using Monte Carlo simulations and a simple mean-field theory, we discuss the effect of one or two "bottlenecks" (i.e., slow codons) on the production rate of the final protein. Confirming and extending previous work by Chou and Lakatos, we find that the location and spacing of the slow codons can affect the production rate quite dramatically. In particular, we observe a novel "edge" effect, i.e., an interaction of a single slow codon with the system boundary. We focus in detail on ribosome density profiles and provide a simple explanation for the length scale which controls the range of these interactions.

Systems analysis techniques for annual cycle thermal energy storage solar systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baylin, F.

1980-07-01

Community-scale annual cycle thermal energy storage solar systems are options for building heat and cooling. A variety of approaches are feasible in modeling ACTES solar systems. The key parameter in such efforts, average collector efficiency, is examined, followed by several approaches for simple and effective modeling. Methods are also examined for modeling building loads for structures based on both conventional and passive architectural designs. Two simulation models for sizing solar heating systems with annual storage are presented. Validation is presented by comparison with the results of a study of seasonal storage systems based on SOLANSIM, an hour-by-hour simulation. These models are presently used to examine the economic trade-off between collector field area and storage capacity. Programs directed toward developing other system components such as improved tanks and solar ponds or design tools for ACTES solar systems are examined.

The Ether Wind and the Global Positioning System.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Muller, Rainer

2000-01-01

Explains how students can perform a refutation of the ether theory using information from the Global Positioning System (GPS). Discusses the functioning of the GPS, qualitatively describes how position determination would be affected by an ether wind, and illustrates the pertinent ideas with a simple quantitative model. (WRM)

Mathematical Models of IABG Thermal-Vacuum Facilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Doring, Daniel; Ulfers, Hendrik

2014-06-01

IABG in Ottobrunn, Germany, operates thermal-vacuum facilities of different sizes and complexities as a service for space-testing of satellites and components. One aspect of these tests is the qualification of the thermal control system that keeps all onboard components within their save operating temperature band. As not all possible operation / mission states can be simulated within a sensible test time, usually a subset of important and extreme states is tested at TV facilities to validate the thermal model of the satellite, which is then used to model all other possible mission states. With advances in the precision of customer thermal models, simple assumptions of the test environment (e.g. everything black & cold, one solar constant of light from this side) are no longer sufficient, as real space simulation chambers do deviate from this ideal. For example the mechanical adapters which support the spacecraft are usually not actively cooled. To enable IABG to provide a model that is sufficiently detailed and realistic for current system tests, Munich engineering company CASE developed ESATAN models for the two larger chambers. CASE has many years of experience in thermal analysis for space-flight systems and ESATAN. The two models represent the rather simple (and therefore very homogeneous) 3m-TVA and the extremely complex space simulation test facility and its solar simulator. The cooperation of IABG and CASE built up extensive knowledge of the facilities thermal behaviour. This is the key to optimally support customers with their test campaigns in the future. The ESARAD part of the models contains all relevant information with regard to geometry (CAD data), surface properties (optical measurements) and solar irradiation for the sun simulator. The temperature of the actively cooled thermal shrouds is measured and mapped to the thermal mesh to create the temperature field in the ESATAN part as boundary conditions. Both models comprise switches to easily establish multiple possible set-ups (e.g. exclude components like the motion system or enable / disable the solar simulator). Both models were validated by comparing calculated results (thermal balance temperatures for simple passive test articles) with measured temperatures generated in actual tests in these facilities. This paper presents information about the chambers, the modelling approach, properties of the models and their performance in the validation tests.

Introducing Multisensor Satellite Radiance-Based Evaluation for Regional Earth System Modeling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Matsui, T.; Santanello, J.; Shi, J. J.; Tao, W.-K.; Wu, D.; Peters-Lidard, C.; Kemp, E.; Chin, M.; Starr, D.; Sekiguchi, M.;

Performability modeling based on real data: A case study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hsueh, M. C.; Iyer, R. K.; Trivedi, K. S.

1988-01-01

Described is a measurement-based performability model based on error and resource usage data collected on a multiprocessor system. A method for identifying the model structure is introduced and the resulting model is validated against real data. Model development from the collection of raw data to the estimation of the expected reward is described. Both normal and error behavior of the system are characterized. The measured data show that the holding times in key operational and error states are not simple exponentials and that a semi-Markov process is necessary to model system behavior. A reward function, based on the service rate and the error rate in each state, is then defined in order to estimate the performability of the system and to depict the cost of apparent types of errors.

Performability modeling based on real data: A casestudy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hsueh, M. C.; Iyer, R. K.; Trivedi, K. S.

1987-01-01

Described is a measurement-based performability model based on error and resource usage data collected on a multiprocessor system. A method for identifying the model structure is introduced and the resulting model is validated against real data. Model development from the collection of raw data to the estimation of the expected reward is described. Both normal and error behavior of the system are characterized. The measured data show that the holding times in key operational and error states are not simple exponentials and that a semi-Markov process is necessary to model the system behavior. A reward function, based on the service rate and the error rate in each state, is then defined in order to estimate the performability of the system and to depict the cost of different types of errors.

Applying the compound Poisson process model to the reporting of injury-related mortality rates.

PubMed

Kegler, Scott R

2007-02-16

Injury-related mortality rate estimates are often analyzed under the assumption that case counts follow a Poisson distribution. Certain types of injury incidents occasionally involve multiple fatalities, however, resulting in dependencies between cases that are not reflected in the simple Poisson model and which can affect even basic statistical analyses. This paper explores the compound Poisson process model as an alternative, emphasizing adjustments to some commonly used interval estimators for population-based rates and rate ratios. The adjusted estimators involve relatively simple closed-form computations, which in the absence of multiple-case incidents reduce to familiar estimators based on the simpler Poisson model. Summary data from the National Violent Death Reporting System are referenced in several examples demonstrating application of the proposed methodology.

A simple model to estimate the impact of sea-level rise on platform beaches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taborda, Rui; Ribeiro, Mónica Afonso

2015-04-01

Estimates of future beach evolution in response to sea-level rise are needed to assess coastal vulnerability. A research gap is identified in providing adequate predictive methods to use for platform beaches. This work describes a simple model to evaluate the effects of sea-level rise on platform beaches that relies on the conservation of beach sand volume and assumes an invariant beach profile shape. In closed systems, when compared with the Inundation Model, results show larger retreats; the differences are higher for beaches with wide berms and when the shore platform develops at shallow depths. The application of the proposed model to Cascais (Portugal) beaches, using 21st century sea-level rise scenarios, shows that there will be a significant reduction in beach width.

A gunner model for an AAA tracking task with interrupted observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yu, C. F.; Wei, K. C.; Vikmanis, M.

1982-01-01

The problem of modeling a trained human operator's tracking performance in an anti-aircraft system under various display blanking conditions is discussed. The input to the gunner is the observable tracking error subjected to repeated interruptions (blanking). A simple and effective gunner model was developed. The effect of blanking on the gunner's tracking performance is approached via modeling the observer and controller gains.

A class of simple bouncing and late-time accelerating cosmologies in f(R) gravity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuiroukidis, A.

We consider the field equations for a flat FRW cosmological model, given by Eq. (??), in an a priori generic f(R) gravity model and cast them into a, completely normalized and dimensionless, system of ODEs for the scale factor and the function f(R), with respect to the scalar curvature R. It is shown that under reasonable assumptions, namely for power-law functional form for the f(R) gravity model, one can produce simple analytical and numerical solutions describing bouncing cosmological models where in addition there are late-time accelerating. The power-law form for the f(R) gravity model is typically considered in the literature as the most concrete, reasonable, practical and viable assumption [see S. D. Odintsov and V. K. Oikonomou, Phys. Rev. D 90 (2014) 124083, arXiv:1410.8183 [gr-qc

Evaluation of a Linear Cumulative Damage Failure Model for Epoxy Adhesive

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Richardson, David E.; Batista-Rodriquez, Alicia; Macon, David; Totman, Peter; McCool, Alex (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

Recently a significant amount of work has been conducted to provide more complex and accurate material models for use in the evaluation of adhesive bondlines. Some of this has been prompted by recent studies into the effects of residual stresses on the integrity of bondlines. Several techniques have been developed for the analysis of bondline residual stresses. Key to these analyses is the criterion that is used for predicting failure. Residual stress loading of an adhesive bondline can occur over the life of the component. For many bonded systems, this can be several years. It is impractical to directly characterize failure of adhesive bondlines under a constant load for several years. Therefore, alternative approaches for predictions of bondline failures are required. In the past, cumulative damage failure models have been developed. These models have ranged from very simple to very complex. This paper documents the generation and evaluation of some of the most simple linear damage accumulation tensile failure models for an epoxy adhesive. This paper shows how several variations on the failure model were generated and presents an evaluation of the accuracy of these failure models in predicting creep failure of the adhesive. The paper shows that a simple failure model can be generated from short-term failure data for accurate predictions of long-term adhesive performance.

A distributed Clips implementation: dClips

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Li, Y. Philip

1993-01-01

A distributed version of the Clips language, dClips, was implemented on top of two existing generic distributed messaging systems to show that: (1) it is easy to create a coarse-grained parallel programming environment out of an existing language if a high level messaging system is used; and (2) the computing model of a parallel programming environment can be changed easily if we change the underlying messaging system. dClips processes were first connected with a simple master-slave model. A client-server model with intercommunicating agents was later implemented. The concept of service broker is being investigated.

Simple-1: Development stage of the data transmission system for a solid propellant mid-power rocket model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yarce, Andrés; Sebastián Rodríguez, Juan; Galvez, Julián; Gómez, Alejandro; García, Manuel J.

2017-06-01

This paper presents the development stage of a communication module for a solid propellant mid-power rocket model. The communication module was named. Simple-1 and this work considers its design, construction and testing. A rocket model Estes Ventris Series Pro II® was modified to introduce, on the top of the payload, several sensors in a CanSat form factor. The Printed Circuit Board (PCB) was designed and fabricated from Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) components and assembled in a cylindrical rack structure similar to this small format satellite concept. The sensors data was processed using one Arduino Mini and transmitted using a radio module to a Software Defined Radio (SDR) HackRF based platform on the ground station. The Simple-1 was tested using a drone in successive releases, reaching altitudes from 200 to 300 meters. Different kind of data, in terms of altitude, position, atmospheric pressure and vehicle temperature were successfully measured, making possible the progress to a next stage of launching and analysis.

The effects of mixotrophy on the stability and dynamics of a simple planktonic food web

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jost, Christian; Lawrence, Cathryn A.; Campolongo, Francesca; Wouter, van de Bund; Hill, Sheryl; DeAngelis, Donald L.

2004-01-01

Recognition of the microbial loop as an important part of aquatic ecosystems disrupted the notion of simple linear food chains. However, current research suggests that even the microbial loop paradigm is a gross simplification of microbial interactions due to the presence of mixotrophs—organisms that both photosynthesize and graze. We present a simple food web model with four trophic species, three of them arranged in a food chain (nutrients–autotrophs–herbivores) and the fourth as a mixotroph with links to both the nutrients and the autotrophs. This model is used to study the general implications of inclusion of the mixotrophic link in microbial food webs and the specific predictions for a parameterization that describes open ocean mixed layer plankton dynamics. The analysis indicates that the system parameters reside in a region of the parameter space where the dynamics converge to a stable equilibrium rather than displaying periodic or chaotic solutions. However, convergence requires weeks to months, suggesting that the system would never reach equilibrium in the ocean due to alteration of the physical forcing regime. Most importantly, the mixotrophic grazing link seems to stabilize the system in this region of the parameter space, particularly when nutrient recycling feedback loops are included.

The Quantum Arnold Transformation for the damped harmonic oscillator: from the Caldirola-Kanai model toward the Bateman model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

López-Ruiz, F. F.; Guerrero, J.; Aldaya, V.; Cossío, F.

2012-08-01

Using a quantum version of the Arnold transformation of classical mechanics, all quantum dynamical systems whose classical equations of motion are non-homogeneous linear second-order ordinary differential equations (LSODE), including systems with friction linear in velocity such as the damped harmonic oscillator, can be related to the quantum free-particle dynamical system. This implies that symmetries and simple computations in the free particle can be exported to the LSODE-system. The quantum Arnold transformation is given explicitly for the damped harmonic oscillator, and an algebraic connection between the Caldirola-Kanai model for the damped harmonic oscillator and the Bateman system will be sketched out.

Modelling the vestibular head tilt response.

PubMed

Heibert, D; Lithgow, B

2005-03-01

This paper attempts to verify the existence of potentially diagnostically significant periodic signals thought to exist in recordings of neural activity originating from the vestibular nerve, following a single tilt of the head. It then attempts to find the physiological basis of this signal, in particular focusing on the mechanical response of the vestibular system. Simple mechanical models of the semi circular canals having angular velocities applied to them were looked at. A simple single canal model was simulated using CFX software. Finally, a simple model of all three canals with elastic duct walls and a moving cupula was constructed. Pressure waves within the canals were simulated using water hammer or pressure transient theory. In particular, it was investigated whether pressure waves within the utricle following a square pulse angular velocity applied to the canal(s) may be responsible for quasi-periodic oscillatory signals. The simulations showed that there are no pressure waves resonating within the canals following a square pulse angular velocity applied to the canal(s). The results show that the oscillatory signals are most likely not mechanical in origin. It was concluded that further investigation is required.

Effect of self-deflection on a totally asymmetric simple exclusion process with functions of site assignments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsuzuki, Satori; Yanagisawa, Daichi; Nishinari, Katsuhiro

2018-04-01

This study proposes a model of a totally asymmetric simple exclusion process on a single-channel lane with functions of site assignments along the pit lane. The system model attempts to insert a new particle to the leftmost site at a certain probability by randomly selecting one of the empty sites in the pit lane, and reserving it for the particle. Thereafter, the particle is directed to stop at the site only once during its travel. Recently, the system was determined to show a self-deflection effect, in which the site usage distribution biases spontaneously toward the leftmost site, and the throughput becomes maximum when the site usage distribution is slightly biased to the rightmost site. Our exact analysis describes this deflection effect and show a good agreement with simulations.

Quantitative metrics for evaluating the phased roll-out of clinical information systems.

PubMed

Wong, David; Wu, Nicolas; Watkinson, Peter

2017-09-01

We introduce a novel quantitative approach for evaluating the order of roll-out during phased introduction of clinical information systems. Such roll-outs are associated with unavoidable risk due to patients transferring between clinical areas using both the old and new systems. We proposed a simple graphical model of patient flow through a hospital. Using a simple instance of the model, we showed how a roll-out order can be generated by minimising the flow of patients from the new system to the old system. The model was applied to admission and discharge data acquired from 37,080 patient journeys at the Churchill Hospital, Oxford between April 2013 and April 2014. The resulting order was evaluated empirically and produced acceptable orders. The development of data-driven approaches to clinical Information system roll-out provides insights that may not necessarily be ascertained through clinical judgment alone. Such methods could make a significant contribution to the smooth running of an organisation during the roll-out of a potentially disruptive technology. Unlike previous approaches, which are based on clinical opinion, the approach described here quantitatively assesses the appropriateness of competing roll-out strategies. The data-driven approach was shown to produce strategies that matched clinical intuition and provides a flexible framework that may be used to plan and monitor Clinical Information System roll-out. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Geochemistry of the Birch Creek Drainage Basin, Idaho

USGS Publications Warehouse

Swanson, Shawn A.; Rosentreter, Jeffrey J.; Bartholomay, Roy C.; Knobel, LeRoy L.

2003-01-01

The U.S. Survey and Idaho State University, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy, are conducting studies to describe the chemical character of ground water that moves as underflow from drainage basins into the eastern Snake River Plain aquifer (ESRPA) system at and near the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) and the effects of these recharge waters on the geochemistry of the ESRPA system. Each of these recharge waters has a hydrochemical character related to geochemical processes, especially water-rock interactions, that occur during migration to the ESRPA. Results of these studies will benefit ongoing and planned geochemical modeling of the ESRPA at the INEEL by providing model input on the hydrochemical character of water from each drainage basin. During 2000, water samples were collected from five wells and one surface-water site in the Birch Creek drainage basin and analyzed for selected inorganic constituents, nutrients, dissolved organic carbon, tritium, measurements of gross alpha and beta radioactivity, and stable isotopes. Four duplicate samples also were collected for quality assurance. Results, which include analyses of samples previously collected from four other sites, in the basin, show that most water from the Birch Creek drainage basin has a calcium-magnesium bicarbonate character. The Birch Creek Valley can be divided roughly into three hydrologic areas. In the northern part, ground water is forced to the surface by a basalt barrier and the sampling sites were either surface water or shallow wells. Water chemistry in this area was characterized by simple evaporation models, simple calcite-carbon dioxide models, or complex models involving carbonate and silicate minerals. The central part of the valley is filled by sedimentary material and the sampling sites were wells that are deeper than those in the northern part. Water chemistry in this area was characterized by simple calcite-dolomite-carbon dioxide models. In the southern part, ground water enters the ESRPA. In this area, the sampling sites were wells with depths and water levels much deeper than those in the northern and central parts of the valley. The calcium and carbon water chemistry in this area was characterized by a simple calcite-carbon dioxide model, but complex calcite-silicate models more accurately accounted for mass transfer in these areas. Throughout the geochemical system, calcite precipitated if it was an active phase in the models. Carbon dioxide either precipitated (outgassed) or dissolved depending on the partial pressure of carbon dioxide in water from the modeled sites. Dolomite was an active phase only in models from the central part of the system. Generally the entire geochemical system could be modeled with either evaporative models, carbonate models, or carbonate-silicate models. In both of the latter types of models, a significant amount of calcite precipitated relative to the mass transfer to and from the other active phases. The amount of calcite precipitated in the more complex models was consistent with the amount of calcite precipitated in the simpler models. This consistency suggests that, although the simpler models can predict calcium and carbon concentrations in Birch Creek Valley ground and surface water, silicate-mineral-based models are required to account for the other constituents. The amount of mass transfer to and from the silicate mineral phases was generally small compared with that in the carbonate phases. It appears that the water chemistry of well USGS 126B represents the chemistry of water recharging the ESRPA by means of underflow from the Birch Creek Valley.

Combustion Control System Design of Diesel Engine via ASPR based Output Feedback Control Strategy with a PFC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mizumoto, Ikuro; Tsunematsu, Junpei; Fujii, Seiya

2016-09-01

In this paper, a design method of an output feedback control system with a simple feedforward input for a combustion model of diesel engine will be proposed based on the almost strictly positive real-ness (ASPR-ness) of the controlled system for a combustion control of diesel engines. A parallel feedforward compensator (PFC) design scheme which renders the resulting augmented controlled system ASPR will also be proposed in order to design a stable output feedback control system for the considered combustion model. The effectiveness of our proposed method will be confirmed through numerical simulations.

An Information Theoretical Analysis of Human Insulin-Glucose System Toward the Internet of Bio-Nano Things.

PubMed

Abbasi, Naveed A; Akan, Ozgur B

2017-12-01

Molecular communication is an important tool to understand biological communications with many promising applications in Internet of Bio-Nano Things (IoBNT). The insulin-glucose system is of key significance among the major intra-body nanonetworks, since it fulfills metabolic requirements of the body. The study of biological networks from information and communication theoretical (ICT) perspective is necessary for their introduction in the IoBNT framework. Therefore, the objective of this paper is to provide and analyze for the first time in the literature, a simple molecular communication model of the human insulin-glucose system from ICT perspective. The data rate, channel capacity, and the group propagation delay are analyzed for a two-cell network between a pancreatic beta cell and a muscle cell that are connected through a capillary. The results point out a correlation between an increase in insulin resistance and a decrease in the data rate and channel capacity, an increase in the insulin transmission rate, and an increase in the propagation delay. We also propose applications for the introduction of the system in the IoBNT framework. Multi-cell insulin glucose system models may be based on this simple model to help in the investigation, diagnosis, and treatment of insulin resistance by means of novel IoBNT applications.

Dynamical system with plastic self-organized velocity field as an alternative conceptual model of a cognitive system.

PubMed

Janson, Natalia B; Marsden, Christopher J

2017-12-05

It is well known that architecturally the brain is a neural network, i.e. a collection of many relatively simple units coupled flexibly. However, it has been unclear how the possession of this architecture enables higher-level cognitive functions, which are unique to the brain. Here, we consider the brain from the viewpoint of dynamical systems theory and hypothesize that the unique feature of the brain, the self-organized plasticity of its architecture, could represent the means of enabling the self-organized plasticity of its velocity vector field. We propose that, conceptually, the principle of cognition could amount to the existence of appropriate rules governing self-organization of the velocity field of a dynamical system with an appropriate account of stimuli. To support this hypothesis, we propose a simple non-neuromorphic mathematical model with a plastic self-organized velocity field, which has no prototype in physical world. This system is shown to be capable of basic cognition, which is illustrated numerically and with musical data. Our conceptual model could provide an additional insight into the working principles of the brain. Moreover, hardware implementations of plastic velocity fields self-organizing according to various rules could pave the way to creating artificial intelligence of a novel type.

Nonlinear Modeling by Assembling Piecewise Linear Models

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yao, Weigang; Liou, Meng-Sing

2013-01-01

To preserve nonlinearity of a full order system over a parameters range of interest, we propose a simple modeling approach by assembling a set of piecewise local solutions, including the first-order Taylor series terms expanded about some sampling states. The work by Rewienski and White inspired our use of piecewise linear local solutions. The assembly of these local approximations is accomplished by assigning nonlinear weights, through radial basis functions in this study. The efficacy of the proposed procedure is validated for a two-dimensional airfoil moving at different Mach numbers and pitching motions, under which the flow exhibits prominent nonlinear behaviors. All results confirm that our nonlinear model is accurate and stable for predicting not only aerodynamic forces but also detailed flowfields. Moreover, the model is robustness-accurate for inputs considerably different from the base trajectory in form and magnitude. This modeling preserves nonlinearity of the problems considered in a rather simple and accurate manner.

Development of a bi-equilibrium model for biomass gasification in a downdraft bed reactor.

PubMed

Biagini, Enrico; Barontini, Federica; Tognotti, Leonardo

2016-02-01

This work proposes a simple and accurate tool for predicting the main parameters of biomass gasification (syngas composition, heating value, flow rate), suitable for process study and system analysis. A multizonal model based on non-stoichiometric equilibrium models and a repartition factor, simulating the bypass of pyrolysis products through the oxidant zone, was developed. The results of tests with different feedstocks (corn cobs, wood pellets, rice husks and vine pruning) in a demonstrative downdraft gasifier (350kW) were used for validation. The average discrepancy between model and experimental results was up to 8 times less than the one with the simple equilibrium model. The repartition factor was successfully related to the operating conditions and characteristics of the biomass to simulate different conditions of the gasifier (variation in potentiality, densification and mixing of feedstock) and analyze the model sensitivity. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Calibrating the simple biosphere model for Amazonian tropical forest using field and remote sensing data. I - Average calibration with field data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sellers, Piers J.; Shuttleworth, W. James; Dorman, Jeff L.; Dalcher, Amnon; Roberts, John M.

1989-01-01

Using meteorological and hydrological measurements taken in and above the central-Amazon-basin tropical forest, calibration of the Sellers et al. (1986) simple biosphere (SiB) model are described. The SiB model is a one-dimensional soil-vegetation-atmosphere model designed for use within GCMs models, representing the vegetation cover by analogy with processes operating within a single representative plant. The experimental systems and the procedures used to obtain field data are described, together with the specification of the physiological parameterization required to provide an average description of data. It was found that some of the existing literature on stomatal behavior for tropical species is inconsistent with the observed behavior of the complete canopy in Amazonia, and that the rainfall interception store of the canopy is considerably smaller than originally specified in the SiB model.

A simple electric circuit model for proton exchange membrane fuel cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lazarou, Stavros; Pyrgioti, Eleftheria; Alexandridis, Antonio T.

A simple and novel dynamic circuit model for a proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell suitable for the analysis and design of power systems is presented. The model takes into account phenomena like activation polarization, ohmic polarization, and mass transport effect present in a PEM fuel cell. The proposed circuit model includes three resistors to approach adequately these phenomena; however, since for the PEM dynamic performance connection or disconnection of an additional load is of crucial importance, the proposed model uses two saturable inductors accompanied by an ideal transformer to simulate the double layer charging effect during load step changes. To evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed model its dynamic performance under load step changes is simulated. Experimental results coming from a commercial PEM fuel cell module that uses hydrogen from a pressurized cylinder at the anode and atmospheric oxygen at the cathode, clearly verify the simulation results.

Road simulation for four-wheel vehicle whole input power spectral density

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Jiangbo; Qiang, Baomin

2017-05-01

As the vibration of running vehicle mainly comes from road and influence vehicle ride performance. So the road roughness power spectral density simulation has great significance to analyze automobile suspension vibration system parameters and evaluate ride comfort. Firstly, this paper based on the mathematical model of road roughness power spectral density, established the integral white noise road random method. Then in the MATLAB/Simulink environment, according to the research method of automobile suspension frame from simple two degree of freedom single-wheel vehicle model to complex multiple degrees of freedom vehicle model, this paper built the simple single incentive input simulation model. Finally the spectrum matrix was used to build whole vehicle incentive input simulation model. This simulation method based on reliable and accurate mathematical theory and can be applied to the random road simulation of any specified spectral which provides pavement incentive model and foundation to vehicle ride performance research and vibration simulation.

Synchronisation and Circuit Realisation of Chaotic Hartley System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Varan, Metin; Akgül, Akif; Güleryüz, Emre; Serbest, Kasım

2018-06-01

Hartley chaotic system is topologically the simplest, but its dynamical behaviours are very rich and its synchronisation has not been seen in literature. This paper aims to introduce a simple chaotic system which can be used as alternative to classical chaotic systems in synchronisation fields. Time series, phase portraits, and bifurcation diagrams reveal the dynamics of the mentioned system. Chaotic Hartley model is also supported with electronic circuit model simulations. Its exponential dynamics are hard to realise on circuit model; this paper is the first in literature that handles such a complex modelling problem. Modelling, synchronisation, and circuit realisation of the Hartley system are implemented respectively in MATLAB-Simulink and ORCAD environments. The effectiveness of the applied synchronisation method is revealed via numerical methods, and the results are discussed. Retrieved results show that this complex chaotic system can be used in secure communication fields.

pyhector: A Python interface for the simple climate model Hector

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

N Willner, Sven; Hartin, Corinne; Gieseke, Robert

2017-04-01

Pyhector is a Python interface for the simple climate model Hector (Hartin et al. 2015) developed in C++. Simple climate models like Hector can, for instance, be used in the analysis of scenarios within integrated assessment models like GCAM1, in the emulation of complex climate models, and in uncertainty analyses. Hector is an open-source, object oriented, simple global climate carbon cycle model. Its carbon cycle consists of a one pool atmosphere, three terrestrial pools which can be broken down into finer biomes or regions, and four carbon pools in the ocean component. The terrestrial carbon cycle includes primary production andmore » respiration fluxes. The ocean carbon cycle circulates carbon via a simplified thermohaline circulation, calculating air-sea fluxes as well as the marine carbonate system (Hartin et al. 2016). The model input is time series of greenhouse gas emissions; as example scenarios for these the Pyhector package contains the Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs)2. These were developed to cover the range of baseline and mitigation emissions scenarios and are widely used in climate change research and model intercomparison projects. Using DataFrames from the Python library Pandas (McKinney 2010) as a data structure for the scenarios simplifies generating and adapting scenarios. Other parameters of the Hector model can easily be modified when running the model. Pyhector can be installed using pip from the Python Package Index.3 Source code and issue tracker are available in Pyhector's GitHub repository4. Documentation is provided through Readthedocs5. Usage examples are also contained in the repository as a Jupyter Notebook (Pérez and Granger 2007; Kluyver et al. 2016). Courtesy of the Mybinder project6, the example Notebook can also be executed and modified without installing Pyhector locally.« less

Relating renormalizability of D-dimensional higher-order electromagnetic and gravitational models to the classical potential at the origin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Accioly, Antonio; Correia, Gilson; de Brito, Gustavo P.; de Almeida, José; Herdy, Wallace

2017-03-01

Simple prescriptions for computing the D-dimensional classical potential related to electromagnetic and gravitational models, based on the functional generator, are built out. These recipes are employed afterward as a support for probing the premise that renormalizable higher-order systems have a finite classical potential at the origin. It is also shown that the opposite of the conjecture above is not true. In other words, if a higher-order model is renormalizable, it is necessarily endowed with a finite classical potential at the origin, but the reverse of this statement is untrue. The systems used to check the conjecture were D-dimensional fourth-order Lee-Wick electrodynamics, and the D-dimensional fourth- and sixth-order gravity models. A special attention is devoted to New Massive Gravity (NMG) since it was the analysis of this model that inspired our surmise. In particular, we made use of our premise to resolve trivially the issue of the renormalizability of NMG, which was initially considered to be renormalizable, but it was shown some years later to be non-renormalizable. We remark that our analysis is restricted to local models in which the propagator has simple and real poles.

Simple Thermal Environment Model (STEM) User's Guide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Justus, C.G.; Batts, G. W.; Anderson, B. J.; James, B. F.

2001-01-01

This report presents a Simple Thermal Environment Model (STEM) for determining appropriate engineering design values to specify the thermal environment of Earth-orbiting satellites. The thermal environment of a satellite, consists of three components: (1) direct solar radiation, (2) Earth-atmosphere reflected shortwave radiation, as characterized by Earth's albedo, and (3) Earth-atmosphere-emitted outgoing longwave radiation (OLR). This report, together with a companion "guidelines" report provides methodology and guidelines for selecting "design points" for thermal environment parameters for satellites and spacecraft systems. The methods and models reported here are outgrowths of Earth Radiation Budget Experiment (ERBE) satellite data analysis and thermal environment specifications discussed by Anderson and Smith (1994). In large part, this report is intended to update (and supersede) those results.

Spatial interactions in a modified Daisyworld model: Heat diffusivity and greenhouse effects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alberti, T.; Primavera, L.; Vecchio, A.; Lepreti, F.; Carbone, V.

2015-11-01

In this work we investigate a modified version of the Daisyworld model, originally introduced by Lovelock and Watson to describe in a simple way the interactions between an Earth-like planet, its biosphere, and the incoming solar radiation. Here a spatial dependency on latitude is included, and both a variable heat diffusivity along latitudes and a simple greenhouse effect description are introduced in the model. We show that the spatial interactions between the variables of the system can locally stabilize the coexistence of the two vegetation types. The feedback on albedo is able to generate equilibrium solutions which can efficiently self-regulate the planet climate, even for values of the solar luminosity relatively far from the current Earth conditions.

Modeling Impact of Urbanization in US Cities Using Simple Biosphere Model SiB2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zhang, Ping; Bounoua, Lahouari; Thome, Kurtis; Wolfe, Robert

2016-01-01

We combine Landsat- and the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS)-based products, as well as climate drivers from Phase 2 of the North American Land Data Assimilation System (NLDAS-2) in a Simple Biosphere land surface model (SiB2) to assess the impact of urbanization in continental USA (excluding Alaska and Hawaii). More than 300 cities and their surrounding suburban and rural areas are defined in this study to characterize the impact of urbanization on surface climate including surface energy, carbon budget, and water balance. These analyses reveal an uneven impact of urbanization across the continent that should inform upon policy options for improving urban growth including heat mitigation and energy use, carbon sequestration and flood prevention.

A hierarchy for modeling high speed propulsion systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hartley, Tom T.; Deabreu, Alex

1991-01-01

General research efforts on reduced order propulsion models for control systems design are overviewed. Methods for modeling high speed propulsion systems are discussed including internal flow propulsion systems that do not contain rotating machinery, such as inlets, ramjets, and scramjets. The discussion is separated into four areas: (1) computational fluid dynamics models for the entire nonlinear system or high order nonlinear models; (2) high order linearized models derived from fundamental physics; (3) low order linear models obtained from the other high order models; and (4) low order nonlinear models (order here refers to the number of dynamic states). Included in the discussion are any special considerations based on the relevant control system designs. The methods discussed are for the quasi-one-dimensional Euler equations of gasdynamic flow. The essential nonlinear features represented are large amplitude nonlinear waves, including moving normal shocks, hammershocks, simple subsonic combustion via heat addition, temperature dependent gases, detonations, and thermal choking. The report also contains a comprehensive list of papers and theses generated by this grant.

Groundwater protection of minimal water supply systems integrating simple hydrogeological information

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodrigo-Ilarri, Javier; Rodrigo-Clavero, María Elena

2016-04-01

According to the current EU environmental legislation, groundwater protection is one of the key issues to be addressed when new industrial activities have to be authorised. This work shows a simple methodology that could be used by local and environmental authorities in order to analyse the potential risk caused by an industrial spill on a natural environment. The methodology leads to the determination of the protection area around an extraction well system using the information given by: i) a set of local piezometers, ii) the chemical nature of the industrial spill and iii) the hydrogeological parameters of the local aquifer. The exact location of the contaminant source is not needed for the analysis. The flow equation is afterwards solved using a finite-difference approximation scheme under stationary conditions. Finally, the capture zones for different times are computed by a simple upstream advective transport model. Results on the determination of the perimeter protection area definition of a water supply system in the municipality of L'Alcora (Castellón) in Spain are shown.

Architecture with GIDEON, A Program for Design in Structural DNA Nanotechnology

PubMed Central

Birac, Jeffrey J.; Sherman, William B.; Kopatsch, Jens; Constantinou, Pamela E.; Seeman, Nadrian C.

2012-01-01

We present geometry based design strategies for DNA nanostructures. The strategies have been implemented with GIDEON – a Graphical Integrated Development Environment for OligoNucleotides. GIDEON has a highly flexible graphical user interface that facilitates the development of simple yet precise models, and the evaluation of strains therein. Models are built on a simple model of undistorted B-DNA double-helical domains. Simple point and click manipulations of the model allow the minimization of strain in the phosphate-backbone linkages between these domains and the identification of any steric clashes that might occur as a result. Detailed analysis of 3D triangles yields clear predictions of the strains associated with triangles of different sizes. We have carried out experiments that confirm that 3D triangles form well only when their geometrical strain is less than 4% deviation from the estimated relaxed structure. Thus geometry-based techniques alone, without energetic considerations, can be used to explain general trends in DNA structure formation. We have used GIDEON to build detailed models of double crossover and triple crossover molecules, evaluating the non-planarity associated with base tilt and junction mis-alignments. Computer modeling using a graphical user interface overcomes the limited precision of physical models for larger systems, and the limited interaction rate associated with earlier, command-line driven software. PMID:16630733

Modeling the lung: Design and development of tissue engineered macro- and micro-physiologic lung models for research use.

PubMed

Nichols, Joan E; Niles, Jean A; Vega, Stephanie P; Argueta, Lissenya B; Eastaway, Adriene; Cortiella, Joaquin

2014-09-01

Respiratory tract specific cell populations, or tissue engineered in vitro grown human lung, have the potential to be used as research tools to mimic physiology, toxicology, pathology, as well as infectious diseases responses of cells or tissues. Studies related to respiratory tract pathogenesis or drug toxicity testing in the past made use of basic systems where single cell populations were exposed to test agents followed by evaluations of simple cellular responses. Although these simple single-cell-type systems provided good basic information related to cellular responses, much more can be learned from cells grown in fabricated microenvironments which mimic in vivo conditions in specialized microfabricated chambers or by human tissue engineered three-dimensional (3D) models which allow for more natural interactions between cells. Recent advances in microengineering technology, microfluidics, and tissue engineering have provided a new approach to the development of 2D and 3D cell culture models which enable production of more robust human in vitro respiratory tract models. Complex models containing multiple cell phenotypes also provide a more reasonable approximation of what occurs in vivo without the confounding elements in the dynamic in vivo environment. The goal of engineering good 3D human models is the formation of physiologically functional respiratory tissue surrogates which can be used as pathogenesis models or in the case of 2D screening systems for drug therapy evaluation as well as human toxicity testing. We hope that this manuscript will serve as a guide for development of future respiratory tract model systems as well as a review of conventional models. © 2014 by the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine.

Simple Model of a Photoacoustic System as a CR Circuit

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fukuhara, Akiko; Kaneko, Fumitoshi; Ogawa, Naohisa

2012-01-01

We introduce the photoacoustic educational system (PAES), by which we can identify which gas causes the greenhouse effect in a classroom (Kaneko "et al" 2010 "J. Chem. Educ." 87 202-4). PAES is an experimental system in which a pulse of infrared (IR) is absorbed into gas as internal energy, an oscillation of pressure (sound) appears, and then we…

Elastic constants from microscopic strain fluctuations

PubMed

Sengupta; Nielaba; Rao; Binder

2000-02-01

Fluctuations of the instantaneous local Lagrangian strain epsilon(ij)(r,t), measured with respect to a static "reference" lattice, are used to obtain accurate estimates of the elastic constants of model solids from atomistic computer simulations. The measured strains are systematically coarse-grained by averaging them within subsystems (of size L(b)) of a system (of total size L) in the canonical ensemble. Using a simple finite size scaling theory we predict the behavior of the fluctuations as a function of L(b)/L and extract elastic constants of the system in the thermodynamic limit at nonzero temperature. Our method is simple to implement, efficient, and general enough to be able to handle a wide class of model systems, including those with singular potentials without any essential modification. We illustrate the technique by computing isothermal elastic constants of "hard" and "soft" disk triangular solids in two dimensions from Monte Carlo and molecular dynamics simulations. We compare our results with those from earlier simulations and theory.

Nonequilibrium Langevin dynamics: A demonstration study of shear flow fluctuations in a simple fluid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belousov, Roman; Cohen, E. G. D.; Rondoni, Lamberto

2017-08-01

The present paper is based on a recent success of the second-order stochastic fluctuation theory in describing time autocorrelations of equilibrium and nonequilibrium physical systems. In particular, it was shown to yield values of the related deterministic parameters of the Langevin equation for a Couette flow in a microscopic molecular dynamics model of a simple fluid. In this paper we find all the remaining constants of the stochastic dynamics, which then is simulated numerically and compared directly with the original physical system. By using these data, we study in detail the accuracy and precision of a second-order Langevin model for nonequilibrium physical systems theoretically and computationally. We find an intriguing relation between an applied external force and cumulants of the resulting flow fluctuations. This is characterized by a linear dependence of an athermal cumulant ratio, an apposite quantity introduced here. In addition, we discuss how the order of a given Langevin dynamics can be raised systematically by introducing colored noise.

Fitting Neuron Models to Spike Trains

PubMed Central

Rossant, Cyrille; Goodman, Dan F. M.; Fontaine, Bertrand; Platkiewicz, Jonathan; Magnusson, Anna K.; Brette, Romain

2011-01-01

Computational modeling is increasingly used to understand the function of neural circuits in systems neuroscience. These studies require models of individual neurons with realistic input–output properties. Recently, it was found that spiking models can accurately predict the precisely timed spike trains produced by cortical neurons in response to somatically injected currents, if properly fitted. This requires fitting techniques that are efficient and flexible enough to easily test different candidate models. We present a generic solution, based on the Brian simulator (a neural network simulator in Python), which allows the user to define and fit arbitrary neuron models to electrophysiological recordings. It relies on vectorization and parallel computing techniques to achieve efficiency. We demonstrate its use on neural recordings in the barrel cortex and in the auditory brainstem, and confirm that simple adaptive spiking models can accurately predict the response of cortical neurons. Finally, we show how a complex multicompartmental model can be reduced to a simple effective spiking model. PMID:21415925

Design, development and validation of software for modelling dietary exposure to food chemicals and nutrients.

PubMed

McNamara, C; Naddy, B; Rohan, D; Sexton, J

2003-10-01

The Monte Carlo computational system for stochastic modelling of dietary exposure to food chemicals and nutrients is presented. This system was developed through a European Commission-funded research project. It is accessible as a Web-based application service. The system allows and supports very significant complexity in the data sets used as the model input, but provides a simple, general purpose, linear kernel for model evaluation. Specific features of the system include the ability to enter (arbitrarily) complex mathematical or probabilistic expressions at each and every input data field, automatic bootstrapping on subjects and on subject food intake diaries, and custom kernels to apply brand information such as market share and loyalty to the calculation of food and chemical intake.

Why preferring parametric forecasting to nonparametric methods?

PubMed

Jabot, Franck

2015-05-07

A recent series of papers by Charles T. Perretti and collaborators have shown that nonparametric forecasting methods can outperform parametric methods in noisy nonlinear systems. Such a situation can arise because of two main reasons: the instability of parametric inference procedures in chaotic systems which can lead to biased parameter estimates, and the discrepancy between the real system dynamics and the modeled one, a problem that Perretti and collaborators call "the true model myth". Should ecologists go on using the demanding parametric machinery when trying to forecast the dynamics of complex ecosystems? Or should they rely on the elegant nonparametric approach that appears so promising? It will be here argued that ecological forecasting based on parametric models presents two key comparative advantages over nonparametric approaches. First, the likelihood of parametric forecasting failure can be diagnosed thanks to simple Bayesian model checking procedures. Second, when parametric forecasting is diagnosed to be reliable, forecasting uncertainty can be estimated on virtual data generated with the fitted to data parametric model. In contrast, nonparametric techniques provide forecasts with unknown reliability. This argumentation is illustrated with the simple theta-logistic model that was previously used by Perretti and collaborators to make their point. It should convince ecologists to stick to standard parametric approaches, until methods have been developed to assess the reliability of nonparametric forecasting. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Competition between Local Collisions and Collective Hydrodynamic Feedback Controls Traffic Flows in Microfluidic Networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belloul, M.; Engl, W.; Colin, A.; Panizza, P.; Ajdari, A.

2009-05-01

By studying the repartition of monodisperse droplets at a simple T junction, we show that the traffic of discrete fluid systems in microfluidic networks results from two competing mechanisms, whose significance is driven by confinement. Traffic is dominated by collisions occurring at the junction for small droplets and by collective hydrodynamic feedback for large ones. For each mechanism, we present simple models in terms of the pertinent dimensionless parameters of the problem.

Hardware and software reliability estimation using simulations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Swern, Frederic L.

1994-01-01

The simulation technique is used to explore the validation of both hardware and software. It was concluded that simulation is a viable means for validating both hardware and software and associating a reliability number with each. This is useful in determining the overall probability of system failure of an embedded processor unit, and improving both the code and the hardware where necessary to meet reliability requirements. The methodologies were proved using some simple programs, and simple hardware models.

Heat Transfer Modeling of Jet Vane Thrust Vector Control (TVC) Systems.

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-12-01

Cost and complexity, to include materials, labor , design and fabrication. b. Effectiveness and ability to perform two and three axis control. c...8217 ESTR ’) CALL ESTRGR C C.... SCRS contains the simple-chemical-reaction-model of C combustion, the theoretical basis of which is found in the C book

Classical Yang-Baxter equations and quantum integrable systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jurčo, Branislav

1989-06-01

Quantum integrable models associated with nondegenerate solutions of classical Yang-Baxter equations related to the simple Lie algebras are investigated. These models are diagonalized for rational and trigonometric solutions in the cases of sl(N)/gl(N)/, o(N) and sp(N) algebras. The analogy with the quantum inverse scattering method is demonstrated.

Stability and control of flexible satellites. II - Control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Huang, T. C.; Das, A.

1980-01-01

It is demonstrated that by monitoring the deformations of the flexible elements of a satellite, the effectiveness of the satellite control system can be increased considerably. A simple model of a flexible satellite was analyzed in the first part of this work. The same model is used here for digital computer simulations.

A Simple Model System to Demonstrate Antibody Structure and Functions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Kennedy, Richard

1991-01-01

A model that can be used to show the arrangement of light and heavy chains, disulfide linkages, domains, and subclass variations in antibodies is given. It can be constructed and modified to illustrate Fab, F(ab')2, and Fc fragments, single domain and bifunctional antibodies, and labeling of antibodies. (Author)

Modelling the Landing of a Plane in a Calculus Lab

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morante, Antonio; Vallejo, Jose A.

2012-01-01

We exhibit a simple model of a plane landing that involves only basic concepts of differential calculus, so it is suitable for a first-year calculus lab. We use the computer algebra system Maxima and the interactive geometry software GeoGebra to do the computations and graphics. (Contains 5 figures and 1 note.)

Robust PD Sway Control of a Lifted Load for a Crane Using a Genetic Algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kawada, Kazuo; Sogo, Hiroyuki; Yamamoto, Toru; Mada, Yasuhiro

PID control schemes still continue to be widely used for most industrial control systems. This is mainly because PID controllers have simple control structures, and are simple to maintain and tune. However, it is difficult to find a set of suitable control parameters in the case of time-varying and/or nonlinear systems. For such a problem, the robust controller has been proposed.Although it is important to choose the suitable nominal model in designing the robust controller, it is not usually easy.In this paper, a new robust PD controller design scheme is proposed, which utilizes a genetic algorithm.

Design and implementation of a simple nuclear power plant simulator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miller, William H.

1983-02-01

A simple PWR nuclear power plant simulator has been designed and implemented on a minicomputer system. The system is intended for students use in understanding the power operation of a nuclear power plant. A PDP-11 minicomputer calculates reactor parameters in real time, uses a graphics terminal to display the results and a keyboard and joystick for control functions. Plant parameters calculated by the model include the core reactivity (based upon control rod positions, soluble boron concentration and reactivity feedback effects), the total core power, the axial core power distribution, the temperature and pressure in the primary and secondary coolant loops, etc.

Digital image classification with the help of artificial neural network by simple histogram

PubMed Central

Dey, Pranab; Banerjee, Nirmalya; Kaur, Rajwant

2016-01-01

Background: Visual image classification is a great challenge to the cytopathologist in routine day-to-day work. Artificial neural network (ANN) may be helpful in this matter. Aims and Objectives: In this study, we have tried to classify digital images of malignant and benign cells in effusion cytology smear with the help of simple histogram data and ANN. Materials and Methods: A total of 404 digital images consisting of 168 benign cells and 236 malignant cells were selected for this study. The simple histogram data was extracted from these digital images and an ANN was constructed with the help of Neurointelligence software [Alyuda Neurointelligence 2.2 (577), Cupertino, California, USA]. The network architecture was 6-3-1. The images were classified as training set (281), validation set (63), and test set (60). The on-line backpropagation training algorithm was used for this study. Result: A total of 10,000 iterations were done to train the ANN system with the speed of 609.81/s. After the adequate training of this ANN model, the system was able to identify all 34 malignant cell images and 24 out of 26 benign cells. Conclusion: The ANN model can be used for the identification of the individual malignant cells with the help of simple histogram data. This study will be helpful in the future to identify malignant cells in unknown situations. PMID:27279679

Simple equations to simulate closed-loop recycling liquid-liquid chromatography: Ideal and non-ideal recycling models.

PubMed

Kostanyan, Artak E

2015-12-04

The ideal (the column outlet is directly connected to the column inlet) and non-ideal (includes the effects of extra-column dispersion) recycling equilibrium-cell models are used to simulate closed-loop recycling counter-current chromatography (CLR CCC). Simple chromatogram equations for the individual cycles and equations describing the transport and broadening of single peaks and complex chromatograms inside the recycling closed-loop column for ideal and non-ideal recycling models are presented. The extra-column dispersion is included in the theoretical analysis, by replacing the recycling system (connecting lines, pump and valving) by a cascade of Nec perfectly mixed cells. To evaluate extra-column contribution to band broadening, two limiting regimes of recycling are analyzed: plug-flow, Nec→∞, and maximum extra-column dispersion, Nec=1. Comparative analysis of ideal and non-ideal models has shown that when the volume of the recycling system is less than one percent of the column volume, the influence of the extra-column processes on the CLR CCC separation may be neglected. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An immersed-boundary method for flow–structure interaction in biological systems with application to phonation

PubMed Central

Luo, Haoxiang; Mittal, Rajat; Zheng, Xudong; Bielamowicz, Steven A.; Walsh, Raymond J.; Hahn, James K.

2008-01-01

A new numerical approach for modeling a class of flow–structure interaction problems typically encountered in biological systems is presented. In this approach, a previously developed, sharp-interface, immersed-boundary method for incompressible flows is used to model the fluid flow and a new, sharp-interface Cartesian grid, immersed boundary method is devised to solve the equations of linear viscoelasticity that governs the solid. The two solvers are coupled to model flow–structure interaction. This coupled solver has the advantage of simple grid generation and efficient computation on simple, single-block structured grids. The accuracy of the solid-mechanics solver is examined by applying it to a canonical problem. The solution methodology is then applied to the problem of laryngeal aerodynamics and vocal fold vibration during human phonation. This includes a three-dimensional eigen analysis for a multi-layered vocal fold prototype as well as two-dimensional, flow-induced vocal fold vibration in a modeled larynx. Several salient features of the aerodynamics as well as vocal-fold dynamics are presented. PMID:19936017

Advanced data assimilation in strongly nonlinear dynamical systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miller, Robert N.; Ghil, Michael; Gauthiez, Francois

1994-01-01

Advanced data assimilation methods are applied to simple but highly nonlinear problems. The dynamical systems studied here are the stochastically forced double well and the Lorenz model. In both systems, linear approximation of the dynamics about the critical points near which regime transitions occur is not always sufficient to track their occurrence or nonoccurrence. Straightforward application of the extended Kalman filter yields mixed results. The ability of the extended Kalman filter to track transitions of the double-well system from one stable critical point to the other depends on the frequency and accuracy of the observations relative to the mean-square amplitude of the stochastic forcing. The ability of the filter to track the chaotic trajectories of the Lorenz model is limited to short times, as is the ability of strong-constraint variational methods. Examples are given to illustrate the difficulties involved, and qualitative explanations for these difficulties are provided. Three generalizations of the extended Kalman filter are described. The first is based on inspection of the innovation sequence, that is, the successive differences between observations and forecasts; it works very well for the double-well problem. The second, an extension to fourth-order moments, yields excellent results for the Lorenz model but will be unwieldy when applied to models with high-dimensional state spaces. A third, more practical method--based on an empirical statistical model derived from a Monte Carlo simulation--is formulated, and shown to work very well. Weak-constraint methods can be made to perform satisfactorily in the context of these simple models, but such methods do not seem to generalize easily to practical models of the atmosphere and ocean. In particular, it is shown that the equations derived in the weak variational formulation are difficult to solve conveniently for large systems.

On the Numerical Formulation of Parametric Linear Fractional Transformation (LFT) Uncertainty Models for Multivariate Matrix Polynomial Problems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Belcastro, Christine M.

1998-01-01

Robust control system analysis and design is based on an uncertainty description, called a linear fractional transformation (LFT), which separates the uncertain (or varying) part of the system from the nominal system. These models are also useful in the design of gain-scheduled control systems based on Linear Parameter Varying (LPV) methods. Low-order LFT models are difficult to form for problems involving nonlinear parameter variations. This paper presents a numerical computational method for constructing and LFT model for a given LPV model. The method is developed for multivariate polynomial problems, and uses simple matrix computations to obtain an exact low-order LFT representation of the given LPV system without the use of model reduction. Although the method is developed for multivariate polynomial problems, multivariate rational problems can also be solved using this method by reformulating the rational problem into a polynomial form.

Operational models of infrastructure resilience.

PubMed

Alderson, David L; Brown, Gerald G; Carlyle, W Matthew

2015-04-01

We propose a definition of infrastructure resilience that is tied to the operation (or function) of an infrastructure as a system of interacting components and that can be objectively evaluated using quantitative models. Specifically, for any particular system, we use quantitative models of system operation to represent the decisions of an infrastructure operator who guides the behavior of the system as a whole, even in the presence of disruptions. Modeling infrastructure operation in this way makes it possible to systematically evaluate the consequences associated with the loss of infrastructure components, and leads to a precise notion of "operational resilience" that facilitates model verification, validation, and reproducible results. Using a simple example of a notional infrastructure, we demonstrate how to use these models for (1) assessing the operational resilience of an infrastructure system, (2) identifying critical vulnerabilities that threaten its continued function, and (3) advising policymakers on investments to improve resilience. © 2014 Society for Risk Analysis.

Method for Constructing Composite Response Surfaces by Combining Neural Networks with Polynominal Interpolation or Estimation Techniques

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rai, Man Mohan (Inventor); Madavan, Nateri K. (Inventor)

2007-01-01

A method and system for data modeling that incorporates the advantages of both traditional response surface methodology (RSM) and neural networks is disclosed. The invention partitions the parameters into a first set of s simple parameters, where observable data are expressible as low order polynomials, and c complex parameters that reflect more complicated variation of the observed data. Variation of the data with the simple parameters is modeled using polynomials; and variation of the data with the complex parameters at each vertex is analyzed using a neural network. Variations with the simple parameters and with the complex parameters are expressed using a first sequence of shape functions and a second sequence of neural network functions. The first and second sequences are multiplicatively combined to form a composite response surface, dependent upon the parameter values, that can be used to identify an accurate mode

Experimental evaluation of expendable supersonic nozzle concepts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baker, V.; Kwon, O.; Vittal, B.; Berrier, B.; Re, R.

1990-01-01

Exhaust nozzles for expendable supersonic turbojet engine missile propulsion systems are required to be simple, short and compact, in addition to having good broad-range thrust-minus-drag performance. A series of convergent-divergent nozzle scale model configurations were designed and wind tunnel tested for a wide range of free stream Mach numbers and nozzle pressure ratios. The models included fixed geometry and simple variable exit area concepts. The experimental and analytical results show that the fixed geometry configurations tested have inferior off-design thrust-minus-drag performance in the transonic Mach range. A simple variable exit area configuration called the Axi-Quad nozzle, combining features of both axisymmetric and two-dimensional convergent-divergent nozzles, performed well over a broad range of operating conditions. Analytical predictions of the flow pattern as well as overall performance of the nozzles, using a fully viscous, compressible CFD code, compared very well with the test data.

The Systemic Vision of the Educational Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lima, Nilton Cesar; Penedo, Antonio Sergio Torres; de Oliveira, Marcio Mattos Borges; de Oliveira, Sonia Valle Walter Borges; Queiroz, Jamerson Viegas

2012-01-01

As the sophistication of technology is increasing, also increased the demand for quality in education. The expectation for quality has promoted broad range of products and systems, including in education. These factors include the increased diversity in the student body, which requires greater emphasis that allows a simple and dynamic model in the…

Synchronization sampling method based on delta-sigma analog-digital converter for underwater towed array system.

PubMed

Jiang, Jia-Jia; Duan, Fa-Jie; Li, Yan-Chao; Hua, Xiang-Ning

2014-03-01

Synchronization sampling is very important in underwater towed array system where every acquisition node (AN) samples analog signals by its own analog-digital converter (ADC). In this paper, a simple and effective synchronization sampling method is proposed to ensure synchronized operation among different ANs of the underwater towed array system. We first present a master-slave synchronization sampling model, and then design a high accuracy phase-locked loop to synchronize all delta-sigma ADCs to a reference clock. However, when the master-slave synchronization sampling model is used, both the time-delay (TD) of messages traveling along the wired transmission medium and the jitter of the clocks will bring out synchronization sampling error (SSE). Therefore, a simple method is proposed to estimate and compensate the TD of the messages transmission, and then another effective method is presented to overcome the SSE caused by the jitter of the clocks. An experimental system with three ANs is set up, and the related experimental results verify the validity of the synchronization sampling method proposed in this paper.

Synchronization sampling method based on delta-sigma analog-digital converter for underwater towed array system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Jia-Jia; Duan, Fa-Jie; Li, Yan-Chao; Hua, Xiang-Ning

2014-03-01

Synchronization sampling is very important in underwater towed array system where every acquisition node (AN) samples analog signals by its own analog-digital converter (ADC). In this paper, a simple and effective synchronization sampling method is proposed to ensure synchronized operation among different ANs of the underwater towed array system. We first present a master-slave synchronization sampling model, and then design a high accuracy phase-locked loop to synchronize all delta-sigma ADCs to a reference clock. However, when the master-slave synchronization sampling model is used, both the time-delay (TD) of messages traveling along the wired transmission medium and the jitter of the clocks will bring out synchronization sampling error (SSE). Therefore, a simple method is proposed to estimate and compensate the TD of the messages transmission, and then another effective method is presented to overcome the SSE caused by the jitter of the clocks. An experimental system with three ANs is set up, and the related experimental results verify the validity of the synchronization sampling method proposed in this paper.

Flight evaluation of a simple total energy-rate system with potential wind-shear application

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ostroff, A. J.; Hueschen, R. M.; Hellbaum, R. F.; Creedon, J. F.

1981-01-01

Wind shears can create havoc during aircraft terminal area operations and have been cited as the primary cause of several major aircraft accidents. A simple sensor, potentially having application to the wind-shear problem, was developed to rapidly measure aircraft total energy relative to the air mass. Combining this sensor with either a variometer or a rate-of-climb indicator provides a total energy-rate system which was successfully applied in soaring flight. The measured rate of change of aircraft energy can potentially be used on display/control systems of powered aircraft to reduce glide-slope deviations caused by wind shear. The experimental flight configuration and evaluations of the energy-rate system are described. Two mathematical models are developed: the first describes operation of the energy probe in a linear design region and the second model is for the nonlinear region. The calculated total rate is compared with measured signals for many different flight tests. Time history plots show the tow curves to be almost the same for the linear operating region and very close for the nonlinear region.

Use of system identification techniques for improving airframe finite element models using test data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hanagud, Sathya V.; Zhou, Weiyu; Craig, James I.; Weston, Neil J.

1991-01-01

A method for using system identification techniques to improve airframe finite element models was developed and demonstrated. The method uses linear sensitivity matrices to relate changes in selected physical parameters to changes in total system matrices. The values for these physical parameters were determined using constrained optimization with singular value decomposition. The method was confirmed using both simple and complex finite element models for which pseudo-experimental data was synthesized directly from the finite element model. The method was then applied to a real airframe model which incorporated all the complexities and details of a large finite element model and for which extensive test data was available. The method was shown to work, and the differences between the identified model and the measured results were considered satisfactory.

Classification framework for partially observed dynamical systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shen, Yuan; Tino, Peter; Tsaneva-Atanasova, Krasimira

2017-04-01

We present a general framework for classifying partially observed dynamical systems based on the idea of learning in the model space. In contrast to the existing approaches using point estimates of model parameters to represent individual data items, we employ posterior distributions over model parameters, thus taking into account in a principled manner the uncertainty due to both the generative (observational and/or dynamic noise) and observation (sampling in time) processes. We evaluate the framework on two test beds: a biological pathway model and a stochastic double-well system. Crucially, we show that the classification performance is not impaired when the model structure used for inferring posterior distributions is much more simple than the observation-generating model structure, provided the reduced-complexity inferential model structure captures the essential characteristics needed for the given classification task.

Low Order Modeling Tools for Preliminary Pressure Gain Combustion Benefits Analyses

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Paxson, Daniel E.

2012-01-01

Pressure gain combustion (PGC) offers the promise of higher thermodynamic cycle efficiency and greater specific power in propulsion and power systems. This presentation describes a model, developed under a cooperative agreement between NASA and AFRL, for preliminarily assessing the performance enhancement and preliminary size requirements of PGC components either as stand-alone thrust producers or coupled with surrounding turbomachinery. The model is implemented in the Numerical Propulsion Simulation System (NPSS) environment allowing various configurations to be examined at numerous operating points. The validated model is simple, yet physics-based. It executes quickly in NPSS, yet produces realistic results.

Examples of Nonconservatism in the CARE 3 Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dotson, Kelly J.

1988-01-01

This paper presents parameter regions in the CARE 3 (Computer-Aided Reliability Estimation version 3) computer program where the program overestimates the reliability of a modeled system without warning the user. Five simple models of fault-tolerant computer systems are analyzed; and, the parameter regions where reliability is overestimated are given. The source of the error in the reliability estimates for models which incorporate transient fault occurrences was not readily apparent. However, the source of much of the error for models with permanent and intermittent faults can be attributed to the choice of values for the run-time parameters of the program.

Differential equation models for sharp threshold dynamics.

PubMed

Schramm, Harrison C; Dimitrov, Nedialko B

2014-01-01

We develop an extension to differential equation models of dynamical systems to allow us to analyze probabilistic threshold dynamics that fundamentally and globally change system behavior. We apply our novel modeling approach to two cases of interest: a model of infectious disease modified for malware where a detection event drastically changes dynamics by introducing a new class in competition with the original infection; and the Lanchester model of armed conflict, where the loss of a key capability drastically changes the effectiveness of one of the sides. We derive and demonstrate a step-by-step, repeatable method for applying our novel modeling approach to an arbitrary system, and we compare the resulting differential equations to simulations of the system's random progression. Our work leads to a simple and easily implemented method for analyzing probabilistic threshold dynamics using differential equations. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Performance Considerations for the SIMPL Single Photon, Polarimetric, Two-Color Laser Altimeter as Applied to Measurements of Forest Canopy Structure and Composition

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dabney, Philip W.; Harding, David J.; Valett, Susan R.; Vasilyev, Aleksey A.; Yu, Anthony W.

2012-01-01

The Slope Imaging Multi-polarization Photon-counting Lidar (SIMPL) is a multi-beam, micropulse airborne laser altimeter that acquires active and passive polarimetric optical remote sensing measurements at visible and near-infrared wavelengths. SIMPL was developed to demonstrate advanced measurement approaches of potential benefit for improved, more efficient spaceflight laser altimeter missions. SIMPL data have been acquired for wide diversity of forest types in the summers of 2010 and 2011 in order to assess the potential of its novel capabilities for characterization of vegetation structure and composition. On each of its four beams SIMPL provides highly-resolved measurements of forest canopy structure by detecting single-photons with 15 cm ranging precision using a narrow-beam system operating at a laser repetition rate of 11 kHz. Associated with that ranging data SIMPL provides eight amplitude parameters per beam unlike the single amplitude provided by typical laser altimeters. Those eight parameters are received energy that is parallel and perpendicular to that of the plane-polarized transmit pulse at 532 nm (green) and 1064 nm (near IR), for both the active laser backscatter retro-reflectance and the passive solar bi-directional reflectance. This poster presentation will cover the instrument architecture and highlight the performance of the SIMPL instrument with examples taken from measurements for several sites with distinct canopy structures and compositions. Specific performance areas such as probability of detection, after pulsing, and dead time, will be highlighted and addressed, along with examples of their impact on the measurements and how they limit the ability to accurately model and recover the canopy properties. To assess the sensitivity of SIMPL's measurements to canopy properties an instrument model has been implemented in the FLIGHT radiative transfer code, based on Monte Carlo simulation of photon transport. SIMPL data collected in 2010 over the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, MD are currently being modelled and compared to other remote sensing and in situ data sets. Results on the adaptation of FLIGHT to model micropulse, single'photon ranging measurements are presented elsewhere at this conference. NASA's ICESat-2 spaceflight mission, scheduled for launch in 2016, will utilize a multi-beam, micropulse, single-photon ranging measurement approach (although non-polarimetric and only at 532 nm). Insights gained from the analysis and modelling of SIMPL data will help guide preparations for that mission, including development of calibration/validation plans and algorithms for the estimation of forest biophysical parameters.

Locating the quantum critical point of the Bose-Hubbard model through singularities of simple observables.

PubMed

Łącki, Mateusz; Damski, Bogdan; Zakrzewski, Jakub

2016-12-02

We show that the critical point of the two-dimensional Bose-Hubbard model can be easily found through studies of either on-site atom number fluctuations or the nearest-neighbor two-point correlation function (the expectation value of the tunnelling operator). Our strategy to locate the critical point is based on the observation that the derivatives of these observables with respect to the parameter that drives the superfluid-Mott insulator transition are singular at the critical point in the thermodynamic limit. Performing the quantum Monte Carlo simulations of the two-dimensional Bose-Hubbard model, we show that this technique leads to the accurate determination of the position of its critical point. Our results can be easily extended to the three-dimensional Bose-Hubbard model and different Hubbard-like models. They provide a simple experimentally-relevant way of locating critical points in various cold atomic lattice systems.

Extended Czjzek model applied to NMR parameter distributions in sodium metaphosphate glass

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vasconcelos, Filipe; Cristol, Sylvain; Paul, Jean-François; Delevoye, Laurent; Mauri, Francesco; Charpentier, Thibault; Le Caër, Gérard

2013-06-01

The extended Czjzek model (ECM) is applied to the distribution of NMR parameters of a simple glass model (sodium metaphosphate, NaPO3) obtained by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Accurate NMR tensors, electric field gradient (EFG) and chemical shift anisotropy (CSA) are calculated from density functional theory (DFT) within the well-established PAW/GIPAW framework. The theoretical results are compared to experimental high-resolution solid-state NMR data and are used to validate the considered structural model. The distributions of the calculated coupling constant CQ ∝ |Vzz| and the asymmetry parameter ηQ that characterize the quadrupolar interaction are discussed in terms of structural considerations with the help of a simple point charge model. Finally, the ECM analysis is shown to be relevant for studying the distribution of CSA tensor parameters and gives new insight into the structural characterization of disordered systems by solid-state NMR.

Extended Czjzek model applied to NMR parameter distributions in sodium metaphosphate glass.

PubMed

Vasconcelos, Filipe; Cristol, Sylvain; Paul, Jean-François; Delevoye, Laurent; Mauri, Francesco; Charpentier, Thibault; Le Caër, Gérard

2013-06-26

The extended Czjzek model (ECM) is applied to the distribution of NMR parameters of a simple glass model (sodium metaphosphate, NaPO3) obtained by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Accurate NMR tensors, electric field gradient (EFG) and chemical shift anisotropy (CSA) are calculated from density functional theory (DFT) within the well-established PAW/GIPAW framework. The theoretical results are compared to experimental high-resolution solid-state NMR data and are used to validate the considered structural model. The distributions of the calculated coupling constant C(Q) is proportional to |V(zz)| and the asymmetry parameter η(Q) that characterize the quadrupolar interaction are discussed in terms of structural considerations with the help of a simple point charge model. Finally, the ECM analysis is shown to be relevant for studying the distribution of CSA tensor parameters and gives new insight into the structural characterization of disordered systems by solid-state NMR.

Disease induction by human microbial pathogens in plant-model systems: potential, problems and prospects.

PubMed

van Baarlen, Peter; van Belkum, Alex; Thomma, Bart P H J

2007-02-01

Relatively simple eukaryotic model organisms such as the genetic model weed plant Arabidopsis thaliana possess an innate immune system that shares important similarities with its mammalian counterpart. In fact, some human pathogens infect Arabidopsis and cause overt disease with human symptomology. In such cases, decisive elements of the plant's immune system are likely to be targeted by the same microbial factors that are necessary for causing disease in humans. These similarities can be exploited to identify elementary microbial pathogenicity factors and their corresponding targets in a green host. This circumvents important cost aspects that often frustrate studies in humans or animal models and, in addition, results in facile ethical clearance.

A simple transferable adaptive potential to study phase separation in large-scale xMgO-(1-x)SiO2 binary glasses.

PubMed

Bidault, Xavier; Chaussedent, Stéphane; Blanc, Wilfried

2015-10-21

A simple transferable adaptive model is developed and it allows for the first time to simulate by molecular dynamics the separation of large phases in the MgO-SiO2 binary system, as experimentally observed and as predicted by the phase diagram, meaning that separated phases have various compositions. This is a real improvement over fixed-charge models, which are often limited to an interpretation involving the formation of pure clusters, or involving the modified random network model. Our adaptive model, efficient to reproduce known crystalline and glassy structures, allows us to track the formation of large amorphous Mg-rich Si-poor nanoparticles in an Mg-poor Si-rich matrix from a 0.1MgO-0.9SiO2 melt.

Copper Tolerance and Biosorption of Saccharomyces cerevisiae during Alcoholic Fermentation

PubMed Central

Liu, Ling-ling; Jia, Bo; Zhao, Fang; Huang, Wei-dong; Zhan, Ji-cheng

2015-01-01

At high levels, copper in grape mash can inhibit yeast activity and cause stuck fermentations. Wine yeast has limited tolerance of copper and can reduce copper levels in wine during fermentation. This study aimed to understand copper tolerance of wine yeast and establish the mechanism by which yeast decreases copper in the must during fermentation. Three strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (lab selected strain BH8 and industrial strains AWRI R2 and Freddo) and a simple model fermentation system containing 0 to 1.50 mM Cu2+ were used. ICP-AES determined Cu ion concentration in the must decreasing differently by strains and initial copper levels during fermentation. Fermentation performance was heavily inhibited under copper stress, paralleled a decrease in viable cell numbers. Strain BH8 showed higher copper-tolerance than strain AWRI R2 and higher adsorption than Freddo. Yeast cell surface depression and intracellular structure deformation after copper treatment were observed by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy; electronic differential system detected higher surface Cu and no intracellular Cu on 1.50 mM copper treated yeast cells. It is most probably that surface adsorption dominated the biosorption process of Cu2+ for strain BH8, with saturation being accomplished in 24 h. This study demonstrated that Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain BH8 has good tolerance and adsorption of Cu, and reduces Cu2+ concentrations during fermentation in simple model system mainly through surface adsorption. The results indicate that the strain selected from China’s stress-tolerant wine grape is copper tolerant and can reduce copper in must when fermenting in a copper rich simple model system, and provided information for studies on mechanisms of heavy metal stress. PMID:26030864

Stereoisomeric effects on dynamic viscosity versus pressure and temperature for the system cis- + trans-decalin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miyake, Yasufumi; Boned, Christian; Baylaucq, Antoine; Bessières, David; Zéberg-Mikkelsen, Claus K.; Galliéro, Guillaume; Ushiki, Hideharu

2007-07-01

In order to study the influence of stereoisomeric effects on the dynamic viscosity, an extensive experimental study of the viscosity of the binary system composed of the two stereoisomeric molecular forms of decalin - cis and trans - has been carried out for five different mixtures at three temperatures (303.15, 323.15 and 343.15) K and six isobars up to 100 MPa with a falling-body viscometer (a total of 90 points). The experimental relative uncertainty is estimated to be 2%. The variations of dynamic viscosity versus composition are discussed with respect to their behavior due to stereoisomerism. Four different models with a physical and theoretical background are studied in order to investigate how they take the stereoisomeric effect into account through their required model parameters. The evaluated models are based on the hard-sphere scheme, the concepts of the free-volume and the friction theory, and a model derived from molecular dynamics. Overall, a satisfactory representation of the viscosity of this binary system is found for the different models within the considered ( T, p) range taken into account their simplicity. All the models are able to distinguish between the two stereoisomeric decalin compounds. Further, based on the analysis of the model parameters performed on the pure compounds, it has been found that the use of simple mixing rules without introducing any binary interaction parameters are sufficient in order to predict the viscosity of cis + trans-decalin mixtures with the same accuracy in comparison with the experimental values as obtained for the pure compounds. In addition to these models, a semi-empirical self-referencing model and the simple mixing laws of Grunberg-Nissan and Katti-Chaudhri are also applied in the representation of the viscosity behavior of these systems.

Simple models for studying complex spatiotemporal patterns of animal behavior

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tyutyunov, Yuri V.; Titova, Lyudmila I.

2017-06-01

Minimal mathematical models able to explain complex patterns of animal behavior are essential parts of simulation systems describing large-scale spatiotemporal dynamics of trophic communities, particularly those with wide-ranging species, such as occur in pelagic environments. We present results obtained with three different modelling approaches: (i) an individual-based model of animal spatial behavior; (ii) a continuous taxis-diffusion-reaction system of partial-difference equations; (iii) a 'hybrid' approach combining the individual-based algorithm of organism movements with explicit description of decay and diffusion of the movement stimuli. Though the models are based on extremely simple rules, they all allow description of spatial movements of animals in a predator-prey system within a closed habitat, reproducing some typical patterns of the pursuit-evasion behavior observed in natural populations. In all three models, at each spatial position the animal movements are determined by local conditions only, so the pattern of collective behavior emerges due to self-organization. The movement velocities of animals are proportional to the density gradients of specific cues emitted by individuals of the antagonistic species (pheromones, exometabolites or mechanical waves of the media, e.g., sound). These cues play a role of taxis stimuli: prey attract predators, while predators repel prey. Depending on the nature and the properties of the movement stimulus we propose using either a simplified individual-based model, a continuous taxis pursuit-evasion system, or a little more detailed 'hybrid' approach that combines simulation of the individual movements with the continuous model describing diffusion and decay of the stimuli in an explicit way. These can be used to improve movement models for many species, including large marine predators.

Complex and unexpected dynamics in simple genetic regulatory networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borg, Yanika; Ullner, Ekkehard; Alagha, Afnan; Alsaedi, Ahmed; Nesbeth, Darren; Zaikin, Alexey

2014-03-01

One aim of synthetic biology is to construct increasingly complex genetic networks from interconnected simpler ones to address challenges in medicine and biotechnology. However, as systems increase in size and complexity, emergent properties lead to unexpected and complex dynamics due to nonlinear and nonequilibrium properties from component interactions. We focus on four different studies of biological systems which exhibit complex and unexpected dynamics. Using simple synthetic genetic networks, small and large populations of phase-coupled quorum sensing repressilators, Goodwin oscillators, and bistable switches, we review how coupled and stochastic components can result in clustering, chaos, noise-induced coherence and speed-dependent decision making. A system of repressilators exhibits oscillations, limit cycles, steady states or chaos depending on the nature and strength of the coupling mechanism. In large repressilator networks, rich dynamics can also be exhibited, such as clustering and chaos. In populations of Goodwin oscillators, noise can induce coherent oscillations. In bistable systems, the speed with which incoming external signals reach steady state can bias the network towards particular attractors. These studies showcase the range of dynamical behavior that simple synthetic genetic networks can exhibit. In addition, they demonstrate the ability of mathematical modeling to analyze nonlinearity and inhomogeneity within these systems.

Multi-hole pressure probes to wind tunnel experiments and air data systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shevchenko, A. M.; Shmakov, A. S.

2017-10-01

The problems to develop a multihole pressure system to measure flow angularity, Mach number and dynamic head for wind tunnel experiments or air data systems are discussed. A simple analytical model with separation of variables is derived for the multihole spherical pressure probe. The proposed model is uniform for small subsonic and supersonic speeds. An error analysis was performed. The error functions are obtained, allowing to estimate the influence of the Mach number, the pitch angle, the location of the pressure ports on the uncertainty of determining the flow parameters.

PVWatts Version 5 Manual

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

Dobos, A. P.

2014-09-01

The NREL PVWatts calculator is a web application developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) that estimates the electricity production of a grid-connected photovoltaic system based on a few simple inputs. PVWatts combines a number of sub-models to predict overall system performance, and makes includes several built-in parameters that are hidden from the user. This technical reference describes the sub-models, documents assumptions and hidden parameters, and explains the sequence of calculations that yield the final system performance estimate. This reference is applicable to the significantly revised version of PVWatts released by NREL in 2014.

Impact of immigrants on a multi-agent economical system

PubMed Central

Razakanirina, Ranaivo; Groen, Derek

2018-01-01

We consider a multi-agent model of a simple economical system and study the impacts of a wave of immigrants on the stability of the system. Our model couples a labor market with a goods market. We first create a stable economy with N agents and study the impact of adding n new workers in the system. The time to reach a new equilibrium market is found to obey a power law in n. The new wages and market prices are observed to decrease as 1/n, whereas the wealth of agents remains unchanged. PMID:29795633

Performance of concatenated Reed-Solomon/Viterbi channel coding

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Divsalar, D.; Yuen, J. H.

1982-01-01

The concatenated Reed-Solomon (RS)/Viterbi coding system is reviewed. The performance of the system is analyzed and results are derived with a new simple approach. A functional model for the input RS symbol error probability is presented. Based on this new functional model, we compute the performance of a concatenated system in terms of RS word error probability, output RS symbol error probability, bit error probability due to decoding failure, and bit error probability due to decoding error. Finally we analyze the effects of the noisy carrier reference and the slow fading on the system performance.

A Transportation Model for a Space Colonization and Manufacturing System: A Q-GERT Simulation.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-12-01

34 .- •..................................."............ ;,,,=, ; ,, =,..,t , .. =-- j -’ - 24. Heppenheimer , Thomas A . rnLnnies in Space. Harrisburg, Pa...Colonel Thomas D. Clark. Captain John D. Rask, my co-worker on that project, and I developed a simple model for the transportation system during this...K. O’Neill and Thomas A . Heppenhiemer. (An example of a Delphi for a space problem is given in Ref 8.) Some of the parameters needing 78 .* better, or

A general method for radio spectrum efficiency defining

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramadanovic, Ljubomir M.

1986-08-01

A general method for radio spectrum efficiency defining is proposed. Although simple it can be applied to various radio services. The concept of spectral elements, as information carriers, is introduced to enable the organization of larger spectral spaces - radio network models - characteristic for a particular radio network. The method is applied to some radio network models, concerning cellular radio telephone systems and digital radio relay systems, to verify its unified approach capability. All discussed radio services operate continuously.

Cluster dynamics and cluster size distributions in systems of self-propelled particles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peruani, F.; Schimansky-Geier, L.; Bär, M.

2010-12-01

Systems of self-propelled particles (SPP) interacting by a velocity alignment mechanism in the presence of noise exhibit rich clustering dynamics. Often, clusters are responsible for the distribution of (local) information in these systems. Here, we investigate the properties of individual clusters in SPP systems, in particular the asymmetric spreading behavior of clusters with respect to their direction of motion. In addition, we formulate a Smoluchowski-type kinetic model to describe the evolution of the cluster size distribution (CSD). This model predicts the emergence of steady-state CSDs in SPP systems. We test our theoretical predictions in simulations of SPP with nematic interactions and find that our simple kinetic model reproduces qualitatively the transition to aggregation observed in simulations.

An Avoidance Model for Short-Range Order Induced by Soft Repulsions in Systems of Rigid Rods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Jining; Herzfeld, Judith

1996-03-01

The effects of soft repulsions on hard particle systems are calculated using an avoidance model which improves upon the simple mean field approximation. Avoidance reduces, but does not eliminate, the energy due to soft repulsions. On the other hand, it also reduces the configurational entropy. Under suitable conditions, this simple trade-off yields a free energy that is lower than the mean field value. In these cases, the variationally determined avoidance gives an estimate for the short-range positional order induced by soft repulsions. The results indicate little short-range order for isotropically oriented rods. However, for parallel rods, short-range order increases to significant levels as the particle axial ratio increases. The implications for long- range positional ordering are also discussed. In particular, avoidance may explain the smectic ordering of tobacco mosaic virus at volume fractions lower than those necessary for smectic ordering of hard particles.

Interpretation with a Donnan-based concept of the influence of simple salt concentration on the apparent binding of divalent ions to the polyelectrolytes polystyrenesulfonate and dextran sulfate

USGS Publications Warehouse

Marinsky, J.A.; Baldwin, Robert F.; Reddy, M.M.

1985-01-01

It has been shown that the apparent enhancement of divalent metal ion binding to polyions such as polystyrenesulfonate (PSS) and dextran sulfate (DS) by decreasing the ionic strength of these mixed counterion systems (M2+, M+, X-, polyion) can be anticipated with the Donnan-based model developed by one of us (J.A.M.). Ion-exchange distribution methods have been employed to measure the removal by the polyion of trace divalent metal ion from simple salt (NaClO4)-polyion (NaPSS) mixtures. These data and polyion interaction data published earlier by Mattai and Kwak for the mixed counterion systems MgCl2-LiCl-DS and MgCl2-CsCl-DS have been shown to be amenable to rather precise analysis by this model. ?? 1985 American Chemical Society.

Estimation of critical behavior from the density of states in classical statistical models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malakis, A.; Peratzakis, A.; Fytas, N. G.

2004-12-01

We present a simple and efficient approximation scheme which greatly facilitates the extension of Wang-Landau sampling (or similar techniques) in large systems for the estimation of critical behavior. The method, presented in an algorithmic approach, is based on a very simple idea, familiar in statistical mechanics from the notion of thermodynamic equivalence of ensembles and the central limit theorem. It is illustrated that we can predict with high accuracy the critical part of the energy space and by using this restricted part we can extend our simulations to larger systems and improve the accuracy of critical parameters. It is proposed that the extensions of the finite-size critical part of the energy space, determining the specific heat, satisfy a scaling law involving the thermal critical exponent. The method is applied successfully for the estimation of the scaling behavior of specific heat of both square and simple cubic Ising lattices. The proposed scaling law is verified by estimating the thermal critical exponent from the finite-size behavior of the critical part of the energy space. The density of states of the zero-field Ising model on these lattices is obtained via a multirange Wang-Landau sampling.

Computational studies of photoluminescence from disordered nanocrystalline systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

John, George

2000-03-01

The size (d) dependence of emission energies from semiconductor nanocrystallites have been shown to follow an effective exponent ( d^-β) determined by the disorder in the system(V.Ranjan, V.A.Singh and G.C.John, Phys. Rev B 58), 1158 (1998). Our earlier calculation was based on a simple quantum confinement model assuming a normal distribution of crystallites. This model is now extended to study the effects of realistic systems with a lognormal distribution in particle size, accounting for carrier hopping and nonradiative transitions. Computer simulations of this model performed using the Microcal Origin software can explain several conflicting experimental results reported in literature.

On the joint inversion of geophysical data for models of the coupled core-mantle system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Voorhies, Coerte V.

1991-01-01

Joint inversion of magnetic, earth rotation, geoid, and seismic data for a unified model of the coupled core-mantle system is proposed and shown to be possible. A sample objective function is offered and simplified by targeting results from independent inversions and summary travel time residuals instead of original observations. These data are parameterized in terms of a very simple, closed model of the topographically coupled core-mantle system. Minimization of the simplified objective function leads to a nonlinear inverse problem; an iterative method for solution is presented. Parameterization and method are emphasized; numerical results are not presented.

Modeling of the First Layers in the Fly's Eye

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moya, J. A.; Wilcox, M. J.; Donohoe, G. W.

1997-01-01

Increased autonomy of robots would yield significant advantages in the exploration of space. The shortfalls of computer vision can, however, pose significant limitations on a robot's potential. At the same time, simple insects which are largely hard-wired have effective visual systems. The understanding of insect vision systems thus may lead to improved approaches to visual tasks. A good starting point for the study of a vision system is its eye. In this paper, a model of the sensory portion of the fly's eye is presented. The effectiveness of the model is briefly addressed by a comparison of its performance to experimental data.

Simple relationship between the virial-route hypernetted-chain and the compressibility-route Percus-Yevick values of the fourth virial coefficient.

PubMed

Santos, Andrés; Manzano, Gema

2010-04-14

As is well known, approximate integral equations for liquids, such as the hypernetted chain (HNC) and Percus-Yevick (PY) theories, are in general thermodynamically inconsistent in the sense that the macroscopic properties obtained from the spatial correlation functions depend on the route followed. In particular, the values of the fourth virial coefficient B(4) predicted by the HNC and PY approximations via the virial route differ from those obtained via the compressibility route. Despite this, it is shown in this paper that the value of B(4) obtained from the virial route in the HNC theory is exactly three halves the value obtained from the compressibility route in the PY theory, irrespective of the interaction potential (whether isotropic or not), the number of components, and the dimensionality of the system. This simple relationship is confirmed in one-component systems by analytical results for the one-dimensional penetrable-square-well model and the three-dimensional penetrable-sphere model, as well as by numerical results for the one-dimensional Lennard-Jones model, the one-dimensional Gaussian core model, and the three-dimensional square-well model.

Determination of recharge fraction of injection water in combined abstraction-injection wells using continuous radon monitoring.

PubMed

Lee, Kil Yong; Kim, Yong-Chul; Cho, Soo Young; Kim, Seong Yun; Yoon, Yoon Yeol; Koh, Dong Chan; Ha, Kyucheol; Ko, Kyung-Seok

2016-12-01

The recharge fractions of injection water in combined abstraction-injection wells (AIW) were determined using continuous radon monitoring and radon mass balance model. The recharge system consists of three combined abstraction-injection wells, an observation well, a collection tank, an injection tank, and tubing for heating and transferring used groundwater. Groundwater was abstracted from an AIW and sprayed on the water-curtain heating facility and then the used groundwater was injected into the same AIW well by the recharge system. Radon concentrations of fresh groundwater in the AIWs and of used groundwater in the injection tank were measured continuously using a continuous radon monitoring system. Radon concentrations of fresh groundwater in the AIWs and used groundwater in the injection tank were in the ranges of 10,830-13,530 Bq/m 3 and 1500-5600 Bq/m 3 , respectively. A simple radon mass balance model was developed to estimate the recharge fraction of used groundwater in the AIWs. The recharge fraction in the 3 AIWs was in the range of 0.595-0.798. The time series recharge fraction could be obtained using the continuous radon monitoring system with a simple radon mass balance model. The results revealed that the radon mass balance model using continuous radon monitoring was effective for determining the time series recharge fractions in AIWs as well as for characterizing the recharge system. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A reappraisal of drug release laws using Monte Carlo simulations: the prevalence of the Weibull function.

PubMed

Kosmidis, Kosmas; Argyrakis, Panos; Macheras, Panos

2003-07-01

To verify the Higuchi law and study the drug release from cylindrical and spherical matrices by means of Monte Carlo computer simulation. A one-dimensional matrix, based on the theoretical assumptions of the derivation of the Higuchi law, was simulated and its time evolution was monitored. Cylindrical and spherical three-dimensional lattices were simulated with sites at the boundary of the lattice having been denoted as leak sites. Particles were allowed to move inside it using the random walk model. Excluded volume interactions between the particles was assumed. We have monitored the system time evolution for different lattice sizes and different initial particle concentrations. The Higuchi law was verified using the Monte Carlo technique in a one-dimensional lattice. It was found that Fickian drug release from cylindrical matrices can be approximated nicely with the Weibull function. A simple linear relation between the Weibull function parameters and the specific surface of the system was found. Drug release from a matrix, as a result of a diffusion process assuming excluded volume interactions between the drug molecules, can be described using a Weibull function. This model, although approximate and semiempirical, has the benefit of providing a simple physical connection between the model parameters and the system geometry, which was something missing from other semiempirical models.

Anthropometry-corrected exposure modeling as a method to improve trunk posture assessment with a single inclinometer.

PubMed

Van Driel, Robin; Trask, Catherine; Johnson, Peter W; Callaghan, Jack P; Koehoorn, Mieke; Teschke, Kay

2013-01-01

Measuring trunk posture in the workplace commonly involves subjective observation or self-report methods or the use of costly and time-consuming motion analysis systems (current gold standard). This work compared trunk inclination measurements using a simple data-logging inclinometer with trunk flexion measurements using a motion analysis system, and evaluated adding measures of subject anthropometry to exposure prediction models to improve the agreement between the two methods. Simulated lifting tasks (n=36) were performed by eight participants, and trunk postures were simultaneously measured with each method. There were significant differences between the two methods, with the inclinometer initially explaining 47% of the variance in the motion analysis measurements. However, adding one key anthropometric parameter (lower arm length) to the inclinometer-based trunk flexion prediction model reduced the differences between the two systems and accounted for 79% of the motion analysis method's variance. Although caution must be applied when generalizing lower-arm length as a correction factor, the overall strategy of anthropometric modeling is a novel contribution. In this lifting-based study, by accounting for subject anthropometry, a single, simple data-logging inclinometer shows promise for trunk posture measurement and may have utility in larger-scale field studies where similar types of tasks are performed.

Kelvin-Voigt model of wave propagation in fragmented geomaterials with impact damping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khudyakov, Maxim; Pasternak, Elena; Dyskin, Arcady

2017-04-01

When a wave propagates through real materials, energy dissipation occurs. The effect of loss of energy in homogeneous materials can be accounted for by using simple viscous models. However, a reliable model representing the effect in fragmented geomaterials has not been established yet. The main reason for that is a mechanism how vibrations are transmitted between the elements (fragments) in these materials. It is hypothesised that the fragments strike against each other, in the process of oscillation, and the impacts lead to the energy loss. We assume that the energy loss is well represented by the restitution coefficient. The principal element of this concept is the interaction of two adjacent blocks. We model it by a simple linear oscillator (a mass on an elastic spring) with an additional condition: each time the system travels through the neutral point, where the displacement is equal to zero, the velocity reduces by multiplying itself by the restitution coefficient, which characterises an impact of the fragments. This additional condition renders the system non-linear. We show that the behaviour of such a model averaged over times much larger than the system period can approximately be represented by a conventional linear oscillator with linear damping characterised by a damping coefficient expressible through the restitution coefficient. Based on this the wave propagation at times considerably greater than the resonance period of oscillations of the neighbouring blocks can be modelled using the Kelvin-Voigt model. The wave velocities and the dispersion relations are obtained.

Précis of Simple heuristics that make us smart.

PubMed

Todd, P M; Gigerenzer, G

2000-10-01

How can anyone be rational in a world where knowledge is limited, time is pressing, and deep thought is often an unattainable luxury? Traditional models of unbounded rationality and optimization in cognitive science, economics, and animal behavior have tended to view decision-makers as possessing supernatural powers of reason, limitless knowledge, and endless time. But understanding decisions in the real world requires a more psychologically plausible notion of bounded rationality. In Simple heuristics that make us smart (Gigerenzer et al. 1999), we explore fast and frugal heuristics--simple rules in the mind's adaptive toolbox for making decisions with realistic mental resources. These heuristics can enable both living organisms and artificial systems to make smart choices quickly and with a minimum of information by exploiting the way that information is structured in particular environments. In this précis, we show how simple building blocks that control information search, stop search, and make decisions can be put together to form classes of heuristics, including: ignorance-based and one-reason decision making for choice, elimination models for categorization, and satisficing heuristics for sequential search. These simple heuristics perform comparably to more complex algorithms, particularly when generalizing to new data--that is, simplicity leads to robustness. We present evidence regarding when people use simple heuristics and describe the challenges to be addressed by this research program.

Coupling Climate Models and Forward-Looking Economic Models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Judd, K.; Brock, W. A.

2010-12-01

Authors: Dr. Kenneth L. Judd, Hoover Institution, and Prof. William A. Brock, University of Wisconsin Current climate models range from General Circulation Models (GCM’s) with millions of degrees of freedom to models with few degrees of freedom. Simple Energy Balance Climate Models (EBCM’s) help us understand the dynamics of GCM’s. The same is true in economics with Computable General Equilibrium Models (CGE’s) where some models are infinite-dimensional multidimensional differential equations but some are simple models. Nordhaus (2007, 2010) couples a simple EBCM with a simple economic model. One- and two- dimensional ECBM’s do better at approximating damages across the globe and positive and negative feedbacks from anthroprogenic forcing (North etal. (1981), Wu and North (2007)). A proper coupling of climate and economic systems is crucial for arriving at effective policies. Brock and Xepapadeas (2010) have used Fourier/Legendre based expansions to study the shape of socially optimal carbon taxes over time at the planetary level in the face of damages caused by polar ice cap melt (as discussed by Oppenheimer, 2005) but in only a “one dimensional” EBCM. Economists have used orthogonal polynomial expansions to solve dynamic, forward-looking economic models (Judd, 1992, 1998). This presentation will couple EBCM climate models with basic forward-looking economic models, and examine the effectiveness and scaling properties of alternative solution methods. We will use a two dimensional EBCM model on the sphere (Wu and North, 2007) and a multicountry, multisector regional model of the economic system. Our aim will be to gain insights into intertemporal shape of the optimal carbon tax schedule, and its impact on global food production, as modeled by Golub and Hertel (2009). We will initially have limited computing resources and will need to focus on highly aggregated models. However, this will be more complex than existing models with forward-looking economic modules, and the initial models will help guide the construction of more refined models that can effectively use more powerful computational environments to analyze economic policies related to climate change. REFERENCES Brock, W., Xepapadeas, A., 2010, “An Integration of Simple Dynamic Energy Balance Climate Models and Ramsey Growth Models,” Department of Economics, University of Wisconsin, Madison, and University of Athens. Golub, A., Hertel, T., etal., 2009, “The opportunity cost of land use and the global potential for greenhouse gas mitigation in agriculture and forestry,” RESOURCE AND ENERGY ECONOMICS, 31, 299-319. Judd, K., 1992, “Projection methods for solving aggregate growth models,” JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC THEORY, 58: 410-52. Judd, K., 1998, NUMERICAL METHODS IN ECONOMICS, MIT Press, Cambridge, Mass. Nordhaus, W., 2007, A QUESTION OF BALANCE: ECONOMIC MODELS OF CLIMATE CHANGE, Yale University Press, New Haven, CT. North, G., R., Cahalan, R., Coakely, J., 1981, “Energy balance climate models,” REVIEWS OF GEOPHYSICS AND SPACE PHYSICS, Vol. 19, No. 1, 91-121, February Wu, W., North, G. R., 2007, “Thermal decay modes of a 2-D energy balance climate model,” TELLUS, 59A, 618-626.

The ideas behind self-consistent expansion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schwartz, Moshe; Katzav, Eytan

2008-04-01

In recent years we have witnessed a growing interest in various non-equilibrium systems described in terms of stochastic nonlinear field theories. In some of those systems, like KPZ and related models, the interesting behavior is in the strong coupling regime, which is inaccessible by traditional perturbative treatments such as dynamical renormalization group (DRG). A useful tool in the study of such systems is the self-consistent expansion (SCE), which might be said to generate its own 'small parameter'. The self-consistent expansion (SCE) has the advantage that its structure is just that of a regular expansion, the only difference is that the simple system around which the expansion is performed is adjustable. The purpose of this paper is to present the method in a simple and understandable way that hopefully will make it accessible to a wider public working on non-equilibrium statistical physics.

Computer memory management system

DOEpatents

Kirk, III, Whitson John

2002-01-01

A computer memory management system utilizing a memory structure system of "intelligent" pointers in which information related to the use status of the memory structure is designed into the pointer. Through this pointer system, The present invention provides essentially automatic memory management (often referred to as garbage collection) by allowing relationships between objects to have definite memory management behavior by use of coding protocol which describes when relationships should be maintained and when the relationships should be broken. In one aspect, the present invention system allows automatic breaking of strong links to facilitate object garbage collection, coupled with relationship adjectives which define deletion of associated objects. In another aspect, The present invention includes simple-to-use infinite undo/redo functionality in that it has the capability, through a simple function call, to undo all of the changes made to a data model since the previous `valid state` was noted.

Multilayer network modeling of integrated biological systems. Comment on "Network science of biological systems at different scales: A review" by Gosak et al.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Domenico, Manlio

2018-03-01

Biological systems, from a cell to the human brain, are inherently complex. A powerful representation of such systems, described by an intricate web of relationships across multiple scales, is provided by complex networks. Recently, several studies are highlighting how simple networks - obtained by aggregating or neglecting temporal or categorical description of biological data - are not able to account for the richness of information characterizing biological systems. More complex models, namely multilayer networks, are needed to account for interdependencies, often varying across time, of biological interacting units within a cell, a tissue or parts of an organism.

C formal verification with unix communication and concurrency

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoover, Doug N.

1990-01-01

The results of a NASA SBIR project are presented in which CSP-Ariel, a verification system for C programs which use Unix system calls for concurrent programming, interprocess communication, and file input and output, was developed. This project builds on ORA's Ariel C verification system by using the system of Hoare's book, Communicating Sequential Processes, to model concurrency and communication. The system runs in ORA's Clio theorem proving environment. The use of CSP to model Unix concurrency and sketch the CSP semantics of a simple concurrent program is outlined. Plans for further development of CSP-Ariel are discussed. This paper is presented in viewgraph form.

Hydraulic optimization and modeling of hydro-cyclone-systems for treatment and purification of any kind of waters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spangemacher, Lars; Fröhlich, Siegmund; Buse, Hauke

2017-11-01

Water is an indispensable resource for many purposes and good drinking water quality is essential for mankind. This article is supposed to show the need for mobile water treatment systems and therefore to give an overview of different mobile drinking water systems and the technologies available for obtaining good water quality. The aim is to develop a simple to operate water treatment system with few processing stages such as multi-cyclone-cartridge and reverse osmosis with energy recuperation, while the focus is set on modeling and optimizing of hydrocyclone systems as the first treatment stage.

Early Planetary Differentiation: Comparative Planetology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, John H.

2006-01-01

We currently have extensive data for four different terrestrial bodies of the inner solar system: Earth, the Moon, Mars, and the Eucrite Parent Body [EPB]. All formed early cores; but all(?) have mantles with elevated concentrations of highly sidero-phile elements, suggestive of the addition of a late "veneer". Two appear to have undergone extensive differentiation consistent with a global magma ocean. One appears to be inconsistent with a simple model of "low-pressure" chondritic differentiation. Thus, there seems to be no single, simple paradigm for understand-ing early differentiation.

Twelve essential tools for living the life of whole person health care.

PubMed

Schlitz, Marilyn; Valentina, Elizabeth

2013-01-01

The integration of body, mind, and spirit has become a key dimension of health education and disease prevention and treatment; however, our health care system remains primarily disease centered. Finding simple steps to help each of us find our own balance can improve our lives, our work, and our relationships. On the basis of interviews with health care experts at the leading edge of the new model of medicine, this article identifies simple tools to improve the health of patients and caregivers.

Influence of parameter changes to stability behavior of rotors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fritzen, C. P.; Nordmann, R.

1982-01-01

The occurrence of unstable vibrations in rotating machinery requires corrective measures for improvement of the stability behavior. A simple approximate method is represented to find out the influence of parameter changes to the stability behavior. The method is based on an expansion of the eigenvalues in terms of system parameters. Influence coefficients show the effect of structural modifications. The method first of all was applied to simple nonconservative rotor models. It was approved for an unsymmetric rotor of a test rig.

Testing the uniqueness of mass models using gravitational lensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walls, Levi; Williams, Liliya L. R.

2018-06-01

The positions of images produced by the gravitational lensing of background-sources provide insight to lens-galaxy mass distributions. Simple elliptical mass density profiles do not agree well with observations of the population of known quads. It has been shown that the most promising way to reconcile this discrepancy is via perturbations away from purely elliptical mass profiles by assuming two super-imposed, somewhat misaligned mass distributions: one is dark matter (DM), the other is a stellar distribution. In this work, we investigate if mass modelling of individual lenses can reveal if the lenses have this type of complex structure, or simpler elliptical structure. In other words, we test mass model uniqueness, or how well an extended source lensed by a non-trivial mass distribution can be modeled by a simple elliptical mass profile. We used the publicly-available lensing software, Lensmodel, to generate and numerically model gravitational lenses and “observed” image positions. We then compared “observed” and modeled image positions via root mean square (RMS) of their difference. We report that, in most cases, the RMS is ≤0.05‧‧ when averaged over an extended source. Thus, we show it is possible to fit a smooth mass model to a system that contains a stellar-component with varying levels of misalignment with a DM-component, and hence mass modelling cannot differentiate between simple elliptical versus more complex lenses.

Analysis of bacterial migration. 2: Studies with multiple attractant gradients

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

Strauss, I.; Frymier, P.D.; Hahn, C.M.

1995-02-01

Many motile bacteria exhibit chemotaxis, the ability to bias their random motion toward or away from increasing concentrations of chemical substances which benefit or inhibit their survival, respectively. Since bacteria encounter numerous chemical concentration gradients simultaneously in natural surroundings, it is necessary to know quantitatively how a bacterial population responds in the presence of more than one chemical stimulus to develop predictive mathematical models describing bacterial migration in natural systems. This work evaluates three hypothetical models describing the integration of chemical signals from multiple stimuli: high sensitivity, maximum signal, and simple additivity. An expression for the tumbling probability for individualmore » stimuli is modified according to the proposed models and incorporated into the cell balance equation for a 1-D attractant gradient. Random motility and chemotactic sensitivity coefficients, required input parameters for the model, are measured for single stimulus responses. Theoretical predictions with the three signal integration models are compared to the net chemotactic response of Escherichia coli to co- and antidirectional gradients of D-fucose and [alpha]-methylaspartate in the stopped-flow diffusion chamber assay. Results eliminate the high-sensitivity model and favor the simple additivity over the maximum signal. None of the simple models, however, accurately predict the observed behavior, suggesting a more complex model with more steps in the signal processing mechanism is required to predict responses to multiple stimuli.« less

Analysis of an algae-based CELSS. I - Model development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holtzapple, Mark T.; Little, Frank E.; Makela, Merry E.; Patterson, C. O.

1989-01-01

A steady state chemical model and computer program have been developed for a life support system and applied to trade-off studies. The model is based on human demand for food and oxygen determined from crew metabolic needs. The model includes modules for water recycle, waste treatment, CO2 removal and treatment, and food production. The computer program calculates rates of use and material balance for food, O2, the recycle of human waste and trash, H2O, N2, and food production/supply. A simple noniterative solution for the model has been developed using the steady state rate equations for the chemical reactions. The model and program have been used in system sizing and subsystem trade-off studies of a partially closed life support system.

Analysis of an algae-based CELSS. Part 1: model development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holtzapple, M. T.; Little, F. E.; Makela, M. E.; Patterson, C. O.

1989-01-01

A steady state chemical model and computer program have been developed for a life support system and applied to trade-off studies. The model is based on human demand for food and oxygen determined from crew metabolic needs. The model includes modules for water recycle, waste treatment, CO2 removal and treatment, and food production. The computer program calculates rates of use and material balance for food. O2, the recycle of human waste and trash, H2O, N2, and food production supply. A simple non-iterative solution for the model has been developed using the steady state rate equations for the chemical reactions. The model and program have been used in system sizing and subsystem trade-off studies of a partially closed life support system.

On a Possible Unified Scaling Law for Volcanic Eruption Durations

PubMed Central

Cannavò, Flavio; Nunnari, Giuseppe

2016-01-01

Volcanoes constitute dissipative systems with many degrees of freedom. Their eruptions are the result of complex processes that involve interacting chemical-physical systems. At present, due to the complexity of involved phenomena and to the lack of precise measurements, both analytical and numerical models are unable to simultaneously include the main processes involved in eruptions thus making forecasts of volcanic dynamics rather unreliable. On the other hand, accurate forecasts of some eruption parameters, such as the duration, could be a key factor in natural hazard estimation and mitigation. Analyzing a large database with most of all the known volcanic eruptions, we have determined that the duration of eruptions seems to be described by a universal distribution which characterizes eruption duration dynamics. In particular, this paper presents a plausible global power-law distribution of durations of volcanic eruptions that holds worldwide for different volcanic environments. We also introduce a new, simple and realistic pipe model that can follow the same found empirical distribution. Since the proposed model belongs to the family of the self-organized systems it may support the hypothesis that simple mechanisms can lead naturally to the emergent complexity in volcanic behaviour. PMID:26926425

On a Possible Unified Scaling Law for Volcanic Eruption Durations.

PubMed

Cannavò, Flavio; Nunnari, Giuseppe

2016-03-01

Volcanoes constitute dissipative systems with many degrees of freedom. Their eruptions are the result of complex processes that involve interacting chemical-physical systems. At present, due to the complexity of involved phenomena and to the lack of precise measurements, both analytical and numerical models are unable to simultaneously include the main processes involved in eruptions thus making forecasts of volcanic dynamics rather unreliable. On the other hand, accurate forecasts of some eruption parameters, such as the duration, could be a key factor in natural hazard estimation and mitigation. Analyzing a large database with most of all the known volcanic eruptions, we have determined that the duration of eruptions seems to be described by a universal distribution which characterizes eruption duration dynamics. In particular, this paper presents a plausible global power-law distribution of durations of volcanic eruptions that holds worldwide for different volcanic environments. We also introduce a new, simple and realistic pipe model that can follow the same found empirical distribution. Since the proposed model belongs to the family of the self-organized systems it may support the hypothesis that simple mechanisms can lead naturally to the emergent complexity in volcanic behaviour.

Extreme Learning Machine and Particle Swarm Optimization in optimizing CNC turning operation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Janahiraman, Tiagrajah V.; Ahmad, Nooraziah; Hani Nordin, Farah

2018-04-01

The CNC machine is controlled by manipulating cutting parameters that could directly influence the process performance. Many optimization methods has been applied to obtain the optimal cutting parameters for the desired performance function. Nonetheless, the industry still uses the traditional technique to obtain those values. Lack of knowledge on optimization techniques is the main reason for this issue to be prolonged. Therefore, the simple yet easy to implement, Optimal Cutting Parameters Selection System is introduced to help the manufacturer to easily understand and determine the best optimal parameters for their turning operation. This new system consists of two stages which are modelling and optimization. In modelling of input-output and in-process parameters, the hybrid of Extreme Learning Machine and Particle Swarm Optimization is applied. This modelling technique tend to converge faster than other artificial intelligent technique and give accurate result. For the optimization stage, again the Particle Swarm Optimization is used to get the optimal cutting parameters based on the performance function preferred by the manufacturer. Overall, the system can reduce the gap between academic world and the industry by introducing a simple yet easy to implement optimization technique. This novel optimization technique can give accurate result besides being the fastest technique.

Racing to learn: statistical inference and learning in a single spiking neuron with adaptive kernels

PubMed Central

Afshar, Saeed; George, Libin; Tapson, Jonathan; van Schaik, André; Hamilton, Tara J.

2014-01-01

This paper describes the Synapto-dendritic Kernel Adapting Neuron (SKAN), a simple spiking neuron model that performs statistical inference and unsupervised learning of spatiotemporal spike patterns. SKAN is the first proposed neuron model to investigate the effects of dynamic synapto-dendritic kernels and demonstrate their computational power even at the single neuron scale. The rule-set defining the neuron is simple: there are no complex mathematical operations such as normalization, exponentiation or even multiplication. The functionalities of SKAN emerge from the real-time interaction of simple additive and binary processes. Like a biological neuron, SKAN is robust to signal and parameter noise, and can utilize both in its operations. At the network scale neurons are locked in a race with each other with the fastest neuron to spike effectively “hiding” its learnt pattern from its neighbors. The robustness to noise, high speed, and simple building blocks not only make SKAN an interesting neuron model in computational neuroscience, but also make it ideal for implementation in digital and analog neuromorphic systems which is demonstrated through an implementation in a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA). Matlab, Python, and Verilog implementations of SKAN are available at: http://www.uws.edu.au/bioelectronics_neuroscience/bens/reproducible_research. PMID:25505378

Racing to learn: statistical inference and learning in a single spiking neuron with adaptive kernels.

PubMed

Afshar, Saeed; George, Libin; Tapson, Jonathan; van Schaik, André; Hamilton, Tara J

2014-01-01

This paper describes the Synapto-dendritic Kernel Adapting Neuron (SKAN), a simple spiking neuron model that performs statistical inference and unsupervised learning of spatiotemporal spike patterns. SKAN is the first proposed neuron model to investigate the effects of dynamic synapto-dendritic kernels and demonstrate their computational power even at the single neuron scale. The rule-set defining the neuron is simple: there are no complex mathematical operations such as normalization, exponentiation or even multiplication. The functionalities of SKAN emerge from the real-time interaction of simple additive and binary processes. Like a biological neuron, SKAN is robust to signal and parameter noise, and can utilize both in its operations. At the network scale neurons are locked in a race with each other with the fastest neuron to spike effectively "hiding" its learnt pattern from its neighbors. The robustness to noise, high speed, and simple building blocks not only make SKAN an interesting neuron model in computational neuroscience, but also make it ideal for implementation in digital and analog neuromorphic systems which is demonstrated through an implementation in a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA). Matlab, Python, and Verilog implementations of SKAN are available at: http://www.uws.edu.au/bioelectronics_neuroscience/bens/reproducible_research.

Impact of social preparedness on flood early warning systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Girons Lopez, M.; Di Baldassarre, G.; Seibert, J.

2017-01-01

Flood early warning systems play a major role in the disaster risk reduction paradigm as cost-effective methods to mitigate flood disaster damage. The connections and feedbacks between the hydrological and social spheres of early warning systems are increasingly being considered as key aspects for successful flood mitigation. The behavior of the public and first responders during flood situations, determined by their preparedness, is heavily influenced by many behavioral traits such as perceived benefits, risk awareness, or even denial. In this study, we use the recency of flood experiences as a proxy for social preparedness to assess its impact on the efficiency of flood early warning systems through a simple stylized model and implemented this model using a simple mathematical description. The main findings, which are based on synthetic data, point to the importance of social preparedness for flood loss mitigation, especially in circumstances where the technical forecasting and warning capabilities are limited. Furthermore, we found that efforts to promote and preserve social preparedness may help to reduce disaster-induced losses by almost one half. The findings provide important insights into the role of social preparedness that may help guide decision-making in the field of flood early warning systems.

Simplified adaptive control of an orbiting flexible spacecraft

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maganti, Ganesh B.; Singh, Sahjendra N.

2007-10-01

The paper presents the design of a new simple adaptive system for the rotational maneuver and vibration suppression of an orbiting spacecraft with flexible appendages. A moment generating device located on the central rigid body of the spacecraft is used for the attitude control. It is assumed that the system parameters are unknown and the truncated model of the spacecraft has finite but arbitrary dimension. In addition, only the pitch angle and its derivative are measured and elastic modes are not available for feedback. The control output variable is chosen as the linear combination of the pitch angle and the pitch rate. Exploiting the hyper minimum phase nature of the spacecraft, a simple adaptive control law is derived for the pitch angle control and elastic mode stabilization. The adaptation rule requires only four adjustable parameters and the structure of the control system does not depend on the order of the truncated spacecraft model. For the synthesis of control system, the measured output error and the states of a third-order command generator are used. Simulation results are presented which show that in the closed-loop system adaptive output regulation is accomplished in spite of large parameter uncertainties and disturbance input.

Optimizing Aerobot Exploration of Venus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ford, Kevin S.

1997-03-01

Venus Flyer Robot (VFR) is an aerobot; an autonomous balloon probe designed for remote exploration of Earth's sister planet in 2003. VFR's simple navigation and control system permits travel to virtually any location on Venus, but it can survive for only a limited duration in the harsh Venusian environment. To help address this limitation, we develop: (1) a global circulation model that captures the most important characteristics of the Venusian atmosphere; (2) a simple aerobot model that captures thermal restrictions faced by VFR at Venus; and (3) one exact and two heuristic algorithms that, using abstractions (1) and (2), construct routes making the best use of VFR's limited lifetime. We demonstrate this modeling by planning several small example missions and a prototypical mission that explores numerous interesting sites recently documented in the plane tary geology literature.

Optimizing Aerobot Exploration of Venus

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ford, Kevin S.

1997-01-01

Venus Flyer Robot (VFR) is an aerobot; an autonomous balloon probe designed for remote exploration of Earth's sister planet in 2003. VFR's simple navigation and control system permits travel to virtually any location on Venus, but it can survive for only a limited duration in the harsh Venusian environment. To help address this limitation, we develop: (1) a global circulation model that captures the most important characteristics of the Venusian atmosphere; (2) a simple aerobot model that captures thermal restrictions faced by VFR at Venus; and (3) one exact and two heuristic algorithms that, using abstractions (1) and (2), construct routes making the best use of VFR's limited lifetime. We demonstrate this modeling by planning several small example missions and a prototypical mission that explores numerous interesting sites recently documented in the plane tary geology literature.

Deterministic diffusion in flower-shaped billiards.

PubMed

Harayama, Takahisa; Klages, Rainer; Gaspard, Pierre

2002-08-01

We propose a flower-shaped billiard in order to study the irregular parameter dependence of chaotic normal diffusion. Our model is an open system consisting of periodically distributed obstacles in the shape of a flower, and it is strongly chaotic for almost all parameter values. We compute the parameter dependent diffusion coefficient of this model from computer simulations and analyze its functional form using different schemes, all generalizing the simple random walk approximation of Machta and Zwanzig. The improved methods we use are based either on heuristic higher-order corrections to the simple random walk model, on lattice gas simulation methods, or they start from a suitable Green-Kubo formula for diffusion. We show that dynamical correlations, or memory effects, are of crucial importance in reproducing the precise parameter dependence of the diffusion coefficent.

Nonlinear Friction Compensation of Ball Screw Driven Stage Based on Variable Natural Length Spring Model and Disturbance Observer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Asaumi, Hiroyoshi; Fujimoto, Hiroshi

Ball screw driven stages are used for industrial equipments such as machine tools and semiconductor equipments. Fast and precise positioning is necessary to enhance productivity and microfabrication technology of the system. The rolling friction of the ball screw driven stage deteriorate the positioning performance. Therefore, the control system based on the friction model is necessary. In this paper, we propose variable natural length spring model (VNLS model) as the friction model. VNLS model is simple and easy to implement as friction controller. Next, we propose multi variable natural length spring model (MVNLS model) as the friction model. MVNLS model can represent friction characteristic of the stage precisely. Moreover, the control system based on MVNLS model and disturbance observer is proposed. Finally, the simulation results and experimental results show the advantages of the proposed method.

A comparison of quantitative methods for clinical imaging with hyperpolarized (13)C-pyruvate.

PubMed

Daniels, Charlie J; McLean, Mary A; Schulte, Rolf F; Robb, Fraser J; Gill, Andrew B; McGlashan, Nicholas; Graves, Martin J; Schwaiger, Markus; Lomas, David J; Brindle, Kevin M; Gallagher, Ferdia A

2016-04-01

Dissolution dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) enables the metabolism of hyperpolarized (13)C-labelled molecules, such as the conversion of [1-(13)C]pyruvate to [1-(13)C]lactate, to be dynamically and non-invasively imaged in tissue. Imaging of this exchange reaction in animal models has been shown to detect early treatment response and correlate with tumour grade. The first human DNP study has recently been completed, and, for widespread clinical translation, simple and reliable methods are necessary to accurately probe the reaction in patients. However, there is currently no consensus on the most appropriate method to quantify this exchange reaction. In this study, an in vitro system was used to compare several kinetic models, as well as simple model-free methods. Experiments were performed using a clinical hyperpolarizer, a human 3 T MR system, and spectroscopic imaging sequences. The quantitative methods were compared in vivo by using subcutaneous breast tumours in rats to examine the effect of pyruvate inflow. The two-way kinetic model was the most accurate method for characterizing the exchange reaction in vitro, and the incorporation of a Heaviside step inflow profile was best able to describe the in vivo data. The lactate time-to-peak and the lactate-to-pyruvate area under the curve ratio were simple model-free approaches that accurately represented the full reaction, with the time-to-peak method performing indistinguishably from the best kinetic model. Finally, extracting data from a single pixel was a robust and reliable surrogate of the whole region of interest. This work has identified appropriate quantitative methods for future work in the analysis of human hyperpolarized (13)C data. © 2016 The Authors. NMR in Biomedicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Initial Kernel Timing Using a Simple PIM Performance Model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katz, Daniel S.; Block, Gary L.; Springer, Paul L.; Sterling, Thomas; Brockman, Jay B.; Callahan, David

2005-01-01

This presentation will describe some initial results of paper-and-pencil studies of 4 or 5 application kernels applied to a processor-in-memory (PIM) system roughly similar to the Cascade Lightweight Processor (LWP). The application kernels are: * Linked list traversal * Sun of leaf nodes on a tree * Bitonic sort * Vector sum * Gaussian elimination The intent of this work is to guide and validate work on the Cascade project in the areas of compilers, simulators, and languages. We will first discuss the generic PIM structure. Then, we will explain the concepts needed to program a parallel PIM system (locality, threads, parcels). Next, we will present a simple PIM performance model that will be used in the remainder of the presentation. For each kernel, we will then present a set of codes, including codes for a single PIM node, and codes for multiple PIM nodes that move data to threads and move threads to data. These codes are written at a fairly low level, between assembly and C, but much closer to C than to assembly. For each code, we will present some hand-drafted timing forecasts, based on the simple PIM performance model. Finally, we will conclude by discussing what we have learned from this work, including what programming styles seem to work best, from the point-of-view of both expressiveness and performance.

Ion pairing and phase behaviour of an asymmetric restricted primitive model of ionic liquids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Hongduo; Li, Bin; Nordholm, Sture; Woodward, Clifford E.; Forsman, Jan

2016-12-01

An asymmetric restricted primitive model (ARPM) of electrolytes is proposed as a simple three parameter (charge q, diameter d, and charge displacement b) model of ionic liquids and solutions. Charge displacement allows electrostatic and steric interactions to operate between different centres, so that orientational correlations arise in ion-ion interactions. In this way the ionic system may have partly the character of a simple ionic fluid/solid and of a polar fluid formed from ion pairs. The present exploration of the system focuses on the ion pair formation mechanism, the relative concentration of paired and free ions and the consequences for the cohesive energy, and the tendency to form fluid or solid phase. In contrast to studies of similar (though not identical) models in the past, we focus on behaviours at room temperature. By MC and MD simulations of such systems composed of monovalent ions of hard-sphere (or essentially hard-sphere) diameter equal to 5 Å and a charge displacement ranging from 0 to 2 Å from the hard-sphere origin, we find that ion pairing dominates for b larger than 1 Å. When b exceeds about 1.5 Å, the system is essentially a liquid of dipolar ion pairs with a small presence of free ions. We also investigate dielectric behaviours of corresponding liquids, composed of purely dipolar species. Many basic features of ionic liquids appear to be remarkably consistent with those of our ARPM at ambient conditions, when b is around 1 Å. However, the rate of self-diffusion and, to a lesser extent, conductivity is overestimated, presumably due to the simple spherical shape of our ions in the ARPM. The relative simplicity of our ARPM in relation to the rich variety of new mechanisms and properties it introduces, and to the numerical simplicity of its exploration by theory or simulation, makes it an essential step on the way towards representation of the full complexity of ionic liquids.

Ion pairing and phase behaviour of an asymmetric restricted primitive model of ionic liquids.

PubMed

Lu, Hongduo; Li, Bin; Nordholm, Sture; Woodward, Clifford E; Forsman, Jan

2016-12-21

An asymmetric restricted primitive model (ARPM) of electrolytes is proposed as a simple three parameter (charge q, diameter d, and charge displacement b) model of ionic liquids and solutions. Charge displacement allows electrostatic and steric interactions to operate between different centres, so that orientational correlations arise in ion-ion interactions. In this way the ionic system may have partly the character of a simple ionic fluid/solid and of a polar fluid formed from ion pairs. The present exploration of the system focuses on the ion pair formation mechanism, the relative concentration of paired and free ions and the consequences for the cohesive energy, and the tendency to form fluid or solid phase. In contrast to studies of similar (though not identical) models in the past, we focus on behaviours at room temperature. By MC and MD simulations of such systems composed of monovalent ions of hard-sphere (or essentially hard-sphere) diameter equal to 5 Å and a charge displacement ranging from 0 to 2 Å from the hard-sphere origin, we find that ion pairing dominates for b larger than 1 Å. When b exceeds about 1.5 Å, the system is essentially a liquid of dipolar ion pairs with a small presence of free ions. We also investigate dielectric behaviours of corresponding liquids, composed of purely dipolar species. Many basic features of ionic liquids appear to be remarkably consistent with those of our ARPM at ambient conditions, when b is around 1 Å. However, the rate of self-diffusion and, to a lesser extent, conductivity is overestimated, presumably due to the simple spherical shape of our ions in the ARPM. The relative simplicity of our ARPM in relation to the rich variety of new mechanisms and properties it introduces, and to the numerical simplicity of its exploration by theory or simulation, makes it an essential step on the way towards representation of the full complexity of ionic liquids.

The extraction of simple relationships in growth factor-specific multiple-input and multiple-output systems in cell-fate decisions by backward elimination PLS regression.

PubMed

Akimoto, Yuki; Yugi, Katsuyuki; Uda, Shinsuke; Kudo, Takamasa; Komori, Yasunori; Kubota, Hiroyuki; Kuroda, Shinya

2013-01-01

Cells use common signaling molecules for the selective control of downstream gene expression and cell-fate decisions. The relationship between signaling molecules and downstream gene expression and cellular phenotypes is a multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO) system and is difficult to understand due to its complexity. For example, it has been reported that, in PC12 cells, different types of growth factors activate MAP kinases (MAPKs) including ERK, JNK, and p38, and CREB, for selective protein expression of immediate early genes (IEGs) such as c-FOS, c-JUN, EGR1, JUNB, and FOSB, leading to cell differentiation, proliferation and cell death; however, how multiple-inputs such as MAPKs and CREB regulate multiple-outputs such as expression of the IEGs and cellular phenotypes remains unclear. To address this issue, we employed a statistical method called partial least squares (PLS) regression, which involves a reduction of the dimensionality of the inputs and outputs into latent variables and a linear regression between these latent variables. We measured 1,200 data points for MAPKs and CREB as the inputs and 1,900 data points for IEGs and cellular phenotypes as the outputs, and we constructed the PLS model from these data. The PLS model highlighted the complexity of the MIMO system and growth factor-specific input-output relationships of cell-fate decisions in PC12 cells. Furthermore, to reduce the complexity, we applied a backward elimination method to the PLS regression, in which 60 input variables were reduced to 5 variables, including the phosphorylation of ERK at 10 min, CREB at 5 min and 60 min, AKT at 5 min and JNK at 30 min. The simple PLS model with only 5 input variables demonstrated a predictive ability comparable to that of the full PLS model. The 5 input variables effectively extracted the growth factor-specific simple relationships within the MIMO system in cell-fate decisions in PC12 cells.

Dynamic Paper Constructions for Easier Visualization of Molecular Symmetry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sein, Lawrence T., Jr.

2010-01-01

A system for construction of simple poster-board models is described. The models dynamically demonstrate the symmetry operations of proper rotation, improper rotation, reflection, and inversion for the chemically important point groups D[subscript 3h], D[subscript 4h], D[subscript 5h], D[subscript 6h], T[subscript d], and O[subscript h]. The…

Application of Influence Diagrams in Identifying Soviet Satellite Missions

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-12-01

Probabilities Comparison ......................... 58 35. Continuous Model Variables ............................ 59 36. Sample Inclination Data...diagramming is a method which allows the simple construction of a model to illustrate the interrelationships which exist among variables by capturing an...environmental monitoring systems. The module also contained an array of instruments for geophysical and astrophysical experimentation . 4.3.14.3 Soyuz. The Soyuz

Quantifying and Testing Indirect Effects in Simple Mediation Models when the Constituent Paths Are Nonlinear

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hayes, Andrew F.; Preacher, Kristopher J.

2010-01-01

Most treatments of indirect effects and mediation in the statistical methods literature and the corresponding methods used by behavioral scientists have assumed linear relationships between variables in the causal system. Here we describe and extend a method first introduced by Stolzenberg (1980) for estimating indirect effects in models of…

Helping Students Assess the Relative Importance of Different Intermolecular Interactions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jasien, Paul G.

2008-01-01

A semi-quantitative model has been developed to estimate the relative effects of dispersion, dipole-dipole interactions, and H-bonding on the normal boiling points ("T[subscript b]") for a subset of simple organic systems. The model is based upon a statistical analysis using multiple linear regression on a series of straight-chain organic…

A model of gene expression based on random dynamical systems reveals modularity properties of gene regulatory networks.

PubMed

Antoneli, Fernando; Ferreira, Renata C; Briones, Marcelo R S

2016-06-01

Here we propose a new approach to modeling gene expression based on the theory of random dynamical systems (RDS) that provides a general coupling prescription between the nodes of any given regulatory network given the dynamics of each node is modeled by a RDS. The main virtues of this approach are the following: (i) it provides a natural way to obtain arbitrarily large networks by coupling together simple basic pieces, thus revealing the modularity of regulatory networks; (ii) the assumptions about the stochastic processes used in the modeling are fairly general, in the sense that the only requirement is stationarity; (iii) there is a well developed mathematical theory, which is a blend of smooth dynamical systems theory, ergodic theory and stochastic analysis that allows one to extract relevant dynamical and statistical information without solving the system; (iv) one may obtain the classical rate equations form the corresponding stochastic version by averaging the dynamic random variables (small noise limit). It is important to emphasize that unlike the deterministic case, where coupling two equations is a trivial matter, coupling two RDS is non-trivial, specially in our case, where the coupling is performed between a state variable of one gene and the switching stochastic process of another gene and, hence, it is not a priori true that the resulting coupled system will satisfy the definition of a random dynamical system. We shall provide the necessary arguments that ensure that our coupling prescription does indeed furnish a coupled regulatory network of random dynamical systems. Finally, the fact that classical rate equations are the small noise limit of our stochastic model ensures that any validation or prediction made on the basis of the classical theory is also a validation or prediction of our model. We illustrate our framework with some simple examples of single-gene system and network motifs. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

How much of reinforcement learning is working memory, not reinforcement learning? A behavioral, computational, and neurogenetic analysis

PubMed Central

Collins, Anne G. E.; Frank, Michael J.

2012-01-01

Instrumental learning involves corticostriatal circuitry and the dopaminergic system. This system is typically modeled in the reinforcement learning (RL) framework by incrementally accumulating reward values of states and actions. However, human learning also implicates prefrontal cortical mechanisms involved in higher level cognitive functions. The interaction of these systems remains poorly understood, and models of human behavior often ignore working memory (WM) and therefore incorrectly assign behavioral variance to the RL system. Here we designed a task that highlights the profound entanglement of these two processes, even in simple learning problems. By systematically varying the size of the learning problem and delay between stimulus repetitions, we separately extracted WM-specific effects of load and delay on learning. We propose a new computational model that accounts for the dynamic integration of RL and WM processes observed in subjects' behavior. Incorporating capacity-limited WM into the model allowed us to capture behavioral variance that could not be captured in a pure RL framework even if we (implausibly) allowed separate RL systems for each set size. The WM component also allowed for a more reasonable estimation of a single RL process. Finally, we report effects of two genetic polymorphisms having relative specificity for prefrontal and basal ganglia functions. Whereas the COMT gene coding for catechol-O-methyl transferase selectively influenced model estimates of WM capacity, the GPR6 gene coding for G-protein-coupled receptor 6 influenced the RL learning rate. Thus, this study allowed us to specify distinct influences of the high-level and low-level cognitive functions on instrumental learning, beyond the possibilities offered by simple RL models. PMID:22487033

Permutation glass.

PubMed

Williams, Mobolaji

2018-01-01

The field of disordered systems in statistical physics provides many simple models in which the competing influences of thermal and nonthermal disorder lead to new phases and nontrivial thermal behavior of order parameters. In this paper, we add a model to the subject by considering a disordered system where the state space consists of various orderings of a list. As in spin glasses, the disorder of such "permutation glasses" arises from a parameter in the Hamiltonian being drawn from a distribution of possible values, thus allowing nominally "incorrect orderings" to have lower energies than "correct orderings" in the space of permutations. We analyze a Gaussian, uniform, and symmetric Bernoulli distribution of energy costs, and, by employing Jensen's inequality, derive a simple condition requiring the permutation glass to always transition to the correctly ordered state at a temperature lower than that of the nondisordered system, provided that this correctly ordered state is accessible. We in turn find that in order for the correctly ordered state to be accessible, the probability that an incorrectly ordered component is energetically favored must be less than the inverse of the number of components in the system. We show that all of these results are consistent with a replica symmetric ansatz of the system. We conclude by arguing that there is no distinct permutation glass phase for the simplest model considered here and by discussing how to extend the analysis to more complex Hamiltonians capable of novel phase behavior and replica symmetry breaking. Finally, we outline an apparent correspondence between the presented system and a discrete-energy-level fermion gas. In all, the investigation introduces a class of exactly soluble models into statistical mechanics and provides a fertile ground to investigate statistical models of disorder.

Plant Intellectual Property Transfer Mechanisms at US Universities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Price, Steven C.; Renk, Bryan Z.

2000-01-01

U.S. colleges of agriculture and technology transfer offices have historically been in conflict over the management of plant varieties. A simple model that would allow these competing systems to become integrated uses a decision tree. (Author/JOW)

Measuring an entropy in heavy ion collisions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bialas, A.; Czyz, W.; Wosiek, J.

1999-03-01

We propose to use the coincidence method of Ma to measure an entropy of the system created in heavy ion collisions. Moreover we estimate, in a simple model, the values of parameters for which the thermodynamical behaviour sets in.

Apparatus Notes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eaton, Bruce G., Ed.

1977-01-01

Presents four short articles on: a power supply for the measurement of the charge-to-mass ratio of the electron; a modified centripetal force apparatus; a black box electronic unknown for the scientific instruments laboratory; and a simple scaling model for biological systems. (MLH)

An engineering approach to modelling, decision support and control for sustainable systems.

PubMed

Day, W; Audsley, E; Frost, A R

2008-02-12

Engineering research and development contributes to the advance of sustainable agriculture both through innovative methods to manage and control processes, and through quantitative understanding of the operation of practical agricultural systems using decision models. This paper describes how an engineering approach, drawing on mathematical models of systems and processes, contributes new methods that support decision making at all levels from strategy and planning to tactics and real-time control. The ability to describe the system or process by a simple and robust mathematical model is critical, and the outputs range from guidance to policy makers on strategic decisions relating to land use, through intelligent decision support to farmers and on to real-time engineering control of specific processes. Precision in decision making leads to decreased use of inputs, less environmental emissions and enhanced profitability-all essential to sustainable systems.

Design tool for estimating chemical hydrogen storage system characteristics for light-duty fuel cell vehicles

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

Brooks, Kriston P.; Sprik, Samuel J.; Tamburello, David A.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has developed a vehicle framework model to simulate fuel cell-based light-duty vehicle operation for various hydrogen storage systems. This transient model simulates the performance of the storage system, fuel cell, and vehicle for comparison to DOE’s Technical Targets using four drive cycles/profiles. Chemical hydrogen storage models have been developed for the Framework model for both exothermic and endothermic materials. Despite the utility of such models, they require that material researchers input system design specifications that cannot be easily estimated. To address this challenge, a design tool has been developed that allows researchers to directlymore » enter kinetic and thermodynamic chemical hydrogen storage material properties into a simple sizing module that then estimates the systems parameters required to run the storage system model. Additionally, this design tool can be used as a standalone executable file to estimate the storage system mass and volume outside of the framework model and compare it to the DOE Technical Targets. These models will be explained and exercised with existing hydrogen storage materials.« less

Population modeling and its role in toxicological studies

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sauer, John R.; Pendleton, Grey W.; Hoffman, David J.; Rattner, Barnett A.; Burton, G. Allen; Cairns, John

1995-01-01

A model could be defined as any abstraction from reality that is used to provide some insight into the real system. In this discussion, we will use a more specific definition that a model is a set of rules or assumptions, expressed as mathematical equations, that describe how animals survive and reproduce, including the external factors that affect these characteristics. A model simplifies a system, retaining essential components while eliminating parts that are not of interest. ecology has a rich history of using models to gain insight into populations, often borrowing both model structures and analysis methods from demographers and engineers. Much of the development of the models has been a consequence of mathematicians and physicists seeing simple analogies between their models and patterns in natural systems. Consequently, one major application of ecological modeling has been to emphasize the analysis of dynamics of often complex models to provide insight into theoretical aspects of ecology.1

Dimensional Analysis in Mathematical Modeling Systems: A Simple Numerical Method

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-02-01

US Army Ballistic Research Laboratories, Aberden Proving Ground , NID, August 1975. [18] Hi1irlimann, T., and .J. lKohlas "LPL: A Structured Language...such systems can prove that (a’ + ab + b2 + ba) = (a + b) 2 . With some effort, since the laws of physical algebra are a minor variant on those of

Influence of pH on Drug Absorption from the Gastrointestinal Tract: A Simple Chemical Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hickman, Raymond J. S.; Neill, Jane

1997-07-01

A simple model of the gastrointestinal tract is obtained by placing ethyl acetate in contact with water at pH 2 and pH 8 in separate test tubes. The ethyl acetate corresponds to the lipid material lining the tract while the water corresponds to the aqueous contents of the stomach (pH 2) and intestine (pH 8). The compounds aspirin, paracetamol and 3-aminophenol are used as exemplars of acidic, neutral and basic drugs respectively to illustrate the influence which pH has on the distribution of each class of drug between the aqueous and organic phases of the model. The relative concentration of drug in the ethyl acetate is judged by applying microlitre-sized samples of ethyl acetate to a layer of fluorescent silica which, after evaporation of the ethyl acetate, is viewed under an ultraviolet lamp. Each of the three drugs, if present in the ethyl acetate, becomes visible as a dark spot on the silica layer. The observations made in the model system correspond well to the patterns of drug absorption from the gastrointestinal tract described in pharmacology texts and these observations are convincingly explained in terms of simple acid-base chemistry.

Nonconservative dynamics in long atomic wires

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cunningham, Brian; Todorov, Tchavdar N.; Dundas, Daniel

2014-09-01

The effect of nonconservative current-induced forces on the ions in a defect-free metallic nanowire is investigated using both steady-state calculations and dynamical simulations. Nonconservative forces were found to have a major influence on the ion dynamics in these systems, but their role in increasing the kinetic energy of the ions decreases with increasing system length. The results illustrate the importance of nonconservative effects in short nanowires and the scaling of these effects with system size. The dependence on bias and ion mass can be understood with the help of a simple pen and paper model. This material highlights the benefit of simple preliminary steady-state calculations in anticipating aspects of brute-force dynamical simulations, and provides rule of thumb criteria for the design of stable quantum wires.

The ARC/INFO geographic information system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morehouse, Scott

1992-05-01

ARC/INFO is a general-purpose system for processing geographic information. It is based on a relatively simple model of geographic space—the coverage—and contains an extensive set of geoprocessing tools which operate on coverages. ARC/INFO is used in a wide variety of applications areas, including: natural-resource inventory and planning, cadastral database development and mapping, urban and regional planning, and cartography. This paper is an overview of ARC/INFO and discusses the ARC/INFO conceptual architecture, data model, operators, and user interface.

Applicability of Existing C3 (Command, Control and Communications) Vulnerability and Hardness Analyses to Sentry System Issues.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-01-13

Naval .1 Ordnance Systems Command ) codes are detailed propagation simulations mostly at lower frequencies . These are combined with WEPH code phenomenology...AD B062349L. Scope /Abstract: This report describes a simple model for predicting the loads on box-like target structures subject to air blast. A... model and applying it to targets which can be approximated by a series of rectangular parallelopipeds. In this report the physical phenomena of high

Synchronisation of chaos and its applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eroglu, Deniz; Lamb, Jeroen S. W.; Pereira, Tiago

2017-07-01

Dynamical networks are important models for the behaviour of complex systems, modelling physical, biological and societal systems, including the brain, food webs, epidemic disease in populations, power grids and many other. Such dynamical networks can exhibit behaviour in which deterministic chaos, exhibiting unpredictability and disorder, coexists with synchronisation, a classical paradigm of order. We survey the main theory behind complete, generalised and phase synchronisation phenomena in simple as well as complex networks and discuss applications to secure communications, parameter estimation and the anticipation of chaos.

Sensitivity Study for Long Term Reliability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

White, Allan L.

2008-01-01

This paper illustrates using Markov models to establish system and maintenance requirements for small electronic controllers where the goal is a high probability of continuous service for a long period of time. The system and maintenance items considered are quality of components, various degrees of simple redundancy, redundancy with reconfiguration, diagnostic levels, periodic maintenance, and preventive maintenance. Markov models permit a quantitative investigation with comparison and contrast. An element of special interest is the use of conditional probability to study the combination of imperfect diagnostics and periodic maintenance.

Possible biomechanical origins of the long-range correlations in stride intervals of walking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gates, Deanna H.; Su, Jimmy L.; Dingwell, Jonathan B.

2007-07-01

When humans walk, the time duration of each stride varies from one stride to the next. These temporal fluctuations exhibit long-range correlations. It has been suggested that these correlations stem from higher nervous system centers in the brain that control gait cycle timing. Existing proposed models of this phenomenon have focused on neurophysiological mechanisms that might give rise to these long-range correlations, and generally ignored potential alternative mechanical explanations. We hypothesized that a simple mechanical system could also generate similar long-range correlations in stride times. We modified a very simple passive dynamic model of bipedal walking to incorporate forward propulsion through an impulsive force applied to the trailing leg at each push-off. Push-off forces were varied from step to step by incorporating both “sensory” and “motor” noise terms that were regulated by a simple proportional feedback controller. We generated 400 simulations of walking, with different combinations of sensory noise, motor noise, and feedback gain. The stride time data from each simulation were analyzed using detrended fluctuation analysis to compute a scaling exponent, α. This exponent quantified how each stride interval was correlated with previous and subsequent stride intervals over different time scales. For different variations of the noise terms and feedback gain, we obtained short-range correlations (α<0.5), uncorrelated time series (α=0.5), long-range correlations (0.5<α<1.0), or Brownian motion (α>1.0). Our results indicate that a simple biomechanical model of walking can generate long-range correlations and thus perhaps these correlations are not a complex result of higher level neuronal control, as has been previously suggested.

Use of system identification techniques for improving airframe finite element models using test data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hanagud, Sathya V.; Zhou, Weiyu; Craig, James I.; Weston, Neil J.

1993-01-01

A method for using system identification techniques to improve airframe finite element models using test data was developed and demonstrated. The method uses linear sensitivity matrices to relate changes in selected physical parameters to changes in the total system matrices. The values for these physical parameters were determined using constrained optimization with singular value decomposition. The method was confirmed using both simple and complex finite element models for which pseudo-experimental data was synthesized directly from the finite element model. The method was then applied to a real airframe model which incorporated all of the complexities and details of a large finite element model and for which extensive test data was available. The method was shown to work, and the differences between the identified model and the measured results were considered satisfactory.

An instrumental electrode model for solving EIT forward problems.

PubMed

Zhang, Weida; Li, David

2014-10-01

An instrumental electrode model (IEM) capable of describing the performance of electrical impedance tomography (EIT) systems in the MHz frequency range has been proposed. Compared with the commonly used Complete Electrode Model (CEM), which assumes ideal front-end interfaces, the proposed model considers the effects of non-ideal components in the front-end circuits. This introduces an extra boundary condition in the forward model and offers a more accurate modelling for EIT systems. We have demonstrated its performance using simple geometry structures and compared the results with the CEM and full Maxwell methods. The IEM can provide a significantly more accurate approximation than the CEM in the MHz frequency range, where the full Maxwell methods are favoured over the quasi-static approximation. The improved electrode model will facilitate the future characterization and front-end design of real-world EIT systems.

Testing Planetary Volcanism Models with Multi-Wavelength Near Infrared Observations of Kilauea Flows and Fountains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Howell, Robert R.; Radebaugh, Jani; M. C Lopes, Rosaly; Kerber, Laura; Solomonidou, Anezina; Watkins, Bryn

2017-10-01

Using remote sensing of planetary volcanism on objects such as Io to determine eruption conditions is challenging because the emitting region is typically not resolved and because exposed lava cools so quickly. A model of the cooling rate and eruption mechanism is typically used to predict the amount of surface area at different temperatures, then that areal distribution is convolved with a Planck blackbody emission curve, and the predicted spectra is compared with observation. Often the broad nature of the Planck curve makes interpretation non-unique. However different eruption mechanisms (for example cooling fire fountain droplets vs. cooling flows) have very different area vs. temperature distributions which can often be characterized by simple power laws. Furthermore different composition magmas have significantly different upper limit cutoff temperatures. In order to test these models in August 2016 and May 2017 we obtained spatially resolved observations of spreading Kilauea pahoehoe flows and fire fountains using a three-wavelength near-infrared prototype camera system. We have measured the area vs. temperature distribution for the flows and find that over a relatively broad temperature range the distribution does follow a power law matching the theoretical predictions. As one approaches the solidus temperature the observed area drops below the simple model predictions by an amount that seems to vary inversely with the vigor of the spreading rate. At these highest temperatures the simple models are probably inadequate. It appears necessary to model the visco-elastic stretching of the very thin crust which covers even the most recently formed surfaces. That deviation between observations and the simple models may be particularly important when using such remote sensing observations to determine magma eruption temperatures.

A simple model for closure temperature of a trace element in cooling bi-mineralic systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liang, Yan

2015-09-01

Closure temperature is defined as the lower temperature limit at which the element of interest effectively ceases diffusive exchange with its surrounding medium during cooling. Here we generalize the classic equation of Dodson (1973) for cooling mono-mineralic systems to cooling bi-mineralic aggregates by considering diffusive exchange of a trace element between the two minerals in a closed system. We present a simple analytical model that includes key parameters affecting the closure temperature of a trace element in cooling bi-mineralic systems: cooling rate, temperature-dependent diffusion coefficients for the trace element in the two minerals, temperature-dependent partition coefficient of the trace element between the two minerals, effective grain sizes of the two minerals, and volume proportions of the minerals in the system. We show that closure temperatures of a trace element in cooling bi-mineralic systems are bounded by the closure temperatures of the trace element in the two mono-mineralic systems and that our generalized model reduces to Dodson's equation when one of the mineral serves as "an effective infinite" reservoir to the other mineral. Application to closure temperatures of REE in orthopyroxene and clinopyroxene bi-mineralic systems highlights the importance of REE diffusion and partitioning in the pyroxenes as well as clinopyroxene modal abundance and grain size in the systems. Closure temperatures for REE in two-pyroxene bearing equigranular rocks are controlled primarily by diffusion in orthopyroxene unless the modal abundance of clinopyroxene is very small. This has important bearings on the interpretation of temperatures derived from the REE-in-two-pyroxene thermometer.

Complex Autocatalysis in Simple Chemistries.

PubMed

Virgo, Nathaniel; Ikegami, Takashi; McGregor, Simon

2016-01-01

Life on Earth must originally have arisen from abiotic chemistry. Since the details of this chemistry are unknown, we wish to understand, in general, which types of chemistry can lead to complex, lifelike behavior. Here we show that even very simple chemistries in the thermodynamically reversible regime can self-organize to form complex autocatalytic cycles, with the catalytic effects emerging from the network structure. We demonstrate this with a very simple but thermodynamically reasonable artificial chemistry model. By suppressing the direct reaction from reactants to products, we obtain the simplest kind of autocatalytic cycle, resulting in exponential growth. When these simple first-order cycles are prevented from forming, the system achieves superexponential growth through more complex, higher-order autocatalytic cycles. This leads to nonlinear phenomena such as oscillations and bistability, the latter of which is of particular interest regarding the origins of life.

A systems approach to theoretical fluid mechanics: Fundamentals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anyiwo, J. C.

1978-01-01

A preliminary application of the underlying principles of the investigator's general system theory to the description and analyses of the fluid flow system is presented. An attempt is made to establish practical models, or elements of the general fluid flow system from the point of view of the general system theory fundamental principles. Results obtained are applied to a simple experimental fluid flow system, as test case, with particular emphasis on the understanding of fluid flow instability, transition and turbulence.

The ABLe change framework: a conceptual and methodological tool for promoting systems change.

PubMed

Foster-Fishman, Pennie G; Watson, Erin R

2012-06-01

This paper presents a new approach to the design and implementation of community change efforts like a System of Care. Called the ABLe Change Framework, the model provides simultaneous attention to the content and process of the work, ensuring effective implementation and the pursuit of systems change. Three key strategies are employed in this model to ensure the integration of content and process efforts and effective mobilization of broad scale systems change: Systemic Action Learning Teams, Simple Rules, and Small Wins. In this paper we describe the ABLe Change Framework and present a case study in which we successfully applied this approach to one system of care effort in Michigan.

Interactive computation of coverage regions for indoor wireless communication

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abbott, A. Lynn; Bhat, Nitin; Rappaport, Theodore S.

1995-12-01

This paper describes a system which assists in the strategic placement of rf base stations within buildings. Known as the site modeling tool (SMT), this system allows the user to display graphical floor plans and to select base station transceiver parameters, including location and orientation, interactively. The system then computes and highlights estimated coverage regions for each transceiver, enabling the user to assess the total coverage within the building. For single-floor operation, the user can choose between distance-dependent and partition- dependent path-loss models. Similar path-loss models are also available for the case of multiple floors. This paper describes the method used by the system to estimate coverage for both directional and omnidirectional antennas. The site modeling tool is intended to be simple to use by individuals who are not experts at wireless communication system design, and is expected to be very useful in the specification of indoor wireless systems.

Application of simple adaptive control to water hydraulic servo cylinder system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ito, Kazuhisa; Yamada, Tsuyoshi; Ikeo, Shigeru; Takahashi, Koji

2012-09-01

Although conventional model reference adaptive control (MRAC) achieves good tracking performance for cylinder control, the controller structure is much more complicated and has less robustness to disturbance in real applications. This paper discusses the use of simple adaptive control (SAC) for positioning a water hydraulic servo cylinder system. Compared with MRAC, SAC has a simpler and lower order structure, i.e., higher feasibility. The control performance of SAC is examined and evaluated on a water hydraulic servo cylinder system. With the recent increased concerns over global environmental problems, the water hydraulic technique using pure tap water as a pressure medium has become a new drive source comparable to electric, oil hydraulic, and pneumatic drive systems. This technique is also preferred because of its high power density, high safety against fire hazards in production plants, and easy availability. However, the main problems for precise control in a water hydraulic system are steady state errors and overshoot due to its large friction torque and considerable leakage flow. MRAC has been already applied to compensate for these effects, and better control performances have been obtained. However, there have been no reports on the application of SAC for water hydraulics. To make clear the merits of SAC, the tracking control performance and robustness are discussed based on experimental results. SAC is confirmed to give better tracking performance compared with PI control, and a control precision comparable to MRAC (within 10 μm of the reference position) and higher robustness to parameter change, despite the simple controller. The research results ensure a wider application of simple adaptive control in real mechanical systems.

Colloidal membranes: The rich confluence of geometry and liquid crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaplan, Cihan Nadir

A simple and experimentally realizable model system of chiral symmetry breaking is liquid-crystalline monolayers of aligned, identical hard rods. In these materials, tuning the chirality at the molecular level affects the geometry at systems level, thereby inducing a myriad of morphological transitions. This thesis presents theoretical studies motivated by the rich phenomenology of these colloidal monolayers. High molecular chirality leads to assemblages of rods exhibiting macroscopic handedness. In the first part we consider one such geometry, twisted ribbons, which are minimal surfaces to a double helix. By employing a theoretical approach that combines liquid-crystalline order with the preferred shape, we focus on the phase transition from simple flat monolayers to these twisted structures. In these monolayers, regions of broken chiral symmetry nucleate at the interfaces, as in a chiral smectic A sample. The second part particularly focuses on the detailed structure and thermodynamic stability of two types of observed interfaces, the monolayer edge and domain walls in simple flat monolayers. Both the edge and "twist-walls" are quasi-one-dimensional bands of molecular twist deformations dictated by local chiral interactions and surface energy considerations. We develop a unified theory of these interfaces by utilizing the de Gennes framework accompanied by appropriate surface energy terms. The last part turns to colloidal "cookies", which form in mixtures of rods with opposite handedness. These elegant structures are essentially flat monolayers surrounded by an array of local, three dimensional cusp defects. We reveal the thermodynamic and structural characteristics of cookies. Furthermore, cookies provide us with a simple relation to determine the intrinsic curvature modulus of our model system, an important constant associated with topological properties of membranes. Our results may have impacts on a broader class of soft thin films.

Prediction of the dollar to the ruble rate. A system-theoretic approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borodachev, Sergey M.

2017-07-01

Proposed a simple state-space model of dollar rate formation based on changes in oil prices and some mechanisms of money transfer between monetary and stock markets. Comparison of predictions by means of input-output model and state-space model is made. It concludes that with proper use of statistical data (Kalman filter) the second approach provides more adequate predictions of the dollar rate.

Detection of unknown targets from aerial camera and extraction of simple object fingerprints for the purpose of target reacquisition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mundhenk, T. Nathan; Ni, Kang-Yu; Chen, Yang; Kim, Kyungnam; Owechko, Yuri

2012-01-01

An aerial multiple camera tracking paradigm needs to not only spot unknown targets and track them, but also needs to know how to handle target reacquisition as well as target handoff to other cameras in the operating theater. Here we discuss such a system which is designed to spot unknown targets, track them, segment the useful features and then create a signature fingerprint for the object so that it can be reacquired or handed off to another camera. The tracking system spots unknown objects by subtracting background motion from observed motion allowing it to find targets in motion, even if the camera platform itself is moving. The area of motion is then matched to segmented regions returned by the EDISON mean shift segmentation tool. Whole segments which have common motion and which are contiguous to each other are grouped into a master object. Once master objects are formed, we have a tight bound on which to extract features for the purpose of forming a fingerprint. This is done using color and simple entropy features. These can be placed into a myriad of different fingerprints. To keep data transmission and storage size low for camera handoff of targets, we try several different simple techniques. These include Histogram, Spatiogram and Single Gaussian Model. These are tested by simulating a very large number of target losses in six videos over an interval of 1000 frames each from the DARPA VIVID video set. Since the fingerprints are very simple, they are not expected to be valid for long periods of time. As such, we test the shelf life of fingerprints. This is how long a fingerprint is good for when stored away between target appearances. Shelf life gives us a second metric of goodness and tells us if a fingerprint method has better accuracy over longer periods. In videos which contain multiple vehicle occlusions and vehicles of highly similar appearance we obtain a reacquisition rate for automobiles of over 80% using the simple single Gaussian model compared with the null hypothesis of <20%. Additionally, the performance for fingerprints stays well above the null hypothesis for as much as 800 frames. Thus, a simple and highly compact single Gaussian model is useful for target reacquisition. Since the model is agnostic to view point and object size, it is expected to perform as well on a test of target handoff. Since some of the performance degradation is due to problems with the initial target acquisition and tracking, the simple Gaussian model may perform even better with an improved initial acquisition technique. Also, since the model makes no assumption about the object to be tracked, it should be possible to use it to fingerprint a multitude of objects, not just cars. Further accuracy may be obtained by creating manifolds of objects from multiple samples.

Dosimetry in x-ray-based breast imaging

PubMed Central

Dance, David R; Sechopoulos, Ioannis

2016-01-01

The estimation of the mean glandular dose to the breast (MGD) for x-ray based imaging modalities forms an essential part of quality control and is needed for risk estimation and for system design and optimisation. This review considers the development of methods for estimating the MGD for mammography, digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) and dedicated breast CT (DBCT). Almost all of the methodology used employs Monte Carlo calculated conversion factors to relate the measurable quantity, generally the incident air kerma, to the MGD. After a review of the size and composition of the female breast, the various mathematical models used are discussed, with particular emphasis on models for mammography. These range from simple geometrical shapes, to the more recent complex models based on patient DBCT examinations. The possibility of patient-specific dose estimates is considered as well as special diagnostic views and the effect of breast implants. Calculations using the complex models show that the MGD for mammography is overestimated by about 30% when the simple models are used. The design and uses of breast-simulating test phantoms for measuring incident air kerma are outlined and comparisons made between patient and phantom-based dose estimates. The most widely used national and international dosimetry protocols for mammography are based on different simple geometrical models of the breast, and harmonisation of these protocols using more complex breast models is desirable. PMID:27617767

Dosimetry in x-ray-based breast imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dance, David R.; Sechopoulos, Ioannis

2016-10-01

The estimation of the mean glandular dose to the breast (MGD) for x-ray based imaging modalities forms an essential part of quality control and is needed for risk estimation and for system design and optimisation. This review considers the development of methods for estimating the MGD for mammography, digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) and dedicated breast CT (DBCT). Almost all of the methodology used employs Monte Carlo calculated conversion factors to relate the measurable quantity, generally the incident air kerma, to the MGD. After a review of the size and composition of the female breast, the various mathematical models used are discussed, with particular emphasis on models for mammography. These range from simple geometrical shapes, to the more recent complex models based on patient DBCT examinations. The possibility of patient-specific dose estimates is considered as well as special diagnostic views and the effect of breast implants. Calculations using the complex models show that the MGD for mammography is overestimated by about 30% when the simple models are used. The design and uses of breast-simulating test phantoms for measuring incident air kerma are outlined and comparisons made between patient and phantom-based dose estimates. The most widely used national and international dosimetry protocols for mammography are based on different simple geometrical models of the breast, and harmonisation of these protocols using more complex breast models is desirable.

A simple, semi-prescriptive self-assessment model for TQM.

PubMed

Warwood, Stephen; Antony, Jiju

2003-01-01

This article presents a simple, semi-prescriptive self-assessment model for use in industry as part of a continuous improvement program such as Total Quality Management (TQM). The process by which the model was constructed started with a review of the available literature in order to research TQM success factors. Next, postal surveys were conducted by sending questionnaires to the winning organisations of the Baldrige and European Quality Awards and to a preselected group of enterprising UK organisations. From the analysis of this data, the self-assessment model was constructed to help organisations in their quest for excellence. This work confirmed the findings from the literature, that there are key factors that contribute to the successful implementation of TQM and these have different levels of importance. These key factors, in order of importance, are: effective leadership, the impact of other quality-related programs, measurement systems, organisational culture, education and training, the use of teams, efficient communications, active empowerment of the workforce, and a systems infrastructure to support the business and customer-focused processes. This analysis, in turn, enabled the design of a self-assessment model that can be applied within any business setting. Further work should include the testing and review of this model to ascertain its suitability and effectiveness within industry today.

Mixing coarse-grained and fine-grained water in molecular dynamics simulations of a single system.

PubMed

Riniker, Sereina; van Gunsteren, Wilfred F

2012-07-28

The use of a supra-molecular coarse-grained (CG) model for liquid water as solvent in molecular dynamics simulations of biomolecules represented at the fine-grained (FG) atomic level of modelling may reduce the computational effort by one or two orders of magnitude. However, even if the pure FG model and the pure CG model represent the properties of the particular substance of interest rather well, their application in a hybrid FG/CG system containing varying ratios of FG versus CG particles is highly non-trivial, because it requires an appropriate balance between FG-FG, FG-CG, and CG-CG energies, and FG and CG entropies. Here, the properties of liquid water are used to calibrate the FG-CG interactions for the simple-point-charge water model at the FG level and a recently proposed supra-molecular water model at the CG level that represents five water molecules by one CG bead containing two interaction sites. Only two parameters are needed to reproduce different thermodynamic and dielectric properties of liquid water at physiological temperature and pressure for various mole fractions of CG water in FG water. The parametrisation strategy for the FG-CG interactions is simple and can be easily transferred to interactions between atomistic biomolecules and CG water.

Analyzing inflammatory response as excitable media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yde, Pernille; Høgh Jensen, Mogens; Trusina, Ala

2011-11-01

The regulatory system of the transcription factor NF-κB plays a great role in many cell functions, including inflammatory response. Interestingly, the NF-κB system is known to up-regulate production of its own triggering signal—namely, inflammatory cytokines such as TNF, IL-1, and IL-6. In this paper we investigate a previously presented model of the NF-κB, which includes both spatial effects and the positive feedback from cytokines. The model exhibits the properties of an excitable medium and has the ability to propagate waves of high cytokine concentration. These waves represent an optimal way of sending an inflammatory signal through the tissue as they create a chemotactic signal able to recruit neutrophils to the site of infection. The simple model displays three qualitatively different states; low stimuli leads to no or very little response. Intermediate stimuli leads to reoccurring waves of high cytokine concentration. Finally, high stimuli leads to a sustained high cytokine concentration, a scenario which is toxic for the tissue cells and corresponds to chronic inflammation. Due to the few variables of the simple model, we are able to perform a phase-space analysis leading to a detailed understanding of the functional form of the model and its limitations. The spatial effects of the model contribute to the robustness of the cytokine wave formation and propagation.

A new system model for radar polarimeters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Freeman, Anthony

1991-01-01

The validity of the 2 x 2 receive R and transmit T model for radar polarimeter systems, first proposed by Zebker et al. (1987), is questioned. The model is found to be invalid for many practical realizations of radar polarimeters, which can lead to significant errors in the calibration of polarimetric radar images. A more general model is put forward, which addresses the system defects which cause the 2 x 2 model to break down. By measuring one simple parameter from a polarimetric active radar calibration (PARC), it is possible to transform the scattering matrix measurements made by a radar polarimeter to a format compatible with a 2 x 2 R and T matrix model. Alternatively, the PARC can be used to verify the validity of the 2 x 2 model for any polarimetric radar system. Recommendations for the use of PARCs in polarimetric calibration and to measure the orientation angle of the horizontal (H) and vertical (V) coordinate system are also presented.

A new system model for radar polarimeters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Freeman, Anthony

1991-09-01

The validity of the 2 x 2 receive R and transmit T model for radar polarimeter systems, first proposed by Zebker et al. (1987), is questioned. The model is found to be invalid for many practical realizations of radar polarimeters, which can lead to significant errors in the calibration of polarimetric radar images. A more general model is put forward, which addresses the system defects which cause the 2 x 2 model to break down. By measuring one simple parameter from a polarimetric active radar calibration (PARC), it is possible to transform the scattering matrix measurements made by a radar polarimeter to a format compatible with a 2 x 2 R and T matrix model. Alternatively, the PARC can be used to verify the validity of the 2 x 2 model for any polarimetric radar system. Recommendations for the use of PARCs in polarimetric calibration and to measure the orientation angle of the horizontal (H) and vertical (V) coordinate system are also presented.

Parachute Models Used in the Mars Science Laboratory Entry, Descent, and Landing Simulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cruz, Juan R.; Way, David W.; Shidner, Jeremy D.; Davis, Jody L.; Powell, Richard W.; Kipp, Devin M.; Adams, Douglas S.; Witkowski, Al; Kandis, Mike

2013-01-01

An end-to-end simulation of the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) entry, descent, and landing (EDL) sequence was created at the NASA Langley Research Center using the Program to Optimize Simulated Trajectories II (POST2). This simulation is capable of providing numerous MSL system and flight software responses, including Monte Carlo-derived statistics of these responses. The MSL POST2 simulation includes models of EDL system elements, including those related to the parachute system. Among these there are models for the parachute geometry, mass properties, deployment, inflation, opening force, area oscillations, aerodynamic coefficients, apparent mass, interaction with the main landing engines, and off-loading. These models were kept as simple as possible, considering the overall objectives of the simulation. The main purpose of this paper is to describe these parachute system models to the extent necessary to understand how they work and some of their limitations. A list of lessons learned during the development of the models and simulation is provided. Future improvements to the parachute system models are proposed.

Simple algorithm for improved security in the FDDI protocol

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lundy, G. M.; Jones, Benjamin

1993-02-01

We propose a modification to the Fiber Distributed Data Interface (FDDI) protocol based on a simple algorithm which will improve confidential communication capability. This proposed modification provides a simple and reliable system which exploits some of the inherent security properties in a fiber optic ring network. This method differs from conventional methods in that end to end encryption can be facilitated at the media access control sublayer of the data link layer in the OSI network model. Our method is based on a variation of the bit stream cipher method. The transmitting station takes the intended confidential message and uses a simple modulo two addition operation against an initialization vector. The encrypted message is virtually unbreakable without the initialization vector. None of the stations on the ring will have access to both the encrypted message and the initialization vector except the transmitting and receiving stations. The generation of the initialization vector is unique for each confidential transmission and thus provides a unique approach to the key distribution problem. The FDDI protocol is of particular interest to the military in terms of LAN/MAN implementations. Both the Army and the Navy are considering the standard as the basis for future network systems. A simple and reliable security mechanism with the potential to support realtime communications is a necessary consideration in the implementation of these systems. The proposed method offers several advantages over traditional methods in terms of speed, reliability, and standardization.

A geometric modeler based on a dual-geometry representation polyhedra and rational b-splines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Klosterman, A. L.

1984-01-01

For speed and data base reasons, solid geometric modeling of large complex practical systems is usually approximated by a polyhedra representation. Precise parametric surface and implicit algebraic modelers are available but it is not yet practical to model the same level of system complexity with these precise modelers. In response to this contrast the GEOMOD geometric modeling system was built so that a polyhedra abstraction of the geometry would be available for interactive modeling without losing the precise definition of the geometry. Part of the reason that polyhedra modelers are effective is that all bounded surfaces can be represented in a single canonical format (i.e., sets of planar polygons). This permits a very simple and compact data structure. Nonuniform rational B-splines are currently the best representation to describe a very large class of geometry precisely with one canonical format. The specific capabilities of the modeler are described.

Comparison of rigorous and simple vibrational models for the CO2 gasdynamic laser

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Monson, D. J.

1977-01-01

The accuracy of a simple vibrational model for computing the gain in a CO2 gasdynamic laser is assessed by comparing results computed from it with results computed from a rigorous vibrational model. The simple model is that of Anderson et al. (1971), in which the vibrational kinetics are modeled by grouping the nonequilibrium vibrational degrees of freedom into two modes, to each of which there corresponds an equation describing vibrational relaxation. The two models agree fairly well in the computed gain at low temperatures, but the simple model predicts too high a gain at the higher temperatures of current interest. The sources of error contributing to the overestimation given by the simple model are determined by examining the simplified relaxation equations.

Relativistic Few-Body Hadronic Physics Calculations

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

Polyzou, Wayne

2016-06-20

The goal of this research proposal was to use ``few-body'' methods to understand the structure and reactions of systems of interacting hadrons (neutrons, protons, mesons, quarks) over a broad range of energy scales. Realistic mathematical models of few-hadron systems have the advantage that they are sufficiently simple that they can be solved with mathematically controlled errors. These systems are also simple enough that it is possible to perform complete accurate experimental measurements on these systems. Comparison between theory and experiment puts strong constraints on the structure of the models. Even though these systems are ``simple'', both the experiments and computationsmore » push the limits of technology. The important property of ``few-body'' systems is that the ``cluster property'' implies that the interactions that appear in few-body systems are identical to the interactions that appear in complicated many-body systems. Of particular interest are models that correctly describe physics at distance scales that are sensitive to the internal structure of the individual nucleons. The Heisenberg uncertainty principle implies that in order to be sensitive to physics on distance scales that are a fraction of the proton or neutron radius, a relativistic treatment of quantum mechanics is necessary. The research supported by this grant involved 30 years of effort devoted to studying all aspects of interacting two and three-body systems. Realistic interactions were used to compute bound states of two- and three-nucleon, and two- and three-quark systems. Scattering observables for these systems were computed for a broad range of energies - from zero energy scattering to few GeV scattering, where experimental evidence of sub-nucleon degrees of freedom is beginning to appear. Benchmark calculations were produced, which when compared with calculations of other groups provided an essential check on these complicated calculations. In addition to computing bound state properties and scattering cross section, we also computed electron scattering cross sections in few-nucleon and few-quark systems, which are sensitive to the electric currents in these systems. We produced the definitive review on article on relativistic quantum mechanics, which and been used by many groups. In addition we developed and tested many computational techniques are used by other groups. Many of these techniques have applications in other areas of physics. The research benefited by collaborations with physicists from many different institutions and countries. It also involved working with seventeen undergraduate and graduate students.« less

Photometric studies of Saturn's ring and eclipses of the Galilean satellites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brunk, W. E.

1972-01-01

Reliable data defining the photometric function of the Saturn ring system at visual wavelengths are interpreted in terms of a simple scattering model. To facilitate the analysis, new photographic photometry of the ring has been carried out and homogeneous measurements of the mean surface brightness are presented. The ring model adopted is a plane parallel slab of isotropically scattering particles; the single scattering albedo and the perpendicular optical thickness are both arbitrary. Results indicate that primary scattering is inadequate to describe the photometric properties of the ring: multiple scattering predominates for all angles of tilt with respect to the Sun and earth. In addition, the scattering phase function of the individual particles is significantly anisotropic: they scatter preferentially towards the sun. Photoelectric photometry of Ganymede during its eclipse by Jupiter indicate that neither a simple reflecting-layer model nor a semi-infinite homogeneous scattering model provides an adequate physical description of the Jupiter atmosphere.

Disordered Supersolids in the Extended Bose-Hubbard Model

DOE PAGES

Lin, Fei; Maier, T. A.; Scarola, V. W.

2017-10-06

The extended Bose-Hubbard model captures the essential properties of a wide variety of physical systems including ultracold atoms and molecules in optical lattices, Josephson junction arrays, and certain narrow band superconductors. It exhibits a rich phase diagram including a supersolid phase where a lattice solid coexists with a superfluid. We use quantum Monte Carlo to study the supersolid part of the phase diagram of the extended Bose-Hubbard model on the simple cubic lattice. We add disorder to the extended Bose-Hubbard model and find that the maximum critical temperature for the supersolid phase tends to be suppressed by disorder. But wemore » also find a narrow parameter window in which the supersolid critical temperature is enhanced by disorder. Our results show that supersolids survive a moderate amount of spatial disorder and thermal fluctuations in the simple cubic lattice.« less

A simple tectonic model for crustal accretion in the Slave Province: A 2.7-2.5 Ga granite greenstone terrane

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoffman, P. F.

1986-01-01

A prograding (direction unspecified) trench-arc system is favored as a simple yet comprehensive model for crustal generation in a 250,000 sq km granite-greenstone terrain. The model accounts for the evolutionary sequence of volcanism, sedimentation, deformation, metamorphism and plutonism, observed througout the Slave province. Both unconformable (trench inner slope) and subconformable (trench outer slope) relations between the volcanics and overlying turbidities; and the existence of relatively minor amounts of pre-greenstone basement (microcontinents) and syn-greenstone plutons (accreted arc roots) are explained. Predictions include: a varaiable gap between greenstone volcanism and trench turbidite sedimentation (accompanied by minor volcanism) and systematic regional variations in age span of volcanism and plutonism. Implications of the model will be illustrated with reference to a 1:1 million scale geological map of the Slave Province (and its bounding 1.0 Ga orogens).

Linking hygroscopicity and the surface microstructure of model inorganic salts, simple and complex carbohydrates, and authentic sea spray aerosol particles.

PubMed

Estillore, Armando D; Morris, Holly S; Or, Victor W; Lee, Hansol D; Alves, Michael R; Marciano, Meagan A; Laskina, Olga; Qin, Zhen; Tivanski, Alexei V; Grassian, Vicki H

2017-08-09

Individual airborne sea spray aerosol (SSA) particles show diversity in their morphologies and water uptake properties that are highly dependent on the biological, chemical, and physical processes within the sea subsurface and the sea surface microlayer. In this study, hygroscopicity data for model systems of organic compounds of marine origin mixed with NaCl are compared to data for authentic SSA samples collected in an ocean-atmosphere facility providing insights into the SSA particle growth, phase transitions and interactions with water vapor in the atmosphere. In particular, we combine single particle morphology analyses using atomic force microscopy (AFM) with hygroscopic growth measurements in order to provide important insights into particle hygroscopicity and the surface microstructure. For model systems, a range of simple and complex carbohydrates were studied including glucose, maltose, sucrose, laminarin, sodium alginate, and lipopolysaccharides. The measured hygroscopic growth was compared with predictions from the Extended-Aerosol Inorganics Model (E-AIM). It is shown here that the E-AIM model describes well the deliquescence transition and hygroscopic growth at low mass ratios but not as well for high ratios, most likely due to a high organic volume fraction. AFM imaging reveals that the equilibrium morphology of these single-component organic particles is amorphous. When NaCl is mixed with the organics, the particles adopt a core-shell morphology with a cubic NaCl core and the organics forming a shell similar to what is observed for the authentic SSA samples. The observation of such core-shell morphologies is found to be highly dependent on the salt to organic ratio and varies depending on the nature and solubility of the organic component. Additionally, single particle organic volume fraction AFM analysis of NaCl : glucose and NaCl : laminarin mixtures shows that the ratio of salt to organics in solution does not correspond exactly for individual particles - showing diversity within the ensemble of particles produced even for a simple two component system.