78,655 research outputs found
Improving search order for reachability testing in timed automata
Standard algorithms for reachability analysis of timed automata are sensitive
to the order in which the transitions of the automata are taken. To tackle this
problem, we propose a ranking system and a waiting strategy. This paper
discusses the reason why the search order matters and shows how a ranking
system and a waiting strategy can be integrated into the standard reachability
algorithm to alleviate and prevent the problem respectively. Experiments show
that the combination of the two approaches gives optimal search order on
standard benchmarks except for one example. This suggests that it should be
used instead of the standard BFS algorithm for reachability analysis of timed
automata
BICEP2 II: Experiment and Three-Year Data Set
We report on the design and performance of the BICEP2 instrument and on its
three-year data set. BICEP2 was designed to measure the polarization of the
cosmic microwave background (CMB) on angular scales of 1 to 5 degrees
(=40-200), near the expected peak of the B-mode polarization signature of
primordial gravitational waves from cosmic inflation. Measuring B-modes
requires dramatic improvements in sensitivity combined with exquisite control
of systematics. The BICEP2 telescope observed from the South Pole with a 26~cm
aperture and cold, on-axis, refractive optics. BICEP2 also adopted a new
detector design in which beam-defining slot antenna arrays couple to
transition-edge sensor (TES) bolometers, all fabricated on a common substrate.
The antenna-coupled TES detectors supported scalable fabrication and
multiplexed readout that allowed BICEP2 to achieve a high detector count of 500
bolometers at 150 GHz, giving unprecedented sensitivity to B-modes at degree
angular scales. After optimization of detector and readout parameters, BICEP2
achieved an instrument noise-equivalent temperature of 15.8 K sqrt(s). The
full data set reached Stokes Q and U map depths of 87.2 nK in square-degree
pixels (5.2 K arcmin) over an effective area of 384 square degrees within
a 1000 square degree field. These are the deepest CMB polarization maps at
degree angular scales to date. The power spectrum analysis presented in a
companion paper has resulted in a significant detection of B-mode polarization
at degree scales.Comment: 30 pages, 24 figure
Abridged Petri Nets
A new graphical framework, Abridged Petri Nets (APNs) is introduced for
bottom-up modeling of complex stochastic systems. APNs are similar to
Stochastic Petri Nets (SPNs) in as much as they both rely on component-based
representation of system state space, in contrast to Markov chains that
explicitly model the states of an entire system. In both frameworks, so-called
tokens (denoted as small circles) represent individual entities comprising the
system; however, SPN graphs contain two distinct types of nodes (called places
and transitions) with transitions serving the purpose of routing tokens among
places. As a result, a pair of place nodes in SPNs can be linked to each other
only via a transient stop, a transition node. In contrast, APN graphs link
place nodes directly by arcs (transitions), similar to state space diagrams for
Markov chains, and separate transition nodes are not needed.
Tokens in APN are distinct and have labels that can assume both discrete
values ("colors") and continuous values ("ages"), both of which can change
during simulation. Component interactions are modeled in APNs using triggers,
which are either inhibitors or enablers (the inhibitors' opposites).
Hierarchical construction of APNs rely on using stacks (layers) of submodels
with automatically matching color policies. As a result, APNs provide at least
the same modeling power as SPNs, but, as demonstrated by means of several
examples, the resulting models are often more compact and transparent,
therefore facilitating more efficient performance evaluation of complex
systems.Comment: 17 figure
Quantum memory for photons: I. Dark state polaritons
An ideal and reversible transfer technique for the quantum state between
light and metastable collective states of matter is presented and analyzed in
detail. The method is based on the control of photon propagation in coherently
driven 3-level atomic media, in which the group velocity is adiabatically
reduced to zero. Form-stable coupled excitations of light and matter
(``dark-state polaritons'') associated with the propagation of quantum fields
in Electromagnetically Induced Transparency are identified, their basic
properties discussed and their application for quantum memories for light
analyzed.Comment: 13 pages, 6 figures, paragraph on photon echo adde
Sterols sense swelling in lipid bilayers
In the mimetic membrane system of phosphatidylcholine bilayers, thickening
(pre-critical behavior, anomalous swelling) of the bilayers is observed, in the
vicinity of the main transition, which is non-linear with temperature. The
sterols cholesterol and androsten are used as sensors in a time-resolved
simultaneous small- and wide angle x-ray diffraction study to investigate the
cause of the thickening. We observe precritical behavior in the pure lipid
system, as well as with sterol concentrations less than 15%. To describe the
precritical behavior we introduce a theory of precritical phenomena.The good
temperature resolution of the data shows that a theory of the influence of
fluctuations needs modification. The main cause of the critical behavior
appears to be a changing hydration of the bilayer.Comment: 11 pages, 7 ps figures included, to appear in Phys.Rev.
SPDL Model Checking via Property-Driven State Space Generation
In this report we describe how both, memory and time requirements for stochastic model checking of SPDL (stochastic propositional dynamic logic) formulae can significantly be reduced. SPDL is the stochastic extension of the multi-modal program logic PDL.\ud
SPDL provides means to specify path-based properties with or without timing restrictions. Paths can be characterised by so-called programs, essentially regular expressions, where the executability can be made dependent on the validity of test formulae. For model-checking SPDL path formulae it is necessary to build a product transition system (PTS)\ud
between the system model and the program automaton belonging to the path formula that is to be verified.\ud
In many cases, this PTS can be drastically reduced during the model checking procedure, as the program restricts the number of potentially satisfying paths. Therefore, we propose an approach that directly generates the reduced PTS from a given SPA specification and an SPDL path formula.\ud
The feasibility of this approach is shown through a selection of case studies, which show enormous state space reductions, at no increase in generation time.\u
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