An analogue of the Narasimhan-Seshadri theorem and some applications

We prove an analogue in higher dimensions of the classical Narasimhan-Seshadri theorem for strongly stable vector bundles of degree 0 on a smooth projective variety $X$ with a fixed ample line bundle $\Theta$. As applications, over fields of characteristic zero, we give a new proof of the main theorem in a recent paper of Balaji and Koll\'ar and derive an effective version of this theorem; over uncountable fields of positive characteristics, if $G$ is a simple and simply connected algebraic group and the characteristic of the field is bigger than the Coxeter index of $G$, we prove the existence of strongly stable principal $G$ bundles on smooth projective surfaces whose holonomy group is the whole of $G$.Comment: 42 pages. Theorem 3 of this version is new. Typos have been corrected. To appear in Journal of Topolog

MOCZ for Blind Short-Packet Communication: Practical Aspects

We investigate practical aspects of a recently introduced blind (noncoherent) communication scheme, called modulation on conjugate-reciprocal zeros (MOCZ). MOCZ is suitable for a reliable transmission of sporadic and short-packets at ultra-low latency and high spectral efficiency via unknown multipath channels, which are assumed to be static over the receive duration of one packet. The information is modulated on the zeros of the transmitted discrete-time baseband signal’s z− transform. Because of ubiquitous impairments between the transmitter and receiver clocks, a carrier frequency offset occurs after down-conversion to the baseband. This results in a common rotation of the zeros. To identify fractional rotations of the base angle in the zero-pattern, we propose an oversampled direct zero-testing decoder to identify the most likely one. Integer rotations correspond to cyclic shifts of the binary message, which we determine by cyclically permutable codes (CPC). Additionally, the embedding of CPCs into cyclic codes, enables additive error-correction which reduces the bit-error-rate tremendously. Furthermore, we exploit the trident structure in the signal’s autocorrelation for an energy based detector to estimate timing offsets and the effective channel delay spread. We finally demonstrate how this joint data and channel estimation can be largely improved by receive antenna diversity at low SNR

Influence of Size and Location of a Thin Baffle on Natural Convection in a Vertical Annular Enclosure

This article reports the numerical study of natural convection in a differentially heated cylindrical annular enclosure with a thin baffle attached to inner wall. The inner and outer walls of the annulus are respectively maintained at higher and lower temperatures, whereas the top and bottom walls are thermally insulated. Using an implicit finite difference technique, the effects of baffle size and location on natural convection has been investigated for different Rayleigh numbers and radius ratios by fixing the Prandtl number at 0.707. Through the detailed numerical simulations, we have successfully captured the important effects of baffle size and location on the flow pattern and heat transfer rate. It has been found that the size and location of baffle modify the flow pattern and heat transfer rate in a completely different conducts. The numerical results corroborates that the average heat transfer rate increases with the Rayleigh number, radius ratio, baffle position; but decreases with baffle length. Further, it has been observed that it is possible to enhance or suppress the flow circulation and heat transfer rates by a proper choice of baffle size and location, and Rayleigh number

Source-channel coding for robust image transmission and for dirty-paper coding

In this dissertation, we studied two seemingly uncorrelated, but conceptually related problems in terms of source-channel coding: 1) wireless image transmission and 2) Costa ("dirty-paper") code design. In the first part of the dissertation, we consider progressive image transmission over a wireless system employing space-time coded OFDM. The space-time coded OFDM system based on a newly built broadband MIMO fading model is theoretically evaluated by assuming perfect channel state information (CSI) at the receiver for coherent detection. Then an adaptive modulation scheme is proposed to pick the constellation size that offers the best reconstructed image quality for each average signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). A more practical scenario is also considered without the assumption of perfect CSI. We employ low-complexity decision-feedback decoding for differentially space- time coded OFDM systems to exploit transmitter diversity. For JSCC, we adopt a product channel code structure that is proven to provide powerful error protection and bursty error correction. To further improve the system performance, we also apply the powerful iterative (turbo) coding techniques and propose the iterative decoding of differentially space-time coded multiple descriptions of images. The second part of the dissertation deals with practical dirty-paper code designs. We first invoke an information-theoretical interpretation of algebraic binning and motivate the code design guidelines in terms of source-channel coding. Then two dirty-paper code designs are proposed. The first is a nested turbo construction based on soft-output trellis-coded quantization (SOTCQ) for source coding and turbo trellis- coded modulation (TTCM) for channel coding. A novel procedure is devised to balance the dimensionalities of the equivalent lattice codes corresponding to SOTCQ and TTCM. The second dirty-paper code design employs TCQ and IRA codes for near-capacity performance. This is done by synergistically combining TCQ with IRA codes so that they work together as well as they do individually. Our TCQ/IRA design approaches the dirty-paper capacity limit at the low rate regime (e.g., < 1:0 bit/sample), while our nested SOTCQ/TTCM scheme provides the best performs so far at medium-to-high rates (e.g., >= 1:0 bit/sample). Thus the two proposed practical code designs are complementary to each other

MOCZ for Blind Short-Packet Communication: Practical Aspects

We investigate practical aspects of a recently introduced blind (noncoherent) communication scheme, called modulation on conjugate-reciprocal zeros (MOCZ). MOCZ is suitable for a reliable transmission of sporadic and short-packets at ultra-low latency and high spectral efficiency via unknown multipath channels, which are assumed to be static over the receive duration of one packet. The information is modulated on the zeros of the transmitted discrete-time baseband signal’s z− transform. Because of ubiquitous impairments between the transmitter and receiver clocks, a carrier frequency offset occurs after down-conversion to the baseband. This results in a common rotation of the zeros. To identify fractional rotations of the base angle in the zero-pattern, we propose an oversampled direct zero-testing decoder to identify the most likely one. Integer rotations correspond to cyclic shifts of the binary message, which we determine by cyclically permutable codes (CPC). Additionally, the embedding of CPCs into cyclic codes, enables additive error-correction which reduces the bit-error-rate tremendously. Furthermore, we exploit the trident structure in the signal’s autocorrelation for an energy based detector to estimate timing offsets and the effective channel delay spread. We finally demonstrate how this joint data and channel estimation can be largely improved by receive antenna diversity at low SNR

Investigating the Impacts of a Mathematics Word Problem Intervention on Student Perseverance, Solving Accuracy, and Self-Efficacy

Mathematical literacy and numeracy are critical for students during school and post-graduation, however, many U.S. students do not develop the mathematical skillset needed for college or the workplace, despite curricular importance placed on solving problems encountered in mathematics classrooms and spaces. Part of this skillset for critical thinking and analysis is the ability to successfully interpret and solve word problems. In an effort to increase proficiency in mathematics, through improving word problem solving ability, a schema- and cognitive-based intervention, Solve It!, was implemented with students, who historically performed below average on state assessments, enrolled in year-long Math I in a diverse, large, urban high school. The purpose of this study was to measure the effectiveness of the Solve It! instructional approach and in turn the usefulness of a schema- and cognitive-based mathematics word problem solving intervention for improvement in ability through accuracy, perseverance, and self-efficacy. This study employed a nonequivalent control group quasi-experimental design. Correlation and ANCOVA were used to assess effectiveness of Solve It!. The data collected were quantitative and included: student pre- and post-intervention test scores and maintenance test scores three months post-intervention to measure solution accuracy, teacher-monitored checklists to measure student problem-solving perseverance, and student scale survey results reporting self-efficacy. The student participants were compared to peers who were also in year-long Math I classes but not introduced to Solve It!. Data analysis showed that students who received the Solve It! intervention did not have statistically significant gains in accuracy as compared to students without the intervention. Significant correlation was not found between student perseverance and solution accuracy nor between student self-efficacy and solution accuracy while using the intervention. However, a significant correlation was found between perseverance and self-efficacy in both the control and intervention classes. Additionally, students who received the intervention had higher gains in accuracy, perseverance, and self-efficacy than those who did not receive the intervention. While these gains were not statistically significant the findings offer insight into why a schema- and cognitive-based word problem instructional methods may be employed in the mathematics classroom.Doctor of Educatio

Error control techniques for satellite and space communications

Two aspects of the work for NASA are examined: the construction of multi-dimensional phase modulation trellis codes and a performance analysis of these codes. A complete list is contained of all the best trellis codes for use with phase modulation. LxMPSK signal constellations are included for M = 4, 8, and 16 and L = 1, 2, 3, and 4. Spectral efficiencies range from 1 bit/channel symbol (equivalent to rate 1/2 coded QPSK) to 3.75 bits/channel symbol (equivalent to 15/16 coded 16-PSK). The parity check polynomials, rotational invariance properties, free distance, path multiplicities, and coding gains are given for all codes. These codes are considered to be the best candidates for implementation of a high speed decoder for satellite transmission. The design of a hardware decoder for one of these codes, viz., the 16-state 3x8-PSK code with free distance 4.0 and coding gain 3.75 dB is discussed. An exhaustive simulation study of the multi-dimensional phase modulation trellis codes is contained. This study was motivated by the fact that coding gains quoted for almost all codes found in literature are in fact only asymptotic coding gains, i.e., the coding gain at very high signal to noise ratios (SNRs) or very low BER. These asymptotic coding gains can be obtained directly from a knowledge of the free distance of the code. On the other hand, real coding gains at BERs in the range of 10(exp -2) to 10(exp -6), where these codes are most likely to operate in a concatenated system, must be done by simulation