Courtesy as a Means to Coordinate

We investigate the problem of multi-agent coordination under rationality constraints. Specifically, role allocation, task assignment, resource allocation, etc. Inspired by human behavior, we propose a framework (CA^3NONY) that enables fast convergence to efficient and fair allocations based on a simple convention of courtesy. We prove that following such convention induces a strategy which constitutes an $\epsilon$-subgame-perfect equilibrium of the repeated allocation game with discounting. Simulation results highlight the effectiveness of CA^3NONY as compared to state-of-the-art bandit algorithms, since it achieves more than two orders of magnitude faster convergence, higher efficiency, fairness, and average payoff.Comment: Accepted at AAMAS 2019 (International Conference on Autonomous Agents and Multiagent Systems

CleanTX Analysis on the Smart Grid

The utility industry in the United States has an opportunity to revolutionize its electric grid system by utilizing emerging software, hardware and wireless technologies and renewable energy sources. As electricity generation in the U.S. increases by over 30% from today’s generation of 4,100 Terawatt hours per year to a production of 5,400 Terawatt hours per year by 2030, a new type of grid is necessary to ensure reliable and quality power. The projected U.S. population increase and economic growth will require a grid that can transmit and distribute significantly more power than it does today. Known as a Smart Grid, this system enables two- way transmission of electrons and information to create a demand-response system that will optimize electricity delivery to consumers. This paper outlines the issues with the current grid infrastructure, discusses the economic advantages of the Smart Grid for both consumers and utilities, and examines the emerging technologies that will enable cleaner, more efficient and cost- effective power transmission and consumption.IC2 Institut

The art and science of black hole mergers

The merger of two black holes is one of the most extraordinary events in the natural world. Made of pure gravity, the holes combine to form a single hole, emitting a strong burst of gravitational radiation. Ground-based detectors are currently searching for such bursts from holes formed in the evolution of binary stars, and indeed the very first gravitational wave event detected may well be a black-hole merger. The space-based LISA detector is being designed to search for such bursts from merging massive black holes in the centers of galaxies, events that would emit many thousands of solar masses of pure gravitational wave energy over a period of only a few minutes. To assist gravitational wave astronomers in their searches, and to be in a position to understand the details of what they see, numerical relativists are performing supercomputer simulations of these events. I review here the state of the art of these simulations, what we have learned from them so far, and what challenges remain before we have a full prediction of the waveforms to be expected from these events.Comment: 12 pages, 3 figures, Proceedings of "Growing Black Holes", Garching 21-25 June 200

Artificial reef monitoring in Florida coastal counties

This bulletin describes artificial reef monitoring programs in Florida. At least half the nation’s human-made marine reefs are estimated to be in Florida waters and high interest exists statewide among fishing, diving, governmental, economic and other stakeholders in the performance of these structures and the habitats that they create. Further, the level and breadth of activity in Florida makes it a bellwether, nationally and worldwide, for interests concerned with aquatic science, ecosystem management and environmental technology for habitat restoration or creation. Recent developments in Florida have prompted increased interest and effort in “monitoring” of reefs. These include extensive studies and disseminating results by the academic research community and the advent of governmental funding for monitoring projects in Florida counties. In response, this study was undertaken to gauge this growing field. Assessment of reef performance—including evaluation of how well they meet objectives for which they were created—has been a neglected subject in many areas of the world. More immediate issues of reef materials selection, siting and deployment usually take precedence in the short-term. A principal readership for this paper is the network of county-level organizations and individuals whose largely independent efforts, taken as a composite, make up much of the Florida reef “program.” Information presented here describes the extent and nature of reef monitoring in Florida counties, how data are managed and aspects of communication about reefs. (16pp.

Managing Invasive Species: How Much Do We Spend?

Invasive species: they’re along roadways and up mountain trails; they’re in lakes and along the coast; chances are they’re in your yard. You might not recognize them for what they are—plants or animals not native to Alaska, brought here accidentally or intentionally, crowding out local species. This problem is in the early stages here, compared with what has happened in other parts of the country. But a number of invasive species are already here, and scientists think more are on the way. These species can damage ecosystems and economies—so it’s important to understand their potential economic and other effects now, when it’s more feasible to remove or contain them. Here we summarize our analysis of what public and private groups spent to manage invasive species in Alaska from 2007 through 2011. This publication is a joint product of ISER and the Alaska SeaLife Center, and it provides the first look at economic effects of invasive species here. Our findings are based on a broad survey of agencies and organizations that deal with invasive species.1 The idea for the research came out of a working group formed to help minimize the effects of invasive species in Alaska.2 Several federal and state agencies and organizations funded the work (see back page).Prince William Sound Regional Citizens Advisory Council. The United States Fish and Wildlife Service. Ocean Alaska Science and Learning Center. Alaska Legislative Council. Bureau of Land Management

Kneadings, Symbolic Dynamics and Painting Lorenz Chaos. A Tutorial

A new computational technique based on the symbolic description utilizing kneading invariants is proposed and verified for explorations of dynamical and parametric chaos in a few exemplary systems with the Lorenz attractor. The technique allows for uncovering the stunning complexity and universality of bi-parametric structures and detect their organizing centers - codimension-two T-points and separating saddles in the kneading-based scans of the iconic Lorenz equation from hydrodynamics, a normal model from mathematics, and a laser model from nonlinear optics.Comment: Journal of Bifurcations and Chaos, 201