5,305 research outputs found
A technique for 3-D robot vision for space applications
An extension of the MIAG algorithm for recognition and motion parameter determination of general 3-D polyhedral objects based on model matching techniques and using Moment Invariants as features of object representation is discussed. Results of tests conducted on the algorithm under conditions simulating space conditions are presented
PRS-Net: planar reflective symmetry detection net for 3D models
In geometry processing, symmetry is a universal type of high-level structural information of 3D models and beneïŹts many geometry processing tasks including shape segmentation, alignment, matching, and completion. Thus it is an important problem to analyze various symmetry forms of 3D shapes. Planar reïŹective symmetry is the most fundamental one. Traditional methods based on spatial sampling can be time-consuming and may not be able to identify all the symmetry planes. In this paper, we present a novel learning framework to automatically discover global planar reïŹective symmetry of a 3D shape. Our framework trains an unsupervised 3D convolutional neural network to extract global model features and then outputs possible global symmetry parameters, where input shapes are represented using voxels. We introduce a dedicated symmetry distance loss along with a regularization loss to avoid generating duplicated symmetry planes. Our network can also identify generalized cylinders by predicting their rotation axes. We further provide a method to remove invalid and duplicated planes and axes. We demonstrate that our method is able to produce reliable and accurate results. Our neural network based method is hundreds of times faster than the state-of-the-art methods, which are based on sampling. Our method is also robust even with noisy or incomplete input surfaces
Discrete isometry groups of symmetric spaces
This survey is based on a series of lectures that we gave at MSRI in Spring
2015 and on a series of papers, mostly written jointly with Joan Porti. Our
goal here is to:
1. Describe a class of discrete subgroups of higher rank
semisimple Lie groups, which exhibit some "rank 1 behavior".
2. Give different characterizations of the subclass of Anosov subgroups,
which generalize convex-cocompact subgroups of rank 1 Lie groups, in terms of
various equivalent dynamical and geometric properties (such as asymptotically
embedded, RCA, Morse, URU).
3. Discuss the topological dynamics of discrete subgroups on flag
manifolds associated to and Finsler compactifications of associated
symmetric spaces . Find domains of proper discontinuity and use them to
construct natural bordifications and compactifications of the locally symmetric
spaces .Comment: 77 page
Characteristic Evolution and Matching
I review the development of numerical evolution codes for general relativity
based upon the characteristic initial value problem. Progress in characteristic
evolution is traced from the early stage of 1D feasibility studies to 2D
axisymmetric codes that accurately simulate the oscillations and gravitational
collapse of relativistic stars and to current 3D codes that provide pieces of a
binary black hole spacetime. Cauchy codes have now been successful at
simulating all aspects of the binary black hole problem inside an artificially
constructed outer boundary. A prime application of characteristic evolution is
to extend such simulations to null infinity where the waveform from the binary
inspiral and merger can be unambiguously computed. This has now been
accomplished by Cauchy-characteristic extraction, where data for the
characteristic evolution is supplied by Cauchy data on an extraction worldtube
inside the artificial outer boundary. The ultimate application of
characteristic evolution is to eliminate the role of this outer boundary by
constructing a global solution via Cauchy-characteristic matching. Progress in
this direction is discussed.Comment: New version to appear in Living Reviews 2012. arXiv admin note:
updated version of arXiv:gr-qc/050809
Spacetime approach to force-free magnetospheres
Force-Free Electrodynamics (FFE) describes magnetically dominated
relativistic plasma via non-linear equations for the electromagnetic field
alone. Such plasma is thought to play a key role in the physics of pulsars and
active black holes. Despite its simple covariant formulation, FFE has primarily
been studied in 3+1 frameworks, where spacetime is split into space and time.
In this article we systematically develop the theory of force-free
magnetospheres taking a spacetime perspective. Using a suite of spacetime tools
and techniques (notably exterior calculus) we cover 1) the basics of the
theory, 2) exact solutions that demonstrate the extraction and transport of the
rotational energy of a compact object (in the case of a black hole, the
Blandford-Znajek mechanism), 3) the behavior of current sheets, 4) the general
theory of stationary, axisymmetric magnetospheres and 5) general properties of
pulsar and black hole magnetospheres. We thereby synthesize, clarify and
generalize known aspects of the physics of force-free magnetospheres, while
also introducing several new results.Comment: v2: numerous improvements; v3: further improvements, matches
published versio
Generic guide concepts for the European Spallation Source
The construction of the European Spallation Source (ESS) faces many
challenges from the neutron beam transport point of view: The spallation source
is specified as being driven by a 5 MW beam of protons, each with 2 GeV energy,
and yet the requirements in instrument background suppression relative to
measured signal vary between 10 and 10. The energetic particles,
particularly above 20 MeV, which are expected to be produced in abundance in
the target, have to be filtered in order to make the beamlines safe,
operational and provide good quality measurements with low background.
We present generic neutron guides of short and medium length instruments
which are optimized for good performance at minimal cost. Direct line of sight
to the source is avoided twice, with either the first point out of line of
sight or both being inside the bunker (20\,m) to minimize shielding costs.
These guide geometries are regarded as a baseline to define standards for
instruments to be constructed at ESS. They are used to find commonalities and
develop principles and solutions for common problems. Lastly, we report the
impact of employing the over-illumination concept to mitigate losses from
random misalignment passively, and that over-illumination should be used
sparingly in key locations to be effective. For more widespread alignment
issues, a more direct, active approach is likely to be needed
Self-force with (3+1) codes: a primer for numerical relativists
Prescriptions for numerical self-force calculations have traditionally been
designed for frequency-domain or (1+1) time-domain codes which employ a mode
decomposition to facilitate in carrying out a delicate regularization scheme.
This has prevented self-force analyses from benefiting from the powerful suite
of tools developed and used by numerical relativists for simulations of the
evolution of comparable-mass black hole binaries. In this work, we revisit a
previously-introduced (3+1) method for self-force calculations, and demonstrate
its viability by applying it to the test case of a scalar charge moving in a
circular orbit around a Schwarzschild black hole. Two (3+1) codes originally
developed for numerical relativity applications were independently employed,
and in each we were able to compute the two independent components of the
self-force and the energy flux correctly to within . We also demonstrate
consistency between -component of the self-force and the scalar energy flux.
Our results constitute the first successful calculation of a self-force in a
(3+1) framework, and thus open opportunities for the numerical relativity
community in self-force analyses and the perturbative modeling of
extreme-mass-ratio inspirals.Comment: 23 pages, 13 figure
The last gasps of VY CMa: Aperture synthesis and adaptive optics imagery
We present new observations of the red supergiant VY CMa at 1.25 micron, 1.65
micron, 2.26 micron, 3.08 micron and 4.8 micron. Two complementary
observational techniques were utilized: non-redundant aperture masking on the
10-m Keck-I telescope yielding images of the innermost regions at unprecedented
resolution, and adaptive optics imaging on the ESO 3.6-m telescope at La Silla
attaining extremely high (~10^5) peak-to-noise dynamic range over a wide field.
For the first time the inner dust shell has been resolved in the near-infrared
to reveal a one-sided extension of circumstellar emission within 0.1" (~15
R_star) of the star. The line-of-sight optical depths of the circumstellar dust
shell at 1.65 micron, 2.26 micron, and 3.08 micron have been estimated to be
1.86 +/- 0.42, 0.85 +/- 0.20, and 0.44 +/- 0.11. These new results allow the
bolometric luminosity of VY~CMa to be estimated independent of the dust shell
geometry, yielding L_star ~ 2x10^5 L_sun. A variety of dust condensations,
including a large scattering plume and a bow-shaped dust feature, were observed
in the faint, extended nebula up to 4" from the central source. While the
origin of the nebulous plume remains uncertain, a geometrical model is
developed assuming the plume is produced by radially-driven dust grains forming
at a rotating flow insertion point with a rotational period between 1200-4200
years, which is perhaps the stellar rotational period or the orbital period of
an unseen companion.Comment: 25 pages total with 1 table and 5 figures. Accepted by Astrophysical
Journal (to appear in February 1999
Recent mathematical developments in the Skyrme model
In this review we present a pedagogical introduction to recent, more
mathematical developments in the Skyrme model. Our aim is to render these
advances accessible to mainstream nuclear and particle physicists. We start
with the static sector and elaborate on geometrical aspects of the definition
of the model. Then we review the instanton method which yields an analytical
approximation to the minimum energy configuration in any sector of fixed baryon
number, as well as an approximation to the surfaces which join together all the
low energy critical points. We present some explicit results for B=2. We then
describe the work done on the multibaryon minima using rational maps, on the
topology of the configuration space and the possible implications of Morse
theory. Next we turn to recent work on the dynamics of Skyrmions. We focus
exclusively on the low energy interaction, specifically the gradient flow
method put forward by Manton. We illustrate the method with some expository toy
models. We end this review with a presentation of our own work on the
semi-classical quantization of nucleon states and low energy nucleon-nucleon
scattering.Comment: 129 pages, about 30 figures, original manuscript of published Physics
Report
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