Small Data Archives and Libraries

Preservation is important for documenting original observations, and existing data are an important resource which can be re-used. Observatories should set up electronic data archives and formulate archiving policies. VO (Virtual Observatory) compliance is desirable; even if this is not possible, at least some VO ideas should be applied. Data archives should be visible and their data kept on-line. Metadata should be plentiful, and as standard as possible, just like file formats. Literature and data should be cross-linked. Libraries can play an important role in this process. In this paper, we discuss data archiving for small projects and observatories. We review the questions of digitization, cost factors, manpower, organizational structure and more

Small data global regularity for half-wave maps

We formulate the half-wave maps problem with target $S^2$ and prove global regularity in sufficiently high spatial dimensions for a class of small critical data in Besov spaces

Neural nets - their use and abuse for small data sets

Neural nets can be used for non-linear classification and regression models. They have a big advantage over conventional statistical tools in that it is not necessary to assume any mathematical form for the functional relationship between the variables. However, they also have a few associated problems chief of which are probably the risk of over-parametrization in the absence of P-values, the lack of appropriate diagnostic tools and the difficulties associated with model interpretation. The first of these problems is particularly important in the case of small data sets. These problems are investigated in the context of real market research data involving non-linear regression and discriminant analysis. In all cases we compare the results of the non-linear neural net models with those of conventional linear statistical methods. Our conclusion is that the theory and software for neural networks has some way to go before the above problems will be solved

The lifespan of small data solutions to the KP-I

We show that for small, localized initial data there exists a global solution to the KP-I equation in a Galilean-invariant space using the method of testing by wave packets.Comment: 20 pages, minor update