16,940 research outputs found
Intrinsic Universality in Self-Assembly
We show that the Tile Assembly Model exhibits a strong notion of universality
where the goal is to give a single tile assembly system that simulates the
behavior of any other tile assembly system. We give a tile assembly system that
is capable of simulating a very wide class of tile systems, including itself.
Specifically, we give a tile set that simulates the assembly of any tile
assembly system in a class of systems that we call \emph{locally consistent}:
each tile binds with exactly the strength needed to stay attached, and that
there are no glue mismatches between tiles in any produced assembly.
Our construction is reminiscent of the studies of \emph{intrinsic
universality} of cellular automata by Ollinger and others, in the sense that
our simulation of a tile system by a tile system represents each tile
in an assembly produced by by a block of tiles in , where
is a constant depending on but not on the size of the assembly
produces (which may in fact be infinite). Also, our construction improves on
earlier simulations of tile assembly systems by other tile assembly systems (in
particular, those of Soloveichik and Winfree, and of Demaine et al.) in that we
simulate the actual process of self-assembly, not just the end result, as in
Soloveichik and Winfree's construction, and we do not discriminate against
infinite structures. Both previous results simulate only temperature 1 systems,
whereas our construction simulates tile assembly systems operating at
temperature 2
An Improved Shashlyk Calorimeter
Shashlyk electromagnetic calorimeter modules with an energy resolution of
about 3%/sqrt{E (GeV)} for 50-1000 MeV photons has been developed, and a
prototype tested. Details of these improved modules, including mechanical
construction, selection of wave shifting fibers and photo-detectors, and
development of a new scintillator with improved optical and mechanical
properties are described. How the modules will perform in a large calorimeter
was determined from prototype measurements. The experimentally determined
characteristics of the calorimeter prototype show energy resolution of
sigma_E/E=(1.96+-0.1)% \oplus (2.74+-0.05)%/sqrt{E}, time resolution of sigma_T
= (72+-4)/sqrt{E} \oplus (14+-2)/E (ps), where photon energy E is given in GeV
units and \oplus means a quadratic summation. A punch-through inefficiency of
photon detection was measured to be \epsilon = 5*10^{-5} (\Theta >5 mrad).Comment: 29 pages, 21 figure
Noncooperative algorithms in self-assembly
We show the first non-trivial positive algorithmic results (i.e. programs
whose output is larger than their size), in a model of self-assembly that has
so far resisted many attempts of formal analysis or programming: the planar
non-cooperative variant of Winfree's abstract Tile Assembly Model.
This model has been the center of several open problems and conjectures in
the last fifteen years, and the first fully general results on its
computational power were only proven recently (SODA 2014). These results, as
well as ours, exemplify the intricate connections between computation and
geometry that can occur in self-assembly.
In this model, tiles can stick to an existing assembly as soon as one of
their sides matches the existing assembly. This feature contrasts with the
general cooperative model, where it can be required that tiles match on
\emph{several} of their sides in order to bind.
In order to describe our algorithms, we also introduce a generalization of
regular expressions called Baggins expressions. Finally, we compare this model
to other automata-theoretic models.Comment: A few bug fixes and typo correction
A colour-excess extinction map of the southern Galactic disc from the VVV and GLIMPSE surveys
An improved high-resolution and deep A Ks foreground dust extinction map is presented for the Galactic disc area within 295◦ ≾ l ≾ 350◦, −1.0◦ ≾ b ≾ +1.0◦. At some longitudes the map reaches up to |b| ~ 2.25◦, for a total of ~148 deg 2. The map was constructed via the Rayleigh–Jeans colour excess (RJCE) technique based on deep near-infrared (NIR) and mid-infrared (MIR) photometry. The new extinction map features a maximum bin size of 1 arcmin, and relies on NIR observations from the Two Micron All-Sky Survey (2MASS) and new data from ESO’s Vista Variables in the Vía Láctea (VVV) survey, in concert with MIR observations from the Galactic Legacy Infrared Mid-Plane Survey Extraordinaire. The VVV photometry penetrates ~4 mag fainter than 2MASS, and provides enhanced sampling of the underlying stellar populations in this heavily obscured region. Consequently, the new results supersede existing RJCE maps tied solely to brighter photometry, revealing a systematic underestimation of extinction in prior work that was based on shallower data. The new high-resolution and large-scale extinction map presented here is readily available to the community through a web query interface.Peer reviewe
Flaw Selection Strategies for Partial-Order Planning
Several recent studies have compared the relative efficiency of alternative
flaw selection strategies for partial-order causal link (POCL) planning. We
review this literature, and present new experimental results that generalize
the earlier work and explain some of the discrepancies in it. In particular, we
describe the Least-Cost Flaw Repair (LCFR) strategy developed and analyzed by
Joslin and Pollack (1994), and compare it with other strategies, including
Gerevini and Schubert's (1996) ZLIFO strategy. LCFR and ZLIFO make very
different, and apparently conflicting claims about the most effective way to
reduce search-space size in POCL planning. We resolve this conflict, arguing
that much of the benefit that Gerevini and Schubert ascribe to the LIFO
component of their ZLIFO strategy is better attributed to other causes. We show
that for many problems, a strategy that combines least-cost flaw selection with
the delay of separable threats will be effective in reducing search-space size,
and will do so without excessive computational overhead. Although such a
strategy thus provides a good default, we also show that certain domain
characteristics may reduce its effectiveness.Comment: See http://www.jair.org/ for an online appendix and other files
accompanying this articl
Fermi LAT observations of cosmic-ray electrons from 7 GeV to 1 TeV
We present the results of our analysis of cosmic-ray electrons using about 8
million electron candidates detected in the first 12 months on-orbit by the
Fermi Large Area Telescope. This work extends our previously-published
cosmic-ray electron spectrum down to 7 GeV, giving a spectral range of
approximately 2.5 decades up to 1 TeV. We describe in detail the analysis and
its validation using beam-test and on-orbit data. In addition, we describe the
spectrum measured via a subset of events selected for the best energy
resolution as a cross-check on the measurement using the full event sample. Our
electron spectrum can be described with a power law with no prominent spectral features within systematic uncertainties.
Within the limits of our uncertainties, we can accommodate a slight spectral
hardening at around 100 GeV and a slight softening above 500 GeV.Comment: 20 pages, 23 figures, 2 tables, published in Physical Review D 82,
092004 (2010) - contact authors: C. Sgro', A. Moisee
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