Non-Markovian Agent Evolution with EVOLP

Logic Programming Update Languages were proposed as an extension of logic programming, which allow for modelling the dynamics of knowledge bases where both extensional knowledge (facts) as well as intentional knowledge (rules) may change over time due to updates, with important application Multi-Agent Systems (MAS). Despite their generality, these languages do not provide means to directly access past states of the evolving knowledge. They only allow for so-called Markovian changes i.e. changes determined entirely by the current state. This is a drawback in several situation. In this paper, after motivating the need for non-Markovian changes, we extend EVOLP -- The Logic Programming Update Language at the heart of an existing MAS -- with LTL-like temporal operators that allow referring to the history of the evolving agent. We then show that with a suitable introduction of new propositional variables it is possible to embed the extended EVOLP into the original one, thus demonstrating that EVOLP itself can already be used for non-Markovian changes. While showing how to use EVOLP for encoding non-Markovian changes, this embedding sheds light into the relationship between Logic Programming Update Languages and Modal Temporal Logics, of particular importance in MAS

Signal reconstruction in the EM end-cap calorimeter and check with cosmic data in the region 0< eta <3.2

In 2007, the electromagnetic end-cap calorimeter joined the ATLAS commissioning effort. Since then, calibration and cosmic muon runs are taken regularly, allowing to set-up, debug and test in situ the signal reconstruction. These are the first data in the 1.4500 MeV) have been used to perform a systematic and quantitative comparison between data and predicted physics pulse shapes in a coherent way over the entire calorimeter coverage, 0< eta <3.2. This represents the first attempt to unify barrel and end-cap in situ data in a common analysis. Results are similar in the barrel and the end-cap, only slightly worse for the latter as expected from its more complex geometry. This is the first proof of the quality of an ATLAS-like signal reconstruction in the end-caps, despite its challenging aspect, and gives confidence that the energy reconstruction is in good control over the complete electromagnetic calorimeter coverage 0< eta <3.2

A simple device for in-situ direct shear and sinkage tests

This work introduces a simple device designed to perform in-situ direct shear and sinkage tests on granular materials as sand, clays, or regolith. It consists of a box nested within a larger box. Both have open bottoms, allowing them to be lowered into the material. Afterwards, two rotating plates on opposite sides of the outer box will rotate outwards in order to clear regolith on either side, providing room for the inner box to move relative to the plates and perform a shear test without the resistance of the surrounding soil. From this test, Coulomb parameters, including cohesion and internal friction angle, as well as, Bekker parameters can be inferred. This device has been designed for a laboratory setting, but with few modifications, could be put on the underside of a rover for use in a remote location. The goal behind this work is to ultimately create a compact, but accurate measuring tool to put onto a rover or any kind of exploratory vehicle to test for regolith properties of celestial bodies