553 research outputs found
Exploiting Evolution for an Adaptive Drift-Robust Classifier in Chemical Sensing
Gas chemical sensors are strongly affected by drift, i.e., changes in sensors' response with time, that may turn statistical models commonly used for classification completely useless after a period of time. This paper presents a new classifier that embeds an adaptive stage able to reduce drift effects. The proposed system exploits a state-of-the-art evolutionary strategy to iteratively tweak the coefficients of a linear transformation able to transparently transform raw measures in order to mitigate the negative effects of the drift. The system operates continuously. The optimal correction strategy is learnt without a-priori models or other hypothesis on the behavior of physical-chemical sensors. Experimental results demonstrate the efficacy of the approach on a real problem
Observing the Earth as an exoplanet with LOUPE, the Lunar Observatory for Unresolved Polarimetry of Earth
The detections of small, rocky exoplanets have surged in recent years and
will likely continue to do so. To know whether a rocky exoplanet is habitable,
we have to characterise its atmosphere and surface. A promising
characterisation method for rocky exoplanets is direct detection using
spectropolarimetry. This method will be based on single pixel signals, because
spatially resolving exoplanets is impossible with current and near-future
instruments. Well-tested retrieval algorithms are essential to interpret these
single pixel signals in terms of atmospheric composition, cloud and surface
coverage. Observations of Earth itself provide the obvious benchmark data for
testing such algorithms. The observations should provide signals that are
integrated over the Earth's disk, that capture day and night variations, and
all phase angles. The Moon is a unique platform from where the Earth can be
observed as an exoplanet, undisturbed, all of the time. Here, we present LOUPE,
the Lunar Observatory for Unresolved Polarimetry of Earth, a small and robust
spectropolarimeter to observe our Earth as an exoplanet.Comment: 14 pages, 3 figures, submitted in special Issue of Planetary and
Space Science on Scientific Preparations for Lunar Exploratio
Density functional theory of phase coexistence in weakly polydisperse fluids
The recently proposed universal relations between the moments of the
polydispersity distributions of a phase-separated weakly polydisperse system
are analyzed in detail using the numerical results obtained by solving a simple
density functional theory of a polydisperse fluid. It is shown that universal
properties are the exception rather than the rule.Comment: 10 pages, 2 figures, to appear in PR
Long range absorption in the scattering of 6He on 208Pb and 197Au at 27 MeV
Quasi-elastic scattering of 6He at E_lab=27 MeV from 197Au has been measured
in the angular range of 6-72 degrees in the laboratory system employing LEDA
and LAMP detection systems. These data, along with previously analysed data of
6He + 208Pb at the same energy, are analyzed using Optical Model calculations.
The role of Coulomb dipole polarizability has been investigated. Large
imaginary diffuseness parameters are required to fit the data. This result is
an evidence for long range absorption mechanisms in 6He induced reactions.Comment: 10 pages, 10 figures, minor corrections. To appear in Nucl. Phys.
Higgsino Dark Matter in a SUGRA Model with Nonuniversal Gaugino Masses
We study a specific SUGRA model with nonuniversal gaugino masses as an
alternative to the minimal SUGRA model in the context of supersymmetric dark
matter. The lightest supersymmetric particle in this model comes out to be a
Higgsino dominated instead of a bino dominated lightest neutralino. The thermal
relic density of this Higgsino dark matter is somewhat lower than the
cosmologically favoured range, which means it may be only a subdominant
component of the cold dark matter. Nonetheless, it predicts favourable rates of
indirect detection, which can be seen in square-km size neutrino telescopes.Comment: Version to appear in Phys. Rev. D. A few references added in the
bibliography and a comment added in Section 2. LaTex, 16 pages, 4 figure
Monte-Carlo study of scaling exponents of rough surfaces and correlated percolation
We calculate the scaling exponents of the two-dimensional correlated
percolation cluster's hull and unscreened perimeter. Correlations are
introduced through an underlying correlated random potential, which is used to
define the state of bonds of a two-dimensional bond percolation model.
Monte-Carlo simulations are run and the values of the scaling exponents are
determined as functions of the Hurst exponent H in the range -0.75 <= H <= 1.
The results confirm the conjectures of earlier studies
On the black hole limit of rotating discs and rings
Solutions to Einstein's field equations describing rotating fluid bodies in
equilibrium permit parametric (i.e. quasi-stationary) transitions to the
extreme Kerr solution (outside the horizon). This has been shown analytically
for discs of dust and numerically for ring solutions with various equations of
state. From the exterior point of view, this transition can be interpreted as a
(quasi) black hole limit. All gravitational multipole moments assume precisely
the values of an extremal Kerr black hole in the limit. In the present paper,
the way in which the black hole limit is approached is investigated in more
detail by means of a parametric Taylor series expansion of the exact solution
describing a rigidly rotating disc of dust. Combined with numerical
calculations for ring solutions our results indicate an interesting universal
behaviour of the multipole moments near the black hole limit.Comment: 18 pages, 4 figures; Dedicated to Gernot Neugebauer on the occasion
of his 70th birthda
Low-Temperature Plasticity in Olivine: Grain Size, Strain Hardening, and the Strength of the Lithosphere
Plastic deformation of olivine at relatively low temperatures (i.e., low-temperature plasticity) likely controls the strength of the lithospheric mantle in a variety of geodynamic contexts. Unfortunately, laboratory estimates of the strength of olivine deforming by low-temperature plasticity vary considerably from study to study, limiting confidence in extrapolation to geological conditions. Here we present the results of deformation experiments on olivine single crystals and aggregates conducted in a deformation-DIA at confining pressures of 5 to 9 GPa and temperatures of 298 to 1473 K. These results demonstrate that, under conditions in which low-temperature plasticity is the dominant deformation mechanism, fine-grained samples are stronger at yield than coarse-grained samples, and the yield stress decreases with increasing temperature. All samples exhibited significant strain hardening until an approximately constant flow stress was reached. The magnitude of the increase in stress from the yield stress to the flow stress was independent of grain size and temperature. Cyclical loading experiments revealed a Bauschinger effect, wherein the initial yield strength is higher than the yield strength during subsequent cycles. Both strain hardening and the Bauschinger effect are interpreted to result from the development of back stresses associated with long-range dislocation interactions. We calibrated a constitutive model based on these observations, and extrapolation of the model to geological conditions predicts that the strength of the lithosphere at yield is low compared to previous experimental predictions but increases significantly with increasing strain. Our results resolve apparent discrepancies in recent observational estimates of the strength of the oceanic lithosphere.Support for this research was provided by Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) grant NE/M000966/1 and NSF Division of Earth Sciences
grants 1255620, 1464714, and 1550112. D.E.J.A. acknowledges funding from the Royal Academy of Engineering through a research fellowship
A Dissipative-Particle-Dynamics Model for Simulating Dynamics of Charged Colloid
A mesoscopic colloid model is developed in which a spherical colloid is
represented by many interacting sites on its surface. The hydrodynamic
interactions with thermal fluctuations are taken accounts in full using
Dissipative Particle Dynamics, and the electrostatic interactions are simulated
using Particle-Particle-Particle Mesh method. This new model is applied to
investigate the electrophoretic mobility of a charged colloid under an external
electric field, and the influence of salt concentration and colloid charge are
systematically studied. The simulation results show good agreement with
predictions from the electrokinetic theory.Comment: 17 pages, 8 figures, submitted to the proceedings of High Performance
Computing in Science & Engineering '1
Dynamic nuclear polarization and spin-diffusion in non-conducting solids
There has been much renewed interest in dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP),
particularly in the context of solid state biomolecular NMR and more recently
dissolution DNP techniques for liquids. This paper reviews the role of spin
diffusion in polarizing nuclear spins and discusses the role of the spin
diffusion barrier, before going on to discuss some recent results.Comment: submitted to Applied Magnetic Resonance. The article should appear in
a special issue that is being published in connection with the DNP Symposium
help in Nottingham in August 200
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