485 research outputs found
Percentile Queries in Multi-Dimensional Markov Decision Processes
Markov decision processes (MDPs) with multi-dimensional weights are useful to
analyze systems with multiple objectives that may be conflicting and require
the analysis of trade-offs. We study the complexity of percentile queries in
such MDPs and give algorithms to synthesize strategies that enforce such
constraints. Given a multi-dimensional weighted MDP and a quantitative payoff
function , thresholds (one per dimension), and probability thresholds
, we show how to compute a single strategy to enforce that for all
dimensions , the probability of outcomes satisfying is at least . We consider classical quantitative payoffs from
the literature (sup, inf, lim sup, lim inf, mean-payoff, truncated sum,
discounted sum). Our work extends to the quantitative case the multi-objective
model checking problem studied by Etessami et al. in unweighted MDPs.Comment: Extended version of CAV 2015 pape
Molecular Gas Dynamics in NGC 6946: a Bar-driven Nuclear Starburst "Caught in the Act"
We present high angular resolution ~1" and 0.6" mm-interferometric
observations of the 12CO(1-0) and 12CO(2-1) line emission in the central 300pc
of the late-type spiral galaxy NGC6946. The data, obtained with the IRAM
Plateau de Bure Interferometer (PdBI), allow the first detection of a molecular
gas spiral in the inner ~10" (270pc) with a large concentration of molecular
gas (M(H_2) ~1.6x10^7M_sun) within the inner 60pc. This nuclear clump shows
evidence for a ring-like geometry with a radius of ~10pc as inferred from the
p-v diagrams. Both the distribution of the molecular gas as well as its
kinematics can be well explained by the influence of an inner stellar bar of
about 400pc length. A qualitative model of the expected gas flow shows that
streaming motions along the leading sides of this bar are a plausible
explanation for the high nuclear gas density. Thus, NGC6946 is a prime example
of molecular gas kinematics being driven by a small-scale, secondary stellar
bar.Comment: accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal; 47 pages, 17
figures, 1 tabl
The NICMOS Snapshot Survey of nearby Galaxies
We present ``snapshot'' observations with the NearInfrared Camera and
MultiObject Spectrometer (NICMOS) on board the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) of
94 nearby galaxies from the Revised Shapley Ames Catalog. Images with 0.2 as
resolution were obtained in two filters, a broad-band continuum filter (F160W,
roughly equivalent to the H-band) and a narrow band filter centered on the
Paschen alpha line (F187N or F190N, depending on the galaxy redshift) with the
51x51 as field of view of the NICMOS camera 3. A first-order continuum
subtraction is performed, and the resulting line maps and integrated Paschen
alpha line fluxes are presented. A statistical analysis indicates that the
average Paschen alpha surface brightness {\bf in the central regions} is
highest in early-type (Sa-Sb) spirals.Comment: Original contained error in flux calibration. Table 1 now has correct
Paschen Alpha fluxes. 14 pages LaTeX with JPEG and PS figures. Also available
at http://icarus.stsci.edu/~boeker/publications.htm
N-band Imaging of Seyfert Nuclei and the MIR-X-ray correlation
We present new mid-infrared (N-band) images of a sample of eight nearby
Seyfert galaxies. In all of our targets, we detect a central unresolved source,
which in some cases has been identified for the first time. In particular, we
have detected the mid-infrared emission from the active nucleus of NGC 4945,
which previously remained undetected at any wavelength but hard X-rays. We also
detect circumnuclear extended emission in the Circinus galaxy along its major
axis, and find marginal evidence for extended circumnuclear emission in NGC
3281.
The high spatial resolution (1.7") of our data allows us to separate the flux
of the nuclear point sources from the extended circumnuclear starburst (if
present). We complement our sample with literature data for a number of
non-active starburst galaxies, and relate the nuclear N-band flux to published
hard (2-10 kev) X-ray fluxes. We find tight and well-separated correlations
between nuclear N-band flux and X-ray flux for both Seyfert and starburst
nuclei which span over 3 orders of magnitude in luminosity. We demonstrate that
these correlations can be used as a powerful classification tool for galactic
nuclei.
For example, we find strong evidence against NGC 1808 currently harbouring an
active Seyfert nucleus based on its position in the mid-infrared-X-ray diagram.
On the other hand, we confirm that NGC 4945 is in fact a Seyfert 2 galaxy.Comment: 31 pages, incl. 4 figures, uses AASTex. Replaced with accepted
version after minor modifications. To appear in Ap
Galaxies with unusually high abundances of molecular hydrogen
A sample of 66 galaxies from the catalog of Bettoni et al. (CISM) with
anomalously high molecular-to-atomic hydrogen mass ratios (M_{mol}/M_{HI}>2) is
considered. The sample galaxies do not differ systematically from other
galaxies in the catalog with the same morphological types, in terms of their
photometric parameters, rotational velocities, dust contents, or the total mass
of gas in comparison with galaxies of similar linear sizes and disk angular
momentum. This suggests that the overabundance of is due to transition of
HI to H_2. Galaxies with bars and active nuclei are found more frequently among
galaxies which have M_{mol} estimates in CISM. In a small fraction of galaxies,
high M_{mol}/M_{HI} ratios are caused by the overestimation of M_{mol} due to a
low conversion factor for the translation of CO-line intensities into the
number of H_2 molecules along the line of sight. It is argued that the
"molecularization" of the bulk of the gas mass could be due 1) to the
concentration of gas in the inner regions of the galactic disks, resulting to a
high gas pressure and 2) to relatively low star-formation rate per unit mass of
molecular gas which indeed takes place in galaxies with high M_{mol}/M_{HI}
ratios.Comment: 11 pages,7 figures, published in Astronomy Report
Mechanical and Electronic Properties of MoS Nanoribbons and Their Defects
We present our study on atomic, electronic, magnetic and phonon properties of
one dimensional honeycomb structure of molybdenum disulfide (MoS) using
first-principles plane wave method. Calculated phonon frequencies of bare
armchair nanoribbon reveal the fourth acoustic branch and indicate the
stability. Force constant and in-plane stiffness calculated in the harmonic
elastic deformation range signify that the MoS nanoribbons are stiff quasi
one dimensional structures, but not as strong as graphene and BN nanoribbons.
Bare MoS armchair nanoribbons are nonmagnetic, direct band gap
semiconductors. Bare zigzag MoS nanoribbons become half-metallic as a
result of the (2x1) reconstruction of edge atoms and are semiconductor for
minority spins, but metallic for the majority spins. Their magnetic moments and
spin-polarizations at the Fermi level are reduced as a result of the
passivation of edge atoms by hydrogen. The functionalization of MoS
nanoribbons by adatom adsorption and vacancy defect creation are also studied.
The nonmagnetic armchair nanoribbons attain net magnetic moment depending on
where the foreign atoms are adsorbed and what kind of vacancy defect is
created. The magnetization of zigzag nanoribbons due to the edge states is
suppressed in the presence of vacancy defects.Comment: 11 pages, 5 figures, first submitted at November 23th, 200
Sports teams as complex adaptive systems: manipulating player numbers shapes behaviours during football small-sided games
Small-sided and conditioned games (SSCGs) in sport have been modelled as complex adaptive systems. Research has shown that the relative space per player (RSP) formulated in SSCGs can impact on emergent tactical behaviours. In this study we adopted a systems orientation to analyse how different RSP values, obtained through manipulations of player numbers, influenced four measures of interpersonal coordination observed during performance in SSCGs. For this purpose we calculated positional data (GPS 15 Hz) from ten U-15 football players performing in three SSCGs varying in player numbers (3v3, 4v4 and 5v5). Key measures of SSCG system behaviours included values of (1) playersâ dispersion, (2) teamsâ separateness, (3) coupling strength and time delays between participantsâ emerging movements, respectively. Results showed that values of participantsâ dispersion increased, but the teamsâ separateness remained identical across treatments. Coupling strength and time delay also showed consistent values across SSCGs. These results exemplified how complex adaptive systems, like football teams, can harness inherent degeneracy to maintain similar team spatialâtemporal relations with opponents through changes in inter-individual coordination modes (i.e., playersâ dispersion). The results imply that different team behaviours might emerge at different ratios of field dimension/player numbers. Therefore, sport pedagogists should carefully evaluate the effects of changing RSP in SSCGs as a way of promoting increased or decreased pressure on players
Fractal ventilation enhances respiratory sinus arrhythmia
BACKGROUND: Programming a mechanical ventilator with a biologically variable or fractal breathing pattern (an example of 1/f noise) improves gas exchange and respiratory mechanics. Here we show that fractal ventilation increases respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) â a mechanism known to improve ventilation/perfusion matching. METHODS: Pigs were anaesthetised with propofol/ketamine, paralysed with doxacurium, and ventilated in either control mode (CV) or in fractal mode (FV) at baseline and then following infusion of oleic acid to result in lung injury. RESULTS: Mean RSA and mean positive RSA were nearly double with FV, both at baseline and following oleic acid. At baseline, mean RSA = 18.6 msec with CV and 36.8 msec with FV (n = 10; p = 0.043); post oleic acid, mean RSA = 11.1 msec with CV and 21.8 msec with FV (n = 9, p = 0.028); at baseline, mean positive RSA = 20.8 msec with CV and 38.1 msec with FV (p = 0.047); post oleic acid, mean positive RSA = 13.2 msec with CV and 24.4 msec with FV (p = 0.026). Heart rate variability was also greater with FV. At baseline the coefficient of variation for heart rate was 2.2% during CV and 4.0% during FV. Following oleic acid the variation was 2.1 vs. 5.6% respectively. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest FV enhances physiological entrainment between respiratory, brain stem and cardiac nonlinear oscillators, further supporting the concept that RSA itself reflects cardiorespiratory interaction. In addition, these results provide another mechanism whereby FV may be superior to conventional CV
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