Can Self-Organizing Maps accurately predict photometric redshifts?

We present an unsupervised machine learning approach that can be employed for estimating photometric redshifts. The proposed method is based on a vector quantization approach called Self--Organizing Mapping (SOM). A variety of photometrically derived input values were utilized from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey's Main Galaxy Sample, Luminous Red Galaxy, and Quasar samples along with the PHAT0 data set from the PHoto-z Accuracy Testing project. Regression results obtained with this new approach were evaluated in terms of root mean square error (RMSE) to estimate the accuracy of the photometric redshift estimates. The results demonstrate competitive RMSE and outlier percentages when compared with several other popular approaches such as Artificial Neural Networks and Gaussian Process Regression. SOM RMSE--results (using $\Delta$z=z$_{phot}$--z$_{spec}$) for the Main Galaxy Sample are 0.023, for the Luminous Red Galaxy sample 0.027, Quasars are 0.418, and PHAT0 synthetic data are 0.022. The results demonstrate that there are non--unique solutions for estimating SOM RMSEs. Further research is needed in order to find more robust estimation techniques using SOMs, but the results herein are a positive indication of their capabilities when compared with other well-known methods.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, submitted to PAS

Counter-Cyclical Farm Safety Nets

Since the 1920's, the federal government has used an array of farm programs to provide a “safety net” for American agriculture. Farm programs have used price supports, disaster payments, income supports, direct payments, and supply management to provide a safety net for particular markets and producers. This array of farm programs has rarely been organized or managed with the sole purpose of providing a minimum income level to farmers. With the exception of set aside programs, the programs have provided incentives for production and the diversification of production through out the continental United States. While the FAIR Act of 1996 has been generously applauded for allowing producers planting flexibility, maintaining export competitiveness through marketing loan programs, and maintaining production, the Act has been criticized for its lack of a sufficient safety net. All crop insurance programs and marketing loan provisions may be considered safety nets. However, the ad hoc passage of emergency relief in each of the last three years 1998-2000 suggests that these programs have not provided sufficient support to program crop agriculture. The safety net issue, therefore, will likely be a major source of debate in crafting the next farm bill. Can the U.S. government reduce the liquidity problem facing major crop agriculture while pressing the popular provisions of the FAIR Act? Developing a whole farm safety net proposal is one alternative being studied.Agricultural and Food Policy,

World-sheet scattering in AdS_5 x S^5 at two loops

We study the AdS_5 x S^5 sigma-model truncated to the near-flat-space limit to two-loops in perturbation theory. In addition to extending previously known one-loop results to the full SU(2|2)^2 S-matrix we calculate the two-loop correction to the dispersion relation and then compute the complete two-loop S-matrix. The result of the perturbative calculation can be compared with the appropriate limit of the conjectured S-matrix for the full theory and complete agreement is found.Comment: 26pages, 3 figure

Higher charges and regularized quantum trace identities in su(1,1) Landau-Lifshitz model

We solve the operator ordering problem for the quantum continuous integrable su(1,1) Landau-Lifshitz model, and give a prescription to obtain the quantum trace identities, and the spectrum for the higher-order local charges. We also show that this method, based on operator regularization and renormalization, which guarantees quantum integrability, as well as the construction of self-adjoint extensions, can be used as an alternative to the discretization procedure, and unlike the latter, is based only on integrable representations.Comment: 27 pages; misprints corrected, references adde

Magnon Bound-state Scattering in Gauge and String Theory

It has been shown that, in the infinite length limit, the magnons of the gauge theory spin chain can form bound states carrying one finite and one strictly infinite R-charge. These bound states have been argued to be associated to simple poles of the multi-particle scattering matrix and to world sheet solitons carrying the same charges. Classically, they can be mapped to the solitons of the complex sine-Gordon theory. Under relatively general assumptions we derive the condition that simple poles of the two-particle scattering matrix correspond to physical bound states and construct higher bound states ``one magnon at a time''. We construct the scattering matrix of the bound states of the BDS and the AFS S-matrices. The bound state S-matrix exhibits simple and double poles and thus its analytic structure is much richer than that of the elementary magnon S-matrix. We also discuss the bound states appearing in larger sectors and their S-matrices. The large 't Hooft coupling limit of the scattering phase of the bound states in the SU(2) sector is found to agree with the semiclassical scattering of world sheet solitons. Intriguingly, the contribution of the dressing phase has an independent world sheet interpretation as the soliton-antisoliton scattering phase shift. The small momentum limit provides independent tests of these identifications.Comment: 25 pages, Latex V2: clarifying comments added to footnote 1 and footnote 10; references added V3: typos correcte

Automotive technology status and projections. Volume 2: Assessment report

Current and advanced conventional engines, advanced alternative engines, advanced power train components, and other energy conserving automobile modifications which could be implemented by the end of this century are examined. Topics covered include gas turbine engines, Stirling engines, advanced automatic transmissions, alternative fuels, and metal and ceramic technology. Critical problems are examined and areas for future research are indicated

Automotive technology status and projections. Volume 1: Executive summary

Fuel economy, exhaust emissions, multifuel capability, advanced materials and cost/manufacturability for both conventional and advanced alternative power systems were assessed. To insure valid comparisons of vehicles with alternative power systems, the concept of an Otto-Engine-Equivalent (OEE) vehicle was utilized. Each engine type was sized to provide equivalent vehicle performance. Sensitivity to different performance criteria was evaluated. Fuel economy projections are made for each engine type considering both the legislated emission standards and possible future emissions requirements

The S-matrix of the Faddeev-Reshetikhin Model, Diagonalizability and PT Symmetry

We study the question of diagonalizability of the Hamiltonian for the Faddeev-Reshetikhin (FR) model in the two particle sector. Although the two particle S-matrix element for the FR model, which may be relevant for the quantization of strings on $AdS_{5}\times S^{5}$, has been calculated recently using field theoretic methods, we find that the Hamiltonian for the system in this sector is not diagonalizable. We trace the difficulty to the fact that the interaction term in the Hamiltonian violating Lorentz invariance leads to discontinuity conditions (matching conditions) that cannot be satisfied. We determine the most general quartic interaction Hamiltonian that can be diagonalized. This includes the bosonic Thirring model as well as the bosonic chiral Gross-Neveu model which we find share the same S-matrix. We explain this by showing, through a Fierz transformation, that these two models are in fact equivalent. In addition, we find a general quartic interaction Hamiltonian, violating Lorentz invariance, that can be diagonalized with the same two particle S-matrix element as calculated by Klose and Zarembo for the FR model. This family of generalized interaction Hamiltonians is not Hermitian, but is $PT$ symmetric. We show that the wave functions for this system are also $PT$ symmetric. Thus, the theory is in a $PT$ unbroken phase which guarantees the reality of the energy spectrum as well as the unitarity of the S-matrix.Comment: 32 pages, 1 figure; references added, version published in JHE