A Gain Scheduling Optimization Method Using Genetic Algorithms

Gain scheduling. the traditional method of providing adaptive control to a nonlinear system, has long been an ad hoc design process. Until recently; little theoretical guidance directed this practitioners\u27 art. For this reason a systematic study of this design process and its potential for optimization has never been accomplished. Additionally, the nonlinearities and the large search space involved in gain scheduling also precluded such an optimization study. Traditionally, the gain scheduling process has been some variation of a linear interpolation between discrete design points. By using powerful non-traditional optimization tools such as genetic algorithms there are ways of improving this design process. This thesis utilizes the power of genetic algorithms to optimally design a gain schedule. First, a design methodology is validated on a simple pole placement problem, then demonstrated for an F-18 Super-maneuverable Fighter. From this experience, a general gain scheduling design process is developed and presented

Dirac Fields in Loop Quantum Gravity and Big Bang Nucleosynthesis

Big Bang nucleosynthesis requires a fine balance between equations of state for photons and relativistic fermions. Several corrections to equation of state parameters arise from classical and quantum physics, which are derived here from a canonical perspective. In particular, loop quantum gravity allows one to compute quantum gravity corrections for Maxwell and Dirac fields. Although the classical actions are very different, quantum corrections to the equation of state are remarkably similar. To lowest order, these corrections take the form of an overall expansion-dependent multiplicative factor in the total density. We use these results, along with the predictions of Big Bang nucleosynthesis, to place bounds on these corrections.Comment: 15 pages, 2 figures; v2: new discussion of relevance of quantum gravity corrections (Sec. II) and new estimates (Sec. V

Optimizing baryon acoustic oscillation surveys – I. Testing the concordance ΛCDM cosmology

We optimize the design of future spectroscopic redshift surveys for constraining the dark energy via precision measurements of the baryon acoustic oscillations (BAO), with particular emphasis on the design of the Wide-Field Multi-Object Spectrograph (WFMOS). We develop a model that predicts the number density of possible target galaxies as a function of exposure time and redshift. We use this number counts model together with fitting formulae for the accuracy of the BAO measurements to determine the effectiveness of different surveys and instrument designs. We search through the available survey parameter space to find the optimal survey with respect to the dark energy equation-of-state parameters according to the Dark Energy Task Force Figure-of-Merit, including predictions of future measurements from the Planck satellite. We optimize the survey to test the LambdaCDM model, assuming that galaxies are pre-selected using photometric redshifts to have a constant number density with redshift, and using a non-linear cut-off for the matter power spectrum that evolves with redshift. We find that line-emission galaxies are strongly preferred as targets over continuum emission galaxies. The optimal survey covers a redshift range 0.8 < z < 1.4, over the widest possible area (6000 sq. degs from 1500 hours observing time). The most efficient number of fibres for the spectrograph is 2,000, and the survey performance continues to improve with the addition of extra fibres until a plateau is reached at 10,000 fibres. The optimal point in the survey parameter space is not highly peaked and is not significantly affected by including constraints from upcoming supernovae surveys and other BAO experiments.Comment: 15 pages, 9 figure

Anisotropy of effective masses in CuInSe2

Anisotropy of the valence band is experimentally demonstrated in CuInSe2, a key component of the absorber layer in one of the leading thin-film solar cell technology. By changing the orientation of applied magnetic fields with respect to the crystal lattice, we measure considerable differences in the diamagnetic shifts and effective g-factors for the A and B free excitons. The resulting free exciton reduced masses are combined with a perturbation model for non-degenerate independent excitons and theoretical dielectric constants to provide the anisotropic effective hole masses, revealing anisotropies of 5.5 (4.2) for the A (B) valence bands