There is no variational characterization of the cycles in the method of periodic projections

The method of periodic projections consists in iterating projections onto $m$ closed convex subsets of a Hilbert space according to a periodic sweeping strategy. In the presence of $m\geq 3$ sets, a long-standing question going back to the 1960s is whether the limit cycles obtained by such a process can be characterized as the minimizers of a certain functional. In this paper we answer this question in the negative. Projection algorithms that minimize smooth convex functions over a product of convex sets are also discussed

Detection of brown dwarfs by the micro-lensing of unresolved stars

The presence of brown dwarfs in the dark galactic halo could be detected through their gravitational lensing effect and experiments under way monitor about one million stars to observe a few lensing events per year. We show that if the photon flux from a galaxy is measured with a good precision, it is not necessary to resolve the stars and besides more events could be observed.Comment: 14 p., LaTeX, 4 figures available on request, PAR-LPTHE 92 39/LPC 92 1

Do the Kamiokande results need neutrino oscillations?

Neutrino oscillations are a delicate and important subject. One needs to be sure that every aspect of it is well understood. The recent results of the Kamiokande experiment [1], indicate the possibility of -- neutrino oscillations. The period of oscillation observed by Kamiokande is not compatible with what one may deduce from the solar neutrino experiments [2]. In this letter, we examine if another mechanism could fake neutrino oscillations and could be measurement dependen

Light Hadron Spectroscopy and Decay at BESIII

Light hadron spectroscopy plays an important role in understanding the decay dynamics of unconventional hadronic states, such as strangeonium and glueballs. BESIII provides an ideal avenue to search for these exotic states thanks to a huge amount of data recorded at various energy points in the tau-charm mass region including J/psi resonance. This report summarizes recent results of the BESIII experiment related to the glueballs and strangeonium-like states.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures, Conference proceeding of FPCP-201

Subjective Truths

__Abstract__ On the one hand, economists heavily rely on hard numbers: GDP, growth rate, and exchange rates. On the other hand, their explanations often rely on soft factors: executive confidence in the economy, consumer sentiment, and investor expectations. The hard numbers are objective, but the soft factors are subjective and depend on each individual. Economists increasingly recognize the need to study subjective factors. The first part of the lecture illustrates the key role of subjective truths in modern economics. For instance, measures of subjective well-being are now being proposed to replace or at least complement GDP. Economic policies often rely on subjective forecasting by experts. The second part of the lecture will show that even though they are subjective, the soft factors can still be studied objectively. We will see how to incentivize people to reveal their expectations about future events but also their confidence in their expectations. Finally, I will show how to make people reveal truths that are completely unverifiable

Bayesian markets to elicit private information

Financial markets reveal what investors think about the future, and prediction markets are used to forecast election results. Could markets also encourage people to reveal private information, such as subjective judgments (e.g., “Are you satisfied with your life?”) or unverifiable facts? This paper shows how to design such markets, called Bayesian markets. People trade an asset whose value represents the proportion of affirmative answers to a question. Their trading position then reveals their own answer to the question. The results of this paper are based on a Bayesian setup in which people use their private information (their “type”) as a signal. Hence, beliefs about others’ types are correlated with one’s own type. Bayes