Formal and Informal Methods for Multi-Core Design Space Exploration

We propose a tool-supported methodology for design-space exploration for embedded systems. It provides means to define high-level models of applications and multi-processor architectures and evaluate the performance of different deployment (mapping, scheduling) strategies while taking uncertainty into account. We argue that this extension of the scope of formal verification is important for the viability of the domain.Comment: In Proceedings QAPL 2014, arXiv:1406.156

Dynamical properties and detectability of the magneto-thermal instability in the intracluster medium

Context. Amongst many plasma processes potentially relevant to the dynamics of the intracluster medium (ICM), turbulence driven at observable scales by internal magnetised buoyancy instabilities like the magneto-thermal instability (MTI) stand out in the ICM outskirt, where the background temperature decreases with radius. Aims. We characterise the statistical properties of MTI turbulence and assess whether such magnetised dynamics would be detectable with the future X-ray calorimeter X-IFU onboard ATHENA. Methods. We make use of scaling laws derived by Perrone & Latter (2022a,b) to estimate the observable turbulent saturation levels and injection length of MTI turbulence for different ICM thermodynamic profiles, and perform a numerical MHD simulation of the dynamics with Braginskii heat and momentum diffusion. As a prospective exercise, we use the simulation to virtually observe MTI turbulence through the X-IFU. Results. In bright enough regions amenable to X-ray observations, the MTI drives mild turbulence up to $\sim$ 5% and $\sim$ 100 km/s (rms temperature fluctuation and velocity). However, the measurable integrated temperature fluctuation and line-of-sight velocity fields, which is essentially the azimuthal velocity component in cluster haloes, hardly exceed 1% and 10 km/s respectively. We show that such moderate signals would be hard to detect with upcoming X-ray telescopes. MTI turbulence is anisotropic in the direction of the gravity. If the fluctuation intensities were to be stronger than the current theoretical estimates, MTI fluctuations may be detectable and their anisotropy discernible with the X-IFU. Conclusions. Finding direct signatures of magnetised dynamics in the ICM, even at observable scales typical of the MTI, remains challenging. This study is a first step in this direction. Several numerical and observational strategies are discussed to make further progress.Comment: 20 pages, 13 figures, submitted to A&

Exploration de l'espace de design assistée par ordinateur pour les systèmes multi-coeurs

The growing complexity of embedded systems calls for modeling formalisms that can be simulated and analyzed to explore the space of design alternatives. This thesis describes the development of a modeling formalism and tools for design space exploration at early design stage.We extend the classical worst-case model checking for timed automata to stochastic analysis based on a refinement of temporal uncertainty intervals into delay distribution. On one hand we introduce the formalism of Duration Probabilistic Automata (DPA) supporting analysis as well as optimization. On the other hand we provide DESPEX (DEsign SPace EXplorer), a tool for performance evaluation of high-level models of applications running on multi-core platforms. We also show its usage on several case studies.La complexité croissante des systèmes embarqués nécessite des formalismes de modélisation qui peuvent être simulés et analysés pour explorer l'espace des alternatives de conception. Cette thèse décrit le développement d'un formalisme de modélisation et des outils pour l'exploration de l'espace de design au plus tôt dans le flot de conception. Nous étendons le model-checking classique au pire cas pour les automates temporisés à l'analyse stochastique basée sur un raffinement des intervalles d'incertitude temporelle par des distributions sur les délais. D'une part, nous introduisons le formalisme des Duration Probabilistic Automata (DPA) à partir duquel nous pouvons réaliser de l'analyse ainsi que de l'optimisation. D'autre part nous présentons DESPEX (Design Space Explorer), un outil d'évaluation de performance de modèles de haut niveau des applications qui s'exécutent sur les plates-formes multi-coeurs. Nous montrons également son utilisation sur plusieurs cas d'étude

Performance Evaluation of Schedulers in a Probabilistic Setting

Invited PaperInternational audienceWe show how to evaluate the performance of solutions to finite-horizon scheduling problems where task durations are specified by bounded uniform distributions. Our computational technique, based on computing the volumes of zones, constitutes a contribution to the computational study of scheduling under uncertainty and stochastic systems in general

Dynamical properties and detectability of the magneto-thermal instability in the intracluster medium

International audienceContext. Amongst many plasma processes potentially relevant to the dynamics of the intracluster medium (ICM), turbulence driven at observable scales by internal magnetised buoyancy instabilities like the magneto-thermal instability (MTI) stand out in the ICM outskirt, where the background temperature decreases with radius. Aims. We characterise the statistical properties of MTI turbulence and assess whether such magnetised dynamics would be detectable with the future X-ray calorimeter X-IFU onboard ATHENA. Methods. We make use of scaling laws derived by Perrone & Latter (2022a,b) to estimate the observable turbulent saturation levels and injection length of MTI turbulence for different ICM thermodynamic profiles, and perform a numerical MHD simulation of the dynamics with Braginskii heat and momentum diffusion. As a prospective exercise, we use the simulation to virtually observe MTI turbulence through the X-IFU. Results. In bright enough regions amenable to X-ray observations, the MTI drives mild turbulence up to $\sim$ 5% and $\sim$ 100 km/s (rms temperature fluctuation and velocity). However, the measurable integrated temperature fluctuation and line-of-sight velocity fields, which is essentially the azimuthal velocity component in cluster haloes, hardly exceed 1% and 10 km/s respectively. We show that such moderate signals would be hard to detect with upcoming X-ray telescopes. MTI turbulence is anisotropic in the direction of the gravity. If the fluctuation intensities were to be stronger than the current theoretical estimates, MTI fluctuations may be detectable and their anisotropy discernible with the X-IFU. Conclusions. Finding direct signatures of magnetised dynamics in the ICM, even at observable scales typical of the MTI, remains challenging. This study is a first step in this direction. Several numerical and observational strategies are discussed to make further progress

Tenodesis renders better results than tenotomy in repairs of isolated supraspinatus tears with pathologic biceps

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