New Routine

Postcard from Brian Leith, during the Linfield College Semester Abroad Program at Oslo University College in Norwa

See You Later Oslo

Postcard from Brian Leith, during the Linfield College Semester Abroad Program at Oslo University College in Norwa

Global reconstruction of nonlinear systems from families of linear systems

This note concerns a fundamental issue in the modelling and realisation of nonlinear systems; namely, whether it is possible to uniquely reconstruct a nonlinear system from a suitable collection of transfer functions and, if so, under what conditions. It is established that a family of frozen-parameter linearisations may be associated with a class of nonlinear systems to provide an alternative realisation of such systems. Nevertheless, knowledge of only the inputoutput dynamics (transfer functions) of the frozen-parameter linearisations is insufficient to permit unique reconstruction of a nonlinear system. The difficulty with the transfer function family arises from the degree of freedom available in the choice of state-space realisation of each linearisation. Under mild structural conditions, it is shown that knowledge of a family of augmented transfer functions is sufficient to permit a large class of nonlinear systems to be uniquely reconstructed. Essentially, the augmented family embodies the information necessary to select state-space realisations for the linearisations which are compatible with one another and with the underlying nonlinear system. The results are constructive, with a state-space realisation of the nonlinear system associated with a transfer function family being obtained as the solution to a number of linear equations

The inflation bias under Calvo and Rotemberg pricing

New Keynesian analysis relies heavily on two workhorse models of nominal inertia – due to Calvo (1983) and Rotemberg (1982), respectively – to generate a meaningful role for monetary policy. These are often used interchangeably since they imply an isomorphic linearized Phillips curve and, if the steady-state is efficient, the same policy conclusions. In this paper we compute time-consistent optimal monetary policy in the benchmark New Keynesian model containing each form of price stickiness using global solution techniques. We find that, due to an offsetting endogenous impact on average markups, the inflation bias problem under Calvo contracts is often significantly greater than under Rotemberg pricing, despite the fact that the former typically exhibits far greater welfare costs of inflation. The nonlinearities inherent in the New Keynesian model are significant and the form of nominal inertia adopted is not innocuous

Learning-Based Constraint Satisfaction With Sensing Restrictions

In this paper we consider graph-coloring problems, an important subset of general constraint satisfaction problems that arise in wireless resource allocation. We constructively establish the existence of fully decentralized learning-based algorithms that are able to find a proper coloring even in the presence of strong sensing restrictions, in particular sensing asymmetry of the type encountered when hidden terminals are present. Our main analytic contribution is to establish sufficient conditions on the sensing behaviour to ensure that the solvers find satisfying assignments with probability one. These conditions take the form of connectivity requirements on the induced sensing graph. These requirements are mild, and we demonstrate that they are commonly satisfied in wireless allocation tasks. We argue that our results are of considerable practical importance in view of the prevalence of both communication and sensing restrictions in wireless resource allocation problems. The class of algorithms analysed here requires no message-passing whatsoever between wireless devices, and we show that they continue to perform well even when devices are only able to carry out constrained sensing of the surrounding radio environment

Aerodynamics of 3-dimensional bodies in transitional flow

Based on considerations of fluid dynamic simulation appropriate to hypersonic, viscous flow over blunt-nosed lifting bodies, a method was presented earlier for estimating drag coefficients in the transitional-flow regime. The extension of the same method to prediction of lift coefficients is presented. Correlation of available experimental data by a simulation parameter appropriate for this purpose is the basis for the procedure described. The ease of application of the method makes it useful for preliminary studies which involve a wide variety of three-dimensional vehicle configurations or a range of angles of attack of a given vehicle

Rarefied-flow aerodynamics

Means for relatively simple and quick procedures are examined for estimating aerodynamic coefficients of lifting reentry vehicles. The methods developed allow aerospace designers not only to evaluate the aerodynamics of specific shapes but also to optimize shapes under given constraints. The analysis was also studied of the effect of thermomolecular flow on pressures measured by an orifice near the nose of a Space Shuttle Orbiter at altitudes above 75 km. It was shown that pressures corrected for thermomolecular flow effect are in good agreement with values predicted by independent theoretical methods. An incidental product was the insight gained about the free molecular thermal accommodation coefficient applicable under 'real' conditions of high speed flow in the Earth's atmosphere. The results are presented as abstracts of referenced papers. One reference paper is presented in its entirety