Detection of dirt impairments from archived film sequences : survey and evaluations

Film dirt is the most commonly encountered artifact in archive restoration applications. Since dirt usually appears as a temporally impulsive event, motion-compensated interframe processing is widely applied for its detection. However, motion-compensated prediction requires a high degree of complexity and can be unreliable when motion estimation fails. Consequently, many techniques using spatial or spatiotemporal filtering without motion were also been proposed as alternatives. A comprehensive survey and evaluation of existing methods is presented, in which both qualitative and quantitative performances are compared in terms of accuracy, robustness, and complexity. After analyzing these algorithms and identifying their limitations, we conclude with guidance in choosing from these algorithms and promising directions for future research

Segmentation-assisted detection of dirt impairments in archived film sequences

A novel segmentation-assisted method for film dirt detection is proposed. We exploit the fact that film dirt manifests in the spatial domain as a cluster of connected pixels whose intensity differs substantially from that of its neighborhood and we employ a segmentation-based approach to identify this type of structure. A key feature of our approach is the computation of a measure of confidence attached to detected dirt regions which can be utilized for performance fine tuning. Another important feature of our algorithm is the avoidance of the computational complexity associated with motion estimation. Our experimental framework benefits from the availability of manually derived as well as objective ground truth data obtained using infrared scanning. Our results demonstrate that the proposed method compares favorably with standard spatial, temporal and multistage median filtering approaches and provides efficient and robust detection for a wide variety of test material

Universal Ratios of Characteristic Lengths in Semidilute Polymer Solutions

We use experimental and simulation data from the literature to infer five characteristic lengths, denoted $\xi_s$, $\xi_f$, $\xi_\Pi$, $\xi_\phi$, and $\xi_D$ of a semidilute polymer solution. The first two of these are defined in terms of scattering from the solution, the third is defined in terms of osmotic pressure, the fourth by the spatial monomer concentration profile, and the last by co-operative diffusion. In a given solution the ratios of any of these five lengths are expected to be universal constants. Knowing these constants thus allows one to use one measured property of a solution as a means of inferring others. We calculate these ratios and estimate their uncertainties for solutions in theta as well as good-solvent conditions. The analysis is strengthened by use of scattering properties of isolated polymers inferred from computer simulations.Comment: 15 pages(pdf), to be submitted to Macromolecules or J. Chem. Phy

Spinons and helimagnons in the frustrated Heisenberg chain

We investigate the dynamical spin structure factor S(q,w) for the Heisenberg chain with ferromagnetic nearest (J1<0) and antiferromagnetic next-nearest (J2>0) neighbor exchange using bosonization and a time-dependent density-matrix renormalization group algorithm. For |J1|<< J2 and low energies we analytically find and numerically confirm two spinon branches with different velocities and different spectral weights. Following the evolution of S(q,w) with decreasing J1/J2 we find that helimagnons develop at high energies just before entering the ferromagnetic phase. Furthermore, we show that a recent interpretation of neutron scattering data for LiCuVO4 in terms of two weakly coupled antiferromagnetic chains (|J_1|<< J2) is not viable. We demonstrate that the data are instead fully consistent with a dominant ferromagnetic coupling, J1/J2 ~ -2.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure

Static, massive fields and vacuum polarization potential in Rindler space

In Rindler space, we determine in terms of special functions the expression of the static, massive scalar or vector field generated by a point source. We find also an explicit integral expression of the induced electrostatic potential resulting from the vacuum polarization due to an electric charge at rest in the Rindler coordinates. For a weak acceleration, we give then an approximate expression in the Fermi coordinates associated with the uniformly accelerated observer.Comment: 11 pages, latex, no figure

Expert system training and control based on the fuzzy relation matrix

Fuzzy knowledge, that for which the terms of reference are not crisp but overlapped, seems to characterize human expertise. This can be shown from the fact that an experienced human operator can control some complex plants better than a computer can. Proposed here is fuzzy theory to build a fuzzy expert relation matrix (FERM) from given rules or/and examples, either in linguistic terms or in numerical values to mimic human processes of perception and decision making. The knowledge base is codified in terms of many implicit fuzzy rules. Fuzzy knowledge thus codified may also be compared with explicit rules specified by a human expert. It can also provide a basis for modeling the human operator and allow comparison of what a human operator says to what he does in practice. Two experiments were performed. In the first, control of liquid in a tank, demonstrates how the FERM knowledge base is elicited and trained. The other shows how to use a FERM, build up from linguistic rules, and to control an inverted pendulum without a dynamic model

Decaying Hidden Gauge Boson and the PAMELA and ATIC/PPB-BETS Anomalies

We show that the PAMELA anomaly in the positron fraction as well as the ATIC/PPB-BETS excesses in the e^- + e^+ flux are simultaneously explained in our scenario that a hidden U(1)H gauge boson constitutes dark matter of the Universe and decays into the standard-model particles through a kinetic mixing with an U(1)B-L gauge boson. Interestingly, the B-L charge assignment suppresses an antiproton flux in consistent with the PAMELA and BESS experiments, while the hierarchy between the B-L symmetry breaking scale and the weak scale naturally leads to the right lifetime of O(10^26) seconds.Comment: the version accepted by Progress of Theoretical Physics (PTP

Approximation of Random Slow Manifolds and Settling of Inertial Particles under Uncertainty

A method is provided for approximating random slow manifolds of a class of slow-fast stochastic dynamical systems. Thus approximate, low dimensional, reduced slow systems are obtained analytically in the case of sufficiently large time scale separation. To illustrate this dimension reduction procedure, the impact of random environmental fluctuations on the settling motion of inertial particles in a cellular flow field is examined. It is found that noise delays settling for some particles but enhances settling for others. A deterministic stable manifold is an agent to facilitate this phenomenon. Overall, noise appears to delay the settling in an averaged sense.Comment: 27 pages, 9 figure

Classification of (n+3)(n+3)-dimensional metric nn-Lie algebras

In this paper, we focus on $(n+3)$-dimensional metric $n$-Lie algebras. To begin with, we give some properties on $(n+3)$-dimensional $n$-Lie algebras. Then based on the properties, we obtain the classification of $(n+3)$-dimensional metric $n$-Lie algebras