52 research outputs found
Analysis of unconstrained nonlinear MPC schemes with time varying control horizon
For discrete time nonlinear systems satisfying an exponential or finite time
controllability assumption, we present an analytical formula for a
suboptimality estimate for model predictive control schemes without stabilizing
terminal constraints. Based on our formula, we perform a detailed analysis of
the impact of the optimization horizon and the possibly time varying control
horizon on stability and performance of the closed loop
Analysis of unconstrained nonlinear MPC schemes with time varying control horizon
For nonlinear discrete time systems satisfying a controllability condition,
we present a stability condition for model predictive control without
stabilizing terminal constraints or costs. The condition is given in terms of
an analytical formula which can be employed in order to determine a prediction
horizon length for which asymptotic stability or a performance guarantee is
ensured. Based on this formula a sensitivity analysis with respect to the
prediction and the possibly time varying control horizon is carried out.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figure
Evolution of helicity in NOAA 10923 over three consecutive solar rotations
We have studied the evolution of magnetic helicity and chirality in an active
region over three consecutive solar rotations. The region when it first
appeared was named NOAA10923 and in subsequent rotations it was numbered NOAA
10930, 10935 and 10941. We compare the chirality of these regions at
photospheric, chromospheric and coronal heights. The observations used for
photospheric and chromospheric heights are taken from Solar Vector Magnetograph
(SVM) and H_alpha imaging telescope of Udaipur Solar Observatory (USO),
respectively. We discuss the chirality of the sunspots and associated H_alpha
filaments in these regions. We find that the twistedness of superpenumbral
filaments is maintained in the photospheric transverse field vectors also. We
also compare the chirality at photospheric and chromospheric heights with the
chirality of the associated coronal loops, as observed from the HINODE X-Ray
Telescope.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figure
Helicity at Photospheric and Chromospheric Heights
In the solar atmosphere the twist parameter has the same sign as
magnetic helicity. It has been observed using photospheric vector magnetograms
that negative/positive helicity is dominant in the northern/southern hemisphere
of the Sun. Chromospheric features show dextral/sinistral dominance in the
northern/southern hemisphere and sigmoids observed in X-rays also have a
dominant sense of reverse-S/forward-S in the northern/southern hemisphere. It
is of interest whether individual features have one-to-one correspondence in
terms of helicity at different atmospheric heights. We use UBF \Halpha images
from the Dunn Solar Telescope (DST) and other \Halpha data from Udaipur Solar
Observatory and Big Bear Solar Observatory. Near-simultaneous vector
magnetograms from the DST are used to establish one-to-one correspondence of
helicity at photospheric and chromospheric heights. We plan to extend this
investigation with more data including coronal intensities.Comment: 5 pages, 1 figure, 1 table To appear in "Magnetic Coupling between
the Interior and the Atmosphere of the Sun", eds. S.S. Hasan and R.J. Rutten,
Astrophysics and Space Science Proceedings, Springer-Verlag, Heidelberg,
Berlin, 200
Nonlinear force-free models for the solar corona I. Two active regions with very different structure
With the development of new instrumentation providing measurements of solar
photospheric vector magnetic fields, we need to develop our understanding of
the effects of current density on coronal magnetic field configurations. The
object is to understand the diverse and complex nature of coronal magnetic
fields in active regions using a nonlinear force-free model. From the observed
photospheric magnetic field we derive the photospheric current density for two
active regions: one is a decaying active region with strong currents (AR8151),
and the other is a newly emerged active region with weak currents (AR8210). We
compare the three-dimensional structure of the magnetic fields for both active
region when they are assumed to be either potential or nonlinear force-free.
The latter is computed using a Grad-Rubin vector-potential-like numerical
scheme. A quantitative comparison is performed in terms of the geometry, the
connectivity of field lines, the magnetic energy and the magnetic helicity
content. For the old decaying active region the connectivity and geometry of
the nonlinear force-free model include strong twist and strong shear and are
very different from the potential model. The twisted flux bundles store
magnetic energy and magnetic helicity high in the corona (about 50 Mm). The
newly emerged active region has a complex topology and the departure from a
potential field is small, but the excess magnetic energy is stored in the low
corona and is enough to trigger powerful flares.Comment: 11 pages, 11 figure
Flat galaxies with dark matter halos - existence and stability
We consider a model for a flat, disk-like galaxy surrounded by a halo of dark
matter, namely a Vlasov-Poisson type system with two particle species, the
stars which are restricted to the galactic plane and the dark matter particles.
These constituents interact only through the gravitational potential which
stars and dark matter create collectively. Using a variational approach we
prove the existence of steady state solutions and their nonlinear stability
under suitably restricted perturbations.Comment: 39 page
Turbulence and passive scalar transport in a free-slip surface
We consider the two-dimensional (2D) flow in a flat free-slip surface that
bounds a three-dimensional (3D) volume in which the flow is turbulent. The
equations of motion for the two-dimensional flow in the surface are neither
compressible nor incompressible but strongly influenced by the 3D flow
underneath the surface. The velocity correlation functions in the 2D surface
and in the 3D volume scale with the same exponents. In the viscous subrange the
amplitudes are the same, but in the inertial subrange the 2D one is reduced to
2/3 of the 3D amplitude. The surface flow is more strongly intermittent than
the 3D volume flow. Geometric scaling theory is used to derive a relation
between the scaling of the velocity field and the density fluctuations of a
passive scalar advected on the surface.Comment: 11 pages, 10 Postscript figure
Neurodegeneration and Epilepsy in a Zebrafish Model of CLN3 Disease (Batten Disease)
The neuronal ceroid lipofuscinoses are a group of lysosomal storage disorders that comprise the most common, genetically heterogeneous, fatal neurodegenerative disorders of children. They are characterised by childhood onset, visual failure, epileptic seizures, psychomotor retardation and dementia. CLN3 disease, also known as Batten disease, is caused by autosomal recessive mutations in the CLN3 gene, 80–85% of which are a ~1 kb deletion. Currently no treatments exist, and after much suffering, the disease inevitably results in premature death. The aim of this study was to generate a zebrafish model of CLN3 disease using antisense morpholino injection, and characterise the pathological and functional consequences of Cln3 deficiency, thereby providing a tool for future drug discovery. The model was shown to faithfully recapitulate the pathological signs of CLN3 disease, including reduced survival, neuronal loss, retinopathy, axonopathy, loss of motor function, lysosomal storage of subunit c of mitochondrial ATP synthase, and epileptic seizures, albeit with an earlier onset and faster progression than the human disease. Our study provides proof of principle that the advantages of the zebrafish over other model systems can be utilised to further our understanding of the pathogenesis of CLN3 disease and accelerate drug discovery
Atlantic salmon cardiac primary cultures:An in vitro model to study viral host pathogen interactions and pathogenesis
Development of Salmon Cardiac Primary Cultures (SCPCs) from Atlantic salmon pre-hatch embryos and their application as in vitro model for cardiotropic viral infection research are described. Producing SCPCs requires plating of trypsin dissociated embryos with subsequent targeted harvest from 24h up to 3 weeks, of relevant tissues after visual identification. SCPCs are then transferred individually to chambered wells for culture in isolation, with incubation at 15-22°. SCPCs production efficiency was not influenced by embryo's origin (0.75/ farmed or wild embryo), but mildly influenced by embryonic developmental stage (0.3 decline between 380 and 445 accumulated thermal units), and strongly influenced by time of harvest post-plating (0.6 decline if harvested after 72 hours). Beating rate was not significantly influenced by temperature (15-22°) or age (2-4 weeks), but was significantly lower on SCPCs originated from farmed embryos with a disease resistant genotype (F = 5.3, p<0.05). Two distinct morphologies suggestive of an ex vivo embryonic heart and a de novo formation were observed sub-grossly, histologically, ultra-structurally and with confocal microscopy. Both types contained cells consistent with cardiomyocytes, endothelium, and fibroblasts. Ageing of SCPCs in culture was observed with increased auto fluorescence in live imaging, and as myelin figures and cellular degeneration ultra-structurally. The SCPCs model was challenged with cardiotropic viruses and both the viral load and the mx gene expression were measurable along time by qPCR. In summary, SCPCs represent a step forward in salmon cardiac disease research as an in vitro model that partially incorporates the functional complexity of the fish heart
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