Adaptive $$H_{\infty }$$ -Optimal Control

Automation and Remote Control - For linear dynamic plants, we consider a new class of controllers with adjustable parameters synthesized so as to reduce the integral indicators of the influence of...     

Multicriteria Minimax Problems: Localization of the Pareto Set and Suboptimal Control Design

Automation and Remote Control - We consider multicriteria minimax optimization problems with criteria in the form of the maxima of functionals given by the induced norms of linear operators taking...     

Improving the Reliability of Eddy-Current Quality Control of Soldering in Current-Carrying Copper Joints and Expanding the Nomenclature of Inspected Joints in Energy Equipment

The possibilities of increasing the reliability of eddy-current quality control of soldering in current-carrying copper joints of the stator windings of electrical machines and expanding the nomenclature of inspected joints by using an improved eddy current transducer with a U-shaped core are investigated. To achieve this goal, rectangular cutouts were made in the poles of the U-shaped core, made of transformer steel plates, to allow the transducer to be mounted on a tested solder joint in two mutually perpendicular directions. Using such a transducer for testing allows one to induce closedloop eddy currents in the solder joint along these two directions, thus significantly improving the reliability of testing by virtue of all soldered surfaces in the joint contributing to the eddy-current transducer signal. The use of such a transducer also significantly expands the range of tested joints due to the possibility of exciting closed-loop eddy currents perpendicular to the direction of such joints (testing the side walls of the joints). It is shown that despite local changes in the distribution of electromagnetic field in the interpole space as compared to the case of no cuts, the presence of rectangular cuts in the poles of the U-shaped core of the eddy current transducer practically does not affect the accuracy of determining the degree of soldering of tested joints along and perpendicular to their direction.

     

Design of generalized discrete-time H ∞-optimal control over finite and infinite intervals

For the discrete linear nonstationary plants, the state or output feedbacks were designed for which the generalized H _∞-norm of a closed-loop system characterizing the joint effect of initial state and external perturbation on the controlled output and terminal state takes on the minimal value.     

Modelling corn production in China using AVHRR‐based vegetation health indices

Weather‐related crop losses have always been a concern for farmers, governments, traders and policy makers for the purpose of balanced food supplies, demands, trade, and distribution of aid to nations in need. Therefore, early crop loss assessment in response to weather fluctuations is an important issue. This paper discusses the utility of Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR)‐based vegetation health indices as a proxy for modelling corn yield and for early warning of drought‐related losses of agricultural production in China. The indices were tested in Jilin province on corn yield during 1982–2001 using correlation and regression analysis. A strong correlation between corn yield and the vegetation health indices were found during the critical period of corn growth, which starts 2–3 weeks before and 2–3 weeks after corn tassel. Following the results of correlation analysis, several regression equations were constructed where vegetation health indices were used as independent variables. The estimates of corn yield can be carried out well in advance of harvest and the errors of the estimates are 7–10%. The errors become smaller when the estimations are related to losses in corn yield due to drought.     

Online Scheduling FIFO Policies with Admission and Push-Out

We consider the problem of managing a bounded size First-In-First-Out (FIFO) queue buffer, where each incoming unit-sized packet requires several rounds of processing before it can be transmitted out. Our objective is to maximize the total number of successfully transmitted packets. We consider both push-out (when a policy is permitted to drop already admitted packets) and non-push-out cases. We provide worst-case guarantees for the throughput performance of our algorithms, proving both lower and upper bounds on their competitive ratio against the optimal algorithm, and conduct a comprehensive simulation study that experimentally validates predicted theoretical behavior.     

Cooper-like Pairing and Energy Gap Induced by Ion Electronic Polarizability

We explore the possibility that the ionic electron polarizabilities of the oxygen ions in the cuprates and bismutates and the polarizabilities of As and Se ions in the iron pnictides contribute to charge carrier pairing leading to high Tc superconductivity. Using the fact that the ionic polarization responds to an abrupt change in the electric field is practically instantaneous, we find that charge carriers attract each other in limited regions in the two carrier position space. The attractive potential is used to calculate quantum mechanically the Cooper-like pairing energy and wave function and the gap energy showing they are consistent with pairing and gap energies of high Tc superconductors. Qualitative considerations show that this model may explain the large pairing energy observed in high Tc superconductors, the very short inter-carrier distance, the fact that Tc vanishes at very low and very high doping levels, and the dramatic increase in Tc of a one-unit cell thick FeSe film grown on SrTiO₃ substrate.     

Some Characteristics of Free Cell Population in the Airways of Rats after Intratracheal Instillation of Copper-Containing Nano-Scale Particles

We used stable water suspensions of copper oxide particles with mean diameter 20 nm and of particles containing copper oxide and element copper with mean diameter 340 nm to assess the pulmonary phagocytosis response of rats to a single intratracheal instillation of these suspensions using optical, transmission electron, and semi-contact atomic force microscopy and biochemical indices measured in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Although both nano and submicron ultrafine particles were adversely bioactive, the former were found to be more toxic for lungs as compared with the latter while evoking more pronounced defense recruitment of alveolar macrophages and especially of neutrophil leukocytes and more active phagocytosis. Based on our results and literature data, we consider both copper solubilization and direct contact with cellular organelles (mainly, mitochondria) of persistent particles internalized by phagocytes as probable mechanisms of their cytotoxicity.     

Moving toward more perfect unions: Daily and long-term consequences of approach and avoidance goals in romantic relationships.

In 2 daily experience studies and a laboratory study, the authors test predictions from approach-avoidance motivational theory to understand how dating couples can maintain feelings of relationship satisfaction in their daily lives and over the course of time. Approach goals were associated with increased relationship satisfaction on a daily basis and over time, particularly when both partners were high in approach goals. Avoidance goals were associated with decreases in relationship satisfaction over time, and people were particularly dissatisfied when they were involved with a partner with high avoidance goals. People high in approach goals and their partners were rated as relatively more satisfied and responsive to a partner's needs by outside observers in the lab, whereas people with high avoidance goals and their partners were rated as less satisfied and responsive. Positive emotions mediated the link between approach goals and daily satisfaction in both studies, and responsiveness to the partner's needs was an additional behavioral mechanism in Study 2. Implications of these findings for approach-avoidance motivational theory and for the maintenance of satisfying relationships over time are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)