A conditional random field-based downscaling method for assessment of climate change impact on multisite daily precipitation in the Mahanadi basin

Downscaling to station-scale hydrologic variables from large-scale atmospheric variables simulated by general circulation models (GCMs) is usually necessary to assess the hydrologic impact of climate change. This work presents CRF-downscaling, a new probabilistic downscaling method that represents the daily precipitation sequence as a conditional random field (CRF). The conditional distribution of the precipitation sequence at a site, given the daily atmospheric (large-scale) variable sequence, is modeled as a linear chain CRF. CRFs do not make assumptions on independence of observations, which gives them flexibility in using high-dimensional feature vectors. Maximum likelihood parameter estimation for the model is performed using limited memory Broyden-Fletcher-Goldfarb-Shanno (L-BFGS) optimization. Maximum a posteriori estimation is used to determine the most likely precipitation sequence for a given set of atmospheric input variables using the Viterbi algorithm. Direct classification of dry/wet days as well as precipitation amount is achieved within a single modeling framework. The model is used to project the future cumulative distribution function of precipitation. Uncertainty in precipitation prediction is addressed through a modified Viterbi algorithm that predicts the n most likely sequences. The model is applied for downscaling monsoon (June-September) daily precipitation at eight sites in the Mahanadi basin in Orissa, India, using the MIROC3.2 medium-resolution GCM. The predicted distributions at all sites show an increase in the number of wet days, and also an increase in wet day precipitation amounts. A comparison of current and future predicted probability density functions for daily precipitation shows a change in shape of the density function with decreasing probability of lower precipitation and increasing probability of higher precipitation.

A discrete wavelet transform approach to multiresolution complex SAR image generation

We present a signal processing approach using discrete wavelet transform (DWT) for the generation of complex synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images at an arbitrary number of dyadic scales of resolution. The method is computationally efficient and is free from significant system-imposed limitations present in traditional subaperture-based multiresolution image formation. Problems due to aliasing associated with biorthogonal decomposition of the complex signals are addressed. The lifting scheme of DWT is adapted to handle complex signal approximations and employed to further enhance the computational efficiency. Multiresolution SAR images formed by the proposed method are presented.

Multiple excitation nano-spot generation and confocal detection for far-field microscopy

An imaging technique is developed for the controlled generation of multiple excitation nano-spots for far-field microscopy. The system point spread function (PSF) is obtained by interfering two counter-propagating extended depth-of-focus PSF (DoF-PSF), resulting in highly localized multiple excitation spots along the optical axis. The technique permits (1) simultaneous excitation of multiple planes in the specimen; (2) control of the number of spots by confocal detection; and (3) overcoming the point-by-point based excitation. Fluorescence detection from the excitation spots can be efficiently achieved by Z-scanning the detector/pinhole assembly. The technique complements most of the bioimaging techniques and may find potential application in high resolution fluorescence microscopy and nanoscale imaging.

Response time measurement in flow induced signal generation on semiconductors

Measurable electrical signal is generated when a gas flows over a variety of solids, including doped semiconductors, even at the modest speed of a few meters per second. The underlying mechanism is an interesting interplay of Bernoulli's principle and the Seebeck effect. The electrical signal depends on the square of Mach number (M) and is proportional to the Seebeck coefficient (S) of the solids. Here we present experimental estimate of the response time of the signal rise and fall process, i.e. how fast the semiconductor materials respond to a steady flow as soon as it is set on or off. A theoretical model is also presented to understand the process and the dependence of the response time on the nature and physical dimensions of the semiconductor material used and they are compared with the experimental observations. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Optimal multicommodity flow through the complete graph with random edge capacities

We consider a multicommodity flow problem on a complete graph whose edges have random, independent, and identically distributed capacities. We show that, as the number of nodes tends to infinity, the maximumutility, given by the average of a concave function of each commodity How, has an almost-sure limit. Furthermore, the asymptotically optimal flow uses only direct and two-hop paths, and can be obtained in a distributed manner.

Stability of scheduled multi-access communication over quasi-static flat fading channels with random coding and independent decoding

The stability of scheduled multiaccess communication with random coding and independent decoding of messages is investigated. The number of messages that may be scheduled for simultaneous transmission is limited to a given maximum value, and the channels from transmitters to receiver are quasistatic, flat, and have independent fades. Requests for message transmissions are assumed to arrive according to an i.i.d. arrival process. Then, we show the following: (1) in the limit of large message alphabet size, the stability region has an interference limited information-theoretic capacity interpretation, (2) state-independent scheduling policies achieve this asymptotic stability region, and (3) in the asymptotic limit corresponding to immediate access, the stability region for non-idling scheduling policies is shown to be identical irrespective of received signal powers.

First passage probability during random vibration

The probability that a random process crosses an arbitrary level for the first time is expressed as a Gram—Charlier series, the leading term of which is the Poisson approximation. The coefficients of this series are related to the moments of the number of level crossings. The results are applicable to both stationary and non-stationary processes. Some numerical results are presented for the response process of a linear single-degree-of-freedom oscillator under Gaussian white noise excitation.

An Estimator Algorithm For Learning Automata With Changing Number Of Actions

In many problems of decision making under uncertainty the system has to acquire knowledge of its environment and learn the optimal decision through its experience. Such problems may also involve the system having to arrive at the globally optimal decision, when at each instant only a subset of the entire set of possible alternatives is available. These problems can be successfully modelled and analysed by learning automata. In this paper an estimator learning algorithm, which maintains estimates of the reward characteristics of the random environment, is presented for an automaton with changing number of actions. A learning automaton using the new scheme is shown to be e-optimal. The simulation results demonstrate the fast convergence properties of the new algorithm. The results of this study can be extended to the design of other types of estimator algorithms with good convergence properties.

In-Network Computation in Random Wireless Networks: A PAC Approach to Constant Refresh Rates with Lower Energy Costs

We propose a method to compute a probably approximately correct (PAC) normalized histogram of observations with a refresh rate of Theta(1) time units per histogram sample on a random geometric graph with noise-free links. The delay in computation is Theta(root n) time units. We further extend our approach to a network with noisy links. While the refresh rate remains Theta(1) time units per sample, the delay increases to Theta(root n log n). The number of transmissions in both cases is Theta(n) per histogram sample. The achieved Theta(1) refresh rate for PAC histogram computation is a significant improvement over the refresh rate of Theta(1/log n) for histogram computation in noiseless networks. We achieve this by operating in the supercritical thermodynamic regime where large pathways for communication build up, but the network may have more than one component. The largest component however will have an arbitrarily large fraction of nodes in order to enable approximate computation of the histogram to the desired level of accuracy. Operation in the supercritical thermodynamic regime also reduces energy consumption. A key step in the proof of our achievability result is the construction of a connected component having bounded degree and any desired fraction of nodes. This construction may also prove useful in other communication settings on the random geometric graph.

Generation of spectrum compatible accelerograms

In this paper a new method is presented for generating earthquake accelerograms which have pre-established response spectra. The non-stationary random nature and other salient features of the accelerograms can be taken care of by the procedure developed. The method leads to a sample spectrum which lies above the given spectrum. The generation of records to suit several spectra simultaneously can also be handled by this approach. The method is detailed first. This is followed by several numerical examples.

Kinetics of sono-photooxidative degradation of poly(alkyl methacrylate)s

The mechano-chemical degradation of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), poly(ethyl methacrylate) (PEMA) and poly(n-butyl methacrylate) (PBMA) using ultrasound (US), ultraviolet (UV) radiation and a photoinitiator (benzoin) has been investigated. The degradation of the polymers was monitored using the reduction in number average molecular weight (M-n) and polydispersity (PDI). A degradation mechanism that included the decomposition of the initiator, generation of polymer radicals by the hydrogen abstraction of initiator radicals, reversible chain transfer between stable polymer and polymer radicals was proposed. The mechanism assumed mid-point chain scission due to US and random scission due to UV radiation. A series of experiments with different initial M-n of the polymers were performed and the results indicated that, irrespective of the initial PDI, the PDI during the sono-photooxidative degradation evolved to a steady state value of 1.6 +/- 0.05 for all the polymers. This steady state evolution of PDI was successfully predicted by the continuous distribution kinetics model. The rate coefficients of polymer scission due to US and UV exhibited a linear increase and decrease with the size of the alkyl group of the poly(alkyl methacrylate)s, respectively. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Random-Restart Reactive Tabu Search Algorithm for Detection in Large-MIMO Systems

We present a low-complexity algorithm based on reactive tabu search (RTS) for near maximum likelihood (ML) detection in large-MIMO systems. The conventional RTS algorithm achieves near-ML performance for 4-QAM in large-MIMO systems. But its performance for higher-order QAM is far from ML performance. Here, we propose a random-restart RTS (R3TS) algorithm which achieves significantly better bit error rate (BER) performance compared to that of the conventional RTS algorithm in higher-order QAM. The key idea is to run multiple tabu searches, each search starting with a random initial vector and choosing the best among the resulting solution vectors. A criterion to limit the number of searches is also proposed. Computer simulations show that the R3TS algorithm achieves almost the ML performance in 16 x 16 V-BLAST MIMO system with 16-QAM and 64-QAM at significantly less complexities than the sphere decoder. Also, in a 32 x 32 V-BLAST MIMO system, the R3TS performs close to ML lower bound within 1.6 dB for 16-QAM (128 bps/Hz), and within 2.4 dB for 64-QAM (192 bps/Hz) at 10(-3) BER.

Effect of blocking oestrogen synthesis with a new generation aromatase inhibitor CGS 16949A on follicular maturation induced by pregnant mare serum gonadotrophin in the immature rat

While the endocrine role of oestrogen is well established, its function in follicular maturation as an autocrine or paracrine regulator is less well understood. This study was designed to delineate the requirement of oestrogen for follicular development in immature rats. Exogenous gonadotrophin (25 IU pregnant mare serum gonadotrophin (PMSG) per rat) was administered to 21- to 23-day old female rats to induce follicular growth and development. In the experimental animals, synthesis of oestrogen was blocked by implanting an Alzet pump containing the aromatase inhibitor (AI) CGS 16949A (fadrozole hydrochloride; 50 mu g/rat per day). The treatment resulted in blockade of the PMSG induced increase in both serum and intrafollicular oestrogen (>95%), thus leading to an inhibition in uterine weight increment. Compared with the controls, ovarian weight increased markedly in both the PMSG (295%)- and PMSG+AI (216%)-primed animals. There was no significant difference in either the proliferative capabilities of the ovarian granulosa cells or their responsiveness to human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG; 200 pg/ml) and ovine FSH (20 ng/ml) between the PMSG- and PMSG+AI-treated groups. Histological examination of the ovary, however, indicated a decrease in the number of healthy antral follicles in the Al-treated group compared with the PMSG-primed animals but both the groups showed a percentage increase over the controls (PMSG, 225; PMSG+AI, 158). The responsiveness of the animals to an ovulatory dose of hCG was drastically reduced (>80% inhibition of ovulation) in the oestrogen-deprived animals; this could be overriden by exogenous administration of oestrogen. In conclusion, although blocking oestrogen synthesis in the PMSG-primed rat does not seem to alter the functional properties of the isolated granulosa cells in vitro there appears to be an effect on the number of follicles which complete maturation and are able to ovulate in vivo.

Probing the inter-tube transport in aligned and random multiwall carbon nanotubes

The temperature and magnetic field dependence of conductivity has been used to probe the inter-tube transport in multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWNTs). The scanning electron microscopy images show highly aligned and random distribution of MWNTs. The conductivity in aligned carbon nanotube (ACNT) and random carbon nanotube (RCNT) samples at low temperature follows T-1/2 (at T < 8 K) and T-3/4 (at T > 8 K) dependence in accordance with the weak localization and electron-electron (e-e) interaction model. The values of diffusion coefficient in ACNT and RCNT are 0.25 x 10(-2) and 0.71 x 10(-2) cm(2) s(-1), respectively, indicating that larger number of inter-tube junctions in later enhances the bulk transport. The positive magnetoconductance (MC) data in both samples show that the weak localization contribution is dominant. However, the saturation of MC at higher fields and lower temperatures indicate that e-e interaction is quite significant in RCNT. The T-3/4 and T-1/2 dependence of inelastic scattering length (l(in)) in ACNT and RCNT samples show that the inelastic e-e scattering is more important in aligned tubes. (C) 2011 American Institute of Physics. doi:10.1063/1.3552911]

Fixed points in a Hopfield model with random asymmetric interactions

We calculate analytically the average number of fixed points in the Hopfield model of associative memory when a random antisymmetric part is added to the otherwise symmetric synaptic matrix. Addition of the antisymmetric part causes an exponential decrease in the total number of fixed points. If the relative strength of the antisymmetric component is small, then its presence does not cause any substantial degradation of the quality of retrieval when the memory loading level is low. We also present results of numerical simulations which provide qualitative (as well as quantitative for some aspects) confirmation of the predictions of the analytic study. Our numerical results suggest that the analytic calculation of the average number of fixed points yields the correct value for the typical number of fixed points.