In two and three dimensions, we design and analyze a posteriori error estimators for the mixed Stokes eigenvalue problem. The unknowns on this mixed formulation are the pseudotress, velocity and pressure. With a lowest order mixed finite element scheme, together with a postprocressing technique, we prove that the proposed estimator is reliable and efficient. We illustrate the results with several numerical tests in two and three dimensions in order to assess the performance of the estimator.
We consider the approximation of weakly T-coercive operators. The main property to ensure the convergence thereof is the regularity of the approximation (in the vocabulary of discrete approximation schemes). In a previous work the existence of discrete operators $T_n$ which converge to $T$ in a discrete norm was shown to be sufficient to obtain regularity. Although this framework proved usefull for many applications for some instances the former assumption is too strong. Thus in the present article we report a weaker criterium for which the discrete operators $T_n$ only have to converge point-wise, but in addition a weak T-coercivity condition has to be satisfied on the discrete level. We apply the new framework to prove the convergence of certain $H^1$-conforming finite element discretizations of the damped time-harmonic Galbrun's equation, which is used to model the oscillations of stars. A main ingredient in the latter analysis is the uniformly stable invertibility of the divergence operator on certain spaces, which is related to the topic of divergence free elements for the Stokes equation.
The continuous-time Markov chain (CTMC) is the mathematical workhorse of evolutionary biology. Learning CTMC model parameters using modern, gradient-based methods requires the derivative of the matrix exponential evaluated at the CTMC's infinitesimal generator (rate) matrix. Motivated by the derivative's extreme computational complexity as a function of state space cardinality, recent work demonstrates the surprising effectiveness of a naive, first-order approximation for a host of problems in computational biology. In response to this empirical success, we obtain rigorous deterministic and probabilistic bounds for the error accrued by the naive approximation and establish a "blessing of dimensionality" result that is universal for a large class of rate matrices with random entries. Finally, we apply the first-order approximation within surrogate-trajectory Hamiltonian Monte Carlo for the analysis of the early spread of SARS-CoV-2 across 44 geographic regions that comprise a state space of unprecedented dimensionality for unstructured (flexible) CTMC models within evolutionary biology.
Robust Markov Decision Processes (RMDPs) are a widely used framework for sequential decision-making under parameter uncertainty. RMDPs have been extensively studied when the objective is to maximize the discounted return, but little is known for average optimality (optimizing the long-run average of the rewards obtained over time) and Blackwell optimality (remaining discount optimal for all discount factors sufficiently close to 1). In this paper, we prove several foundational results for RMDPs beyond the discounted return. We show that average optimal policies can be chosen stationary and deterministic for sa-rectangular RMDPs but, perhaps surprisingly, that history-dependent (Markovian) policies strictly outperform stationary policies for average optimality in s-rectangular RMDPs. We also study Blackwell optimality for sa-rectangular RMDPs, where we show that {\em approximate} Blackwell optimal policies always exist, although Blackwell optimal policies may not exist. We also provide a sufficient condition for their existence, which encompasses virtually any examples from the literature. We then discuss the connection between average and Blackwell optimality, and we describe several algorithms to compute the optimal average return. Interestingly, our approach leverages the connections between RMDPs and stochastic games.
Finite volume method (FVM) is a widely used mesh-based technique, renowned for its computational efficiency and accuracy but it bears significant drawbacks, particularly in mesh generation and handling complex boundary interfaces or conditions. On the other hand, smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) method, a popular meshless alternative, inherently circumvents the mesh generation and yields smoother numerical outcomes but at the expense of computational efficiency. Therefore, numerous researchers have strategically amalgamated the strengths of both methods to investigate complex flow phenomena and this synergy has yielded precise and computationally efficient outcomes. However, algorithms involving the weak coupling of these two methods tend to be intricate, which has issues pertaining to versatility, implementation, and mutual adaptation to hardware and coding structures. Thus, achieving a robust and strong coupling of FVM and SPH in a unified framework is imperative. Due to differing boundary algorithms between these methods in Wang's work, the crucial step for establishing a strong coupling of both methods within a unified SPH framework lies in incorporating the FVM boundary algorithm into the Eulerian SPH method. In this paper, we propose a straightforward algorithm in the Eulerian SPH method, algorithmically equivalent to that in FVM, grounded in the principle of zero-order consistency. Moreover, several numerical examples, including fully and weakly compressible flows with various boundary conditions in the Eulerian SPH method, validate the stability and accuracy of the proposed algorithm.
Recent work has proposed solving the k-means clustering problem on quantum computers via the Quantum Approximate Optimization Algorithm (QAOA) and coreset techniques. Although the current method demonstrates the possibility of quantum k-means clustering, it does not ensure high accuracy and consistency across a wide range of datasets. The existing coreset techniques are designed for classical algorithms and there has been no quantum-tailored coreset technique which is designed to boost the accuracy of quantum algorithms. In this work, we propose solving the k-means clustering problem with the variational quantum eigensolver (VQE) and a customised coreset method, the Contour coreset, which has been formulated with specific focus on quantum algorithms. Extensive simulations with synthetic and real-life data demonstrated that our VQE+Contour Coreset approach outperforms existing QAOA+Coreset k-means clustering approaches with higher accuracy and lower standard deviation. Our work has shown that quantum tailored coreset techniques has the potential to significantly boost the performance of quantum algorithms when compared to using generic off-the-shelf coreset techniques.
We consider a quasi-classical version of the Alicki-Fannes-Winter technique widely used for quantitative continuity analysis of characteristics of quantum systems and channels. This version allows us to obtain continuity bounds under constraints of different types for quantum states belonging to subsets of a special form that can be called "quasi-classical". Several applications of the proposed method are described. Among others, we obtain the universal continuity bound for the von Neumann entropy under the energy-type constraint which in the case of one-mode quantum oscillator is close to the specialized optimal continuity bound presented recently by Becker, Datta and Jabbour. We obtain semi-continuity bounds for the quantum conditional entropy of quantum-classical states and for the entanglement of formation in bipartite quantum systems with the rank/energy constraint imposed only on one state. Semi-continuity bounds for entropic characteristics of classical random variables and classical states of a multi-mode quantum oscillator are also obtained.
Among the commonly used non-destructive techniques, the Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) is one of the most widely adopted today for assessing pavement conditions in France. However, conventional radar systems and their forward processing methods have shown their limitations for the physical and geometrical characterization of very thin layers such as tack coats. However, the use of Machine Learning methods applied to GPR with an inverse approach showed that it was numerically possible to identify the tack coat characteristics despite masking effects due to low timefrequency resolution noted in the raw B-scans. Thus, we propose in this paper to apply the inverse approach based on Machine Learning, already validated in previous works on numerical data, on two experimental cases with different pavement structures. The first case corresponds to a validation on known pavement structures on the Gustave Eiffel University (Nantes, France) with its pavement fatigue carousel and the second case focuses on a new real road in Vend{\'e}e department (France). In both case studies, the performances of SVM/SVR methods showed the efficiency of supervised learning methods to classify and estimate the emulsion proportioning in the tack coats.
We present a novel Finite Volume (FV) scheme on unstructured polygonal meshes that is provably compliant with the Second Law of Thermodynamics and the Geometric Conservation Law (GCL) at the same time. The governing equations are provided by a subset of the class of symmetric and hyperbolic thermodynamically compatible (SHTC) models. Our numerical method discretizes the equations for the conservation of momentum, total energy, distortion tensor and thermal impulse vector, hence accounting in one single unified mathematical formalism for a wide range of physical phenomena in continuum mechanics. By means of two conservative corrections directly embedded in the definition of the numerical fluxes, the new schemes are proven to satisfy two extra conservation laws, namely an entropy balance law and a geometric equation that links the distortion tensor to the density evolution. As such, the classical mass conservation equation can be discarded. Firstly, the GCL is derived at the continuous level, and subsequently it is satisfied by introducing the new concepts of general potential and generalized Gibbs relation. Once compatibility of the GCL is ensured, thermodynamic compatibility is tackled in the same manner, thus achieving the satisfaction of a local cell entropy inequality. The two corrections are orthogonal, meaning that they can coexist simultaneously without interfering with each other. The compatibility of the new FV schemes holds true at the semi-discrete level, and time integration of the governing PDE is carried out relying on Runge-Kutta schemes. A large suite of test cases demonstrates the structure preserving properties of the schemes at the discrete level as well.
Probabilistic variants of Model Order Reduction (MOR) methods have recently emerged for improving stability and computational performance of classical approaches. In this paper, we propose a probabilistic Reduced Basis Method (RBM) for the approximation of a family of parameter-dependent functions. It relies on a probabilistic greedy algorithm with an error indicator that can be written as an expectation of some parameter-dependent random variable. Practical algorithms relying on Monte Carlo estimates of this error indicator are discussed. In particular, when using Probably Approximately Correct (PAC) bandit algorithm, the resulting procedure is proven to be a weak greedy algorithm with high probability. Intended applications concern the approximation of a parameter-dependent family of functions for which we only have access to (noisy) pointwise evaluations. As a particular application, we consider the approximation of solution manifolds of linear parameter-dependent partial differential equations with a probabilistic interpretation through the Feynman-Kac formula.
In this work we make us of Livens principle (sometimes also referred to as Hamilton-Pontryagin principle) in order to obtain a novel structure-preserving integrator for mechanical systems. In contrast to the canonical Hamiltonian equations of motion, the Euler-Lagrange equations pertaining to Livens principle circumvent the need to invert the mass matrix. This is an essential advantage with respect to singular mass matrices, which can yield severe difficulties for the modelling and simulation of multibody systems. Moreover, Livens principle unifies both Lagrangian and Hamiltonian viewpoints on mechanics. Additionally, the present framework avoids the need to set up the system's Hamiltonian. The novel scheme algorithmically conserves a general energy function and aims at the preservation of momentum maps corresponding to symmetries of the system. We present an extension to mechanical systems subject to holonomic constraints. The performance of the newly devised method is studied in representative examples.