In this paper a bridging method is introduced for numerical solutions of one-dimensional global optimization problems where a continuously differentiable function is to be minimized over a finite interval which can be given either explicitly or by constraints involving continuously differentiable functions. The concept of a bridged function is introduced. Some properties of the bridged function are given. On this basis, several bridging algorithm are developed for the computation of global optimal solutions. The algorithms are demonstrated by solving several numerical examples.

Algorithms are developed by means of which certain connected pairs of Fredholm integral equations of the first and second kinds can be converted into Fredholm integral equations of the second kind. The methods are then used to obtain the solutions of two different sets of triple integral equations tht occur in mixed boundary value problems involving Laplace' equation and the wave equation respectively.

Minkowski space-time is specified with respect to a single coordinate frame by the set of timelike lines. Isotropy mappings are defined as automorphisms which leave the events of one timelike line invariant. We demonstrate the existence of two special types of isotropy mappings. The first type of isotropy mapping induce orthogonal transformations in position space. Mappings of the second type can be composed to generate Lorentz boosts. It is shown that isotropy mappings generate the orthochronous Poincaré group of motions. The set of isotropy mappings then maps the single assumed coordinate frame onto a set of coordinate frames related by transformations of the orthochronous Poincaré group.

The local properties of non-linear differential-difference equations are investigated by considering the location of the roots of the eigen-equation derived from the lineraised approximation of the original model. A general linear system incorporating one time delay is considered and local stability results are obtained for cases in which the coefficient matrices satisfy certain assumptions. The results have applications to recent Biological and Economic models incorporating time lags.

This paper establishes an estimate for the asymptotic behaviour of the spectrum of a direct strain feedback (DSF) control system. The results show that the system operator corresponding to the closed loop system cannot have an analytic extension and that the decay rate for the system energy is not proportional to the feedback constant.

Mathematical theories describing chaotic behaviour in physical systems are introduced by developing and reviewing applications to optical fibres. A theory is presented for laser light propagating in a loop formed by an optical fibre and an optical coupler. As the light traverses the fibre it suffers an attenuation and is subjected to a phase shift which will have a component proportional to the light intensity via the nonlinear optics Kerr effect. At each pass through the coupler, an extra fraction of laser light is coupled into the loop. The mathematical formulation leads to a two-dimensional map having a clear physical and geometrical interpretation. The complete solution is given in the linear regime and the onset of nonlinear behaviour is investigated as the laser power is increased. A variety of transitions is obtained including period doubling and iteration onto a strange attractor.

We give sufficient conditions for order-bounded convex operators to be generically differentiable (Gâteaux or Fréchet). When the range space is a countably order-complete Banach lattice, these conditions are also necessary. In particular, every order-bounded convex operator from an Asplund space into such a lattice is generically Fréchet differentiable, if and only if the lattice has weakly-compact order intervals, if and only if the lattice has strongly-exposed order intervals. Applications are given which indicate how such results relate to optimization theory.

From a knowledge of the eigenvalue spectrum of the Laplacian on a domain, one may extract information on the geometry and boundary conditions by analysing the asymptotic expansion of a spectral function. Explicit calculations are performed for isosceles right-angle triangles with Dirichlet or Neumann boundary conditions, yielding in particular the corner angle terms. In three dimensions, right prisms are dealt with, including the solid vertex terms.

For finite dimensional linear systems it is known that in certain circumstances the input can be retrieved from a knowledge of the output only. The main aim of this paper is to produce explicit formulae for input retrieval in systems which do not possess direct linkage from input to output. Although two different procedures are suggested the fundamental idea in both cases is to find an expression for the inverse transfer function of the system. In the first case this is achieved using a general method of power series inversion and in the second case by a sequence of elementary operations on a Rosenbrock type system matrix.

If a constrained minimization problem, under Lipschitz or uniformly continuous hypotheses on the functions, has a strict local minimum, then a small perturbation of the functions leads to a minimum of the perturbed problem, close to the unperturbed minimum. Conditions are given for the perturbed minimum point to be a Lipschitz function of a perturbation parameter. This is used to study convergence rate for a problem of continuous programming, when the variable is approximated by step-functions. Similar conclusions apply to computation of optimal control problems, approximating the control function by step-functions.

In this paper we prove the existence of solutions for hyperbolic hemivariational inequalities and then investigate optimal control problems for some convex cost functionals.

Additional convergence results are given for the approximate solution in the space L2(a, b) of Fredholm integral equations of the second kind, y = f + Ky, by the degenerate-kernel methods of Sloan, Burn and Datyner. Convergence to the exact solution is provided for a class of these methods (including ‘method 2’), under suitable conditions on the kernel K, and error bounds are obtained. In every case the convergence is faster than that of the best approximate solution of the form yn = Σnan1u1, where u1, …, un are the appropriate functions used in the rank-n degenerate-kernel approximation. In addition, the error for method 2 is shown to be relatively unaffected if the integral equation has an eigenvalue near 1.

The interaction of a number of self-heating bodies depositing heat into a common finite heat bath and thereby influencing each other is a problem of great practical importance in many areas including storage and transport of self-heating materials, drums of chemicals, foodstuffs etc. Critical conditions for the complete assembly of interacting heat producers (thermons) are derived under various assumptions and modes of ignition are identified. These include cooperative modes as well as modes which are simply perturbations of ignition for single thermons.

The problem of the energy exponential decay rate of a Timoshenko beam with locally distributed controls is investigated. Consider the case in which the beam is nonuniform and the two wave speeds are different. Then, using Huang's theorem and Birkhoff's asymptotic expansion method, it is shown that, under some locally distributed controls, the energy exponential decay rate is identical to the supremum of the real part of the spectrum of the closed loop system. Furthermore, explicit asymptotic locations of eigenfrequencies are derived.

Maximum and minimum principles for capillary surface problems with prescribed contact angle are derived in a unified manner from canonical variational theory. The results are illustrated by calculations for a liquid in a cylindrical container with circular cross-section.