We approximate a linear array of coupled harmonic oscillators as a symmetric circular array of identical masses and springs. The springs are taken to possess mass distributed along their lengths. We give a Lagrangian formulation of the problem of finding the natural frequencies of oscillation for the array. Damping terms are included by means of the Rayleigh dissipation function. A transformation to symmetry coordinates as determined by the group of rotations of the circle uncouples the equations of motion.

We are concerned with the solvability of variational inequalities that contain degenerate elliptic operators. By using a recession approach, we find conditions on the boundary conditions such that the inequality has at least one solution. Existence results of Landesman-Lazer type for a nonsmooth inequality and a resonance problem for a weighted p-Laplacian are discussed in detail.

An axially symmetric metric in oblate spheroidal co-ordinates is considered. Two exact solutions of the field equations corresponding to zero mass meson fields are obtained. The details of the solutions are also discussed. These solutions are also generalized to include electromagnetic fields.

In modelling phenomena involving diffusion and chemical reactions, coupled systems of linear differential equations are often obtained, which can involve several dependent variables. For two dependent variables, coupled reaction-diffusion systems can be uncoupled, and in principle the original boundary value problem can be reduced to two separate boundary value problems for the classical heat equation. Here we address various aspects of the fundamental unsolved problem of the determination of corresponding uncoupling transformations for systems involving several dependent variables. We present, in an elementary manner, the current state of knowledge relating to this complex problem area. Several new results are obtained here. For example, in reviewing known results two dependent variables we observe that those systems for which uncoupling transformations have been found are essentially those which can be reduced to a coupled system involving a single spatial operator L. In addition, for several dependent variables, the general solution structure for the kernel matrix, involved in the uncoupling transformation, is presented together with some explicit results for values of components of the kernel matrix along characteristics, which are deduced from elementary considerations.

A five-dimensional deterministic model is proposed for the dynamics between HIV and another pathogen within a given population. The model exhibits four equilibria: a disease-free equilibrium, an HIV-free equilibrium, a pathogen-free equilibrium and a co-existence equilibrium. The existence and stability of these equilibria are investigated. A competitive finite-difference method is constructed for the solution of the non-linear model. The model predicts the optimal therapy level needed to eradicate both diseases.

Finding critical phenomena in two-dimensional combustion is normally done numerically. By using a centre-manifold reduction, we can find a reduced equation in one dimension. Once we have found the reduced equation, it is simpler to find critical phenomena. We consider two different problems. One is spontaneous ignition. We compare our results with known critical parameters to give some validity to our reduction technique. We also look at a combustion model with three equilibrium states. For this model, the possible transitions can occur as travelling waves between the unstable to either of the stable equilibrium or from one stable to the other stable state. For the latter transition, the direction of the transition tells us whether we have an extinction or ignition wave. We find the critical parameters when the direction of the wave changes.

In this paper, Antczak's η-approximation approach is used to prove the equivalence between optima of multiobjective programming problems and the η-saddle points of the associated η-approximated vector optimisation problems. We introduce an η-Lagrange function for a constructed η-approximated vector optimisation problem and present some modified η-saddle point results. Furthermore, we construct an η-approximated Mond-Weir dual problem associated with the original dual problem of the considered multiobjective programming problem. Using duality theorems between η-approximation vector optimisation problems and their duals (that is, an η-approximated dual problem), various duality theorems are established for the original multiobjective programming problem and its original Mond-Weir dual problem.

In the paper we study the conditions under which multiconnection networks are nonblocking. A multiconnection network deals with the connections of pairs {(T1, T2)} where T1 is a subset of the input terminals and T2 is a subset of the output terminals. We investigate networks composed of digital switching matrices. Such networks can be treated as a very general case encompassing many kinds of networks used in practice as well as studied theoretically.

We present four routing strategies and then develop conditions under which multiconnection networks are nonblocking when each of these strategies is used. We also show that the obtained conditions reduce to known results for some values of network parameters.

A stable linear time-invariant classical digital control system with several widely different small coefficients multiplying the lowest functions is considered. It is formulated as a multi-parameter singularly perturbed system. Perturbation methods are developed for both initial and boundary value problems based on asymptotic expansions of the perturbation parameters. The approximate solution consists of an outer solution and a number of boundary layer correction solutions equal to the number of initial conditions lost in the process of degeneration. An example is provided for illustration.

We study the large time behaviour of the free boundary for a one-phase Stefan problem with supercooling and a kinetic condition u = −ε|⋅ṡ| at the free boundary x = s(t). The problem is posed on the semi-infinite strip [0,∞) with unit Stefan number and bounded initial temperature ϕ(x) ≤ 0, such that ϕ → −1 − δ as x → ∞, where δ is constant. Special solutions and the asymptotic behaviour of the free boundary are considered for the cases ε ≥ 0 with δ negative, positive and zero, respectively. We show that, for ε > 0, the free boundary is asymptotic to , δt/ε if < δ > 0 respectively, and that when δ = 0 the large time behaviour of the free boundary depends more sensitively on the initial temperature. We also give a brief summary of the corresponding results for a radially symmetric spherical crystal with kinetic undercooling and Gibbs-Thomson conditions at the free boundary.

During the late 1940s, T. M. Cherry published a series of research papers on uniform asymptotic formulae for transition points in ordinary differential equations. This work, together with his research into transonic gas flows, for which it was a necessary precursor, is probably his best known and most widely quoted piece of research. An analysis is made of the impact of Cherry's work on subsequent developments in this field, both in comparison to the work of others and with respect to Cherry's work on other topics.

A simple elliptic model is developed for the spread of a fire front through grassland. This is used to predict theoretical fire fronts, which agree closely with those obtained in practice.

Facility location problems are one of the most common applications of optimization methods. Continuous formulations are usually more accurate, but often result in complex problems that cannot be solved using traditional optimization methods. This paper examines theuse of a global optimization method—AGOP—for solving location problems where the objective function is discontinuous. This approach is motivated by a real-world application in wireless networks design.

A chemical reactor problem is considered governed by partial differential equations. We wish to control the input temperature and the input oxygen concentration so that the actual output temperature can be as close to the desired output temperature as possible. By linearizing the differential equations around a nominal equation and then applying a finite-element Galerkin Scheme to the resulting system, the original problem can be converted into a sequence of linearly-constrained quadratic programming problems.

Mixing rules model how the physical properties of a polymer, such as its relaxation modulus G(t), depend on the distribution w(m) of its molecular weights m. They are of practical importance because, among other things, they allow estimates of the molecular weight distribution (MWD) w(m) of a polymer to be determined from measurements of its physical properties including the relaxation modulus. The two most common mixing rules are “single” and “double” reptation. Various derivations for these rules have been published. In this paper, a conditional probability formulation is given which identifies that the fundamental essence of “double” reptation is the discrete binary nature of the “entanglements”, which are assumed to occur in the corresponding topological model of the underlying polymer dynamics. In addition, various methods for determining the MWD are reviewed, and the computation of linear functionals of the MWD motivated and briefly examined.