Neural networks and the separation of cosmic microwave background and astrophysical signals in sky maps

We implement an independent component analysis (ICA) algorithm to separate signals of different origin in sky maps at several frequencies. Owing to its self-organizing capability, it works without prior assumptions on either the frequency dependence or the angular power spectrum of the various signals; rather, it learns directly from the input data how to identify the statistically independent components, on the assumption that all but, at most, one of the components have non-Gaussian distributions.
We have applied the ICA algorithm to simulated patches of the sky at the four frequencies (30, 44, 70 and 100 GHz) used by the Low Frequency Instrument of the European Space Agency's Planck satellite. Simulations include the cosmic microwave background (CMB), the synchrotron and thermal dust emissions, and extragalactic radio sources. The effects of the angular response functions of the detectors and of instrumental noise have been ignored in this first exploratory study. The ICA algorithm reconstructs the spatial distribution of each component with rms errors of about 1 per cent for the CMB, and 10 per cent for the much weaker Galactic components. Radio sources are almost completely recovered down to a flux limit corresponding to ≃0.7 σ _CMB, where σ _CMB is the rms level of the CMB fluctuations. The signal recovered has equal quality on all scales larger than the pixel size. In addition, we show that for the strongest components (CMB and radio sources) the frequency scaling is recovered with per cent precision. Thus, algorithms of the type presented here appear to be very promising tools for component separation. On the other hand, we have been dealing here with a highly idealized situation. Work to include instrumental noise, the effect of different resolving powers at different frequencies and a more complete and realistic characterization of astrophysical foregrounds is in progress.     

Exact reconstruction with directional wavelets on the sphere

A new formalism is derived for the analysis and exact reconstruction of band-limited signals on the sphere with directional wavelets. It represents an evolution of a previously developed wavelet formalism developed by Antoine & Vandergheynst and Wiaux et al. The translations of the wavelets at any point on the sphere and their proper rotations are still defined through the continuous three-dimensional rotations. The dilations of the wavelets are directly defined in harmonic space through a new kernel dilation, which is a modification of an existing harmonic dilation. A family of factorized steerable functions with compact harmonic support which are suitable for this kernel dilation are first identified. A scale-discretized wavelet formalism is then derived, relying on this dilation. The discrete nature of the analysis scales allows the exact reconstruction of band-limited signals. A corresponding exact multi-resolution algorithm is finally described and an implementation is tested. The formalism is of interest notably for the denoising or the deconvolution of signals on the sphere with a sparse expansion in wavelets. In astrophysics, it finds a particular application for the identification of localized directional features in the cosmic microwave background data, such as the imprint of topological defects, in particular, cosmic strings, and for their reconstruction after separation from the other signal components.     

极不充分采动条件下地表下沉规律及计算方法研究

随着煤矿开采的不断加深,地表呆动程度(开采宽度D与开采深度H之比DIH)不断降低,并逐渐趋向于极不充分采动,同样长度的工作面对地表的影响程度极不同于浅部开采。因此,需要重新认识深部开采时的地表下沉规律。极不充分采动条件下地表下沉规律具有特殊性。经过对国内外大量观测资料的综合分析,发现当开采宽度小于地表下沉起动距时(极不充分采动),地表的下沉或地表下沉率(q′／q)为零。当开采宽度达到地表移动起动距时,地表下沉缓慢增长;达到临界采动距时,地表下沉急剧增大。地表下沉率(q′／q)与开采宽、深比D／H之间为负指数函数关系。在极不充分采动条件下进行地表下沉预计时必须对概率积分法的下沉系数进行修正。算例证明了本文给出计算方法的可行性。但这种修正方法如何与概率积分法相统一仍需进一步研究。     

Should Women Count? A Context for the Debate*

Much recent feminist geographical scholarship emphasizes the utility of qualitative research methods; yet, a significant proportion of feminist research in geography is quantitative. Geographers' engagement with the ideas of feminist theorists has shed new light on the relationship between epistemology, methodology, and objectivity, which in turn has facilitated a reexamination of feminist uses of quantification. In providing a context for the debate over quantitative and qualitative methods, we argue that each has a place in feminist geographical research.     

二维圆柱坐标下FDTD法对多频电磁波测井的数值模拟

在介质围绕Z轴旋转对称的情况下,三维直角坐标下的麦克斯韦方程可变成两组分别对应TM波和TE波的二维柱坐标下的偏微分方程.采用线圈作为电磁波测井的发射器和接收器的时候,可采用TE波对应的方程,这时相当于磁极子的情况.而采用电偶极子作为发射和接收器的时候,则对应TM波的方程.采用时间和空间均为二阶精确的有限差分方法,将偏微分方程进行差分化.这样,空间的电磁场可由时间域有限差分法(FDTD)来求解.     

常规直流电法在黄河水库南屯地质灾害评价中的应用

黄河水库南屯进行勘查的主要目的就是通过物探方法初步查明地下溶洞存在的情况以及区内的地质概况,为该区地质灾害的评价提供必要的参考依据。通过多种物探方法实验,发现激电中梯、激电联剖及视电阻率测深效果相对较好。由于区内地下水较发育,而且已知塌陷部位都不同程度的含水,水导电性能好.。因此,在地表观测时呈现视电阻率低阻趋势。当溶洞中没有地下水存在时,视电阻率呈现高阻异常。这样就可以通过视电阻率的反映来发现地下溶洞。     

A new method to compensate for bias in magnetotellurics

Error estimates from statistical regression analysis are often obviously too small, leading to doubts about the given equations, the statistical method itself and finally, with resignation, to the conclusion that mathematical equations and reality never agree. However, for magnetotelluric data we have found an almost perfect fit between observed scattering and predicted confidence limits of regression coefficients after accounting for a systematic error—the bias.
Different methods to compensate for bias in magnetotelluric impedance estimation have been described using additional data from a reference station. However, sufficiently accurate reference data are often not available. A new method has been developed that enables bias compensation without additional data. For the new method we derive a linear relationship between the effect of bias and an expression depending on the data fit. From this we extrapolate the solution for the unbiased impedance. The new method assumes a special model of uncorrelated noise as well as an approximation for the structure of the impedance tensor. From each pair of components of the unrotated impedance tensor corresponding to the same output channel, one of the pair can be compensated if its magnitude is large compared to that of the other.
The method has been successfully applied in many cases. We claim that the solution is closer to the true impedance than any solution based on the selection of events. It gives a measure of the partitioning of noise between the electric and magnetic channels.
We applied the method to measurements from the North Anatolian Fault Zone (Turkey) and from the Merapi volcano (Central Java) in the period range 10–2500 s. Different instrumentation was used for the two sets of measurements, but in both cases we used fluxgate magnetometers to measure the magnetic variations.