Search Results
Auditory cortex modelled as a dynamical network of oscillators: Understanding event-related fields and their adaptation
Adaptation, the reduction of neuronal responses by repetitive stimulation, is a ubiquitous feature of auditory cortex (AC). It is not clear what causes adaptation, but short-term synaptic depression (STSD) is a potential candidate for the underlying mechanism. We examined this hypothesis via a computational model based on AC anatomy, which includes serially connected core, belt, and parabelt areas. The model replicates the event-related field (ERF) of the magnetoencephalogram as well as ERF adaptation. The model dynamics are described by excitatory and inhibitory state variables of cell populations, with the excitatory connections modulated by STSD. We analysed the system dynamics by linearizing the firing rates and solving the STSD equation using time-scale separation. This allows for characterization of AC dynamics as a superposition of damped harmonic oscillators, so-called normal modes. We show that repetition suppression of the N1m is due to a mixture of causes, with stimulus repetition modifying both the amplitudes and the frequencies of the normal modes. In this view, adaptation results from a complete reorganization of AC dynamics rather than a reduction of activity in discrete sources. Further, both the network structure and the balance between excitation and inhibition contribute significantly to the rate with which AC recovers from adaptation. This lifetime of adaptation is longer in the belt and parabelt than in the core area, despite the time constants of STSD being spatially constant. Finally, we critically evaluate the use of a single exponential function to describe recovery from adaptation.
On the existence of weak solutions in the context of multidimensional incompressible fluid dynamics
We define the concept of energy-variational solutions for the Navier--Stokes and Euler equations. This concept is shown to be equivalent to weak solutions with energy conservation. Via a standard Galerkin discretization, we prove the existence of energy-variational solutions and thus weak solutions in any space dimension for the Navier--Stokes equations. In the limit of vanishing viscosity the same assertions are deduced for the incompressible Euler system. Via the selection criterion of maximal dissipation we deduce well-posedness for these equations.
Thermodynamic models for a concentration and electric field dependent susceptibility in liquid electrolytes
The dielectric susceptibility $chi$ is an elementary quantity of the electrochemical double layer and the associated Poisson equation. While most often $chi$ is treated as a material constant, its dependency on the salt concentration in liquid electrolytes is demonstrated by various bulk electrolyte experiments. This is usually referred to as dielectric decrement. Further, it is theoretically well accepted that the susceptibility declines for large electric fields. This effect is frequently termed dielectric saturation. We analyze the impact of a variable susceptibility in terms of species concentrations and electric fields based on non-equilibrium thermodynamics. This reveals some non-obvious generalizations compared to the case of a constant susceptibility. In particular the consistent coupling of the Poisson equation, the momentum balance and the chemical potentials functions are of ultimate importance. In a numerical study, we systematically analyze the effects of a concentration and field dependent susceptibility on the double layer of a planar electrode electrolyte interface. We compute the differential capacitance and the spatial structure of the electric potential, solvent concentration and ionic distribution for various non-constant models of $chi$.
Value at risk approach to producer's best response in electricity market with uncertain demand
We deal with several sources of uncertainty in electricity markets. The independent system operator (ISO) maximizes the social welfare using chance constraints to hedge against discrepancies between the estimated and real electricity demand. We find an explicit solution of the ISO problem, and use it to tackle the problem of a producer. In our model, production as well as income of a producer are determined based on the estimated electricity demand predicted by the ISO, that is unknown to producers. Thus, each producer is hedging against the uncertainty of prediction of the demand using the value-at-risk approach. To illustrate our results, a numerical study of a producer's best response given a historical distribution of both estimated and real electricity demand is provided.
Weak-strong uniqueness for energy-reaction-diffusion systems
We establish weak-strong uniqueness and stability properties of renormalised solutions to a class of energy-reaction-diffusion systems, which genuinely feature cross-diffusion effects. The systems considered are motivated by thermodynamically consistent models, and their formal entropy structure allows us to use as a key tool a suitably adjusted relative entropy method. Weak-strong uniqueness is obtained for general entropy-dissipating reactions without growth restrictions, and certain models with a non-integrable diffusive flux. The results also apply to a class of (isoenergetic) reaction-cross-diffusion systems.
Global existence analysis of energy-reaction-diffusion systems
We establish global-in-time existence results for thermodynamically consistent reaction-(cross-)diffusion systems coupled to an equation describing heat transfer. Our main interest is to model species-dependent diffusivities, while at the same time ensuring thermodynamic consistency. A key difficulty of the non-isothermal case lies in the intrinsic presence of cross-diffusion type phenomena like the Soret and the Dufour effect: due to the temperature/energy dependence of the thermodynamic equilibria, a nonvanishing temperature gradient may drive a concentration flux even in a situation with constant concentrations; likewise, a nonvanishing concentration gradient may drive a heat flux even in a case of spatially constant temperature. We use time discretisation and regularisation techniques and derive a priori estimates based on a suitable entropy and the associated entropy production. Renormalised solutions are used in cases where non-integrable diffusion fluxes or reaction terms appear.
Dynamical low-rank approximations of solutions to the Hamilton--Jacobi--Bellman equation
We present a novel method to approximate optimal feedback laws for nonlinar optimal control basedon low-rank tensor train (TT) decompositions. The approach is based on the Dirac-Frenkel variationalprinciple with the modification that the optimisation uses an empirical risk. Compared to currentstate-of-the-art TT methods, our approach exhibits a greatly reduced computational burden whileachieving comparable results. A rigorous description of the numerical scheme and demonstrations ofits performance are provided.
High order discretization methods for spatial-dependent epidemic models
In this paper, an SIR model with spatial dependence is studied and results regarding its stability and numerical approximation are presented. We consider a generalization of the original Kermack and McKendrick model in which the size of the populations differs in space. The use of local spatial dependence yields a system of integro-differential equations. The uniqueness and qualitative properties of the continuous model are analyzed. Furthermore, different choices of spatial and temporal discretizations are employed, and step-size restrictions for population conservation, positivity, and monotonicity preservation of the discrete model are investigated. We provide sufficient conditions under which high order numerical schemes preserve the discrete properties of the model. Computational experiments verify the convergence and accuracy of the numerical methods.
A generalized $Gamma$-convergence concept for a type of equilibrium problems
A novel generalization of Γ-convergence applicable to a class of equilibrium problems is studied. After the introduction of the latter, a variety of its applications is discussed. The existence of equilibria with emphasis on Nash equilibrium problems is investigated. Subsequently, our Γ-convergence notion for equilibrium problems, generalizing the existing one from optimization, is introduced and discussed. The work ends with its application to a class of penalized generalized Nash equilibrium problems and quasi-variational inequalities.
A coarse-grained electrothermal model for organic semiconductor devices
We derive a coarse-grained model for the electrothermal interaction of organic semiconductors. The model combines stationary drift-diffusion based electrothermal models with thermistor type models on subregions of the device and suitable transmission conditions. Moreover, we prove existence of a solution using a regularization argument and Schauder's fixed point theorem. In doing so, we extend recent work by taking into account the statistical relation given by the Gauss--Fermi integral and mobility functions depending on the temperature, charge-carrier density, and field strength, which is required for a proper description of organic devices.