Stein's method for probabiilstic approximation has been applied in a wide variety of settings. Chapter 1 of this thesis provides an introduction to Stein's method, outlining Stein's approach and introducing many of the concepts that will be developed in the main body of the work, Chapters 2-4.

In this thesis we are concerned with the approximation of functions by radial basis function interpolants. There is a plethora of results about the asymptotic behaviour of the error between appropriately smooth functions and their interpolants, as the interpolation points fill out a bounded domain in Euclidean space. In all of these cases, the analysis takes place in a natural function space dictated by the choice of radial basis function - the native space. This work establishes Lp-error estimates, for 1 ≤ p ≤ ∞, when the function being interpolated fails to have the required smoothness to lie in the corresponding native space; therefore, providing error estimates for a class of rougher functions than previously known. Such estimates have application in the numerical analysis of solving partial differential equations using radial basis function collocation methods. At first our discussion focuses on the popular polyharmonic splines. A more general class of radial basis functions is admitted into exposition later on, this class being characterised by the algebraic decay of the Fourier transform of the radial basis function. The new estimates presented here offer some improvement on recent contributions from other authors by having wider applicability and a more satisfactory form. The method of proof employed is not restricted to interpolation alone. Rather, the technique provides error estimates for the approximation of rough functions for a variety of related approximation schemes as well. For the previously mentioned class of radial basis functions, this work also gives error estimates when the function being interpolated has some additional smoothness. We find that the usual Lp-error estimate, for 1 ≤ p ≤ ∞, where the approximand belongs to the corresponding native space, can be doubled. Furthermore, error estimates are established for functions with smoothness intermediate to that of the native space and the subspace of the native space where double the error is observed.

Η διπλωματική εργασία αυτή,ασχολείται με τη δημιουργία ενός διδακτικού πακέτου που θα χρησιμοποιείται για τη διδασκαλία του μαθήματος "Ανάλυση Διαστημάτων" από απόσταση. Σκοπός του είναι η αξιοποίησή του από τον φοιτητή για περαιτέρω εξάσκηση στο σπίτι και για εμπέδωση των όσων διδάχθηκε στην τάξη. Πριλαμβάνει συνοπτική θεωρία στα πλαίσια του μαθήματος που διδάσκεται σε προπτυχιακό επίπεδο στο τμήμα Μαθηματικών του Παν/μιου Πατρών καθώς και παραδείγματα συνδεδεμένα άμεσα με τη θεωρία που έχει διδαχθεί. Υπάρχει σύνδεση κάθε παραγράφου της θεωρίας με τα αντίστοιχα παραδείγματα, τα οποία είναι σε μορφή video. Υλοποιούνται όλες οι μέθοδοι που αναφέρονται στο βιβλίο και υπάρχει γραφική απεικόνιση κάθε βήματος του αλγορίθμου τους και ηχητική επεξήγηση αυτών, με σκοπό την καλύτερη κατανόησή τους. Μέσα στο πακέτο υπάρχουν και ασκήσεις πολλαπλής επιλογής, αντιστοίχησης και σταυρόλεξο, όπου είτε θα μπορεί ο αναγνώστης φοιτητής να ασχοληθεί μόνος του στο σπίτι, είτε να αξιοποιηθούν από τον διδάσκοντα με τη χρήση μηχανής προβολής για εξάσκηση στην τάξη. / This diplomatic essay is related to the creation of a teaching package which will be used in the teaching process of "Interval Analysis" through distant learning. Its aim is to be fully used by the student for further practice at home and to consolidate everything they have been taught within the classroom. More analytically, it includes concise theory of the subject framework whivh is taught in Mathematics Department of Patra University in the Bachelor's level. It also includes examples directly connected to the already taught theory. Specifically, there is a connection of each theory paragraph to the corresponding examples which exist in the form of a video clip. In addition, every method mentioned in the book is accomplished and there is a graph of every step in their algprithm as well as sound effect explanation in order to their being better understood. This package includes multiple choice exercises, mathing exercises and a crossword puzzle with which the student reader will be able either to be busy with at home or the teacher will be able to fully used them with the use of a projector for practice in classroom.

La modélisation des réacteurs nucléaires repose sur la résolution de l'équation de Boltzmann linéaire. Pour la résolution spatiale de la forme stationnaire de cette équation, le solveur MINARET utilise la méthode des éléments finis discontinus sur un maillage triangulaire non structuré afin de pouvoir traiter des géométries complexes. Cependant, l'utilisation d'arêtes droites introduit une approximation de la géométrie. Autoriser l'existence d'arêtes courbes permet de coller parfaitement à la géométrie, et dans certains cas de diminuer le nombre de triangles du maillage. L'objectif principal de cette thèse est l'étude d'éléments finis sur des triangles possédant plusieurs bords courbes. Le choix des fonctions de base est un des points importants pour ce type d'éléments finis. Un résultat de convergence a été obtenu sous réserve que les triangles courbes ne soient pas trop éloignés des triangles droits associés. D'autre part, un solveur courbe a été développé pour traiter des triangles avec plusieurs bords courbes. Une autre partie de ce travail porte sur l'accélération de la convergence des calculs. En effet, la résolution du problème est itérative et peut converger très lentement. Une méthode d'accélération dite DSA (Diffusion Synthetic Acceleration) permet de diminuer le nombre d'itérations et le temps de calcul. L'opérateur de diffusion est utilisé comme un préconditionneur de l'opérateur de transport. La DSA a été mise en oeuvre en utilisant une technique issue des méthodes de pénalisation intérieure. Une analyse de Fourier en 1D et 2D permet de vérifier la stabilité du schéma pour des milieux périodiques avec de fortes hétérogénéités / To model the nuclear reactors, the stationnary linear Boltzmann equation is solved. After discretising the energy and the angular variables, the hyperbolic equation is numerically solved with the discontinuous finite element method. The MINARET code uses this method on a triangular unstructured mesh in order to deal with complex geometries (like containing arcs of circle). However, the meshes with straight edges only approximate such geometries. With curved edges, the mesh fits exactly to the geometry, and in some cases, the number of triangles decreases. The main task of this work is the study of finite elements on curved triangles with one or several curved edges. The choice of the basis functions is one of the main points for this kind of finite elements. We obtained a convergence result under the assumption that the curved triangles are not too deformed in comparison with the associated straight triangles. Furthermore, a code has been written to treat triangles with one, two or three curved edges. Another part of this work deals with the acceleration of transport calculations. Indeed, the problem is solved iteratively, and, in some cases, can converge really slowly. A DSA (Diffusion Synthetic Acceleration) method has been implemented using a technique from interior penalty methods. A Fourier analysis in 1D and 2D allows to estimate the acceleration for infinite periodical media, and to check the stability of the numerical scheme when strong heterogeneities exist

Interval analysis is an essential tool in the construction of validated numerical solutions of Initial Value Problems (IVP) for Ordinary (ODE) and Partial (PDE) Differential Equations. A validated solution typically consists of guaranteed lower and upper bounds for the exact solution or set of exact solutions in the case of uncertain data, i.e. it is an interval function (enclosure) containing all solutions of the problem. IVP for ODE: The central point of discussion is the wrapping effect. A new concept of wrapping function is introduced and applied in studying this effect. It is proved that the wrapping function is the limit of the enclosures produced by any method of certain type (propagate and wrap type). Then, the wrapping effect can be quantified as the difference between the wrapping function and the optimal interval enclosure of the solution set (or some norm of it). The problems with no wrapping effect are characterized as problems for which the wrapping function equals the optimal interval enclosure. A sufficient condition for no wrapping effect is that there exist a linear transformation, preserving the intervals, which reduces the right-hand side of the system of ODE to a quasi-isotone function. This condition is also necessary for linear problems and "near" necessary in the general case. Hyperbolic PDE: The Initial Value Problem with periodic boundary conditions for the wave equation is considered. It is proved that under certain conditions the problem is an operator equation with an operator of monotone type. Using the established monotone properties, an interval (validated) method for numerical solution of the problem is proposed. The solution is obtained step by step in the time dimension as a Fourier series of the space variable and a polynomial of the time variable. The numerical implementation involves computations in Fourier and Taylor functoids. Propagation of discontinuo~swaves is a serious problem when a Fourier series is used (Gibbs phenomenon, etc.). We propose the combined use of periodic splines and Fourier series for representing discontinuous functions and a method for propagating discontinuous waves. The numerical implementation involves computations in a Fourier hyper functoid. / Mathematical Sciences / D. Phil. (Mathematics)

Interval analysis is an essential tool in the construction of validated numerical solutions of Initial Value Problems (IVP) for Ordinary (ODE) and Partial (PDE) Differential Equations. A validated solution typically consists of guaranteed lower and upper bounds for the exact solution or set of exact solutions in the case of uncertain data, i.e. it is an interval function (enclosure) containing all solutions of the problem. IVP for ODE: The central point of discussion is the wrapping effect. A new concept of wrapping function is introduced and applied in studying this effect. It is proved that the wrapping function is the limit of the enclosures produced by any method of certain type (propagate and wrap type). Then, the wrapping effect can be quantified as the difference between the wrapping function and the optimal interval enclosure of the solution set (or some norm of it). The problems with no wrapping effect are characterized as problems for which the wrapping function equals the optimal interval enclosure. A sufficient condition for no wrapping effect is that there exist a linear transformation, preserving the intervals, which reduces the right-hand side of the system of ODE to a quasi-isotone function. This condition is also necessary for linear problems and "near" necessary in the general case. Hyperbolic PDE: The Initial Value Problem with periodic boundary conditions for the wave equation is considered. It is proved that under certain conditions the problem is an operator equation with an operator of monotone type. Using the established monotone properties, an interval (validated) method for numerical solution of the problem is proposed. The solution is obtained step by step in the time dimension as a Fourier series of the space variable and a polynomial of the time variable. The numerical implementation involves computations in Fourier and Taylor functoids. Propagation of discontinuo~swaves is a serious problem when a Fourier series is used (Gibbs phenomenon, etc.). We propose the combined use of periodic splines and Fourier series for representing discontinuous functions and a method for propagating discontinuous waves. The numerical implementation involves computations in a Fourier hyper functoid. / Mathematical Sciences / D. Phil. (Mathematics)