Over the past few years there has been an extensive growth in data traffic consumption devices. Billions of mobile data devices are connected to the global wireless network. Customers demand revived services and up-to-date developed applications, like real-time video and games. These applications require reliable and high data rate wireless communication with high throughput network. One way to meet these requirements is by increasing the number of transmit and/or receive antennas of the wireless communication systems. Massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) has emerged as a promising candidate technology for the next generation (5G) wireless communication. Massive MIMO increases the spatial multiplexing gain and the data rate by adding an excessive number of antennas to the base station (BS) terminals of wireless communication systems. However, building efficient algorithms able to decode a coherently or non-coherently large flow of transmitted signal with low complexity is a big challenge in massive MIMO. In this dissertation, we propose novel approaches to achieve optimal performance for joint channel estimation and signal detection for massive MIMO systems. The dissertation consists of three parts depending on the number of users at the receiver side. In the first part, we introduce a probabilistic approach to solve the problem of coherent signal detection using the optimized Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) technique. Two factors contribute to the speed of finding the optimal solution by the MCMC detector: The probability of encountering the optimal solution when the Markov chain converges to the stationary distribution, and the mixing time of the MCMC detector. First, we compute the optimal value of the “temperature'' parameter such that the MC encounters the optimal solution in a polynomially small probability. Second, we study the mixing time of the underlying Markov chain of the proposed MCMC detector. We assume the channel state information is known in the first part of the dissertation; in the second part we consider non-coherent signal detection. We develop and design an optimal joint channel estimation and signal detection algorithms for massive (single-input multiple-output) SIMO wireless systems. We propose exact non-coherent data detection algorithms in the sense of generalized likelihood ratio test (GLRT). In addition to their optimality, these proposed tree based algorithms perform low expected complexity and for general modulus constellations. More specifically, despite the large number of the unknown channel coefficients for massive SIMO systems, we show that the expected computational complexity of these algorithms is linear in the number of receive antennas (N) and polynomial in channel coherence time (T). We prove that as $N \rightarrow \infty$, the number of tested hypotheses for each coherent block equals $T$ times the cardinality of the modulus constellation. Simulation results show that the optimal non-coherent data detection algorithms achieve significant performance gains (up to 5 dB improvement in energy efficiency) with low computational complexity. In the part three, we consider massive MIMO uplink wireless systems with time-division duplex (TDD) operation. We propose an optimal algorithm in terms of GLRT to solve the problem of joint channel estimation and data detection for massive MIMO systems. We show that the expected complexity of our algorithm grows polynomially in the channel coherence time (T). The proposed algorithm is novel in two terms: First, the transmitted signal can be chosen from any modulus constellation, constant and non-constant. Second, the algorithm decodes the received noisy signal, which is transmitted a from multiple-antenna array, offering exact solution with polynomial complexity in the coherent block interval. Simulation results demonstrate significant performance gains of our approach compared with suboptimal non-coherent detection schemes. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first algorithm which efficiently achieves GLRT-optimal non-coherent detections for massive MIMO systems with general constellations.

Afin de créer des productions toujours plus réalistes, les industries du jeu vidéo et du cinéma cherchent à générer des environnements de plus en plus larges et complexes. Cependant, la modélisation manuelle des objets 3D dans de tels décors se révèle très coûteuse. A l’inverse, les méthodes de génération procédurale permettent de créer facilement une grande variété d’objets, tels que les plantes et les bâtiments. La modélisation par règles de grammaire offre un outil de haut niveau pour décrire ces objets, mais utiliser correctement ces règles s’avère très souvent compliqué. De plus, aucune solution de modélisation basée grammaire ne supporte l’édition et la visualisation d’environnements massifs en temps interactif. Dans un tel scénario, les artistes doivent modifier les objets en dehors de la scène avant de voir le résultat intégré.Dans ces travaux de recherche, nous nous intéressons à la génération procédurale et au rendu d’environnements à grande échelle. Nous voulons aussi faciliter la tâche des artistes avec des outils intuitifs de contrôle de grammaires. Tout d’abord nous proposons un système permettant la génération procédurale en parallèle sur le GPU en temps interactif. Pour cela, nous adoptons une approche d’expansion indépendante par segment, permettant une amplification des données en parallèle. Nous étendons ce système pour générer des modèles basés sur une structure interne, tels que les toits. Nous présentons aussi une solution utilisant des contextes externes pour contrôler facilement les grammaires par le biais de surface ou de texture. Pour finir nous intégrons un système de niveaux de détails et des techniques d’optimisation permettant la génération, l’édition et la visualisation interactives d’environnements à grande échelle. Grâce à notre système il est possible de générer et d’afficher interactivement des scènes comprenant des milliers de bâtiments et d’arbres, représentant environ 2 téraoctets de données. / With the increasing computing and storage capabilities of recent hardware, movie and video games industries desire huger realistic environments. However, modeling such sceneries by hand turns out to be highly time consuming and costly. On the other hand, procedural modeling provides methods to easily generate high diversity of elements such as vegetation and architecture. While grammar rules bring a high-level powerful modeling tool, using these rules is often a tedious task, necessitating frustrating trial and error process. Moreover, as no solution proposes real-time generation and rendering for massive environments, artists have to work on separate parts before integrating the whole and see the results.In this research, we aim to provide interactive generation and rendering of very large sceneries, while offering artist-friendly methods for controlling grammars behavior. We first introduce a GPU-based pipeline providing parallel procedural generation at render time. To this end we propose a segment-based expansion method working on independent elements, thus allowing for parallel amplification. We then extend this pipeline to permit the construction of models relying on internal contexts, such as roofs. We also present external contexts to control grammars with surface and texture data. Finally, we integrate a LOD system with optimization techniques within our pipeline providing interactive generation, edition and visualization of massive environments. We demonstrate the efficiency of our pipeline with a scene comprising hundred thousand trees and buildings each, representing 2 terabytes of data.

Stellar winds play an important role for the evolution of massive stars and their cosmic environment. Multiple lines of evidence, coming from spectroscopy, polarimetry, variability, stellar ejecta, and hydrodynamic modeling, suggest that stellar winds are non-stationary and inhomogeneous. This is referred to as 'wind clumping'. The urgent need to understand this phenomenon is boosted by its far-reaching implications. Most importantly, all techniques to derive empirical mass-loss rates are more or less corrupted by wind clumping. Consequently, mass-loss rates are extremely uncertain. Within their range of uncertainty, completely different scenarios for the evolution of massive stars are obtained. Settling these questions for Galactic OB, LBV and Wolf-Rayet stars is prerequisite to understanding stellar clusters and galaxies, or predicting the properties of first-generation stars. In order to develop a consistent picture and understanding of clumped stellar winds, an international workshop on 'Clumping in Hot Star Winds' was held in Potsdam, Germany, from 18. - 22. June 2007. About 60 participants, comprising almost all leading experts in the field, gathered for one week of extensive exchange and discussion. The Scientific Organizing Committee (SOC) included John Brown (Glasgow), Joseph Cassinelli (Madison), Paul Crowther (Sheffield), Alex Fullerton (Baltimore), Wolf-Rainer Hamann (Potsdam, chair), Anthony Moffat (Montreal), Stan Owocki (Newark), and Joachim Puls (Munich). These proceedings contain the invited and contributed talks presented at the workshop, and document the extensive discussions.

The presented thesis describes the observations of the Galactic center Quintuplet cluster, the spectral analysis of the cluster Wolf-Rayet stars of the nitrogen sequence to determine their fundamental stellar parameters, and discusses the obtained results in a general context. The Quintuplet cluster was discovered in one of the first infrared surveys of the Galactic center region (Okuda et al. 1987, 1989) and was observed for this project with the ESO-VLT near-infrared integral field instrument SINFONI-SPIFFI. The subsequent data reduction was performed in parts with a self-written pipeline to obtain flux-calibrated spectra of all objects detected in the imaged field of view. First results of the observation were compiled and published in a spectral catalog of 160 flux-calibrated $K$-band spectra in the range of 1.95 to 2.45,$mu$m, containing 85 early-type (OB) stars, 62 late-type (KM) stars, and 13 Wolf-Rayet stars. About 100 of these stars are cataloged for the first time. The main part of the thesis project was concentrated on the analysis of the WR stars of the nitrogen sequence and one further identified emission line star (Of/WN) with tailored Potsdam Wolf-Rayet (PoWR) models for expanding atmospheres (Hamann et al. 1995) that are applied to derive the stellar parameters of these stars. For this purpose, the atomic input data of the PoWR models had to be extended by further line transitions in the near-infrared spectral range to enable adaequate model spectra to be calculated. These models were then fitted to the observed spectra, revealing typical paramters for this class of stars. A significant amount of hydrogen of up to $X_text{H} sim 0.2$ by mass fraction is still present in their stellar atmospheres. The stars are also found to be very luminous ($log{(L/L_odot)} > 6.0$) and show mass-loss rates and wind characteristics typical for radiation-driven winds. By comparison with stellar evolutionary models (Meynet & Maeder 2003a; Langer et al. 1994), the initial masses were estimated and indicate that the Quintuplet WN stars are descendants from the most massive O stars with $M_text{init} > 60 M_odot$ and their ages correspond to a cluster age of 3-5,million years. The analysis of the individual WN stars revealed an average extinction of $A_K =3.1 pm 0.5$,mag ($A_V = 27 pm 4$) towards the Quintuplet cluster. This extinction was applied to derive the stellar luminosities of the remaining early-type and late-type stars in the catalog and a Hertzsprung-Russell diagram could be compiled. Surprisingly, two stellar populations are found, a group of main sequence OB stars and a group of evolved late-type stars, i.e. red supergiants (RSG). The main sequence stars indicate a cluster age of 4 million years, which would be too young for red supergiants to be already present. A star formation event lasting for a few million years might possibly explain the Quintuplet's population and the cluster would still be considered coeval. However, the unexpected and simultaneous presence of red supergiants and Wolf-Rayet stars in the cluster points out that the details of star formation and cluster evolution are not yet well understood for the Quintuplet cluster. / Die vorgelegte Arbeit befasst sich mit der Spektralanalyse der massereichen Sterne, speziell der Wolf-Rayet Sterne der Stickstoffsequenz, des Quintuplet-Sternhaufens im Galaktischen Zentrum, welches durch Staubwolken vor visuellen Beobachtungen verborgen ist. Der Sternhaufen wurde in einer der ersten Infrarot-Durchmusterungen entdeckt (Okuda et al. 1987, 1989) und f"ur dieses Projekt mit dem Grossteleskop ESO-VLT und dem Infrarotinstrument SINFONI-SPIFFI beobachtet. Die Daten wurden aufbereitet und die flusskalibrierten Spektren in einem Katalog ver"offentlicht. Darin enthalten sind 85 Sterne fr"uhen Spektraltyps (O- und B-Sterne), 62 Sterne sp"aten Spektraltyps (K- und M-Sterne), sowie 13 Wolf-Rayet Sterne. Etwa 100 Sterne sind zum ersten mal detektiert und katalogisiert worden. Die flusskalibrierten Spektren der Wolf-Rayet Sterne der Stickstoffsequenz (WN) wurden mit den Potsdam Wolf-Rayet Modellen f"ur expandierende Sternatmosph"aren (Hamann et al. 1995) untersucht, wozu zun"achst Atomdaten der Modelle f"ur den Infrarotbereich erg"anzt werden mussten. Verschiedene Modellspektren und -energieverteilungen wurden mit den Beobachtungen verglichen, um die Sternparameter Temperatur, Radius, Leuchtkraft und die Charakteristik des Sternwinds Geschwindigkeit, chemische Zusammensetzung und Massenverlustrate zu bestimmen. Der ermittelte hohe Wasserstoffgehalt der Winde der WN-Sterne zeigt, dass sie Abk"ommlinge von massereichen O-Sternen sind, die die Hauptreihe verlassen haben. Desweiteren sind die Sterne sehr leuchtkr"aftig ($log(L/L_odot) > 6$) und zeigen Massenverlustraten, die typisch sind f"ur strahlungsgetriebenen Sternwinde. Im Vergleich mit Sternentwicklungsmodellen (Meynet & Maeder 2003a; Langer et al. 1994) ergeben sich Anfangsmassen von $M_text{init}>60,M_odot$, sowie ungef"ahre Sternalter von 3-5 Millionen Jahren f"ur die WN-Sterne, was dem angenommenen Altern des Quintuplet-Haufens entspricht. Durch die Analyse der spektralen Energieverteilungen der einzelnen WN-Sterne konnte eine mittlere interstellare Extinktion von $A_K =3.1 pm 0.5$,mag ($A_V = 27 pm 4$,mag) in der Richtung des Quintuplet-Haufens ermittelt und f"ur die Bestimmung der Leuchtkr"afte der verbleibenden Sterne des Katalog verwendet werden. Die anschliess ende vorl"aufige Analyse ergab eine Dichotomie der Sternpopulation von fr"uhen und sp"aten Sternen im Hertzsprung-Russell-Diagramm. W"ahrend die OB-Sterne entsprechend der Entwicklungstheorie auf der Hauptreihe des Haufens liegen, befinden sich die KM-Sterne im entwickelten Stadium der Roten Riesen, welches f"ur Sterne diesen Typs fr"uhestens nach 7 Millionen Jahren erwartet wird. Somit steht die zeitgleiche Entstehung aller Sterne des Sternhaufens in Frage. Sie wird im Rahmen von Haufenzugeh"origkeit und einer Phase ausgedehnter Sternentstehung diskutiert. Es bleibt anzuerkennen, dass die Sternentstehung und -entwicklung auch im speziellen Fall des Quintuplet-Haufens noch nicht hinreichend gut verstanden sind.

I developed a spectrum synthesis method to investigate the physical properties of hot OB main sequence (MS) stars, which are often rapid rotators. The code realistically simulates the surface conditions of rapidly rotating stars, considering the rotationally-deformed stellar shape and gravity darkening effect. Comparing the synthesized absorption line profiles with the observed spectra of the member stars of 19 young Galactic clusters, I determined the projected rotational velocities of 496 stars. The average surface temperature and gravity for most of these objects were then derived from H$\gamma$ line fits. The polar gravity of each star was estimated as a good indicator of the evolutionary status of the star. The derived parameters show that massive rotators spin down during their MS phase. The He abundance data (measured by fitting the He I lines) also favor the theoretical prediction that rotationally-induced mixing can gradually enrich the surface helium abundance through the MS phase. A quicker spin-down is evident in the lower mass star group where a large portion of helium peculiar stars are found. This correlation implies that strong stellar magnetic fields may exist on the surface of these lower mass stars. The same method is also applied to interferometric observations from the CHARA Array of a nearby rapid rotator, Regulus. By combining results from spectroscopic and interferometric analysis, the shape, space orientation, mass, and surface temperature distribution of Regulus are firmly determined. This analysis provides the first evidence of the gravity darkening phenomenon among stars that are not components of an eclipsing binary system. The surprisingly high luminosity determined for Regulus appears to agree with the theoretical prediction that rapid rotator can become more luminous as rotationally-induced mixing brings fresh hydrogen down to the core. Finally I present an extension of the model that simulates the shape, velocity, and temperature variations of a star experiencing nonradial pulsation. I simulated and analyzed the line profile variations in the spectra of $\epsilon$ Per, a B0.7~III star with strong evidence of nonradial pulsation (NRP). A comparison of the model simulations and observations indicates that the pulsations of $\epsilon$ Per have a corresponding local temperature variation that is out of phase with the radial oscillation (a non-adiabatic phase lag).

Image analysis was used to measure basal areas of selected colonies of Montastraea annularis and Porites astreoides, following the colonies over a three-year period from 2002 to 2004. Existing digital images of permanently-marked quadrats in the Caye Caulker Marine Reserve, Belize, were selected based on image quality and availability of images of selected quadrats for all three years. Annual growth rates were calculated from the basal-area measurements. Mean growth rates (radial skeletal extension) for M. annularis and P. astreoides were 0.02 cm yr-1 and -0.20 cm yr-1, respectively. Basal area measurements demonstrated a large degree of variability. Increases were approximately balanced by declines giving the impression of stasis. By removing negative values and correcting by 25% to allow for comparison with vertical growth rates, mean values increased to ~0.5 cm yr-1 for M. annularis and ~0.8 cm yr-1 for P. astreoides. Basal area as a growth measure was compared to methods used in earlier studies. A new growth index based on basal area and perimeter was proposed and modeled. This growth index can be useful for reporting growth measured from basal areas and comparable other methods. The index also measures negative growth, or mortality, which conventional methods cannot do.

Traditionally, noise in communication systems has been modeled as an additive, white Gaussian noise process with independent, identically distributed samples. Although this model accurately reflects thermal noise present in communication system electronics, it fails to capture the statistics of interference and other sources of noise, e.g. in unlicensed communication bands. Modern communication system designers must take into account interference and non-Gaussian noise to maximize efficiencies and capacities of current and future communication networks. In this work, I develop new multi-dimensional signal processing methods to improve performance of communication systems in three applications areas: (i) underwater acoustic, (ii) powerline, and (iii) multi-antenna cellular. In underwater acoustic communications, I address impairments caused by strong, time-varying and Doppler-spread reverberations (self-interference) using adaptive space-time signal processing methods. I apply these methods to array receivers with a large number of elements. In powerline communications, I address impairments caused by non-Gaussian noise arising from devices sharing the powerline. I develop and apply a cyclic adaptive modulation and coding scheme and a factor-graph-based impulsive noise mitigation method to improve signal quality and boost link throughput and robustness. In cellular communications, I develop a low-latency, high-throughput space-time-frequency processing framework used for large scale (up to 128 antenna) MIMO. This framework is used in the world's first 100-antenna MIMO system and processes up to 492 Gbps raw baseband samples in the uplink and downlink directions. My methods prove that multi-dimensional processing methods can be applied to increase communication system performance without sacrificing real-time requirements. / text

Massive Open Online Courses, sogenannte MOOCs sind offene und über das Internet für jeden kostenfrei zugängliche Kurse, die hierdurch oft eine Vielzahl an Teilnehmenden erreichen. Alle Beteiligten lernen gemeinsam, jedoch mit verschiedensten persönlichen Zielen. Die Inhalte werden nicht ausschließlich von den Veranstalter/inne/n vorgegeben, sondern können zudem auch von den Teilnehmenden erweitert und geteilt werden. Mit dem SOOC13, dem Saxon Open Online Course, wurde einer der aktuellsten und vieldiskutierten Trends [1] im E-Learning im Sommersemester 2013 von den Technischen Universitäten in Chemnitz und Dresden sowie der Universität Siegen aufgegriffen, praktisch erprobt und evaluiert. Der Kreis der Teilnehmenden bestand dabei nicht nur aus Studierenden, vielmehr waren mit dem Kurs explizit auch Lehrende sowie andere Hochschulmitarbeiter/innen angesprochen. Als konnektivistischer Open Online Course war der SOOC13 zudem offen für alle Interessierten innerhalb der Netz-Community. Als Methode der Leistungserbringung und -bewertung kamen E-Portfolios zum Einsatz, welche formative Feedback- und Beurteilungsprozesse zulassen. Lernende erstellen Lernprodukte (Artefakte), reflektieren über Lernziele, -verhalten und -fortschritte und teilen die Ergebnisse mit anderen Teilnehmenden in Form von Blogeinträgen, Tweets oder Facebook-Posts. Gegenseitiges Feedback und Hinweise durch die Veranstalter/innen führen zu ausgiebigen Diskussionen und kritischen Auseinandersetzungen.

The ‘giant’ Tambogrande volcanogenic massive sulphide (VMS) deposits within the Cretaceous Lancones basin of northwestern Perú are some of the largest Cu-Zn-Au-Ag-bearing massive sulphide deposits known. Limited research has been done on these deposits, hence the ore forming setting in which they developed and the key criteria that permitted such anomalous accumulation of base-metal sulphides are not understood. Based on field relationships in the host volcanic rocks and U-Pb geochronology, the deposits formed during the early stages of arc development in the latest Early Cretaceous and were related to an extensional and arc-rift phase (~105-100 Ma, phase 1). During this time, bimodal, primitive basalt-dominant volcanic rocks were erupted in a relatively deep marginal basin. Phase 1 rhyolite is tholeiitic, M-type, and considered to have formed from relatively high temperature, small batch magmas. The high heat flow and extensional setting extant during the initial stages of arc development were essential components for forming a VMS hydrothermal system. The subsequent phase 2 (~99-91 Ma) volcanic sequence comprises more evolved mafic rocks and similar, but more depleted, felsic rocks erupted in a relatively shallow marine setting. Phase 2 is interpreted to represent late-stage arc volcanism during a waning extensional regime and marked the transition to contractional tectonism. The Tambogrande deposits are particularly unusual amongst the ‘giant’ class of VMS deposits in that deposition largely occurred as seafloor mound-type and not by replacement of existing strata. Paleomorphology of the local depositional setting was defined by seafloor depressions controlled by syn-volcanic faults and rhyolitic volcanism. The depressions were the main controls on distribution and geometry of the deposits and, due to inherently confined hydrothermal venting, enhanced the efficiency of sulphide deposition. Geochemical and radiogenic isotope data indicate that the rhyolites in the VMS deposits were high temperature partial melts of the juvenile arc crust that had inherited the isotopic signatures of continental crust. Moreover, Pb isotope data suggest the metal budget was sourced almost wholly from mafic volcanic strata. Therefore, unlike the implications of many conventional models, the felsic volcanic rocks at Tambogrande are interpreted to have only played a passive role in VMS formation.

The ‘giant’ Tambogrande volcanogenic massive sulphide (VMS) deposits within the Cretaceous Lancones basin of northwestern Perú are some of the largest Cu-Zn-Au-Ag-bearing massive sulphide deposits known. Limited research has been done on these deposits, hence the ore forming setting in which they developed and the key criteria that permitted such anomalous accumulation of base-metal sulphides are not understood. Based on field relationships in the host volcanic rocks and U-Pb geochronology, the deposits formed during the early stages of arc development in the latest Early Cretaceous and were related to an extensional and arc-rift phase (~105-100 Ma, phase 1). During this time, bimodal, primitive basalt-dominant volcanic rocks were erupted in a relatively deep marginal basin. Phase 1 rhyolite is tholeiitic, M-type, and considered to have formed from relatively high temperature, small batch magmas. The high heat flow and extensional setting extant during the initial stages of arc development were essential components for forming a VMS hydrothermal system. The subsequent phase 2 (~99-91 Ma) volcanic sequence comprises more evolved mafic rocks and similar, but more depleted, felsic rocks erupted in a relatively shallow marine setting. Phase 2 is interpreted to represent late-stage arc volcanism during a waning extensional regime and marked the transition to contractional tectonism. The Tambogrande deposits are particularly unusual amongst the ‘giant’ class of VMS deposits in that deposition largely occurred as seafloor mound-type and not by replacement of existing strata. Paleomorphology of the local depositional setting was defined by seafloor depressions controlled by syn-volcanic faults and rhyolitic volcanism. The depressions were the main controls on distribution and geometry of the deposits and, due to inherently confined hydrothermal venting, enhanced the efficiency of sulphide deposition. Geochemical and radiogenic isotope data indicate that the rhyolites in the VMS deposits were high temperature partial melts of the juvenile arc crust that had inherited the isotopic signatures of continental crust. Moreover, Pb isotope data suggest the metal budget was sourced almost wholly from mafic volcanic strata. Therefore, unlike the implications of many conventional models, the felsic volcanic rocks at Tambogrande are interpreted to have only played a passive role in VMS formation.