Satellites provide humanity with data to infer properties of the earth that were impossible a century ago. Humanity can now easily monitor the amount of ice found on the polar caps, the size of forests and deserts, the earth’s atmosphere, the seasonal variation on land and in the oceans and the surface temperature of the earth. In this thesis, new hypertemporal techniques are proposed for the settlement detection problem in South Africa. The hypertemporal techniques are applied to study areas in the Gauteng and Limpopo provinces of South Africa. To be more specific, new sequential (windowless) and non-sequential hypertemporal techniques are implemented. The time-series employed by the new hypertemporal techniques are obtained from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensor, which is on board the earth observations satellites Aqua and Terra. One MODIS dataset is constructed for each province. A Support Vector Machine (SVM) [1] that uses a novel noise-harmonic feature set is implemented to detect existing human settlements. The noise-harmonic feature set is a non-sequential hypertemporal feature set and is constructed by using the Coloured Simple Harmonic Oscillator (CSHO) [2]. The CSHO consists of a Simple Harmonic Oscillator (SHO) [3], which is superimposed on the Ornstein-Uhlenbeck process [4]. The noise-harmonic feature set is an extension of the classic harmonic feature set [5]. The classic harmonic feature set consists of a mean and a seasonal component. For the case studies in this thesis, it is observed that the noise-harmonic feature set not only extends the harmonic feature set, but also improves on its classification capability. The Cumulative Sum (CUSUM) algorithm was developed by Page in 1954 [6]. In its original form it is a sequential (windowless) hypertemporal change detection technique. Windowed versions of the algorithm have been applied in a remote sensing context. In this thesis CUSUM is used in its original form to detect settlement expansion in South Africa and is benchmarked against the classic band differencing change detection approach of Lunetta et al., which was developed in 2006 [7]. In the case of the Gauteng study area, the CUSUM algorithm outperformed the band differencing technique. The exact opposite behaviour was seen in the case of the Limpopo dataset. Sequential hypertemporal techniques are data-intensive and an inductive MODIS simulator was therefore also developed (to augment datasets). The proposed simulator is also based on the CSHO. Two case studies showed that the proposed inductive simulator accurately replicates the temporal dynamics and spectral dependencies found in MODIS data. / Thesis (PhD(Eng))--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering / unrestricted

The most useful feature used in finance of the Ornstein-Uhlenbeck (OU) stochastic process is its mean-reverting property: the OU process tends to drift towards its long- term mean (its equilibrium state) over time. This important feature makes the OU process arguably the most popular statistical model for developing best pair-trading strategies. However, optimal strategies depend crucially on the first passage time (FPT) of the OU process to a suitably chosen boundary and its probability density is not analytically available in general. Even for crossing a simple constant boundary, the FPT of the OU process would lead to crossing a square root boundary by a Brownian motion process whose FPT density involves the complicated parabolic cylinder function. To overcome the limitations of the existing methods, we propose a novel class of non-linear boundaries for obtaining optimal decision thresholds. We prove the existence and uniqueness of the maximizer of our decision rules. We also derive simple formulas for some FPT moments without analytical expressions of its density functions. We conduct some Monte Carlo simulations and analyze several pairs of stocks including Coca-Cola and Pepsi, Target and Walmart, Chevron and Exxon Mobil. The results demonstrate that our method outperforms the existing procedures.

Les possibles effets bénéfiques de perturbations déterministes ou stochastiques sur la réponse de différents systèmes non linéaires sont étudiés. À cet effet, des études numériques et expérimentales sont conjointement proposées sur deux structures distinctes : un oscillateur électronique de type FitzHugh-Nagumo et une ligne électrique constituée de 45 de ces oscillateurs couplés résistivement. La caractérisation de l’oscillateur élémentaire est d’abord réalisée en régime déterministe. En présence d’une excitation bichromatique, il est notamment montré que lorsque la composante de fréquence la plus faible est subliminale, sa détection en sortie du système peut être maximisée pour une amplitude particulière de la seconde composante, qui agit alors comme une perturbation haute fréquence. Par la suite, il est établi que ce phénomène de résonance vibrationnelle peut être amélioré pour quelques fréquences spécifiques de cette perturbation déterministe. Par ailleurs, en introduisant une composante stochastique dans l’excitation, l’attention est ensuite portée sur le phénomène de résonance stochastique fantôme. Celui-ci se distingue par le fait que la fréquence d’intérêt en sortie du système ne fait désormais plus partie du signal excitateur. La dernière partie est consacrée à l’étude de la structure couplée. Il est montré que la propagation d’une information à travers les cellules de la ligne peut être améliorée via les phénomènes de propagation vibrationnelle et de propagation assistée par le bruit. Ceux-ci se produisent sous certaines conditions, lorsque le système est respectivement sous l’influence d’une perturbation déterministe haute fréquence ou d’une source de bruit. / This manuscript presents research aiming to show possible positive effects of deterministic and stochastic perturbations on the responses of different nonlinear systems. To that end, both numerical and experimental studies were carried out on two kinds of structures : an elementary electronic FitzHugh-Nagumo oscillator and an electrical line developed by resistively coupling 45 elementary cells. In the first section, the elementary cell characterization was undertaken in a deterministic regime. In the presence of a bichromatic stimulus, it is shown that when the low frequency component is subthreshold, its detection can be maximized for an optimal magnitude of the second component thanks to vibrational resonance. Next, it is established that this resonance may be enhanced for specific frequencies of the second component ; this phenomenon is referred to as frequency resonance. Furthermore, white and colored noise sources effects on vibrational resonance are reported. Then, for any other bichromatic excitation configuration, attention was focused on ghost stochastic resonance. Contrary to the other phenomena introduced in this manuscript, this one differs in the fact that the frequency of interest in the system output is here not applied on the input. Finally, the last part of the manuscript is devoted to the study of the coupled structure. It is shown that information propagation through line cells can be enhanced by vibrational propagation and noise assisted propagation phenomena. These nonlinear effects respectively occur when the system is under a high frequency deterministic perturbation or a random noise source.

Dans cette thèse, on étudie le problème de la consommation et de l’investissement pour le marché financier de "spread" (différence entre deux actifs) défini par le processus Ornstein-Uhlenbeck (OU). Ce manuscrit se compose de sept chapitres. Le chapitre 1 présente une revue générale de la littérature et un bref résumé des principaux résultats obtenus dans cetravail où différentes fonctions d’utilité sont considérées. Dans le chapitre 2, on étudie la stratégie optimale de consommation / investissement pour les fonctions puissances d’utilité pour un intervalle de temps réduit a 0 < t < T < T0. Dans ce chapitre, nous étudions l’équation de Hamilton–Jacobi–Bellman (HJB) par la méthode de Feynman - Kac (FK). L’approximation numérique de la solution de l’équation de HJB est étudiée et le taux de convergence est établi. Il s’avère que dans ce cas, le taux de convergencedu schéma numérique est super–géométrique, c’est-à-dire plus rapide que tous ceux géométriques. Les principaux théorèmes sont énoncés et des preuves de l’existence et de l’unicité de la solution sont données. Un théorème de vérification spécial pour ce cas des fonctions puissances est montré. Le chapitre 3 étend notre approche au chapitre précédent à la stratégie de consommation/investissement optimale pour tout intervalle de temps pour les fonctions puissances d’utilité où l’exposant γ doit être inférieur à 1/4. Dans le chapitre 4, on résout le problème optimal de consommation/investissement pour les fonctions logarithmiques d’utilité dans le cadre du processus OU multidimensionnel en se basant sur la méthode de programmation dynamique stochastique. En outre, on montre un théorème de vérification spécial pour ce cas. Le théorème d’existence et d’unicité pour la solution classique de l’équation de HJB sous forme explicite est également démontré. En conséquence, les stratégies financières optimales sont construites. Quelques exemples sont donnés pour les cas scalaires et pour les cas multivariés à volatilité diagonale. Le modèle de volatilité stochastique est considéré dans le chapitre 5 comme une extension du chapitre précédent des fonctions logarithmiques d’utilité. Le chapitre 6 propose des résultats et des théorèmes auxiliaires nécessaires au travail.Le chapitre 7 fournit des simulations numériques pour les fonctions puissances et logarithmiques d’utilité. La valeur du point fixe h de l’application de FK pour les fonctions puissances d’utilité est présentée. Nous comparons les stratégies optimales pour différents paramètres à travers des simulations numériques. La valeur du portefeuille pour les fonctions logarithmiques d’utilité est également obtenue. Enfin, nous concluons nos travaux et présentons nos perspectives dans le chapitre 8. / This thesis studies the consumption/investment problem for the spread financial market defined by the Ornstein–Uhlenbeck (OU) process. Recently, the OU process has been used as a proper financial model to reflect underlying prices of assets. The thesis consists of 8 Chapters. Chapter 1 presents a general literature review and a short view of the main results obtained in this work where different utility functions have been considered. The optimal consumption/investment strategy are studied in Chapter 2 for the power utility functions for small time interval, that 0 < t < T < T0. Main theorems have been stated and the existence and uniqueness of the solution has been proven. Numeric approximation for the solution of the HJB equation has been studied and the convergence rate has been established. In this case, the convergence rate for the numerical scheme is super geometrical, i.e., more rapid than any geometrical ones. A special verification theorem for this case has been shown. In this chapter, we have studied the Hamilton–Jacobi–Bellman (HJB) equation through the Feynman–Kac (FK) method. The existence and uniqueness theorem for the classical solution for the HJB equation has been shown. Chapter 3 extended our approach from the previous chapter of the optimal consumption/investment strategies for the power utility functions for any time interval where the power utility coefficient γ should be less than 1/4. Chapter 4 addressed the optimal consumption/investment problem for logarithmic utility functions for multivariate OU process in the base of the stochastic dynamical programming method. As well it has been shown a special verification theorem for this case. It has been demonstrated the existence and uniqueness theorem for the classical solution for the HJB equation in explicit form. As a consequence the optimal financial strategies were constructed. Some examples have been stated for a scalar case and for a multivariate case with diagonal volatility. Stochastic volatility markets has been considered in Chapter 5 as an extension for the previous chapter of optimization problem for the logarithmic utility functions. Chapter 6 proposed some auxiliary results and theorems that are necessary for the work. Numerical simulations has been provided in Chapter 7 for power and logarithmic utility functions. The fixed point value h for power utility has been presented. We study the constructed strategies by numerical simulations for different parameters. The value function for the logarithmic utilities has been shown too. Finally, Chapter 8 reflected the results and possible limitations or solutions

The theme of this thesis is attitude of the Communist Party and Czechoslovak totalitarian regime to Zionism in 1947-1957. The main aim of the archive research was to map gradual change of the communist regime from its position of the supporter of Zionism to that one of convinced anti-Zionism (nearly to anti-Semitism). Support of Zionism was primarily presented by help to the nascent state of Israel in 1947-1949. The evidence is given by the role of Czechoslovakia at meetings of the United Nations General Assembly in 1947 and its role as a member of United Nations Special Committee on Palestine. Furthermore, supplies of military equipment to Israel, diplomatic support, demographic support and training of Jewish brigade in Czechoslovak territory in 1948. Gradual change to anti-Zionist position at the end of 1940s and beginning of 1950s is illustrated with complicated negotiations on economic cooperation and with interfering of the regime in running of Jewish religious communities and Zionist organisations. During the first half of 1950s the support turned into downright opposition and lead in a diplomatic quarrel caused by the Slánský trial which had definitely anti-Semitic and anti-Zionist dimension. Utterly anti-Zionist position of the regime is also supported with further politically motivated trials -...

Introducing more intermittent renewable energy sources in the energy system makes the role of balancing power more important. Furthermore, an increased infeed from intermittent renewable energy sources also has the effect of creating lower and more volatile electricity prices. Hence, investing in balancing power is prone to high risks with respect to expected profits, which is why a good representation of electricity prices is vital in order to motivate future investments. We propose a stochastic multi-factor model to be used for simulating the long-run dynamics of electricity prices as input to investment valuation of power generation assets. In particular, the proposed model is used to assess the impact of electricity price dynamics on investment decisions with respect to balancing power generation, where a combined heat and power plant is studied in detail. Since the main goal of the framework is to create a long-term representation of electricity prices so that the distributional characteristics of electricity prices are maintained, commonly cited as seasonality, mean reversion and spikes, the model is evaluated in terms of yearly duration which describes the distribution of electricity prices over time. The core aspects of the framework are derived from the mean-reverting Pilipovic model of commodity prices, but where we extend the assumptions in a multi-factor framework by adding a functional link to the supply- and demand for power as well as outdoor temperature. On average, using the proposed model as a way to represent future prices yields a maximum 9 percent overand underprediction of duration respectively, a result far better than those obtained by simpler models such as a seasonal profile or mean estimates which do not incorporate the full characteristics of electricity prices. Using the different aspects of the model, we show that variations of electricity prices have a large impact on the investment decision with respect to balancing power. The realized value of the flexibility to produce electricity in a combined heat and power plant is calculated, which yields a valuation close to historical realized values. Compared with simpler models, this is a significant improvement. Finally, we show that by including characteristics such as non-constant volatility and spiky behavior in investment decisions, the expected value of balancing power generators, such as combined heat and power plants, increases. / I takt med att fler intermittenta förnyelsebara energikällor tillför el i dagens energisystem, blir också balanskraftens roll i dessa system allt viktigare. Vidare så har en ökning av andelen intermittenta förnyelsebara energikällor även effekten att de bidrar till lägre men också mer volatila elpriser. Därmed är även investeringar i balanskraft kopplade till stora risker med avseende på förväntade vinster, vilket gör att en god representation av elpriser är central vid investeringsbeslut. Vi föreslår en stokastisk flerfaktormodell för att simulera den långsiktiga dynamiken i elpriser som bas för värdering av generatortillgångar. Mer specifikt används modellen till att utvärdera effekten av elprisers dynamik på investeringsbeslut med avseende på balanskraft, där ett kraftvärmeverk studeras i detalj. Eftersom huvudmålet med ramverket är att skapa en långsiktig representation av elpriser så att deras fördelningsmässiga karakteristika bevaras, vilket i litteraturen citeras som regression mot medelvärde, säsongsvariationer, hög volatilitet och spikar, så utvärderas modellen i termer av årlig prisvaraktighet som beskriver fördelningen av elpriser över tid. Kärnan i ramverket utgår från Pilipovic-modellen av råvarupriser, men där vi utvecklar antaganden i ett flerfaktorramverk genom att lägga till en länkfunktion till tillgång- och efterfrågan på el samt utomhustemperatur. Vid användande av modellen som ett sätt att representera framtida priser, fås en maximal över- och underprediktion av prisvaraktighet om 9 procent, ett resultat som är bättre än det som ges av enklare modellering såsom säsongsprofiler eller enkla medelvärdesestimat som inte tar hänsyn till elprisernas fulla karakteristika. Till sist visar vi med modellens olika komponenter att variationer i elpriser, och därmed antaganden som används i långsiktig modellering, har stor betydelse med avseende på investeringsbeslut i balanskraft. Det realiserade värdet av flexibiliteten att producera el för ett kraftvärmeverk beräknas, vilket ger en värdering nära faktiska realiserade värden baserade på historiska priser och som enklare modeller inte kan konkurrera med. Slutligen visar detta också att inkluderandet av icke-konstant volatilitet och spikkarakteristika i investeringsbeslut ger ett högre förväntat värde av tillgångar som kan producera balanskraft, såsom kraftvärmeverk.

Cette thèse est dévolue à l'étude de certaines propriétés asymptotiques du processus autorégressif d'ordre p. Ce dernier qualifie communément une suite aléatoire $(Y_{n})$ définie sur $\dN$ ou $\dZ$ et entièrement décrite par une combinaison linéaire de ses $p$ valeurs passées, perturbée par un bruit blanc $(\veps_{n})$. Tout au long de ce mémoire, nous traitons deux problématiques majeures de l'étude de tels processus : l'\textit{autocorrélation résiduelle} et la \textit{stationnarité}. Nous proposons en guise d'introduction un survol nécessaire des propriétés usuelles du processus autorégressif. Les deux chapitres suivants sont consacrés aux conséquences inférentielles induites par la présence d'une autorégression significative dans la perturbation $(\veps_{n})$ pour $p=1$ tout d'abord, puis pour une valeur quelconque de $p$, dans un cadre de stabilité. Ces résultats nous permettent d'apposer un regard nouveau et plus rigoureux sur certaines procédures statistiques bien connues sous la dénomination de \textit{test de Durbin-Watson} et de \textit{H-test}. Dans ce contexte de bruit autocorrélé, nous complétons cette étude par un ensemble de principes de déviations modérées liées à nos estimateurs. Nous abordons ensuite un équivalent en temps continu du processus autorégressif. Ce dernier est décrit par une équation différentielle stochastique et sa solution est plus connue sous le nom de \textit{processus d'Ornstein-Uhlenbeck}. Lorsque le processus d'Ornstein-Uhlenbeck est lui-même engendré par une diffusion similaire, cela nous permet de traiter la problématique de l'autocorrélation résiduelle dans le processus à temps continu. Nous inférons dès lors quelques propriétés statistiques de tels modèles, gardant pour objectif le parallèle avec le cas discret étudié dans les chapitres précédents. Enfin, le dernier chapitre est entièrement dévolu à la problématique de la stationnarité. Nous nous plaçons dans le cadre très général où le processus autorégressif possède une tendance polynomiale d'ordre $r$ tout en étant engendré par une marche aléatoire intégrée d'ordre $d$. Les résultats de convergence que nous obtenons dans un contexte d'instabilité généralisent le \textit{test de Leybourne et McCabe} et certains aspects du \textit{test KPSS}. De nombreux graphes obtenus en simulations viennent conforter les résultats que nous établissons tout au long de notre étude. / This thesis is devoted to the study of some asymptotic properties of the $p-$th order \textit{autoregressive process}. The latter usually designates a random sequence $(Y_{n})$ defined on $\dN$ or $\dZ$ and completely described by a linear combination of its $p$ last values and a white noise $(\veps_{n})$. All through this manuscript, one is concerned with two main issues related to the study of such processes: \textit{serial correlation} and \textit{stationarity}. We intend, by way of introduction, to give a necessary overview of the usual properties of the autoregressive process. The two following chapters are dedicated to inferential consequences coming from the presence of a significative autoregression in the disturbance $(\veps_{n})$ for $p=1$ on the one hand, and then for any $p$, in the stable framework. These results enable us to give a new light on some statistical procedures such as the \textit{Durbin-Watson test} and the \textit{H-test}. In this autocorrelated noise framework, we complete the study by a set of moderate deviation principles on our estimates. Then, we tackle a continuous-time equivalent of the autoregressive process. The latter is described by a stochastic differential equation and its solution is the well-known \textit{Ornstein-Uhlenbeck process}. In the case where the Ornstein-Uhlenbeck process is itself driven by an Ornstein-Uhlenbeck process, one deals with the serial correlation issue for the continuous-time process. Hence, we infer some statistical properties of such models, keeping the parallel with the discrete-time framework studied in the previous chapters as an objective. Finally, the last chapter is entirely devoted to the stationarity issue. We consider the general autoregressive process with a polynomial trend of order $r$ driven by a random walk of order $d$. The convergence results in the unstable framework generalize the \textit{Leybourne and McCabe test} and some angles of the \textit{KPSS test}. Many graphs obtained by simulations come to strengthen the results established all along the study.