On-orbit targeting, guidance, and navigation relies on state vector propagation algorithms that must strike a balance between accuracy and computational efficiency. To better understand this balance, the relative position accuracy and computational requirements of numerical and analytical propagation methods are analyzed for a variety of orbits. For numerical propagation, several differential equation formulations (Cowell, Encke-time, Encke-beta, and Equinoctial Elements) are compared over a range of integration step sizes for a given set of perturbations and numerical integration methods. This comparison is repeated for two numerical integrators: a Runge-Kutta 4th order and a NLZD4/4. For analytical propagation, SGP4, which relies on mean orbital elements, is compared for element sets averaged with different amounts of orbit data.

Abstract The subject of this thesis is flow imaging by methods based on the nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) phenomenon. The thesis consists of three related topics: In the first one the feasibility of measuring velocity maps and distributions inside a microfluidic device by pulsed field gradient (PFG) NMR has been demonstrated. The second topic was to investigate microfluidic gas flow using a combination of a special detection technique and a powerful signal enhancement method. The third topic is related to the unambiguous determination of velocities under challenging experimental conditions and introduces a new, improved velocity imaging sequence. In the first part, well established imaging methods have been used to study water flow inside a micromixer. A surface coil matching the region of interest of the mixer was home built and used in the measurements in order to gain a better signal-to-noise ratio. Velocities inside the mixer have been measured by phase-encoding velocity, with unprecedented spatial resolution. Two dimensional NMR imaging and velocity maps revealed clogging and different manufacturing qualities of the mixers. In addition to the velocity maps, which display an average velocity for spins within one pixel, complete velocity distributions (so called average propagators) were measured. It was found that in the absence of spatial resolution in the third dimension, the propagator data can provide valuable insight to the flow system by revealing overlapping flow passages. The next topic was gas flow inside a microfluidic device. It was investigated by time-of-flight flow imaging. The measurement of the weak gas signal was enabled by the use of two signal enhancement techniques: remote detection NMR and parahydrogen induced polarization (PHIP). The results demonstrate that a very significant signal enhancement can be achieved by this technique. In the future it may enable the investigation of interesting chemical reactions inside microreactors. The third and last topic of the thesis deals with measuring flow by the so called multiecho sequences. When multiecho sequences are used in combination with phase encoding velocity, an error may be introduced: the multiecho sequence may produce a cumulative error to the phase of the magnetization, if it is sensitive to RF pulse imperfections. The problem has been elaborately explained and various solutions discussed, among the newly proposed one. Experimental results demonstrate the performance of the new velocity imaging sequence and show that the new sequence enables the unambiguous determination of velocities even in challenging experimental conditions resulting from inhomogeneous radio frequency fields of the measurement coils.

I derive and apply quantum propagator techniques to atomic and condensed matter systems. I observe many interesting features by following the evolution of a wavepacket. In atomic systems, I revisit the Stern-Gerlach effect and study the spin dynamics inside an inhomogeneous magnetic field. The results I obtained are not exactly the same as the textbook description of the effect which is usually a manifestation of a perfect space and spin entanglement. This discovery can provide insight on more reliable quantum computation device designs. In condensed matter systems, the doping concentration inhomogeneity leads to the Rashba spin-orbit interaction. This makes it possible to control the spin without the external magnetic field. By propagating the wave packet in systems exhibiting Rashba spin-orbit interactions, I discover several features such as spin separation, spin accumulation, persistent spin-helix, and ripple formation.

Thesis (PhD (Physics))--University of Stelllenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In this dissertation a fully relativistic model for polarized inclusive quasielastic proton-nucleus scattering is developed. Using a standard relativistic impulse approximation (RIA) treatment of quasielastic scattering and a two-body SPVAT form of the current operator, it is shown how the behaviour of projectile and target can be decoupled. Subsequently, different models for projectile and target can be adopted and combined to examine a variety of relativistic effects. The most simplistic model of the target is provided by a mean-field nuclear matter approximation to the relativistic meson-nucleon model, quantum hadrodynamics (QHD). Here relativistic effects manifest as an effective mass, which is lower than the free mass, of the constituent nucleons. This model is improved upon by including many-body correlations through medium-modification of meson propagators in the relativistic random-phase approximation (RPA). Since it is generally accepted that the strong nuclear force and the extended range of the nuclear potential lead to distortion effects on the projectile and ejectile (seen as a modulation of the wave functions), our formalism is geared towards the use of relativistic distorted waves (RDWIA). The distorted waves are written as partial wave expansions and are solutions to the Dirac equation with potentials. The inclusion of distortions, however, greatly increases the computational burden and we show how a number of analytical and numerical techniques can be used to facilitate the process of calculation. It is also shown how the standard relativistic plane wave treatment (RPWIA) can, instead, be easily employed to obtain a baseline for determining the impact of distortions. A calculation is performed for the reaction 40Ca(!p, !p !) at a beam energy of 500 MeV. Here it is found that the effect of correlations on the RPWIA calculation can be seen as a quenching of the cross section that is expected to become more pronounced at lower energies or for higher density targets. A RDWIA calculation shows additional reduction and if target correlations are included this effect is enhanced. To our knowledge this is the first calculation that attempts to include both these effects (RPA and RDWIA) in the context of quasielastic proton-nucleus scattering. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In hierdie proefskrif word ’n ten volle relatiwistiese model vir die berekening van inklusiewe kwasielastiese proton-kern verstrooiing daargestel. Deur gebruik te maak van ’n standaard relatiwistiese impulsbenadering (RIA) vir kwasi-elastiese verstrooiing asook ’n twee-deeltjie-SPVAT-vorm vir die stroom-operator, word daar gewys hoedat die gedrag van die projektiel en teiken ontkoppel kan word. Verskillende modelle kan dus vir die projektiel en teiken gebruik word om ’n verskeidenheid relatiwistiese effekte te bestudeer. Die mees simplistiese model vir die teiken word verskaf deur ’n gemiddelde-veld kernmateriaalbenadering tot die relatiwistiese meson-nukleon-model, kwantum-hadrodinamika (QHD). In hierdie model manifesteer relatiwistiese effekte as ’n effektiewe massa, wat kleiner is as die vrye massa, van nukleone in die kern. Hierdie model word verbeter deur die inagneming van veeldeeltjie korrelasies deur medium-gewysigde meson-propagators in die relatiwistiese ewekansige-fase-benadering (RPA). Aangesien dit algemeen aanvaar word dat die sterk-wisselwerking en die reikwydte van die kernpotensiaal aanleiding gee tot vervormingseffekte op die projektiel en ejektiel (gesien as die modulasie van golffunksies), is ons model optimaal geformuleer om gebruik te maak van relatiwistiese vervormde golwe (RDWIA). Die vervormde golwe word geskryf as parsi¨elegolf uitbreidings en dien as oplossings vir die Dirac-vergelyking met potensiale. Insluiting van vervormings vermeerder egter die berekeningslas geweldig en ons toon hoedat ’n aantal analitiese en numeriese tegnieke gebruik kan word om die proses te vergemaklik. Daar word ook aangetoon hoe die standaard- relatiwistiese-vlakgolf-benadering (RPWIA), in plaas van vevormde golwe, maklik gebruik kan word om ’n verwysingspunt vir die meting van die effek van vervormings te bepaal. ’n Berekening vir die reaksie 40Ca(!p, !p !) teen ’n projektiel-energie van 500 MeV word getoon. Hier word dit gevind dat die effek van korrelasies op die RPWIA-berekening gesien kan word as ’n verlaging van die kansvlak. Daar word verwag dat hierdie effek duideliker sal word by laer energie¨e en ho¨er kerndigthede. ’n RDWIA-berekening word getoon wat daarop dui dat addisionele verlaging in die kansvlak voorkom en indien korrelasies hier ingesluit word, word hierdie effek vergroot. Sover ons kennis strek, is hierdie die eerste berekening wat poog om beide hierdie effekte (RPA en RDWIA) in die konteks van kwasi-elastiese proton-kern verstrooiing in te sluit.

We study in this thesis three well known global constraints. The All-Different constraint restricts a set of variables to be assigned to distinct values. The <em>global cardinality constraint</em> (GCC) ensures that a value <em>v</em> is assigned to at least <em>l_v</em> variables and to at most <em>u_v</em> variables among a set of given variables where <em>l_v</em> and <em>u_v</em> are non-negative integers such that <em>l_v</em> &le; <em>u_v</em>. The Inter-Distance constraint ensures that all variables, among a set of variables <em>x</em>₁, . . . , <em>x_n</em>, are pairwise distant from <em>p</em>, i. e. |<em>x_i</em> - <em>x_j</em>| &ge; <em>p</em> for all <em>i</em> &ne; <em>j</em>. The All-Different constraint, the GCC, and the Inter-Distance constraint are largely used in scheduling problems. For instance, in scheduling problems where tasks with unit processing time compete for a single resource, we have an All-Different constraint on the starting time variables. When there are <em>k</em> resources, we have a GCC with <em>l_v</em> = 0 and <em>u_v</em> = <em>k</em> over all starting time variables. Finally, if tasks have processing time <em>t</em> and compete for a single resource, we have an Inter-Distance constraint with <em>p</em> = <em>t</em> over all starting time variables. We present new propagators for the All-Different constraint, the GCC, and the Inter-Distance constraint i. e. , new filtering algorithms that reduce the search space according to these constraints. For a given consistency, our propagators outperform previous propagators both in practice and in theory. The gains in performance are achieved through judicious use of advanced data structures combined with novel results on the structural properties of the constraints.

We study in this thesis three well known global constraints. The All-Different constraint restricts a set of variables to be assigned to distinct values. The <em>global cardinality constraint</em> (GCC) ensures that a value <em>v</em> is assigned to at least <em>l_v</em> variables and to at most <em>u_v</em> variables among a set of given variables where <em>l_v</em> and <em>u_v</em> are non-negative integers such that <em>l_v</em> &le; <em>u_v</em>. The Inter-Distance constraint ensures that all variables, among a set of variables <em>x</em>₁, . . . , <em>x_n</em>, are pairwise distant from <em>p</em>, i. e. |<em>x_i</em> - <em>x_j</em>| &ge; <em>p</em> for all <em>i</em> &ne; <em>j</em>. The All-Different constraint, the GCC, and the Inter-Distance constraint are largely used in scheduling problems. For instance, in scheduling problems where tasks with unit processing time compete for a single resource, we have an All-Different constraint on the starting time variables. When there are <em>k</em> resources, we have a GCC with <em>l_v</em> = 0 and <em>u_v</em> = <em>k</em> over all starting time variables. Finally, if tasks have processing time <em>t</em> and compete for a single resource, we have an Inter-Distance constraint with <em>p</em> = <em>t</em> over all starting time variables. We present new propagators for the All-Different constraint, the GCC, and the Inter-Distance constraint i. e. , new filtering algorithms that reduce the search space according to these constraints. For a given consistency, our propagators outperform previous propagators both in practice and in theory. The gains in performance are achieved through judicious use of advanced data structures combined with novel results on the structural properties of the constraints.

Diese Arbeit untersucht im Rahmen der Gittereichtheorie verschiedene Aspekte der QCD in der Landau-Eichung, insbesondere solche, die mit den Gluon- und Geist-Propagatoren bei kleinen Impulsen zusammenhängen. Die Eichgruppe ist SU(3). Wir analysieren den Einfluss unterschiedlicher systematischer Effekte. Wir zeigen, dass der Formfaktor des Geist-Propagators bei kleinen Impulsen systematisch von der Wahl der Eichkopien (Gribov-Kopien) abhängt. Hingegen können wir einen solchen Einfluss auf den Gluon-Propagator nicht feststellen. Ebenfalls wird die Verteilung der kleinsten Eigenwerte des Faddeev-Popov-Operators durch die Wahl der Eichkopien beeinflusst. Wir zeigen außerdem, dass der Einfluss dynamischer Wilson-Fermionen auf den Geist-Propagator für die untersuchten Impulse vernachlässigbar ist. Für den Gluon-Propagator können wir jedoch einen deutlichen Einfluss für große und mittlere Impulse feststellen. Zusätzlich wurden beide Propagatoren auf asymmetrischen Gittern gemessen und mit den Daten von symmetrischen Gittern verglichen. Wir vergleichen unsere Ergebnisse mit denen aus Studien von Dyson-Schwinger-Gleichungen für den Gluon- und Geist-Propagator. Wir zeigen, dass das in dieser Arbeit gefundene Niedrigimpulsverhalten im Einklang mit verschiedenen Kriterien für Confinement (Einschluss von Farbladungen) ist. Wir berechnen die laufende Kopplung, die sich als eine renormierungsgruppeninvariante Kombination der Gluon- und Geist-Formfaktoren ergibt. Unsere Ergebnisse zeigen, dass im Bereich kleiner Impulse die laufende Kopplung kleiner wird und so vermutlich kein endlicher Infrarot-Fixpunkt im Grenzfall Impuls Null angestrebt wird. Wir präsentieren außerdem eine erste nichtstörungstheoretische Berechnung der Renormierungskonstante des SU(3) Ghost-Gluon-Vertex. Wir berichten über Untersuchungen zu spektralen Eigenschaften des Faddeev-Popov-Operators. Dazu haben wir eine Reihe der kleinsten Eigenwerte und Eigenvektoren dieses Operators berechnet. / Within the framework of lattice QCD we investigate different aspects of QCD in Landau gauge using Monte Carlo simulations. In particular, we focus on the low momentum behavior of gluon and ghost propagators. The gauge group is SU(3). Different systematic effects on the gluon and ghost propagators are studied. We demonstrate the ghost dressing function to systematically depend on the choice of Gribov copies at low momentum, while the influence on the gluon dressing function is not resolvable. Also the eigenvalue distribution of the Faddeev-Popov operator is sensitive to Gribov copies. We show that the influence of dynamical Wilson fermions on the ghost propagator is negligible at the momenta available to us. On the contrary, fermions affect the gluon propagator at large and intermediate momenta. In addition, we analyze data for both propagators obtained on asymmetric lattices and compare these results with data obtained on symmetric lattices. We compare our data with results from studies of Dyson-Schwinger equations for the gluon and ghost propagators. We demonstrate that the infrared behavior of both propagators, as found in this thesis, is consistent with different criteria for confinement. However, the running coupling constant, given as a renormalization-group-invariant combination of the gluon and ghost dressing functions, does not expose a finite infrared fixed point. Rather the data are in favor of an infrared vanishing coupling constant. We also report on a first nonperturbative computation of the SU(3) ghost-gluon-vertex renormalization constant. We present results of an investigation of the spectral properties of the Faddeev-Popov operator. For this we have calculated the low-lying eigenvalues and eigenmodes of the Faddeev-Popov operator.

Die im infraroten Impulsbereich der Quantenchromodynamik (QCD) berechneten Gluon- und Ghost-Propagatoren spielen eine große Rolle für das sogenannte Confinement der Quarks und Gluonen. Sie sind Gegenstand intensiver Foschungen dank nicht-perturbativer Methoden basierend auf Dyson-Schwinger- (DS) und funktionalen Renormierungsgruppen-Gleichungen (FRG). Darüber hinaus sollte es deren Verhalten bei endlichen Temperaturen erlauben, den chiralen und Deconfinement-Phasenübergang bzw. das Crossover in der QCD besser aufzuklären. Unser Zugang beruht auf der gitter-diskretisierten QCD (LQCD), die es als ab-initio-Methode gestattet, verschiedenste störungstheoretisch nicht zugängliche QCD-Observablen der hadronischen Welt zu berechnen. Wir untersuchen das Temperaturverhalten der Gluon- und Ghost-Propagatoren in der Landau-Eichung für die reine Gluodynamik und die volle QCD. Für den Gluon-Propagator berechnen wir deren longitudinale (DL) sowie transversale (DT) Komponenten. Ziel ist es, Datensätze in Form von Fit-Formeln zu liefern, welche als Input für die DS- (oder FRG-) Gleichungen verwendet werden können. Wir beschäftigen uns mit der vollen (Nf=2) LQCD unter Verwendung der sogenannten twisted mass Fermiondiskretisierung. Von der tmfT-Kollaboration wurden uns dafür Eichfeldkonfigurationen für Temperaturen im Crossover-Bereich sowie jeweils für drei fixierte Pion-Massenwerte im Intervall [300, 500] MeV bereitgestellt. Schließlich berechnen wir innerhalb der reinen SU(3) Eichtheorie (bei T=0) den Landau Gluon-Propagator unter Verwendung verschiedener Eichfixierungskriterien. Unser Ziel ist es, den Einfluss von Eich-Kopien mit minimalen (nicht-trivialen) Eigenwerten des Faddeev-Popov-Operators zu verstehen. Eine solche Studie soll klären, wie Gribov-Kopien das Verhalten der Gluon- und Ghost-Propagatoren im infraroten Bereich prinzipiell beeinflussen. / Gluon and ghost propagators in quantum chromodynamics (QCD) computed in the infrared momentum region play an important role to understand quark and gluon confinement. They are the subject of intensive research thanks to non-perturbative methods based on Dyson-Schwinger (DS) and functional renormalization group (FRG) equations. Moreover, their temperature behavior might also help to explore the chiral and deconfinement phase transition or crossover within QCD at non-zero temperature. Our prime tool is the lattice discretized QCD (LQCD) providing a unique ab-initio non-perturbative approach to deal with the computation of various observables of the hadronic world. We investigate the temperature dependence of Landau gauge gluon and ghost propagators in pure gluodynamics and in full QCD. Regarding the gluon propagator, we compute its longitudinal DL as well its transversal DT components. The aim is to provide a data set in terms of fitting formulae which can be used as input for DS (or FRG) equations. We deal with full (Nf=2) LQCD with the twisted mass fermion discretization. We employ gauge field configurations provided by the tmfT collaboration for temperatures in the crossover region and for three fixed pion mass values in the range [300,500] MeV. Finally, within SU(3) pure gauge theory (at T=0) we compute the Landau gauge gluon propagator according to different gauge fixing criteria. Our goal is to understand the influence of gauge copies with minimal (non-trivial) eigenvalues of the Faddeev-Popov operator.

L’imagerie du sous-sol par équations d’onde est une application de l’ingénierie pétrolière qui mobilise des ressources de calcul très importantes. On dispose aujourd’hui de calculateurs puissants qui rendent accessible l’imagerie de régions complexes mais des progrès sont encore nécessaires pour réduire les coûts de calcul et améliorer la qualité des simulations. Les méthodes utilisées aujourd’hui ne permettent toujours pas d’imager correctement des régions très hétérogènes 3D parce qu’elles sont trop coûteuses et /ou pas assez précises. Les méthodes d’éléments finis sont reconnues pour leur efficacité à produire des simulations de qualité dans des milieux hétérogènes. Dans cette thèse, on a fait le choix d’utiliser une méthode de Galerkine discontinue (DG) d’ordre élevé à flux centrés pour résoudre l’équation des ondes acoustiques et on développe un schéma d’ordre élevé pour l’intégration en temps qui peut se coupler avec la technique de discrétisation en espace, sans générer des coûts de calcul plus élevés qu’avec le schéma d’ordre deux Leap-Frog qui est le plus couramment employé. Le nouveau schéma est comparé au schéma d’ordre élevé ADER qui s’avère plus coûteux car il requiert un plus grand nombre d’opérations pour un niveau de précision fixé. De plus, le schéma ADER utilise plus de mémoire, ce qui joue aussi en faveur du nouveau schéma car la production d’images du sous-sol consomme beaucoup de mémoire et justifie de développer des méthodes numériques qui utilisent la mémoire au minimum. On analyse également la précision des deux schémas intégrés dans un code industriel et appliqués à des cas test réalistes. On met en évidence des phénomènes de pollution numériques liés à la mise en oeuvre d'une source ponctuelle dans le schéma DG et on montre qu'on peut éliminer ces ondes parasites en introduisant un terme de pénalisation non dissipatif dans la formulation DG. On finit cette thèse en discutant les difficultés engendrées par l'utilisation de schémas numériques dans un contexte industriel, et en particulier l'effet des calculs en simple précision. / Oil engineering uses a wide variety of technologies including imaging wave equation which involves very large computing resources. Very powerful computers are now available that make imaging of complex areas possible, but further progress is needed both to reduce the computational cost and improve the simulation accuracy. The current methods still do not allow to image properly heterogeneous 3D regions because they are too expensive and / or not accurate enough. Finite element methods turn out to be efficient for producing good simulations in heterogeneous media. In this thesis, we thus chose to use a high order Discontinuous Galerkin (DG) method based upon centered fluxes to solve the acoustic wave equation and developed a high-order scheme for time integration which can be coupled with the space discretization technique, without generating higher computational cost than the second-order Leap Frog scheme which is the most widely used . The new scheme is compared to the high order ADER scheme which is more expensive because it requires a larger number of computations for a fixed level of accuracy. In addition, the ADER scheme uses more memory, which also works in favor of the new scheme since producing subsurface images consumes lots of memory and justifies the development of low-memory numerical methods. The accuracy of both schemes is then analyzed when they are included in an industrial code and applied to realistic problems. The comparison highlights the phenomena of numerical pollution that occur when injecting a point source in the DG scheme and shows that spurious waves can be eliminated by introducing a non-dissipative penalty term in the DG formulation. This work ends by discussing the difficulties induced by using numerical methods in an industrial framework, and in particular the effect of single precision calculations.