The work is divided into three main parts. In a first time (chapter 1) we define a “BTZ” black hole in anti de Sitter space in any dimension. That will be done by means of group theoretical and symmetric spaces considerations. A physical “good domain” is identified as an open orbit of a subgroup of the isometry group of anti de Sitter. Then (chapter 2) we show that the open orbit is in fact isomorphic to a group (we introduce the notion of globally group type manifold) for which a quantization exists. The quantization of the black hole is performed and its Dirac operator is computed. The third part (appendix A and B) exposes some previously known results. Appendix A is given in a pedagogical purpose: it exposes generalities about deformation quantization and careful examples with SL(2,R), and split extensions of Heisenberg algebras. Appendix B is devoted to some classical results about homogeneous spaces and Iwasawa decompositions. Explicit decompositions are given for every algebra that will be used in the thesis. It serves to make the whole text more self contained and to fix notations. Basics of quantization by group action are given in appendix A.4. One more chapter is inserted (chapter 3). It contains two small results which have no true interest by themselves but which raise questions and call for further development. We discuss a product on the half-plane or, equivalently, on the Iwasawa subgroup of SL(2,R), due to A. Unterberger. We show that the quantization by group action machinery can be applied to this product in order to deform the dual of the Lie algebra of that Iwasawa subgroup. Although this result seems promising, we show by two examples that the product is not universal in the sense that even the product of compactly supported functions cannot be defined on AdS2 by the quantization induced by Unterberger's product. Then we show that the Iwasawa subgroup of SO(2,n) (i.e. the group which defines the singularity) is a symplectic split extension of the Iwasawa subgroup of SU(1,1) by the Iwasawa subgroup of SU(1,n). A quantization of the two latter groups being known, a quantization of SO(2,n) is in principle possible using an extension lemma. Properties of this product and the resulting quantization of AdSl were not investigated because we found a more economical way to quantize AdS4 .

Mathematical program with equilibrium constraints (MPEC)has extensive applications in practical areas such as traffic control, engineering design, and economic modeling. Some generalized stationary points of MPEC are studied to better describe the limiting points produced by interior point methods for MPEC.A primal-dual interior point method is then proposed, which solves a sequence of relaxed barrier problems derived from MPEC. Global convergence results are deduced without assuming strict complementarity or linear independence constraint qualification. Under very general assumptions, the algorithm can always find some point with strong or weak stationarity. In particular, it is shown that every limiting point of the generated sequence is a piece-wise stationary point of MPEC if the penalty parameter of the merit function is bounded. Otherwise, a certain point with weak stationarity can be obtained. Preliminary numerical results are satisfactory, which include a case analyzed by Leyffer for which the penalty interior point algorithm failed to find a stationary solution. / Singapore-MIT Alliance (SMA)

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This essay will show how conservatism and liberalism is established and maintained in American presidential rhetoric, by analyzing the speeches held by George W. Bush in 2000 and Barack Obama in 2008 at their respective party’s national convention, at the time when they accepted their party’s nomination for the presidency for the first time. By conducting an ideology analysis by examining the language used in the two speeches, and connect that to the metaphors of morality in George Lakoff’s (2002) theory of the Nation-as-Family, the essay will show examples of how the two presidential candidates establish themselves as bearers and protectors of their party’s ideological base and how this can be related to the view on moral in American politics. The Republican Party connects to conservative ideology and the Democratic Party to liberal ideology. The Nation-as-Family theory involves looking at the relationship between the government and its citizens as that between parents and their children. Connected to conservative ideology is the Strict Father who proclaims authority, obedience and character and connected to liberal ideology is the Nurturant Parent who proclaims nurturing, empathy and equal distribution of opportunities. Connected to Strict Father and Nurturant Parent there exists a number of metaphors of morality that helps organize the language being used. Although notions of the ‘wrong’ moralities appear in the ‘wrong’ speeches, the results from the analysis clearly indicates that the Nation-as-Family theory is highly valid in displaying the connections between political speeches and the ideological bases to which the speakers adhere.

We study numerical stability for interior-point methods applied to Linear Programming, LP, and Semidefinite Programming, SDP. We analyze the difficulties inherent in current methods and present robust algorithms. <br /><br /> We start with the error bound analysis of the search directions for the normal equation approach for LP. Our error analysis explains the surprising fact that the ill-conditioning is not a significant problem for the normal equation system. We also explain why most of the popular LP solvers have a default stop tolerance of only 10^-8 when the machine precision on a 32-bit computer is approximately 10^-16. <br /><br /> We then propose a simple alternative approach for the normal equation based interior-point method. This approach has better numerical stability than the normal equation based method. Although, our approach is not competitive in terms of CPU time for the NETLIB problem set, we do obtain higher accuracy. In addition, we obtain significantly smaller CPU times compared to the normal equation based direct solver, when we solve well-conditioned, huge, and sparse problems by using our iterative based linear solver. Additional techniques discussed are: crossover; purification step; and no backtracking. <br /><br /> Finally, we present an algorithm to construct SDP problem instances with prescribed strict complementarity gaps. We then introduce two <em>measures of strict complementarity gaps</em>. We empirically show that: (i) these measures can be evaluated accurately; (ii) the size of the strict complementarity gaps correlate well with the number of iteration for the SDPT3 solver, as well as with the local asymptotic convergence rate; and (iii) large strict complementarity gaps, coupled with the failure of Slater's condition, correlate well with loss of accuracy in the solutions. In addition, the numerical tests show that there is no correlation between the strict complementarity gaps and the geometrical measure used in [31], or with Renegar's condition number.

We study numerical stability for interior-point methods applied to Linear Programming, LP, and Semidefinite Programming, SDP. We analyze the difficulties inherent in current methods and present robust algorithms. <br /><br /> We start with the error bound analysis of the search directions for the normal equation approach for LP. Our error analysis explains the surprising fact that the ill-conditioning is not a significant problem for the normal equation system. We also explain why most of the popular LP solvers have a default stop tolerance of only 10^-8 when the machine precision on a 32-bit computer is approximately 10^-16. <br /><br /> We then propose a simple alternative approach for the normal equation based interior-point method. This approach has better numerical stability than the normal equation based method. Although, our approach is not competitive in terms of CPU time for the NETLIB problem set, we do obtain higher accuracy. In addition, we obtain significantly smaller CPU times compared to the normal equation based direct solver, when we solve well-conditioned, huge, and sparse problems by using our iterative based linear solver. Additional techniques discussed are: crossover; purification step; and no backtracking. <br /><br /> Finally, we present an algorithm to construct SDP problem instances with prescribed strict complementarity gaps. We then introduce two <em>measures of strict complementarity gaps</em>. We empirically show that: (i) these measures can be evaluated accurately; (ii) the size of the strict complementarity gaps correlate well with the number of iteration for the SDPT3 solver, as well as with the local asymptotic convergence rate; and (iii) large strict complementarity gaps, coupled with the failure of Slater's condition, correlate well with loss of accuracy in the solutions. In addition, the numerical tests show that there is no correlation between the strict complementarity gaps and the geometrical measure used in [31], or with Renegar's condition number.

Based on the Lyapunov stability theorem, a design methodology of adaptive block backstepping decentralized controller is proposed in this thesis for a class of large-scale systems with interconnections to solve regulation problems. Each subsystem contains m blocks¡¦ state variables, and m- 1 virtual input controllers are designed from the first block to the (m - 1)th block. Then the proposed robust controller is designed in accordance with the last block. Some adaptive mechanisms are embedded in the backstepping controllers as well as virtual input controllers in each subsystem, so that the upper bounds of interconnections as well as perturbations are not required. Furthermore, the dynamic equations of each subsystem do not need to strictly satisfy the block strict feedback form, and the resultant controlled system can achieve asymptotic stability. Finally, a numerical and a practical examples are given for demonstrating the feasibility of the proposed control scheme.

In this thesis an adaptive backstepping control scheme is proposed for a class of multi-input perturbed systems with time-varying delays to solve regulation problems. The systems to be controlled contain n blocks¡¦ dynamic equations, hence n-1 virtual input controllers are designed from the first block to the (n-1)th block, and the backstepping controller is designed from the last block. In addition, adaptive mechanisms are embedded in each virtual input controllers and proposed controller, so that the least upper bounds of perturbations are not required to be known beforehand. Furthermore, the dynamic equations of the systems to be controlled need not satisfy strict-feedback form, and the upper bounds of the time delays as well as their derivatives need not to be known in advance either. The resultant controlled systems guarantee asymptotic stability in accordance with the Lyapunov stability theorem. Finally, a numerical example and a practical application are given for demonstrating the feasibility of the proposed control scheme.

Based on the Lyapunov stability theorem, a decentralized adaptive backstepping tracking control scheme for a class of perturbed large-scale systems with non-strict feedback form is presented in this thesis to solve tracking problems. First of all, the dynamic equations of the plant to be controlled are transformed into other equations with semi-strict feedback form. Then a decentralized tracking controller is designed based on the backstepping control methodology so that the outputs of controlled system are capable of tracking the desired signals generated from a reference model. In addition, by utilizing adaptive mechanisms embedded in the backstepping controller, one need not acquire the upper bounds of the perturbations and the interconnections in advance. The resultant control scheme is able to guarantee the stability of the whole large-scale systems, and the tracking precision may be adjusted through the design parameters. Finally, one numerical and one practical examples are demonstrated for showing the applicability of the proposed design technique.

This thesis presents strict LMI conditions for the bounded real lemma of discrete descriptor systems. Compared with existing nonstrict LMI conditions, the proposed new conditions are more tractable and reliable in numerical computations, in the sense that they can be tested easily by using the LMI Control Toolbox of Matlab. Based on the strict LMI conditions, the state feedback design for H-infinite control problem is also addressed. A sufficient LMI condition is derived so that the constructed feedback gain matrix from its solution will meet the design criteria of the closed-loop systems. Furthermore, we can probe into the problems of robust H-infinite control and pole-clustering in a disk for uncertain discrete descriptor systems subject to time-invariant norm-bounded uncertainty and convex polytopic uncertainty in the state matrix, respectively. Some sufficient LMI conditions are derived for analysis and design of these problems as well. Numerical examples are included to illustrate the results.