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The paper simulates a mixture of gases in a multi-stage micro-pump and evaluates its effectiveness at separating the components of the mixture. A device in the form of a long channel with a series of transverse plates is considered. A temperature difference between the sides of the plates induces a radiometric gas flow within the device, and the differences in masses of the gases lead to differences in flow velocities and to the separation of the mixture. Modeling is based on the numerical solution of the Boltzmann kinetic equation, for which a splitting scheme is used, i. e., the advection equation and the relaxation problem are solved separately in alternation. The calculation of the collision integral is performed using the conservative projection method. This method ensures the strict fulfillment of the laws of conservation of mass, momentum, and energy, as well as the important asymptotic property of the equality of the integral of the Maxwell function to zero. Explicit first-order and second-order TVD-schemes are used to solve the advection equation. The calculations were performed for a neon-argon mixture using a model of solid spheres with real molecular diameters and masses. Software has been developed to allow calculations on personal computers and cluster systems. The use of parallelization leads to faster computation and constant time per iteration for devices of different sizes, enabling the modeling of large particle systems. It was found that the value of mixture separation, i. e. the ratio of densities at the ends of the device linearly depends on the number of cascades in the device, which makes it possible to estimate separation for multicascade systems, computer modeling of which is impossible. Flows and distributions of gas inside the device during its operation were analyzed. It was demonstrated that devices of this kind with a sufficiently large number of plates are suitable for the separation of gas mixtures, given that they have no moving parts and are quite simple in manufacture and less subject to wear.

The computer code NINE (Newtonian Iteration for Nonlinear Equation) for numerical solution of the boundary problems for nonlinear differential equations on the basis of continuous analogue of the Newton method (CANM) is presented. Numerov’s finite-difference appproximation is applied to provide the fourth accuracy order with respect to the discretization stepsize. Algorithms of calculating the Newtonian iterative parameter are discussed. A convergence of iteration process in dependence on choice of the iteration parameter has been studied. Results of numerical investigation of the particle-like solutions of the scalar field equation are given.

Dynamic game theoretic models of the corporative innovative development are investigated. The proposed models are based on concordance of private and public interests of agents. It is supposed that the structure of interests of each agent includes both private (personal interests) and public (interests of the whole company connected with its innovative development first) components. The agents allocate their personal resources between these two directions. The system dynamics is described by a difference (not differential) equation. The proposed model of innovative development is studied by simulation and the method of enumeration of the domains of feasible controls with a constant step. The main contribution of the paper consists in comparative analysis of efficiency of the methods of hierarchical control (compulsion or impulsion) for information structures of Stackelberg or Germeier (four structures) by means of the indices of system compatibility. The proposed model is a universal one and can be used for a scientifically grounded support of the programs of innovative development of any economic firm. The features of a specific company are considered in the process of model identification (a determination of the specific classes of model functions and numerical values of its parameters) which forms a separate complex problem and requires an analysis of the statistical data and expert estimations. The following assumptions about information rules of the hierarchical game are accepted: all players use open-loop strategies; the leader chooses and reports to the followers some values of administrative (compulsion) or economic (impulsion) control variables which can be only functions of time (Stackelberg games) or depend also on the followers’ controls (Germeier games); given the leader’s strategies all followers simultaneously and independently choose their strategies that gives a Nash equilibrium in the followers’ game. For a finite number of iterations the proposed algorithm of simulation modeling allows to build an approximate solution of the model or to conclude that it doesn’t exist. A reliability and efficiency of the proposed algorithm follow from the properties of the scenario method and the method of a direct ordered enumeration with a constant step. Some comprehensive conclusions about the comparative efficiency of methods of hierarchical control of innovations are received.

The paper formulates a mathematical model for hydroelastic oscillations of a plate resting on a nonlinear hardening elastic foundation and interacting with a pulsating fluid layer. The main feature of the proposed model, unlike the wellknown ones, is the joint consideration of the elastic properties of the plate, the nonlinearity of elastic foundation, as well as the dissipative properties of the fluid and the inertia of its motion. The model is represented by a system of equations for a twodimensional hydroelasticity problem including dynamics equation of Kirchhoff’s plate resting on the elastic foundation with hardening cubic nonlinearity, Navier – Stokes equations, and continuity equation. This system is supplemented by boundary conditions for plate deflections and fluid pressure at plate ends, as well as for fluid velocities at the bounding walls. The model was investigated by perturbation method with subsequent use of iteration method for the equations of thin layer of viscous fluid. As a result, the fluid pressure distribution at the plate surface was obtained and the transition to an integrodifferential equation describing bending hydroelastic oscillations of the plate is performed. This equation is solved by the Bubnov –Galerkin method using the harmonic balance method to determine the primary hydroelastic response of the plate and phase response due to the given harmonic law of fluid pressure pulsation at plate ends. It is shown that the original problem can be reduced to the study of the generalized Duffing equation, in which the coefficients at inertial, dissipative and stiffness terms are determined by the physical and mechanical parameters of the original system. The primary hydroelastic response and phases response for the plate are found. The numerical study of these responses is performed for the cases of considering the inertia of fluid motion and the creeping fluid motion for the nonlinear and linearly elastic foundation of the plate. The results of the calculations showed the need to jointly consider the viscosity and inertia of the fluid motion together with the elastic properties of the plate and its foundation, both for nonlinear and linear vibrations of the plate.

The well-known “Sea battle” game is in the focus of the current job. The main goal of the article is to provide modified version of “Sea battle” game and to find optimal players’ strategies in the new rules. Changes were applied to attacking strategies (new option to attack hitting four cells in one shot was added) as well as to the size of the field (sizes of 10 × 10, 20 × 20, 30 × 30 were used) and to the rules of disposal algorithms during the game (new possibility to move the ship off the attacking zone). The game was solved with the use of game theory capabilities: payoff matrices were found for each version of altered rules, for which optimal pure and mixed strategies were discovered. For solving payoff matrices iterative method was used. The simulation was in applying five attacking algorithms and six disposal ones with parameters variation due to the game of players with each other. Attacking algorithms were varied in 100 sets of parameters, disposal algorithms — in 150 sets. Major result is that using such algorithms the modified “Sea battle” game can be solved — that implies the possibility of finding stable pure and mixed strategies of behaviour, which guarantee the sides gaining optimal results in game theory terms. Moreover, influence of modifying the rules of “Sea battle” game is estimated. Comparison with prior authors’ results on this topic was made. Based on matching the payoff matrices with the statistical analysis, completed earlier, it was found out that standard “Sea battle” game could be represented as a special case of game modifications, observed in this article. The job is important not only because of its applications in war area, but in civil areas as well. Use of article’s results could save resources in exploration, provide an advantage in war conflicts, defend devices under devastating impact.

This article reviews both historical achievements and modern results in the field of Markov Decision Process (MDP) and convex optimization. This review is the first attempt to cover the field of reinforcement learning in Russian in the context of convex optimization. The fundamental Bellman equation and the criteria of optimality of policy — strategies based on it, which make decisions based on the known state of the environment at the moment, are considered. The main iterative algorithms of policy optimization based on the solution of the Bellman equations are also considered. An important section of this article was the consideration of an alternative to the $Q$-learning approach — the method of direct maximization of the agent’s average reward for the chosen strategy from interaction with the environment. Thus, the solution of this convex optimization problem can be represented as a linear programming problem. The paper demonstrates how the convex optimization apparatus is used to solve the problem of Reinforcement Learning (RL). In particular, it is shown how the concept of strong duality allows us to naturally modify the formulation of the RL problem, showing the equivalence between maximizing the agent’s reward and finding his optimal strategy. The paper also discusses the complexity of MDP optimization with respect to the number of state–action–reward triples obtained as a result of interaction with the environment. The optimal limits of the MDP solution complexity are presented in the case of an ergodic process with an infinite horizon, as well as in the case of a non-stationary process with a finite horizon, which can be restarted several times in a row or immediately run in parallel in several threads. The review also reviews the latest results on reducing the gap between the lower and upper estimates of the complexity of MDP optimization with average remuneration (Averaged MDP, AMDP). In conclusion, the real-valued parametrization of agent policy and a class of gradient optimization methods through maximizing the $Q$-function of value are considered. In particular, a special class of MDPs with restrictions on the value of policy (Constrained Markov Decision Process, CMDP) is presented, for which a general direct-dual approach to optimization with strong duality is proposed.

As the population of cities grows, the need to plan for the development of transport infrastructure becomes more acute. For this purpose, transport modeling packages are created. These packages usually contain a set of convex optimization problems, the iterative solution of which leads to the desired equilibrium distribution of flows along the paths. One of the directions for the development of transport modeling is the construction of more accurate generalized models that take into account different types of passengers, their travel purposes, as well as the specifics of personal and public modes of transport that agents can use. Another important direction of transport models development is to improve the efficiency of the calculations performed. Since, due to the large dimension of modern transport networks, the search for a numerical solution to the problem of equilibrium distribution of flows along the paths is quite expensive. The iterative nature of the entire solution process only makes this worse. One of the approaches leading to a reduction in the number of calculations performed is the construction of consistent models that allow to combine the blocks of a 4-stage model into a single optimization problem. This makes it possible to eliminate the iterative running of blocks, moving from solving a separate optimization problem at each stage to some general problem. Early work has proven that such approaches provide equivalent solutions. However, it is worth considering the validity and interpretability of these methods. The purpose of this article is to substantiate a single problem, that combines both the calculation of the trip matrix and the modal choice, for the generalized case when there are different layers of demand, types of agents and classes of vehicles in the transport network. The article provides possible interpretations for the gauge parameters used in the problem, as well as for the dual factors associated with the balance constraints. The authors of the article also show the possibility of combining the considered problem with a block for determining network load into a single optimization problem.

Investigation of logical deterministic cellular automata models of population dynamics allows to reveal detailed individual-based mechanisms. The search for such mechanisms is important in connection with ecological problems caused by overexploitation of natural resources, environmental pollution and climate change. Classical models of population dynamics have the phenomenological nature, as they are “black boxes”. Phenomenological models fundamentally complicate research of detailed mechanisms of ecosystem functioning. We have investigated the role of fecundity and duration of resources regeneration in mechanisms of population growth using four models of ecosystem with one species. These models are logical deterministic cellular automata and are based on physical axiomatics of excitable medium with regeneration. We have modeled catastrophic death of population arising from increasing of resources regeneration duration. It has been shown that greater fecundity accelerates population extinction. The investigated mechanisms are important for understanding mechanisms of sustainability of ecosystems and biodiversity conservation. Prospects of the presented modeling approach as a method of transparent multilevel modeling of complex systems are discussed.

This paper studies electromagnetic fields, frequencies of lasing, and emission thresholds of a drop-shaped microcavity laser. From the mathematical point of view, the original problem is a nonstandard two-parametric eigenvalue problem for the Helmholtz equation on the whole plane. The desired positive parameters are the lasing frequency and the threshold gain, the corresponding eigenfunctions are the amplitudes of the lasing modes. This problem is usually referred to as the lasing eigenvalue problem. In this study, spectral characteristics are calculated numerically, by solving the lasing eigenvalue problem on the basis of the set of Muller boundary integral equations, which is approximated by the Nystr¨om method. The Muller equations have weakly singular kernels, hence the corresponding operator is Fredholm with zero index. The Nyström method is a special modification of the polynomial quadrature method for boundary integral equations with weakly singular kernels. This algorithm is accurate for functions that are well approximated by trigonometric polynomials, for example, for eigenmodes of resonators with smooth boundaries. This approach leads to a characteristic equation for mode frequencies and lasing thresholds. It is a nonlinear algebraic eigenvalue problem, which is solved numerically by the residual inverse iteration method. In this paper, this technique is extended to the numerical modeling of microcavity lasers having a more complicated form. In contrast to the microcavity lasers with smooth contours, which were previously investigated by the Nyström method, the drop has a corner. We propose a special modification of the Nyström method for contours with corners, which takes also the symmetry of the resonator into account. The results of numerical experiments presented in the paper demonstrate the practical effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.

Rugose spiraling whitefly (RSW) is one of the major pests which affects the coconut trees. It feeds on the tree by sucking up the water content as well as the essential nutrients from leaves. It also forms sooty mold in leaves due to which the process of photosynthesis is inhibited. Biocontrol of pest is harmless for trees and crops. The experimental results in literature reveal that Pseudomallada astur is a potential predator for this pest. We investigate the dynamics of predator, Pseudomallada astur’s interaction with rugose spiralling whitefly, Aleurodicus rugioperculatus in coconut trees using a mathematical model. In this system of ordinary differential equation, the pest-predator interaction is modeled using Holling type III functional response. The parametric values are calculated from the experimental results and are tabulated. An approximate analytical solution for the system has been derived. The homotopy analysis method proves to be a suitable method for creating solutions that are valid even for moderate to large parameter values, hence we employ the same to solve this nonlinear model. The $\hbar$-curves, which give the admissible region of $\hbar$, are provided to validate the region of convergence. We have derived the approximate solution at fifth order and stopped at this order since we obtain a more approximate solution in this iteration. Numerical simulation is obtained through MATLAB. The analytical results are compared with numerical simulation and are found to be in good agreement. The biological interpretation of figures implies that the use of a predator reduces the whitefly’s growth to a greater extent.