-------------------------------------------------------
From: David Keaton <dmk@dmk.com>
Date: Thu, 28 May 92 11:12 MDT
Subject: Patriot Missle Bug Report
A government report on the failure of the Patriot Missile is available.
The report is
Patriot Missile Defense: Software Problem Led to System Failure
at Dhahran, Saudi Arabia
It is report number GAO/IMTEC-92-26, dated February 1992.
The report is quite well done and includes pictures that show the
exact process used to track a Scud. It contains the level of
technical detail needed for us to understand what happened, yet
presents it so that a non-technical person has a fighting chance at
understanding it too.
The problem began to manifest itself as roundoff error, but the real
problem was precision error instead. They put the "real time since
boot" clock in a single precision floating point number. To calculate
a time interval, they took two snapshots of the clock and subtracted
them. When the system had been up for more than eight hours, the
absolute uptime started to get bigger than the mantissa and
calculations got less and less accurate. Eventually, the Patriot
would miss the window for tracking an incoming Scud.
The field fix was just to reboot the Patriots every eight hours
until a software fix arrived. However, the people manning the
Patriots didn't get the word.
The first copy of each GAO report is free. Additional copies are $2 each.
Orders may be placed by calling (202) 275-6241, or by mail to
U.S. General Accounting Office
P.O. Box 6015
Gaithersburg, MD 20877
Make checks or money orders payable to Superintendent of Documents.
David Keaton
dmk@dmk.com
------------------------------
From: Stephen Nash <snash@gmuvax.gmu.edu>
Date: 27 May 92 09:57:00 EST
Subject: Why is Raphson in "Newton-Raphson"?
I am trying to find out why Raphson's name is attached to the Newton-Raphson
method for finding solutions to nonlinear equations. I have in hand two
suggestions:
(a) Raphson translated Newton's notes on the topic (Newton wrote in Latin) and
published them in the English version of Newton's "Universal Arithmetic," and
in this way became associated with the method. (This would be analogous to
"Horner's Rule", "Taylor Series", and "MacLaurin Series", all of which can be
found in Newton's work.)
(b) A couple of people have told me that they thought Raphson had extended
Newton's work to problems in more than one variable. (I have not been able
to find any solid evidence to support this idea.)
I would be grateful if anyone could supply evidence that would settle this
question, or suggestions about alternative explanations.
Stephen Nash
George Mason University
snash@gmuvax.gmu.edu
------------------------------
From: Baker Kearfott <rbk5287@usl.edu>
Date: Wed, 27 May 92 09:56:23 CDT
Subject: Errata, Bibliography on Soviet Works
The entry in the last digest on the bibliography of papers by Soviet
authors on interval computations stated:
Alternatively, the first part of the bibliography appears in
vol. 1 issue 1 of "Interval Computations".
It should have been:
vol. 1 issue 2.
I apologize.
Baker Kearfott
rbk@usl.edu (Internet)
------------------------------
From: Diane Rover <rover@frith.egr.msu.edu>
Date: Wed, 27 May 92 16:04:51 -0400
Subject: PICL/ParaGraph Users
ATTENTION: PICL and/or ParaGraph software users
The use of PICL (Portable Instrumented Communication Library) and
ParaGraph has been spreading and, as users ourselves, we'd like to
document interesting applications of these tools. While we are
aware of a number of efforts, there are many unknown to us. For
all our benefit, we'd like to compile and maintain information on
users and uses.
We REQUEST a brief description of your use of PICL and/or ParaGraph.
Just fill in the form given below being as brief as possible. We
will distribute a summary of responses to all who contribute.
Please RESPOND BY June 22 to rover@ee.msu.edu with SUBJECT line
"PICL/ParaGraph Survey".
THANKS.
Diane T. Rover Joan M. Francioni
Dept. of Electrical Engineering Dept. of Computer Science
Michigan State Univ. Univ. of Southwestern Louisiana
rover@ee.msu.edu jf@cacs.usl.edu
(Use includes: SLALOM (Use involves auralization
benchmark program of PICL trace data coupled
visualization and custom with visualization.)
"machine views".)
Name(s):
Organization(s):
Email Contact:
Project Name (if any):
Use: (Check one)
__ As Is (from netlib)
__ Customized (i.e., did you change PICL/ParaGraph code?)
__ Both
If customized usage, can your version be made available for
external use?
Summary Description of Use and/or Customization
(couple of paragraphs is sufficient):
Publications (if any, describing above use):
Do we have permission to include your response in a summary?
------------------------------
From: Stratis Gallopoulos <stratis@csrd.uiuc.edu>
Date: Wed, 27 May 92 17:08:03 CDT
Subject: CSRD Reports Available via E-mail and FTP
Several recent technical reports from the
Center for Supercomputing Research and Development (CSRD)
are available in Postscript form and accessible using e-mail
or anonymous ftp. The depository is maintained on a regular basis.
Using netlib style e-mail:
mail CSRD_Info@csrd.uiuc.edu
TO OBTAIN MAIL BODY
list of abstracts send index from reports_abstracts
list of reports send index from reports
abstracts: send <report_number>.abs from reports_abstracts
reports: send <report_number> from reports
Using anonymous ftp:
ftp sp2.csrd.uiuc.edu
login as "anonymous" with any password.
cd CSRD_Info
(the net-address for sp2.csrd.uiuc.edu
is 128.174.162.51)
TO OBTAIN ACTION
list of abstracts: "cd reports" followed by "get index"
list of reports: "cd reports_abstracts" followed by "get index"
abstracts: "cd reports_abstracts" followed by
"get <report_number>.abs"
reports: "cd reports" followed by "get <report_number>"
------------------------------
From: Warren Ferguson <H5AR1001%SMUVM1.BITNET@RICEVM1.RICE.EDU>
Date: Wed, 27 May 92 18:56:24 CST
Subject: Solving Least Squares Problems
Does anyone know if the codes from Lawson and Hanson's book:
Solving Least Squares Problems, Prentice Hall, 1974
is available somewhere, say by anonymous ftp?
Warren Ferguson
ferguson@csvax.seas.smu.edu
------------------------------
From: Vu Quoc Loc <vql@mozart.aero.ufl.edu>
Date: Thu, 28 May 92 12:24:35 -0400
Subject: Help Request to LaTeXperts
To the LaTeXperts of na-net:
I recently began to use LaTeX, and have not figured out all the
intricacies of LaTeX. I would like to request your help with the
following matter.
The idea is to import a file (e.g., a Fortran code) into a LaTeX file
and to display it verbatim in the text output. However, I don't
want to import the Fortran code physically into the LaTeX file, but
rather use the LaTeX command \input to do the import. (This way
any modifications to the code will reflect automatically in the
text output without one having to modify the Fortran code in the
LaTeX file again.) My problem is that I cannot do this task using
the LaTeX command \verbatim (together with the \input command).
With TeX, I use the command \setupverbatim (together with the \input
command) as suggested in the command \listing on p. 380 of The
TeXbook:
\def\listing#1{\par\begingroup\setupverbatim\input#1 \endgroup}
I appreciate if you could let me know of an equivalent way to have
the command \setupverbatim working with LaTeX's documentstyle
report. (I know that there is \setupverbatim in tugboat.sty.)
Thank you,
Loc Vu-Quoc
------------------------------
From: Raul Mendez <mendez@isr.recruit.co.jp>
Date: Fri, 29 May 92 09:02:55 JST
Subject: High Performance Computing in Japan
In last week's NA-Digest, the publisher for High Performance Computing:
Research and Practice in Japan had been clipped out of the posting.
It should have read:
Edited by Raul Mendez
Publisher John Wiley and Sons
(Wiley Professional Computing)
January, 1992
ISBN 0 471 92867 4
------------------------------
From: Willard Miller <miller@imafs.ima.umn.edu>
Date: Fri, 29 May 92 14:30:24 CDT
Subject: Travel to Minnesota's IMA
ATTENTION TO ALL IMA TRAVELERS
If you are planning to attend any of the Institute For Mathematics and Its
Applications workshops; especially Environment: July 6-31, Mathematical
Modelling for Graduate Students August 3-28, the P.D. E. Summer Graduate
Program at Indiana University: July 13-August 7, or The Control Theory
Tutorial: Sept. 8-11, 1992, PLEASE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE 1/2 PRICE
AIRFARES. YOU WILL NEED TO BOOK YOUR FLIGHTS BY JUNE 5 AND USE THE TICKETS
BEFORE SEPTEMBER 13, 1992.
------------------------------
From: John Mathews <mathews@fullerton.edu>
Date: Sunday, 31 May 1992 06:25 PDT
Subject: MATLAB Supplement for NUMERICAL METHODS
For anyone who will be adopting my textbook
NUMERICAL METHODS:
for Mathematics, Science and Engineering,
2nd Edition, Prentice Hall, Inc. 1992
A complete MATLAB package of algorithms for
both the IBM-PC and Macintosh are available.
Contact me for information.
Please supply:
1. Your name.
2. Institutional affiliation.
3. Name of course and current textbook.
4. When you need the materials.
John Mathews
Prof. of Mathematics
Calif. State Univ. Fullerton
Fullerton, CA 92631
e-mail: mathews@fullerton.edu
------------------------------
From: Phil Broadbridge <pbroad@cc.uow.edu.au>
Date: Thu, 28 May 92 10:45:06 EST
Subject: Faculty Position at University of Wollongong
The Department of Mathematics, University of Wollongong, Australia, has a
vacancy for a numerical analyst or computational mathematician, to be available
from February 1993. The successful applicant will
(a) be willing to collaborate on applied and industrial research
projects and to develop his/her own specialist skills,
(b) take a leading role in the teaching of numerical analysis at both
undergraduate and graduate level,
and (c) have some familiarity with computer algebra packages.
The position will be tenurable and at the level of Lecturer or Senior Lecturer.
In exceptional circumstances, an offer may be made at the level of Associate
Professor. Salaries: Lecturer Aus $41000-48688, Snr. Lecturer $50225-57913,
Assoc. Prof. $60475-66625.
The Department has around 21 full time academic staff and supervises
undergraduate, masters and doctoral programmes. The main research interests are
in industrial and environmental mathematical modelling, partial differential
equations, harmonic analysis, logic and applied statistics. The department is
a member unit of the Faculty of Informatics, which particularly encourages
future collaborative work in the areas of Telecommunications and Robotics.
Initial inquiries should be made to Philip Broadbridge (61)(042) 213252, fax
(61)(042)214845, e-mail P.Broadbridge@uow.edu.au ,or
pbroad@wampyr.cc.uow.edu.au
------------------------------
From: SIAM <ddilisi@siam.org>
Date: Fri, 29 May 92 09:20:46 EST
Subject: SIAG/OPT Prize Nomination
CALL FOR NOMINATIONS
FOR
SIAM ACTIVITY GROUP ON OPTIMIZATION (SIAG/OPT) PRIZE
The SIAG/OPT Prize
The SIAG/OPT will present its first award at the SIAM Annual Meeting in
July 1993. The award is to be given to the author(s) of the most
outstanding paper, as determined by the prize committee, on a topic in
optimization published in English in a peer-reviewed journal.
Nominations
Nominations should include (1) a description of the significance of the
paper, ( 2) the important questions that have been resolved and/or
raised in the paper, (3) the applicatio ns of the work described in the
paper, and (4) a copy of the paper in English. Nominations sho uld be
received by no later than November 30, 1992 at the following address:
SIAG/OPT Prize
c/o SIAM
3600 University City Science Center
Philadelphia, PA 19104-2688
Eligibility
Candidate papers must be published in English in a peer-reviewed
journal bearing a publication date within the period from January 1,
1987 to December 31, 1991. The papers must contain significant
research contributions to the field of optimization, as commonly
defined in the mathematical literature, with direct or potential
applications.
Description of the Award
The award will consist of a plaque and a certificate containing the
citation. The chair of the prize committee will notify the
recipient(s) of the award in advance of the award date . An invitation
will be extended to the recipient(s) to attend the award ceremony to
receive the award and to present the paper. At least one of the
awardees is expected to attend the ceremony and present the winning
paper.
------------------------------
From: SIAM <bdilisi@siam.org>
Date: Wed, 27 May 92 11:15:43 EST
Subject: Book in Sinc Methods from SIAM
FORTHCOMING PUBLICATION FROM SIAM
Sinc Methods for Quadrature and Differential Equations
John Lund and Kenneth L. Bowers
Here is an elementary development of the Sinc-Galerkin method with
the focal point being ordinary and partial differential equations.
This is the first book to explain this powerful computational
method for treating differential equations. These methods are an
alternative to finite difference and finite element schemes, and
are especially adaptable to problems with singular solutions. The
text is written to facilitate easy implementation of the theory
into operating numerical code.
The authors' use of differential equations as a backdrop for the
presentation of the material allows them to present a number of the
applications of the sinc method. Many of these applications are
useful in numerical processes of interest quite independent of
differential equations. Specifically, numerical interpolation and
quadrature, while fundamental to the Galerkin development, are
useful in their own right.
The intimate connection between collocation and Galerkin for the
sinc basis is exposed via sinc-interpolation. The quadrature rules
define a class of numerical integration methods that complement
better known techniques, which in the case of singular integrands,
often require modification. The sinc methodology of the text is
illustrated on such applications as initial data recovery, heat
diffusion, advective-diffusive transport, and Burgers' equation, to
illustrate the numerical implementation of the theory discussed.
Engineers may find sinc methods a very competitive approach to the
more common boundary element or finite element methods. Further,
workers in the signal processing community may find this particular
approach a refreshingly different view of the use of sinc
functions.
Sinc approximation is a relatively new numerical technique. This
book provides a much needed elementary level explanation. It has
been used for graduate numerical classes at Montana State
University and Texas Tech University.
Contents
Chapter 1: Preliminary Material; Chapter 2: Numerical Methods on
the Real Line; Chapter 3: Numerical Methods
on an Arc "Gamma"; Chapter 4: The Sinc-Galerkin Method; Chapter 5:
Steady Problems; Chapter 6: Time-Dependent Problems; Appendix A:
Linear Algebra; References.
About the Authors
John Lund is professor of mathematics in the department of
mathematical sciences at Montana State University.
Kenneth L. Bowers is associate professor of mathematics in the
department of mathematical sciences at Montana State University.
Available July 1992 / x + 304 pages / Hardcover / ISBN
0-89871-298-X
List Price $42.50 / SIAM Member Price $34.00 / Order Code OT32
------------------------------
End of NA Digest
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