Geometric Numerical Integration in Ecological Modelling

A major neglected weakness of many ecological models is the numerical method used to solve the governing systems of differential equations. Indeed, the discrete dynamics described by numerical integrators can provide spurious solution of the corresponding continuous model. The approach represented by the geometric numerical integration, by preserving qualitative properties of the solution, leads to improved numerical behaviour expecially in the long-time integration.

Computing the eigenvectors of nonsymmetric tridiagonal matrices

The computation of the eigenvalue decomposition of matrices is one of the most investigated problems in numerical linear algebra. In particular, real nonsymmetric tridiagonal eigenvalue problems arise in a variety of applications. In this paper the problem of computing an eigenvector corresponding to a known eigenvalue of a real nonsymmetric tridiagonal matrix is considered, developing an algorithm that combines part of a QR sweep and part of a QL sweep, both with the shift equal to the known eigenvalue. The numerical tests show the reliability of the proposed method.

A regularization model for stereo vision with controlled continuity

The problem of the computation of stereo disparity is approaehed as a mathematically ill-posed problem by using regularization theory. A controlled continuity constraint which provides a local spatial control over the smoothness of the solution enables the problem to be regularized while preserving the disparity discontinuities. The discontinuities are localized during the regularization process by examining the size of the disparity gradient at the gray value edges.

Cloud Detection: An Assessment Study from the ESA Round Robin Exercise for PROBA-V

A Round Robin exercise was implemented by ESA to compare different classification methods in detecting clouds from images taken by the PROBA-V sensor. A high-quality dataset of 1350 reflectances and Clear/Cloudy corresponding labels had been prepared by ESA in the framework of the exercise. Motivated by both the experience acquired by one of the authors in this exercise and the availability of such a reliable annotated dataset, we present a full assessment of the methodology proposed therein.

On QZ Steps with Perfect Shifts and Computing the Index of a Differential Algebraic Equation

In this paper we revisit the problem of performing a QZ step with a so-called "perfect shift", which is an "exact" eigenvalue of a given regular pencil lambda B-A in unreduced Hessenberg-Triangular form. In exact arithmetic, the QZ step moves that eigenvalue to the bottom of the pencil, while the rest of the pencil is maintained in Hessenberg-Triangular form, which then yields a deflation of the given eigenvalue. But in finite-precision the QZ step gets "blurred" and precludes the deflation of the given eigenvalue.