Library

Description: Zeitschriften und andere Medien werden in wachsendem Maße elektronisch publiziert. Hier entsteht für die Bibliotheken, welche diese Online-Publikationen ihren Lesern zur Verfügung stellen, ein neuer Bereich der Informationsvermittlung. Mit dem aufkommenden Standard der OpenURL ergeben sich neue Möglichkeiten, dem Benutzer weiterführende Links und Dienste anzubieten. Das Document-Linking-System SFX der Firma Ex Libris ist die erste und bekannteste Anwendung, die ein Managementsystem fr die Auswertung der OpenURL implementiert. Im Rahmen eines Projektes hat die Zentrale des Kooperativen Bibliotheksverbundes Berlin-Brandenburg (KOBV) eine Evaluation von SFX durchgeführt. Als Ergebnis der Evaluation sollten Einsatzmöglichkeiten von SFX für die KOBV-Suchmaschine und in den lokalen Bibliothekssystemen und Informationsportalen aufgezeigt werden. Im Verlauf des Projektes hat sich das Produkt SFX als eine stabile Anwendung erwiesen, die dem Benutzer interessante zusätzliche Dienste bieten kann.

Description: In this work we present an approach for the sensitivity analysis of linearly-implicit differential-algebraic equation systems. Solutions for both, states and sensitivities are obtained by applying an extrapolated linearly implicit Euler discretization scheme. This approach is compared to the widely used sensitivity extensions of multi-step BDF methods by means of case studies. Especially, we point out the benefit of this method in the context of dynamic optimization using the sequential approach.

Description: Decomposition of the high dimensional conformational space of bio-molecules into metastable subsets is used for data reduction of long molecular trajectories in order to facilitate chemical analysis and to improve convergence of simulations within these subsets. The metastability is identified by the Perron-cluster cluster analysis of a Markov process that generates the thermodynamic distribution. A necessary prerequisite of this analysis is the discretization of the conformational space. A combinatorial approach via discretization of each degree of freedom will end in the so called ''curse of dimension''. In the following paper we analyze Hybrid Monte Carlo simulations of small, drug-like biomolecules and focus on the dihedral degrees of freedom as indicators of conformational changes. To avoid the ''curse of dimension'', the projection of the underlying Markov operator on each dihedral is analyzed according to its metastability. In each decomposition step of a recursive procedure, those significant dihedrals, which indicate high metastability, are used for further decomposition. The procedure is introduced as part of a hierarchical protocol of simulations at different temperatures. The convergence of simulations within metastable subsets is used as an ''a posteriori'' criterion for a successful identification of metastability. All results are presented with the visualization program AmiraMol.

Description: The adaptive finite element code {\sc Kardos} solves nonlinear parabolic systems of partial differential equations. It is applied to a wide range of problems from physics, chemistry, and engineering in one, two, or three space dimensions. The implementation is based on the programming language C. Adaptive finite element techniques are employed to provide solvers of optimal complexity. This implies a posteriori error estimation, local mesh refinement, and preconditioning of linear systems. Linearely implicit time integrators of {\em Rosenbrock} type allow for controlling the time steps adaptively and for solving nonlinear problems without using {\em Newton's} iterations. The program has proved to be robust and reliable. The user's guide explains all details a user of {\sc Kardos} has to consider: the description of the partial differential equations with their boundary and initial conditions, the triangulation of the domain, and the setting of parameters controlling the numerical algorithm. A couple of examples makes familiar to problems which were treated with {\sc Kardos}. We are extending this guide continuously. The latest version is available by network: {\begin{rawhtml} 〈A href="http://www.zib.de/Numerik/software/kardos/"〉 〈i〉 Downloads.〈/i〉〈/a〉 \end{rawhtml}}

Description: This article studies the relation of the two scientific languages Chemistry and Mathematics via three selected comparisons: (a) QSSA versus dynamic ILDM in reaction kinetics, (b) lumping versus discrete Galerkin methods in polymer chemistry, and (c) geometrical conformations versus metastable conformations in drug design. The common clear message from these comparisons is that chemical intuition may pave the way for mathematical concepts just as chemical concepts may gain from mathematical precisioning. Along this line, significant improvements in chemical research and engineering have already been possible -- and can be further expected in the future from the dialogue between the two scientific languages.

Description: Several sets of reductions rules are known for preprocessing a graph when computing its treewidth. In this paper, we give reduction rules for a weighted variant of treewidth, motivated by the analysis of algorithms for probabilistic networks. We present two general reduction rules that are safe for weighted treewidth. They generalise many of the existing reduction rules for treewidth. Experimental results show that these reduction rules can significantly reduce the problem size for several instances of real-life probabilistic networks.

Description: Signaling is crucial to the operation of modern telecommunication networks. A breakdown in the signaling infrastructure typically causes customer service failures, incurs revenue losses, and hampers the company image. Therefore, the signaling network has to be highest reliability and survivability. This in particular holds for the routers in such a network, called \textit{signaling transfer points\/} (STPs). The robustness of an STP can be improved by equally distributing the load over the internal processing units. Several constraints have to be taken into account. The load of the links connected to a processing unit changes over time introducing an imbalance of the load. In this paper, we show how integer linear programming can be applied to reduce the imbalance within an STP, while keeping the number of changes small. Two alternative models are presented. Computational experiments validate the integer programming approach in practice. The GSM network operator E-Plus saves substantial amounts of time and money by employing the proposed approach.

Description: In the problem of \emph{Online Call Admission in Optical Networks}, briefly called \textsc{oca}, we are given a graph $G=(V,E)$ together with a set of wavelengths~$W$ and a finite sequence $\sigma=r_1,r_2,\dots$ of calls which arrive in an online fashion. Each call~$r_j$ specifies a pair of nodes to be connected and an integral demand indicating the number of required lightpaths. A lightpath is a path in~$G$ together with a wavelength~$\lambda \in W$. Upon arrival of a call, an online algorithm must decide immediately and irrevocably whether to accept or to reject the call without any knowledge of calls which appear later in the sequence. If the call is accepted, the algorithm must provide the requested number of lightpaths to connect the specified nodes. The essential restriction is the wavelength conflict constraint: each wavelength is available only once per edge, which implies that two lightpaths sharing an edge must have different wavelengths. Each accepted call contributes a benefit equal to its demand to the overall profit. The objective in \textsc{oca} is to maximize the overall profit. Competitive algorithms for \textsc{oca} have been known for the special case where every call requests just a single lightpath. In this paper we present the first competitive online algorithms for the general case of larger demands.

Description: Traditional optimization techniques assume, in general, knowledge of all data of a problem instance. There are many cases in practice, however, where decisions have to be made before complete information about the data is available. In fact, it may be necessary to produce a part of the problem solution as soon as a new piece of information becomes known. This is called an \emph{online situation}, and an algorithm is termed \emph{online}, if it makes a decision (computes a partial solution) whenever a new piece of data requests an action. \emph{Competitive analysis} has become a standard yardstick to measure the quality of online algorithms. One compares the solution produced by an online algorithm to that of an optimal (clairvoyant) offline algorithm. An online algorithm is called $c$-competitive if on every input the solution it produces has cost'' at most $c$~times that of the optimal offline algorithm. This situation can be imagined as a game between an online player and a malicious adversary. Although competitive analysis is a worst-case analysis and henceforth pessimistic, it often allows important insights into the problem structure. One can obtain an idea about what kind of strategies are promising for real-world systems and why. On the other hand there are also cases where the offline adversary is simply too powerful and allows only trivial competitiveness results. This phenomenon is called hitting the triviality barrier''. We investigate several online problems by means of competitive analysis. We also introduce new concepts to overcome the weaknesses of the standard approach and to go beyond the triviality barrier.

Description: The paper deals with the two-class priority M/M/1 system, where the prioritized class-1 customers are served under FCFS preemptive resume discipline and may become impatient during their waiting for service with generally distributed maximal waiting times but finite expectation. The class-2 customers have no impatience. The required mean service times may depend on the class of the customer. As the dynamics of class-1 customers are related to the well analyzed M/M/1+GI system, our aim is to derive characteristics for class-2 customers and for the whole system. The solution of the balance equations for the partial probability generating functions of the detailed system state process is given in terms of the weak solution of a family of boundary value problems for ordinary differential equations. By means of this solution formulae for the joint occupancy distribution and for the sojourn and waiting times of class-2 customers are derived generalizing results recently obtained by Choi et al. in case of deterministic maximal waiting times. For deterministic maximal waiting times partially new explicit formulae are given.

Description: The bio-heat transfer equation is a macroscopic model for describing the heat transfer in microvascular tissue. So far the deduction of the Helmholtz term in the bio-heat transfer equation is not co role. In view of a future numerical application of this new mathematical model to treatment planning in hyperthermia we derive asymptotic estimates for first and second order correctors.

Description: Mixed integer programs ($MIPs$) are commonly solved with branch and bound algorithms based on linear programming. The success and the speed of the algorithm strongly depends on the strategy used to select the branching variables. Today's state-of-the-art strategy is called \emph{pseudocost branching} and uses information of previous branchings to determine the current branching. We propose a modification of \emph{pseudocost branching} which we call \emph{history branching}. This strategy has been implemented in $SIP$, a state-of-the-art $MIP$ solver. We give computational results that show the superiority of the new strategy.

Description: We consider the design of transparent optical networks from a practical perspective. Network operators aim at satisfying the communication demands at minimum cost. Such an optimization involves three interdependent planning issues: the dimensioning of the physical topology, the routing of lightpaths, and the wavelength assignment. Further topics include the reliability of the configuration and sparse wavelength conversion for efficient use of the capacities. In this paper, we investigate this extensive optical network design task. Using a flexible device-based model, we present an integer programming formulation that supports greenfield planning as well as expansion planning on top of an existing network. As solution method, we propose a suitable decomposition approach that separates the wavelength assignment from the dimensioning and routing. Our method in particular provides a lower bound on the total cost which allows to rate the solution quality. Computational experiments on realistic networks approve the solution approach to be appropriate.

Description: Today's telecommunication networks are configured statically. Whenever a connection is established, the customer has permanent access to it. However, it is observed that usually the connection is not used continuously. At this point, dynamic provisioning could increase the utilization of network resources. WDM based Optical Transport Networks (OTNs) will shortly allow for fast dynamic network reconfiguration. This enables optical broadband leased line services on demand. Since service requests competing for network resources may lead to service blocking, it is vital to use appropriate strategies for routing and wavelength assignment in transparent optical networks. We simulate the service blocking probabilities of various dynamic algorithms for this problem using a well-founded traffic model for two realistic networks. One of the algorithms using shortest path routings performs best on all instances. Surprisingly, the tie-breaking rule between equally short paths in different wavelengths decides between success or failure.

Description: Nachdem mit der KOBV-Suchmaschine die Online-Recherche in den wichtigsten Berliner und Brandenburgischen Bibliotheken realisiert ist, gehört der Aufbau der Online-Fernleihe als einer neuen, nutzerfreundlichen Dienstleistung zu den drängendsten Desideraten des KOBV. Dem Nutzer soll ein komfortabler Service geboten werden, der ihm im Anschluss an eine erfolgreiche Recherche die nahtlose - per Knopfdruck ausgelöste - Fernleih-Bestellung auf das gewünschte Medium erlaubt. Gleichzeitig trägt die Ablösung des traditionellen, per Post und Bücherauto versandten Roten Fernleihscheines durch eine sekundenschnelle Online-Kommunikation zu einer erheblichen Beschleunigung des Fernleih-Verfahrens bei. Der KOBV beteiligt sich an der Initiative der deutschen Bibliotheksverbünde zur Automatisierung und Beschleunigung der Fernleihe. Die Realisierung soll im KOBV in einem zweistufigen Verfahren erfolgen: (1) verbundinterne Fernleihe im KOBV und (2) verbundübergreifende Fernleihe in der Zusammenarbeit mit den anderen Verbünden. Eine Verbund-Fernleih-Software für den KOBV muss insbesondere den KOBV-spezifischen Gegebenheiten genügen, die in dieser Form in den anderen deutschen Verbünden nicht anzutreffen sind. Im Jahre 2001 hat eine KOBV-Arbeitsgruppe Spezifikationen für eine Verbund-Fernleih-Software erarbeitet, in der die Besonderheiten des KOBV mit berücksichtigt sind. Beim Aufbau der automatisierten Fernleihe als einer regulären KOBV-Dienstleistung geht es nicht allein darum, einen schnellen, komfortablen Service für Nutzer einzurichten, sondern darüber hinaus um eine weitreichende Rationalisierung innerhalb der Bibliotheken. Das vorliegende Spezifikationspapier zielt auf beide Faktoren ab, indem es die Fernleihe als integrierten Dienst entwirft, der von der Bestellung bis zur Bereitstellung des Mediums in der gebenden Bibliothek automatisiert - ohne manuelles Eingreifen der Fernleihstelle - abläuft: die jetzige manuell durchgeführte Fernleihe wird durch die automatisierte Fernleihe abgelöst.

Description: In the online traveling salesman problem $OLTSP$ requests for visits to cities arrive online while the salesman is traveling. We study the $F{\_max}-OLTSP$ where the objective is to minimize the maximum flow time. This objective is particularly interesting for applications. Unfortunately, there can be no competitive algorithm, neither deterministic nor randomized. Hence, competitive analysis fails to distinguish online algorithms. Not even resource augmentation which is helpful in scheduling works as a remedy. This unsatisfactory situation motivates the search for alternative analysis methods. We introduce a natural restriction on the adversary for the $F{\_max}-OLTSP$ on the real line. A \emph{non-abusive adversary} may only move in a direction if there are yet unserved requests on this side. Our main result is an algorithm which achieves a constant competitive ratio against the non-abusive adversary.

Description: While attribute-value pairs are a popular method to name objects, information retrieval from those attribute-based namespaces is not an easy task. The user has to recall correct attribute names and values and master the syntax and semantics of query formulation. This paper describes hierarchical structures in attribute-based namespaces, shows how to extract them efficiently and evaluates the quality of these structures in an user experiment. It proposes an user interface for browsing attribute-named object sets which makes this task resemble todays file-system browsers and compares the usability of this interface to normal form-based methods in an user study.

Description: In this paper, we quantify and discuss the physical and surface chemical processes leading to the formation, temporal evolution and sedimentation of dust grains in brown dwarf and giant gas planet atmospheres: nucleation, growth, evaporation and gravitational settling. Considering dust particles of arbitrary sizes in the different hydrodynamical regimes (free molecular flow, laminar flow, turbulent flow), we evaluate the equilibrium drift velocities (final fall speeds) and the growth rates of the particles due to accretion of molecules. We show that a depth-dependent maximum size of the order of $a_{\rm max}\!\approx\!1\,\mu{\rm m\,(upper\ regions)} \ldots 100\,\mu{\rm m\,(lower\ regions)}$ exists, which depends on the condensate and the stellar parameters, beyond which gravitational settling is faster than growth. Larger particles can probably not be formed and sustained in brown dwarf atmospheres. We furthermore argue that the acceleration towards equilibrium drift is always very fast and that the temperature increase of the grains due to the release of latent heat during the growth process is negligible. Based on these findings, we formulate the problem of dust formation coupled to the local element depletion/enrichment of the gas in brown dwarf atmospheres by means of a system of partial differential equations. These equations state an extension of the moment method developed by Gail\plus Sedlmayr\,(1988) with an additional advective term to account for the effect of size-dependent drift velocities of the grains. A dimensionless analysis of the new equations reveals a hierarchy of nucleation $\to$ growth $\to$ drift $\to$ evaporation, which characterises the life cycle of dust grains in brown dwarf atmospheres. The developed moment equations can be included into hydrodynamics or classical stellar atmosphere models. Applications of this description will be presented in a forthcoming paper of this series.

Description: Global grid environments do not only provide massive aggregated computing power but also an unprecedented amount of distributed storage space. Unfortunately, dynamic changes caused by component failures, local decisions, and irregular data updates make it difficult to efficiently use this capacity. In this paper, we address the problem of improving data availability in the presence of unreliable components. We present an analytical model for determining an optimal combination of distributed replica catalogs, catalog sizes, and replica servers. Empirical simulation results confirm the accuracy of our theoretical analysis. Our model captures the characteristics of highly dynamic environments like peer-to-peer networks, but it can also be applied to more centralized, less dynamic grid environments like the European {\em DataGrid}.

Description: Das Management von großen Datenmengen spielt eine immer wichtigere Rolle, wie aktuelle Entwicklungen in der Hochenergiephysik [2] zeigen. Für das DataGrid-Projekt zum Beispiel ist es notwendig, große Datenmengen auf mehrere Rechenzentren in Europa zu verteilen und die Daten untereinander zu synchronisieren. Auch innerhalb von Clustern gewinnen mit zunehmender Anzahl der Knoten Werkzeuge zur effizienten Synchronisation und Verteilung von Daten an Bedeutung. Im Rahmen dieser Arbeit wurde ein effizientes Verfahren zur Synchronisation von verteilten Verzeichnisstrukturen entwickelt und implementiert. Mit diesem Verfahren ist es möglich, unabhängige Änderungen an beliebigen Repositories gleichzeitig durchzuführen. Das Verfahren benötigt keine zentrale Instanz, wodurch eine gegenüber vielen existierenden Verfahren verbesserte Skalierbarkeit erreicht werden konnte. Dabei wurden Erkenntnisse aus der Graphentheorie eingesetzt und weiterentwickelt, um die Netzwerktopolo-gie und -handbreiten zwischen den Rechnern zu berücksichtigen. Durch die Verwendung einer Offline-Synchronisation werden Änderungen erst dann an andere Rechner propagiert, wenn der Nutzer dies anstößt. Das kann zum Beispiel nach einer abgeschlossenen Transaktion, die Änderungen an mehreren Dateien beinhaltet, angemessen sein.

Description: Current developments in high energy physics [2] show that the management of large datasets plays an important role. For the DataGrid project it is necessary to distribute large datasets over several computing centers all over Europe and to synchronize these datasets. Within clusters tools for efficient synchronization and distribution of data become more important, too. In this thesis, a method to synchronize distributed directory structures was developed and implemented which makes it possible to perform independent changes to arbitrary repositories simultaneously. This method needs no central instance and therefore the presented system achieves a better scalability than many existing systems. Knowledge from graph theory was used and improved to take the network topology and the network bandwidth between the computers into account. By using offline synchronization, changes will only be propagated when the user initiates it. This can be reasonable after a completed transaction which consists of changes on several files.

Description: An instance of the \emph{maximum coverage} problem is given by a set of weighted ground elements and a cost weighted family of subsets of the ground element set. The goal is to select a subfamily of total cost of at most that of a given budget maximizing the weight of the covered elements. We formulate the problem on graphs: In this situation the set of ground elements is specified by the nodes of a graph, while the family of covering sets is restricted to connected subgraphs. We show that on general graphs the problem is polynomial time solvable if restricted to sets of size at most~$2$, but becomes NP-hard if sets of size~$3$ are permitted. On trees, we prove polynomial time solvability if each node appears in a fixed number of sets. In contrast, if vertices are allowed to appear an unbounded number of times, the problem is NP-hard even on stars. We finally give polynomial time algorithms for special cases where the subgraphs form paths and the host graph is a line, a cycle or a star.

Description: Hinter der für den Uneingeweihten etwas kryptischen Frage "P = NP?" verbirgt sich das derzeit wichtigste Problem der Komplexitätstheorie. Dieser Artikel erläutert einige Aspekte der Theorie und erklärt informell, was "P = NP?" bedeutet. Es geht nicht nur um komplizierte algorithmische Mathematik und Informatik, sondern um grundsätzliche Fragen unserer Lebensumwelt. Kann man vielleicht beweisen, dass es für viele Probleme unseres Alltags keine effizienten Lösungsmethoden gibt?

Description: The Cooperative Library Network Berlin-Brandenburg (KOBV) has set the development of a genuine library information portal for the two German Lander (federal states) Berlin and Brandenburg as its main task for the next years. This joined effort is driven by the vision of an user friendly Internet information portal which is accessible anytime, from anywhere in the world. The idea of a regional information portal can be understood as the logically consistent development of the basic ideas of the KOBV. Starting in 1997, the consortia has set the implementation of a virtual OPAC instead of a physical union catalogue as its goal. The result was the KOBV-Search Engine which already has some qualities of a portal itself. The paper begins with initial remarks about the German library world, which do form the background for the project and its initiator - the KOBV consortia. After this preliminary part, different types of portals are introduced. The basic features of the KOBV-Search Engine as one of the cornerstones of the future portal are discussed in the following. The information portal will be much richer in content and services for the end-user. Two aspects are focused on in more detail: the presentation of resources, which becomes a compelling requirement because of the broader range of content and the personalization of services, as one important feature to suit user's individual needs.

Description: The paper presents a particle method framework for resolving molecular dynamics. Error estimators for both the temporal and spatial discretization are advocated and facilitate a fully adaptive propagation. For time integration, the implicit trapezoidal rule is employed, where an explicit predictor enables large time steps. The framework is developed and exemplified in the context of the classical Liouville equation, where Gaussian phase-space packets are used as particles. Simplified variants are discussed shortly, which should prove to be easily implementable in common molecular dynamics codes. A concept is illustrated by numerical examples for one-dimensional dynamics in double well potential.

Description: The paper deals with three different Newton algorithms that have recently been worked out in the general frame of affine invariance. Of particular interest is their performance in the numerical solution of discretized boundary value problems (BVPs) for nonlinear partial differential equations (PDEs). Exact Newton methods, where the arising linear systems are solved by direct elimination, and inexact Newton methods, where an inner iteration is used instead, are synoptically presented, both in affine invariant convergence theory and in numerical experiments. The three types of algorithms are: (a) affine covariant (formerly just called affine invariant) Newton algorithms, oriented toward the iterative errors, (b) affine contravariant Newton algorithms, based on iterative residual norms, and (c) affine conjugate Newton algorithms for convex optimization problems and discrete nonlinear elliptic PDEs.

Description: In Analogie zu den Elektrizitätsnetzen electricity grid), von denen die technische Revolution ausging, wurde der Begriff Computational Grid (kurz Grid) geprägt. Ein wichtiger Bestandteil des Systems liegt im benutzerfreundlichen Zugang und der koordinierten Nutzung der weltweit verteilten Speicherressourcen und Rechnerkapazitäten. Bei der Entwicklung dazu notwendiger Technologien und Software (Middleware) profitiert man von Kenntnissen und Erfahrungen bei der Entwicklung verteilter Algorithmen, dem Software-Engineering und dem Supercomputing.

Description: In this article we study the problem of designing a nation-wide communication network. Such networks usually consist of an access layer, a backbone layer, and maybe several intermediate layers. The nodes of each layer must be connected to those of the next layer in a tree-like fashion. The backbone layer has to satisfy certain survivability and routing constraints. Given the node locations, the demands between them, the possible connections and hardware configurations, and various other technical and administrational constraints, the goal is to decide, which node is assigned to which network level, how the nodes are connected, what hardware must be installed, and how traffic is routed in the backbone. Mixed integer linear programming models and solution methods are presented for both the access and the backbone network design problem. The focus is on the design of IP-over-SDH networks, but the access network design model and large parts of the backbone network design models are general and also applicable for other types of communication networks. Results obtained with these methods in the planning of the German research network are presented.

Description: We present an online algorithm for a real-world vehicle dispatching problem at ADAC, the German Automobile Association.

Description: Eine fremddatengestützte Katalogisierung bedeutet für die einzelne Bibliothek unbestritten eine Zeit- und Kostenersparnis. Dieser Report beleuchtet die unterschiedlichen Faktoren technischer und organisatorischer Natur, die die Fremddatennutzung in der dezentralen Struktur des Kooperativen Bibliotheksverbundes Berlin-Brandenburg (KOBV) beeinflussen. Die Ausführungen stützen sich im Wesentlichen auf eine Umfrage, die die Autoren im Mai / Juni 2002 unter KOBV-Mitgliedsbibliotheken zum Thema Fremddatennutzung durchgeführt haben. Dargelegt wird, wie komfortabel die in den KOBV-Bibliotheken eingesetzten Bibliotheksinformationssysteme eine fremddatengestützte Katalogisierung erlauben. Diskutiert wird zudem die Software ZACK, die sich als Alternative zu einem eigenen Z39.50-Client zur Datenübernahme anbietet. Erstmals seit Bestehen des Verbundes werden Zahlen veröffentlicht über den Anteil der Bibliotheken, die Fremddaten nutzen und denjenigen, die dieses Angebot nicht wahrnehmen. Dabei wird die Fremddatenutzung differenziert sowohl für den Bereich der Neuaufnahmen als auch für die Retrokatalogisierung. In der weiteren Analyse werden zusätzliche Aspekte betrachtet wie z.B. die verfügbaren bzw. gewünschten Datenbanken im Verhältnis zum sprachlichen Spektrum des erworbenen Katalogisierungsgutes. Eingegangen wird auch auf die von den Bibliotheken genannten Hauptproblemen und die gewünschten zusätzlichen Serviceleistungen auf Seiten der KOBV-Verbundzentrale. Als Ergebnis dieses Status-Quo-Berichts legt das Autorenteam eine Reihe von Empfehlungen vor, die darauf abzielen, auch für KOBV-Bibliotheken in Zukunft eine Fremddatennutzungsquote von 70 - 75 % zu erreichen.

Description: Substellar atmospheres are cool and dense enough that dust forms very efficiently. As soon as these particles are formed, they sizedependently precipitate due to the large gravity of the objects. Arriving in hot atmospheric layers, the dust evaporates and enriches the gas by those elements from which it has formed. The upper atmospheric layers are depleted by the same elements. Non-continuous and spatially inhomogeneous convective element replenishment, generating a turbulent fluid field, completes the circuit of dust. The formation of dust in substellar atmosphere is described by extending the classical theory of Gail\plus Sedlmayr for the case of different gas and dust velocities. Turbulence is modeled in different scale regimes which reveals turbulence as trigger for dust formation in hot environments. Both mechanisms cause the dust to be present in else wise dust-hostile region: precipitation transports the dust into hot regions, and turbulence allows the formation of dust in there.

Description: The talk given by the author at the CRM workshop on Superintegrability in Sep.\ 2002 and this related paper report on work in two subjects. One is the collaboration with Vladimir Sokolov and Takayuki Tsuchida in an effort to classify polynomial integrable vector evolution equations. The other is the computer algebra package {\sc Crack} which did the main computations in solving large bi-linear algebraic systems. Although originally designed to solve over-determined systems of partial differential equations a number of extensions made {\sc Crack} a powerful tool for solving systems of bi-linear algebraic equations. Such systems turn up in many different classification problems some of which were investigated by other participants of this workshop. Two additional applications are outlined. In the talk on which this article is based a method to reduce the length of equations was presented which proved to be useful in solving the bi-linear algebraic systems. Due to numerous asked questions about the computer program, a more complete overview is given in the appendix.

Description: Die KOBV-Suchmaschine hat seit ihrer Inbetriebnahme Ende 1999 entscheidend zur Verbesserung der Informationsinfrastruktur in Berlin und Brandenburg beigetragen. Auf der Basis der offenen Plattform KOBV-Suchmaschine wird die KOBV-Zentrale gemeinsam mit den Bibliotheken in den nächsten Jahren das Dienstleistungsangebot des KOBV und seiner Bibliotheken kontinuierlich erweitern. Dabei sollen die Prinzipien des KOBV - Offenheit, Heterogenität und Dezentralität auf technischer und organisatorischer Ebene - gewahrt bleiben. Die einzelnen KOBV-Bibliotheken werden sich mit ihren Angeboten in unterschiedlicher Weise im Web positionieren. Die Integration auf regionaler Ebene kann und soll die lokalen Angebote nicht künstlich vereinheitlichen. Das kooperative Portal, das in der Region aufgebaut wird, ist als System geplant, in dem zentrales Portal und lokale Portale nicht hierarchisch einander zugeordnet, sondern miteinander vernetzt sind. Das \glqq KOBV-Informationsportal \grqq soll in der KOBV-Zentrale im Rahmen eines wissenschaftlichen Projektes von Mitte 2001 bis Ende 2003 aufgebaut werden. Das vorliegende Papier gibt einen ersten allgemeinen Einblick, welche Funktionen das \glqq KOBV-Informationsporta \grqq umfassen soll und stellt die Teilprojekte der 1. Stufe vor.

Description: Oriented matroids are combinatorial structures that encode the combinatorics of point configurations. The set of all triangulations of a point configuration depends only on its oriented matroid. We survey the most important ingredients necessary to exploit oriented matroids as a data structure for computing all triangulations of a point configuration, and report on experience with an implementation of these concepts in the software package TOPCOM. Next, we briefly overview the construction and an application of the secondary polytope of a point configuration, and calculate some examples illustrating how our tools were integrated into the {\sc polymake} framework.

Description: For all perfect graphs, the stable set polytope STAB$(G)$ coincides with the fractional stable set polytope QSTAB$(G)$, whereas STAB$(G) \subset$ QSTAB$(G)$ holds iff $G$ is imperfect. Padberg asked in the early seventies for ``almost'' perfect graphs. He characterized those graphs for which the difference between STAB$(G)$ and QSTAB$(G)$ is smallest possible. We develop this idea further and define three polytopes between STAB$(G)$ and QSTAB$(G)$ by allowing certain sets of cutting planes only to cut off all the fractional vertices of QSTAB$(G)$. The difference between QSTAB$(G)$ and the largest of the three polytopes coinciding with STAB$(G)$ gives some information on the stage of imperfectness of the graph~$G$. We obtain a nested collection of three superclasses of perfect graphs and survey which graphs are known to belong to one of those three superclasses. This answers the question: which graphs are ``almost'' perfect?

Description: Die Automatisierung von innerbetrieblicher Logistik erfordert -- über die physikalische Steuerung von Geräten hinaus -- auch eine effiziente Organisation der Transporte: ein Aufgabenfeld der kombinatorischen Optimierung. Dieser Artikel illustriert anhand von konkreten Aufgabenstellungen die Online-Problematik (unvollständiges Wissen) sowie die Echtzeit-Problematik (beschränkte Rechenzeit), auf die man in der innerbetrieblichen Logistik trifft. Der Text gibt einen Überblick über allgemeine Konstruktionsprinzipien für Online-Algorithmen und Bewertungsmethoden, die bei der Entscheidung helfen, welche Algorithmen für eine vorliegende Problemstellung geeignet sind.

Description: \We discuss a nested collection of three superclasses of perfect graphs: near-perfect, rank-perfect, and weakly rank-perfect graphs. For that, we start with the description of the stable set polytope for perfect graphs and allow stepwise more general facets for the stable set polytopes of the graphs in each superclass. Membership in those three classes indicates how far a graph is away from being perfect. We investigate for webs and antiwebs to which of the three classes they belong. We provide a complete description of the facets of the stable set polytope for antiwebs (with help of a result due to Shepherd on near-bipartite graphs). The main result is that antiwebs are rankperfect.

Description: \textsf{\itshape{GuiGen}} is a comprehensive set of tools for creating customized graphical user interfaces (GUIs). It draws from the concept of computing portals, which are here seen as interfaces to application-specific computing services for user communities. While \textsf{\itshape{GuiGen}} was originally designed for the use in computational grids, it can be used in client/server environments as well. Compared to other GUI generators, \textsf{\itshape{GuiGen}} is more versatile and more portable. It can be employed in many different application domains and on different target platforms. With \textsf{\itshape{GuiGen}}, application experts (rather than computer scientists) are able to create their own individually tailored GUIs.

Description: The purpose of the paper is to formulate and use syzygies for systems of linear PDEs. The computation of an equivalent of a GCD for linear partial differential operators will save us their factorization which is otherwise only possible algorithmically in special cases. After showing the computation with the new and the traditional method and comparing both in the next three sections, the algorithm is explained in general and an overview is given.

Description: Telekommunikation ist seit Jahren \glqq in\grqq. Zunächst gab es einen enormen Aufschwung; neue Technologien und Dienste haben eine überwältigende, nicht vorhersehbare Akzeptanz gefunden. Derzeit ist -- ausgelöst durch die UMTS-Lizenzversteigerungen, Rezessions- und Sättigungstendenzen -- eine Krise zu verzeichnen. Viele (auch wir) sind davon überzeugt, dass technischer Fortschritt und nützliche Dienste demnächst die Stimmung wieder ändern werden. Wenigen ist allerdings bewusst, welche Rolle Mathematik bei der Entwicklung und dem effizienten Einsatz vieler der neuen Kommunikationstechnologien spielt. In diesem Artikel soll kein Überblick über diesen umfangreichen Themenkreis gegeben werden. Wir zeigen lediglich an einem konkreten Beispiel aus dem Mobilfunk, der Frequenzplanung in GSM-Funknetzen, was man durch geeignete Modellierung der praktischen Fragestellung und den Einsatz problemadäquater Algorithmen erreichen kann.

Description: Wir beschreiben einen Ansatz zur integrierten Umlauf- und Dienstplanung im öffentlichen Nahverkehr. Der Ansatz zielt auf die Verbesserung des Gesamtwirkungsgrades dieser beiden Planungsschritte und auf die besondere Planungsproblematik im Regionalverkehr. Wir entwickeln dazu mathematische Optimierungstechniken für den Einsatz in den Planungssystemen MICROBUS II und DIVA.

Description: A graph property is called elusive (or evasive) if every algorithm for testing this property has to read in the worst case $n\choose 2$ entries of the adjacency matrix of the given graph. Several graph properties have been shown to be elusive, e.g. planarity (Best et al) or $k$-colorability (Bollobas). A famous conjecture of Karp says that every non-trivial monotone graph property is elusive. We prove that a non-monotone but hereditary graph property is elusive: perfectness.

Description: Recently, a novel approach for the analysis of molecular dynamics on the basis of a transfer operator has been introduced. Therein conformations are considered to be disjoint metastable clusters within position space of a molecule. These clusters are defined by almost invariant characteristic functions that can be computed via {\em Perron Cluster} analysis. The present paper suggests to replace crisp clusters with {\em fuzzy} clusters, i.e. to replace characteristic functions with membership functions. This allows a more sufficient characterization of transiton states between different confor conformations and therefore leads to a better understanding of molecular dynamics. Fur thermore, an indicator for the uniqueness of metastable fuzzy clusters and a fast algorithm for the computation of these clusters are described. Numerical examples are included.

Description: The paper provides a detailed analysis of a short step interior point algorithm applied to linear control constrained optimal control problems. Using an affine invariant local norm and an inexact Newton corrector, the well-known convergence results from finite dimensional linear programming can be extended to the infinite dimensional setting of optimal control. The present work complements a recent paper of Weiser and Deuflhard, where convergence rates have not been derived. The choice of free parameters, i.e. the corrector accuracy and the number of corrector steps, is discussed.

Description: Pseudo--transient continuation methods are quite popular for the numerical solution of steady state problems, typically in PDEs. They are based on an embedding into a time dependent initial value problem. In the presence of dynamical invariants the Jacobian matrix of the nonlinear equation system is bound to be singular. The paper presents a convergence analysis which takes this property into account -- in contrast to known approaches. On the basis of the new analysis adaptive algorithms are suggested in detail. These include a variant with Jacobian approximations as well as inexact pseudo--transient continuation, both of which play an important role in discretized PDEs. Numerical experiments are left to future work.

Description: A beautiful result of Bröcker and Scheiderer on the stability index of basic closed semi-algebraic sets implies, as a very special case, that every $d$-dimensional polyhedron admits a representation as the set of solutions of at most $d(d+1)/2$ polynomial inequalities. Even in this polyhedral case, however, no constructive proof is known, even if the quadratic upper bound is replaced by any bound depending only on the dimension. Here we give, for simple polytopes, an explicit construction of polynomials describing such a polytope. The number of used polynomials is exponential in the dimension, but in the 2- and 3-dimensional case we get the expected number $d(d+1)/2$.

Description: TOPCOM is a package for computing triangulations of point configurations and oriented matroids. For example, for a point configuration one can compute the chirotope, components of the flip graph of triangulations, enumerate all triangulations. The core algorithms implemented in TOPCOM are described, and implentation issues are discussed.

Description: A model for the optimisation of the location and configuration of base stations in a UMTS network is described. The focus is primarily on modelling the configuration problem sufficiently accurate using mixed-integer variables and (essentially) linear constraints. These constraints reflect the limited downlink code capacity in each cell, the interference limitations for successful up- and downlink transmissions, the need for sufficiently strong (cell) pilot signals, and the potential gain for mobiles from being in soft(er) hand-over. It is also explained how to use the model as a basis for rating network configurations.

Description: Computational drug design studies molecular recognition in the {\em virtual lab}. The arising Hamiltonian dynamics is known to be chaotic and ill-conditioned already after picoseconds, whereas times are $msec$ up to $min$. Classical molecular dynamics with long term trajectory computation gives, at best, information about time and statistical ensemble averages. The present paper surveys a recent new modeling approach called {\em conformational dynamics}, which is due to the author and Ch. Schütte. This approach achieves information about the dy time scales by telescoping a short term deterministic model with a statistical model. Examples of small biomolecules are included.

Description: Combinatorial online optimization is an area with lots of applications and potential for significant progress, both in theory and practice. In this short note we sketch the ADACproblem, a typical large-scale online optimization problem, discuss some theoretical and pratical issues coming up, and explain, very briefly, how we approach this problem mathematically. Online problems are a battlefield of heuristics with many strong claims about their solution quality. We indicate that a stronger problem orientation and the use of a little more mathematics may yield.

Description: A subset ${\cal C}$ of the power set of a finite set $E$ is called cardinality homogeneous if, whenever ${\cal C}$ contains some set $F$, ${\cal C}$ contains all subsets of $E$ of cardinality $|F|$. Examples of such set systems ${\cal C}$ are the sets of circuits and the sets of cycles of uniform matroids and the sets of all even or of all odd cardinality subsets of $E$. With each cardinality homogeneous set system ${\cal C}$, we associate the polytope $P({\cal C})$, the convex hull of the incidence vectors of all sets in ${\cal C}$, and provide a complete and nonredundant linear description of $P({\cal C})$. We show that a greedy algorithm optimizes any linear function over $P({\cal C})$, give an explicit optimum solution of the dual linear program, and provide a polynomial time separation algorithm for the class of polytopes of type $P({\cal C})$.

Description: Die Bibliotheken des KOBV haben im Jahr 2001 die Entwicklung der KOBV-Suchmaschine zu einem gemeinsamen Informationsportal Berlin-Brandenburg und den Aufbau lokaler Bibliotheksportale als Hauptentwicklungsziele des KOBV definiert. Diese Informationsportale sollen mit Standardsoftware realisiert werden. Um die Auswahl eines Systems zu unterstützen, wurde in der Zentrale des KOBV ausgewählte Systeme untersucht. In der Arbeit werden zahlreiche Kriterien vorgestellt, auf Grund derer die betreffenden Systeme beurteilt werden. Die Kriterien umfassen sowohl Aspekte aus der Sicht der Benutzer als auch Kriterien aus der Sicht der Betreiber eines solchen Systems. Wesentliche Funktionen und die Realisierung von verschiedenen Merkmalen werden im Bericht ausführlich beschrieben. Daneben liefert eine Tabelle mit allen betrachteten Kriterien eine Übersicht über vorhandene Merkmale und der Art der Realisierung.

Description: In the cake cutting problem, $n\ge2$ players want to cut a cake into $n$ pieces so that every player gets a ``fair'' share of the cake by his own measure. We describe a protocol with $n-1$~cuts in which each player can enforce to get a share of at least~$1/(2n-2)$. Moreover we show that no protocol with $n-1$~cuts can guarantee a better fraction.

Description: We present a new efficient algorithm for the solution of direct time-harmonic scattering problems based on the Laplace transform. This method does not rely on an explicit knowledge of a Green function or a series representation of the solution, and it can be used for the solution of problems with radially symmetric potentials and problems with waveguides. The starting point is an alternative characterization of outgoing waves called \emph{pole condition}, which is equivalent to Sommerfeld's radiation condition for problems with radially symmetric potentials. We obtain a new representation formula, which can be used for a numerical evaluation of the exterior field in a postprocessing step. Based on previous theoretical studies, we discuss the numerical realization of our algorithm and compare its performance to the PML method.

Description: The aim of this paper is to develop fast methods for the solution of nonlinear Schrödinger type equations in fiber optics. Using the method of lines we have to solve a stiff system of ordinary differential equations where the eigenvalues of the Jacobian are close to the imaginary axis. This is usually done by a Split Step method. Here we consider the extrapolation of Split Step methods with adaptive order and step size control. For more complicated nonlinearities, in particular stimulated Raman scattering, Split Step methods are less efficient since symmetry is either destroyed or requires much additional effort. In this case we use implicit Runge Kutta formulas of Gauß type. The key point for the efficient implementation of these methods is that the system of nonlinear algebraic equations can be solved without setting up the Jacobian. The proposed methods are compared to other methods, in particular exponential integrators, the method of Marcuse, and the method of Blow and Wood.

Description: The work presents a new approach to the numerical solution of time-harmonic and time-dependent scattering problems. We replace Sommerfeld's radiation condition valid for the Helmholtz equation by a more general concept called pole condition. The pole condition is based on the Laplace transform of the exterior solution and allows a characterization of outgoing waves. Both new insight into the analysis of scattering problems as well as new numerical algorithms are obtained.

Description: The paper discusses the approximation of scattered data on the sphere which is one of the major tasks in geomathematics. Starting from the discretization of singular integrals on the sphere the authors devise a simple approximation method that employs locally supported spherical polynomials and does not require equidistributed grids. It is the basis for a hierarchical approximation algorithm using differently scaled basis functions, adaptivity and error control. The method is applied to two examples one of which is a digital terrain model of Australia.

Description: In this article we present new results for families of orthogonal polynomials and special functions, that are determined by algorithmical approaches. In the first section, we present new results, especially for discrete families of orthogonal polynomials, obtained by an application of the celebrated Zeilberger algorithm. Next, we present algorithms for holonomic families $f(n,x)$ of special functions which possess a derivative rule. We call those families {\sl admissible}. A family $f(n,x)$ is holonomic if it satisfies a holonomic recurrence equation with respect to $n$, and a holonomic differential equation with respect to $x$, i.\ e. linear homogeneous equations with polynomial coefficients. The rather rigid property of admissibility has many interesting consequences, that can be used to generate and verify identities for these functions by linear algebra techniques. On the other hand, many families of special functions, in particular families of orthogonal polynomials, are admissible. We moreover present a method that generates the derivative rule from the holonomic representation of a holonomic family. % whenever one exists. As examples, we find new identities for the Jacobi polynomials and for the Whittaker functions, and for families of discrete orthogonal polynomials by the given approach. Finally, we present representations for the parameter derivatives of the Gegenbauer and the generalized Laguerre polynomials.

Description: In this paper the programs {\tt APPLYSYM}, {\tt QUASILINPDE} and {\tt DETRAFO} are described which aim at the utilization of infinitesimal symmetries of differential equations. The purpose of {\tt QUASILINPDE} is the general solution of quasilinear PDEs. This procedure is used by {\tt APPLYSYM} for the application of point symmetries for either \begin{itemize} \item calculating similarity variables to perform a point transformation which lowers the order of an ODE or effectively reduces the number of explicitly occuring independent variables in a PDE(-system) or for \item generalizing given special solutions of ODEs/PDEs with new constant parameters. \end{itemize} The program {\tt DETRAFO} performs arbitrary point- and contact transformations of ODEs/PDEs and is applied if similarity and symmetry variables have been found. The program {\tt APPLYSYM} is used in connection with the program {\tt LIEPDE} for formulating and solving the conditions for point- and contact symmetries which is described in LIEPDE(1992). The actual problem solving is done in all these programs through a call to the package {\tt CRACK} for solving overdetermined PDE-systems.

Description: Die Business Unit PC in Augsburg ist die zentrale Produktionsstätte der Siemens--Nixdorf Informationssysteme (SNI) AG für Personal Computer sowie für einige Periphärgeräte. Das Werk, entworfen nach modernen CIM/CAI--Konzepten (Computer Integrated Manufacturing/ Computer Aided Industry), wurde 1987 errichtet. Bald zeigte sich jedoch, daß es für ein zu geringes Produktionsvolumen ausgelegt war und einige Komponenten des Systems Engpässe im Produktionsbetrieb darstellen. Das Management suchte nach Möglichkeiten, den Produktionsfluß zu verbessern, ohne teure technische Änderungen am System vornehmen zu müssen. Eine Forschungsgruppe des Konrad--Zuse--Zentrums für Informationstechnik (die ehemals an der Universität Augsburg ansässig war) analysierte, unterstützt von einigen Studenten und Ingenieuren der SNI, den Produktionsfluß und lokalisierte Schwachstellen. Basierend auf diesen Erkenntnissen wurden mathematische Fragestellungen erarbeitet und auf mathematischen Optimierungsverfahren basierende Softwarepakete entwickelt, die jetzt teilweise bei SNI im Einsatz sind. Im folgenden werden einige dieser Fragestellungen, deren Modellierung und mathematische Behandlung beschrieben. Einige der Ansätze, die hier dargestellt werden sollen, sind teilweise schon in Grötschel [Grö92] angesprochen worden.

Description: Spiral-like patterns are an often observed phenomenon in chemical experiments such as the Belousov-Zhabotinskii reaction. The talk is concerned with a new PDE model whose solutions have the form of rotating spirals. In contrast to previous approaches it is based on a {\em scalar\/} reaction diffusion equation defined on a disk. A particular choice of boundary conditions leads to a non-selfadjoint operator which permits non-trivial dynamics. We study this equation using a combination of equivariant bifurcation theory and numerical simulations. The latter involves the direct simulation of the time dependent system as well as the computation of rotating waves and their stability.

Description: In this paper we develop a method for the simulation of wave propagation on artificially bounded domains. The acoustic wave equation is solved at all points away from the boundaries by a pseudospectral Chebychev method. Absorption at the boundaries is obtained by applying one-way wave equations at the boundaries, without the use of damping layers. The theoretical reflection coefficient for the method is compared to theoretical estimates of reflection coefficients for a Fourier model of the problem. These estimates are confirmed by numerical results. Modification of the method by a transformation of the grid to allow for better resolution at the center of the grid reduces the maximum eigenvalues of the differential operator. Consequently, for stability the maximum timestep is $O(1/N)$ as compared to $O(1/N^2)$ for the standard Chebychev method. Therefore, the Chebychev method can be implemented with efficiency comparable to that of the Fourier method. Moreover, numerical results presented demonstrate the superior performance of the new method.

Description: {\def\xnew{x^{\mbox{\tiny new}}}\def\Z{{{\rm Z}\!\! Z}}For every fixed set ${\cal F}\subseteq\{0,1\}^n$ the following problems are strongly polynomial time equivalent: given a feasible point $x\in\cal F$ and a linear objective function $c\in\Z^n$, \begin{itemize} \item find a feasible point $x^*\in\cal F$ that maximizes $cx$ (Optimization), \item find a feasible point $\xnew\in\cal F$ with $c\xnew〉cx$ (Augmentation), and \item find a feasible point $\xnew\in\cal F$ with $c\xnew〉cx$ such that $\xnew-x$ is ``irreducible''\\(Irreducible Augmentation). \end{itemize} This generalizes results and techniques that are well known for $0/1$--integer programming problems that arise from various classes of combinatorial optimization problems.}

Description: In the recent years symmetric chaos has been studied intensively. One knows which symmetries are admissible as the symmetry of an attractor and which transitions are possible. The numeric has been developed using equivariant functions for detection of symmetry and augmented systems for determination of transition points. In this paper we look at this from a sophisticated group theoretic point of view and from the view of scientific computing, i.e. efficient evaluation of detectives is an important point. The constructed detectives are based on Young's seminormal form for $S_n$. An application completes the paper.

Description: Orthogonal polynomials %like the Chebyshev polynomials can be calculated by computation of determinants, by the use of generating functions, in terms of Rodrigues formulas, by iterating recurrence equations, calculating the polynomial solutions of differential equations, through closed form representations and by other means. In this article, we give an overview about the efficiency of the above methods in Maple, Mathematica, and REDUCE. As a noncommercial package we include the MuPAD system.

Description: Many physical systems exhibit rapid motion coupled to a slowly varying motion. Often the rapid motion is associated with a stiff contribution in the potential energy function. In this context, the situation typically considered in the literature is the one with a strictly convex potential. Under some technical assumptions, one can then show that the slow motion is reproduced by a properly constrained system. In this paper we are concerned with a different situation: Often different time-scales can be found because of many local minima and barrier crossing between these minima. We suggest here to replace the detailed motion in the minima and the local barrier crossings by a statistical model which is then coupled to the slow equations of motion over long periods of time. This leads to Langevin type equations of motion subject to an appropriate time transformation.

Description: This paper presents some connections between test sets and valid inequalities of integer programs. The reason for establishing such relationships is the hope that information (even partial) on one of these objects can be used to get information on the other and vice versa. We approach this study from two directions: On the one hand we examine the geometric process by which the secondary polytope associated with a matrix $A$ transforms to the state polytope as we pass from linear programs that have $A$ as coefficient matrix to the associated integer programs. The second direction establishes the notion of classes of augmentation vectors parallel to the well known concept of classes of facet defining inequalities for integer programs. We show how certain inequalities for integer programs can be derived from test sets for these programs.

Description: This paper presents an explicit and symplectic integrator called PICKABACK for quantum-classical molecular dynamics. This integration scheme is time reversible and unitary in the quantum part. We use the Lie formalism in order to construct a formal evolution operator which then is split using the Strang splitting yielding the symplectic discretization PICHABACK. Finally the new method is compared with a hybrid method in application to two examples: a collinear collision with a quantum oscillator and additionally a photodissociation process of a collinear ArHCI-molecule.

Description: This paper makes use of statistical mechanics in order to construct effective potentials for Molecular Dynamics for systems with nonstationary thermal embedding. The usual approach requires the computation of a statistical ensemble of trajectories. In the context of the new model the evaluation of only one single trajectory is sufficient for the determination of all interesting quantities, which leads to an enormous reduction of computational effort. This single trajectory is the solution to a corrected Hamiltonian system with a new potential $\tilde{V}$. It turns out that $\tilde{V}$ can be defined as spatial average of the original potential $V$. Therefore, the Hamiltonian dynamics defined by $\tilde{V}$ is smoother than that effected by $V$, i.e. a numerical integration of its evolution in time allows larger stepsizes. Thus, the presented approach introduces a Molecular Dynamics with smoothed trajectories originating from spatial averaging. This is deeply connected to time--averaging in Molecular Dynamics. These two types of {\em smoothed Molecular Dynamics} share advantages (gain in efficiency, reduction of error amplification, increased stability) and problems (necessity of closing relations and adaptive control schemes) which will be explained in detail.

Description: Based on the concept of free energy, we give a Hamiltonian formulation for the torsion dynamics of macromolecules. The appropriate reaction coordinates for the free energy calculations are defined in terms of soft constraints as introduced in Brooks, B.R., Zhou, J., and Reich, S., Elastic molecular dynamics with flexible constraints, in preparation and Reich, S., Smoothed Dynamics of Highly Oscillatory Hamiltonian Systems, Physica D, to appear, 1995. We consider a few simplifications that allow one to calculate the free energy analytically and to write the corresponding equations of motion as a constrained Hamiltonian system. We also discuss a possible stochastic embedding of the reduced dynamics by means of a generalized Langevin approach.

Description: Integer stochastic linear programming is considered from the viewpoint of discontinuous optimization. After reviewing solution approaches via mollifier subgradients and decomposition we outline how to base a solution method on efficient pointwise calculation of the objective employing computer algebra.

Description: A set of adaptive algorithms for quadrature on multi-dimensional polyhedral domains is presented. Several kinds of refinement are discussed, covering local improvement of quadrature order and splitting the domain into sub-domains, resulting in isotropic, graded or anisotropic grids. The algorithms are pure local heuristics using no a priori knowledge or tuning parameters. This approach was motivated by results from finite element theory for optimal approximation results. Numerical experiments show the optimality of pure local greedy-like algorithms for singularity-type functions typically occurring in finite element computations.

Description: The first part of the report contains a lecture presented at ``Scientific Computing in der Theoretischen Physik'', a workshop organized by the DMV-Fachgruppe Scientific Computing in cooperation with the GAMM-Fachauschuß Scientific Computing at Freie Universit{ä}t Berlin in March 1994. To complete this lecture, a slightly modified version of TR 93-12 is appended.

Description: International Workshop with support of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) and Max-Planck-Gesellschaft (MPG) Berlin (Dahlem), Germany, May 30 - June 2, 1995

Description: In this report, we present a collection of new REDUCE packages that recently have been developed. These are the packages {\tt FPS}, {\tt ZTRANS}, {\tt RESIDUE} and {\tt TRIGSIMP} on the following topics: \begin{itemize} \item[] FPS Calculation of differential equations and formal power series representations, in particular for orthogonal polynomials and special functions of the hypergeometric type. \item[] ZTRANS Calculation of the Z-Transformation and its inverse. % to be used for the solution of linear recurrence equations. \item[] RESIDUE Calculation of residues of meromorphic functions. \item[] TRIGSIMP Simplification of expressions involving trigonometric and hyperbolic functions. \end{itemize} % These packages can be obtained via anonymous {\tt ftp} from % {\tt } in the directories {\tt ..}, ) For each of these packages, a description in form of a \LaTeX\ file is distributed together with the package. These documentations are collected here. In a final chapter, we show how to solve some difficult problems with these packages, and how they usefully can be combined.

Description: Durch extrem steigende Preise für traditionelle wissenschaftliche Zeitschriften bei gleichzeitiger Stagnation der Bibliotheksetats an den Hochschulen und bei weltweit weiterhin anwachsenden Forschungsleistungen ist die adäquate Versorgung der Wissenschaften mit relevanter Literatur gefährdet. Dokumentenliefersysteme werden vielerorts als Lösung dieser ``Bibliothekskrise'' propagiert. Dieser Weg ist für den derzeitigen Literaturversorgungsmarkt sinnvoll, aber er bietet keine langfristig stabile Lösung. Wenn die Grundversorgung der Bibliotheken weiter schrumpft, wird Dokumentenlieferung in der zur Zeit üblichen bzw. geplanten Form die Kosten nur noch zusätzlich in die Höhe treiben. Wir plädieren in diesem Aufsatz für einen grundsätzlich neuen Ansatz. Wir sind der Meinung, da\ss{} einzig der Übergang auf elektronische Medien eine bezahlbare, umfassende und benutzerfreundliche Versorgung der Wissenschaftler mit Literatur sichern kann. Wir zeigen -- unter anderem anhand elektronischer Zeitschriften -- wie zum Beispiel durch Kooperation von Bibliotheken mit Fachbereichen und wissenschaftlichen Gesellschaften neue Wege der Informationsversorgung beschritten werden können. Dieser Vorschlag einer neuen Organisation des wissenschaftlichen Publikationswesen erfordert Umdenken in vielen Bereichen. Neue Organisationsformen sind erforderlich, Rechte müssen anders verteilt, Aufgaben auf andere Schultern geladen werden. Die Bibliotheken werden besonders betroffen sein. Aber für sie ist die konsequente Nutzung der sich rasch ausbreitenden Informationstechnik (darunter verstehen wir u. a. globale elektronische Netze, leistungsfähige Rechner, kostengünstige Speichermedien, benutzerfreundliche Such- und Retrieval-Systeme, Entwicklung weltweit akzeptierter Datenformate) eine wirkliche und möglicherweise die einzige Chance, ihrem Auftrag zur umfassenden Versorgung der Wissenschaften mit Literatur zu gesamtwirtschaftlich niedrigen Kosten weiterhin nachzukommen. Au\ss{}erdem bietet die Bereitstellung und Archivierung wissenschaftlicher Literatur auf elektronischem Wege bedeutende Vorteile gegenüber der traditionellen Dokumentation auf Papier, die im übrigen, falls erwünscht, weiterhin betrieben werden kann.

Description: Seit 1991 verfolgt die Berliner Wissenschaft verstärkt das Ziel, ihre Einrichtungen untereinander breitbandig mit Transferraten oberhalb von 34 Mb/s in Glasfasertechnik zu vernetzen. Im ersten Halbjahr 1995 ist es gelungen, die erste Stufe des Berliner Breitbandnetzes für die Wissenschaft ({\it Berlin Research Area Information Network - BRAIN}) aufzubauen. Dieser Bericht beschreibt die verschiedenen Phasen der Vernetzung der Wissenschaftseinrichtungen Berlins von den Anfängen im Jahre 1975 über die Planungen zum Breitbandnetz ab 1991 und die Realisierungsschritte durch die erfolgreiche Zusammenarbeit mit dem Landesamt für Informationstechnik Berlin (LIT) insbesondere bei der Verwendung von Glasfaserleitungen des Landes. Weiterhin werden der Aufbau des Berlin Regional Testbed in seiner Realisierung einschliesslich seiner Anwendungsprojekte mit Stand Juni 1995 und sodann die Pläne der Berliner Wissenschaftseinrichtungen für die zukünftige breitbandige Vernetzung einer Vielzahl von Standorten als allumfassendes Berlin Research Area Information Network dargestellt.

Description: KASKADE 3.0 was developed for the solution of partial differential equations in one, two, or three space dimensions. Its object-oriented implementation concept is based on the programming language C++$\,$.~Adaptive finite element techniques are employed to provide solution procedures of optimal computational complexity. This implies a posteriori error estimation, local mesh refinement and multilevel preconditioning. The program was designed both as a platform for further developments of adaptive multilevel codes and as a tool to tackle practical problems. Up to now we have implemented scalar problem types like stationary or transient heat conduction. The latter one is solved with the Rothe method, enabling adaptivity both in space and time. Some nonlinear phenomena like obstacle problems or two-phase Stefan problems are incorporated as well. Extensions to vector-valued functions and complex arithmetic are provided. %Such free boundary problems ... We have implemented several iterative solvers for both symmetric and unsymmetric systems together with multiplicative and additive multilevel preconditioners. Systems arising from the nonlinear problems can be solved with lately developed monotone multigrid methods. %An object-oriented concept was chosen for KASKADE~3.0, based on the programming %language C++$\,$. This should provide the desired extensibilty and clearly %reflect the structure of the code. %A direct sparse matrix solver (Harwell MA28) is included.

Description: Die vorliegende Arbeit ist die (z.T.~wesentlich) erweiterte Fassung eines Vortrages auf dem Deutschen Dokumentartag im September 1995 an der Fachhochschule Potsdam. Unser Ziel ist eine Bestandsaufnahme der gegenwärtigen Entwicklungen auf dem Gebiet der elektronischen Information und Kommunikation. Wir diskutieren Chancen und Risiken, beleuchten gesellschaftliche Rahmenbedingungen - vor allem im Vergleich mit den Vereinigten Staaten von Amerika - und skizzieren Aufgaben im Bereich von Forschung, Staat und Wirtschaft, die unserer Meinung nach noch zu bewältigen sind. Wir führen insbesondere in Gebiete ein, die vermutlich in naher Zukunft die Landschaft des Dokumentierens und Archivierens wesentlich verändern werden. Wir benutzen dabei häufig Beispiele und Modellvorstellungen aus der Mathematik, unserem eigenen Fachgebiet, die u.a. zeigen, wie Elemente des Informierens, Dokumentierens und Archivierens durch die neuen Technologien der elektronischen Datenverarbeitung und Kommunikation ineinander flie\"sen. Mehr Leistung kann mit geringeren Kosten erzielt werden. Wir schliessen mit einer Auflistung von neuen Perspektiven und Möglichkeiten zum Handeln in diesem Bereich.

Description: KASKADE 3.x was developed for the solution of partial differential equations in one, two, or three space dimensions. Its object-oriented implementation concept is based on the programming language C++$\,$.~Adaptive finite element techniques are employed to provide solution procedures of optimal computational complexity. This implies a posteriori error estimation, local mesh refinement and multilevel preconditioning. The program was designed both as a platform for further developments of adaptive multilevel codes and as a tool to tackle practical problems. Up to now we have implemented scalar problem types like stationary or transient heat conduction. The latter one is solved with the Rothe method, enabling adaptivity both in space and time. Some nonlinear phenomena like obstacle problems or two-phase Stefan problems are incorporated as well. Extensions to vector-valued functions and complex arithmetic are provided. This report helps to work with KASKADE Especially we \begin{itemize} \setlength{\parskip}{0ex} \item [{\bf --}] study a set of examples, \item [{\bf --}] explain how to define a user's problem and \item [{\bf --}] introduce a graphical user interface. \end{itemize} We are extending this guide continuously. The latest version is available by network.

Description: {\begin{footnotesize} Dieser Artikel beschreibt die ersten Schritte auf dem Wege zu einem Verteilten Informationssystem für die Mathematik, das von der ``Deutschen Mathematiker-Vereinigung'' (DMV) vorbereitet wird. Die Darstellung erfolgt aus zwei unterschiedlichen Perspektiven. Der erste Teil soll vor allem Lesern, die an der Motivation des Vorhabens und den organisatorischen Rahmenbedingungen interessiert sind, einen Zugang zu den zugrundeliegenden technischen Ideen bieten. Er skizziert zunächst die wissenschaftliche Zielsetzung des geplanten Vorhabens. Dann diskutiert er das Verteilte Informationssystem als Kombination aus einem elektronischen Nachrichtensystem (auf der Basis von E-mail), einem globalen Hypertextsystem (das die Informationsangebote der Partner des Projekts miteinander vernetzt) und einer verteilten, objektorientierten Datenbank (mit Interfaces zu den bereits genannten Komponenten). Dieser Teil schliesst mit einer knappen Betrachtung der Verhältnisse (auch der Chancen, Kosten einzusparen), die beim Übergang von traditionellen zu elektronischen Publikationsformen zu erwarten sind. Er führt insbesondere neue Möglichkeiten an, das geplante System auch für Zwecke des ``Zentralblatt für Mathematik'' einzusetzen. Der zweite Teil richtet sich an den eher technisch interessierten Leser. Er diskutiert einen ersten Vorschlag zur Strukturierung der bei den Partnern verteilt vorliegenden Informationsangebote -- vorwiegend aus Nutzersicht, d.h. möglichst unabhängig von den Idiosynkrasien der heute im Internet gegebenen Informationssysteme. Er enthält die technischen Kerngedanken zur Realisierung einer homogenen Informationsinfrastruktur bei den Partnern, die ein verteiltes und gleichzeitig hierachisches Retrieval in den Informationsangeboten der Mathematik in Deutschland ermöglichen soll. Dieser Teil benennt erste Chancen zur Implementierung innerhalb der Hyper-G- und, als Fernziel, auch der WWW-Welt. Er zeigt aber, neben den neuen Möglichkeiten, auch Risiken und Grenzen der Machbarkeit mit heutigen Mitteln auf. Die gesamte Darstellung orientiert sich an den Inhalten der bereits an anderer Stelle ausführlich vorgestellten Teilaufgaben und Teilprojekte und leitet daraus sowohl die vorgeschlagene Informationsstruktur als auch die technischen Mittel ab. Die wissenschaftlichen Inhalte und organisatorischen Ziele des Verteilten Informationssystems wurden in einer breiten (auch elektronisch geführten) Diskussion im Kreise der potentiellen Partner des Projekts ermittelt, insbesondere der Fachinformationsbeauftragten der Mathematik. Eine Anlage stellt eine vergleichende Betrachtung der Kosten auf, die einem mathematischen Fachbereich oder Forschungsinstitut bei der Weitergabe seiner wissenschaftlichen Reports auf Papier bzw. auf elektronischem Wege entstehen. \end{footnotesize}}

Description: Die Arbeit beschreibt Konzept, Struktur und Ausstattung des ZIB. Übergeordnetes Ziel des ZIB ist die Beschleunigung des {\it Know-how Transfers} aus der mathematischen Grundlagenforschung über die Entwicklung von Algorithmen und Software bis hin zur tatsächlichen Nutzung in der Industrie. In der Tat ist Computational Mathematics inzwischen zu einer der wichtigsten {\it Schlüsseltechnologien} geworden, die nicht zuletzt im Zusammenhang mit der Standort-Diskussion eine wichtige Rolle spielt und vermehrt spielen wird. Dazu müssen Methodenentwicklung und Rechenzentrum auf höchstem Niveau sowie interdisziplinäre Forschung möglichst vereint in einer Institution mit enger Anbindung an ein universitäres Umfeld realisiert sein. Das Konrad-Zuse-Zentrum hat die wesentlichen Voraussetzungen als SC Zentrum bereits geschaffen; ein Ausbau zum HPSC Zentrum wäre eine natürliche Entwicklung - falls die Politik diese Chance rechtzeitig begreift!

Description: Line Integral Convolution (LIC) is a powerful technique for generating striking images and animations from vector data. Introduced in 1993, the method has rapidly found many application areas, ranging from computer arts to scientific visualization. Based upon locally filtering an input texture along a curved stream line segment in a vector field, it is able to depict directional information at high spatial resolutions. We present a new method for computing LIC images, which minimizes the total number of stream lines to be computed and thereby reduces computational costs by an order of magnitude compared to the original algorithm. Our methods utilizes fast, error-controlled numerical integrators. Decoupling the characteristic lengths in vector field grid, input texture and output image, it allows to compute filtered images at arbitrary resolution. This feature is of great significance in computer animation as well as in scientific visualization, where it can be used to explore vector data by smoothly enlarging structure of details. We also present methods for improved texture animation, employing constant filter kernels only. To obtain an optimal motion effect, spatial decay of correlation between intensities of distant pixels in the output image has to be controlled. This is achieved by blending different phase shifted box filter animations and by adaptively rescaling the contrast of the output frames.

Description: {\def\N{{\mbox{{\rm I\kern-0.22emN}}}}In this paper we introduce a multivariate grading of the toric ideal associated with the integer program $min \{ cx : Ax = b, x \in \N^n \}$, and a truncated Buchberger algorithm to solve the program. In the case of $max \{ cx : Ax \leq b, x \leq u, x \in \N^n \}$ in which all data are non-negative, this algebraic method gives rise to a combinatorial algorithm presented in UWZ94}.

Description: The aim of this paper is to demonstrate a specific application of Computer Algebra to bifurcation theory with symmetry. The classification of different bifurcation phenomena in case of several parameters is automated, based on a classification of Gröbner bases of possible tangent spaces. The computations are performed in new coordinates of fundamental invariants and fundamental equivariants, with the induced weighted ordering. In order to justify the approach the theory of intrinsic modules is applied. Results for the groups $D_3, Z_2,$ and $ Z_2\times Z_2$ demonstrate that the algorithm works independent of the group and that new results are obtained.

Description: Recently, Todorov and Wilf independently realized that de Branges' original proof of the Bieberbach and Milin conjectures and the proof that was later given by Weinstein deal with the same special function system that de Branges had introduced in his work. In this article, we present an elementary proof of this statement based on the defining differential equations system rather than the closed representation of de Branges' function system. Our proof does neither use special functions (like Wilf's) nor the residue theorem (like Todorov's) nor the closed representation (like both), but is purely algebraic. On the other hand, by a similar algebraic treatment, the closed representation of de Branges' function system is derived. Our whole contribution can be looked at as the study of properties of the Koebe function. Therefore, in a very elementary manner it is shown that the known proofs of the Bieberbach and Milin conjectures can be understood as a consequence of the Löwner differential equation, plus properties of the Koebe function.

Description: {\begin{footnotesize} This thesis is concerned with structural properties and the stability behaviour of two-stage stochastic programs. Chapter~1 gives an introduction into stochastic programming and a summary of the main results of the thesis. In Chapter~2 we present easily verifiable sufficient conditions for the strong convexity of the expected-recourse function in a stochastic program with linear complete recourse. Different levels of randomness in the data are considered. We start with models where only the right-hand side of the constraints is random and extend these results to the situation where also the technology matrix contains random entries. The statements on strong convexity imply new stability estimates for sets of optimal solutions when perturbing the underlying probability measure. We work out Hölder estimates (in terms of the $\mbox{L}_1$-Wasserstein distance) for optimal solution sets to linear recourse models with random technology matrix. In Chapter~3 ({\it joint work with Werner Römisch, Berlin}) we are aiming at the Lipschitz stability of optimal solution sets to linear recourse models with random right-hand side. To this end , we first adapt the distance notion for the underlying probability measures to the structure of the model and derive a Lipschitz estimate for optimal solutions based on that distance. Here, the strong convexity established in Chapter~2 turns out as an essential assumption. For applications, however, a Lipschitz estimate with respect to a more accesssible probability distance is desirable. Structural properties of the expected-recourse function finally permit such an estimate in terms of the Kolmogorov-Smirnov distance of linear transforms of the underlying measures. The general analysis is specified to estimation via empirical measures. We obtain a law of iterated logarithm, a large deviation estimate and an estimate for the asymptotic distribution of optimal solution sets. Chapters~4 and~5 deal with two-stage linear stochastic programs where integrality constraints occur in the second stage. In Chapter~4 we study basic continuity properties of the expected-recourse function for models with random right-hand side and random technology matrix. The joint continuity with respect to the decision variable and the underlying probability measure leads to qualitative statements on the stability of local optimal values and local optimal solutions. In Chapter~5 we demonstrate that a variational distance of probability measures based on a suitable Vapnik-\v{C}ervonenkis class of Borel sets leads to convergence rates of the Hölder type for the expected recourse as a function of the underlying probability measure. The rates carry over to the convergence of local optimal values. As an application we again consider estimation via empirical measures. Beside qualitative asymptotic results for optimal values and optimal solutions we obtain a law of iterated logarithm for optimal values. \end{footnotesize}}

Description: Dynamical simulation of industrially relevant processes strongly advises the use of algorithms, which are {\em adaptive} both in time and in space discretization. The paper presents two alternatives: (a) a fully adaptive method of lines approach, which is based on finite difference methods and essentially applicable to 1D problems; (b) a fully adaptive Rothe method, which is based on a fast multilevel finite element method and applicable to 1D up to 3D.

Description: A theoretical investigation of the dynamic properties of integrated optical Er--doped waveguide lasers is presented. It includes the construction of a physical model and of numerical techniques which allow reliable simulations of the dynamical behaviour of the laser signal depending on essential parameters of the laser device and on its external, time--dependent pump radiation. Therefore, a physical theory is developed which describes the propagation of light and its interaction with the active substrate in the laser cavity. This is realized in two steps. First, a {\em fundamental model} based on Maxwell's equations and on rate equations for the transitions in the active medium is constructed. Since this turns out to prohibit reliable simulations, it is, in a second step, reformulated via averaging in time and space which suppresses the fluctuations on the fastest time scales but represents them correctly. For this {\em reduced model} reliable and efficient simulation techniques using adaptive control schemes are designed and implemented. We apply the linear--implicit Euler discretization with extrapolation in time and a multilevel quadrature scheme in space. Finally, the model is justified in comparison with experimental observations in four cases of technological relevance.

Description: The paper analyzes a splitting technique into fast and slow dynamical components of ODE systems as suggested by {\sc Maas and Pope} recently. Their technique is based on a real block -- Schur decomposition of the Jacobian of the right hand side of the ODE. As a result of the analysis, a computationally cheap monitor for the possible necessary recovering of the splitting is derived by singular perturbation theory. Numerical experiments on moderate size, but challenging reaction kinetics problems document the efficiency of the new device within a linearly-implicit stiff integrator.

Description: In the introduction an approach to solving differential equations is motivated in which non-linear DEs are not attacked directly but properties like infinitesimal symmetries or the existence of an equivalent variational principle are investigated. In the course of such investigations overdetermined PDE-systems are generated which are to be solved (where the term `overdetermined' just stands for `more conditions than free functions'). In section 2.\ algorithms for simplifying and solving overdetermined PDE systems are given together with examples. References for more details of the corresponding program {\tt CRACK}, written by A.\ Brand and the author, are given. In sections 3.-05.\ applications of the program {\tt CRACK} are discussed. The first application is the investigation of symmetries of space-time metrics by solving Killing equations for Killing vectors and Killing tensors and their integrability conditions. A program {\tt CLASSYM} that formulates these equations, written by G.\ Grebot, is briefly described. In section 4.\ an example of the original application of {\tt CRACK} is discussed which is the determination of symmetries of a PDE system. The problem is to find the symmetries of an unusual unified field theory of gravitational and hadronic interactions. The application of symmetries with a program {\tt APPLYSYM} is the content of section 5.\ where an ODE, resulting from an attempt to generalize Weyl's class of solutions of Einsteins field equations, is solved. The final section is devoted to future work on, first, making a general PDE-solver more flexible and effective, and secondly, on applying it to more advanced applications. This section contains so far unpublished work. An example requiring the extension of {\tt CRACK} to deal with non-polynomial non-linearities results from an investigation of interior solutions of Einstein's field equations for a spherically symmetric perfect fluid in shear-free motion by H.\ Stephani. A possible future application of {\tt CRACK} is the determination of Killing tensors of higher rank. In the last sub-section an algorithm for formulating corresponding integrability conditions has been sketched. The maximal number of Killing tensors of rank $r$ in a $n$-dimensional Riemannian space has been found to be $\frac{1}{r+1}\left( ^{n + r - 1}_{\;\;\;\;\,r} \right) \left( ^{ n+r}_{\;\;\,r} \right)$.

Description: This paper presents a mathematical derivation of a model for quantum-classical molecular dynamics (QCMD) as a {\em partial} classical limit of the full Schrödinger equation. This limit is achieved in two steps: separation of the full wavefunction and short wave asymptotics for its ``classical'' part. Both steps can be rigorously justified under certain smallness assumptions. Moreover, the results imply that neither the time-dependent self-consistent field method nor mixed quantum-semi-classical models lead to better approximations than QCMD since they depend on the separation step, too. On the other hand, the theory leads to a characterization of the critical situations in which the models are in danger of largely deviating from the solution of the full Schrödinger equation. These critical situations are exemplified in an illustrative numerical simulation: the collinear collision of an Argon atom with a harmonic quantum oscillator.

Description: The need to solve {\it transportation problems\/} was and still is one of the driving forces behind the development of the mathematical disciplines of graph theory, optimization, and operations research. Transportation problems seem to occur for the first time in the literature in the form of the four ''River Crossing Problems'' in the book Propositiones ad acuendos iuvenes. The {\it Propositiones\/} ---the oldest collection of mathematical problems written in Latin--- date back to the $8$th century A.D. and are attributed to Alcuin of York, one of the leading scholars of his time, a royal advisor to Charlemagne at his Frankish court. Alcuin's river crossing problems had no impact on the development of mathematics. However, they already display all the characteristics of today's large-scale real transportation problems. From our point of view, they could have been the starting point of combinatorics, optimization, and operations research. We show the potential of Alcuin's problems in this respect by investigating his problem~18 about a wolf, a goat and a bunch of cabbages with current mathematical methods. This way, we also provide the reader with a leisurely introduction into the modern theory of integer programming.

Description: The interaction potential of molecular systems which are typically used in molecular dynamics can be split into two parts of essentially different stiffness. The strong part of the potential forces the solution of the equations of motion to oscillate on a very small time scale. There is a strong need for eliminating the smallest time scales because they are a severe restriction for numerical long-term simulations of macromolecules. This leads to the idea of just freezing the high frequency degrees of freedom (bond stretching and bond angles). However, the naive way of doing this via holonomic constraints is bound to produce incorrect results. The paper presents a mathematically rigorous discussion of the limit situation in which the stiffness of the strong part of the potential is increased to infinity. It is demonstrated that the average of the limit solution indeed obeys a constrained Hamiltonian system but with a {\em corrected soft potential}. An explicit formula for the additive potential correction is given and its significant contribution is demonstrated in an illustrative example. It appears that this correcting potential is definitely not identical with the Fixman-potential as was repeatedly assumed in the literature.

Description: We consider a single server system consisting of $n$ queues with different types of customers (Poisson streams) and $k$ permanent customers. The permanent customers and those at the head of the queues are served in processor-sharing by the service facility (head-of-the-line processor-sharing). The stability condition and a pseudo work conservation law will be given for arbitrary service time distributions; for exponential service times a pseudo conservation law for the mean sojourn times can be derived. In case of two queues and exponential service times, the generating function of the stationary distribution satisfies a functional equation being a Riemann-Hilbert problem which can be reduced to a Dirichlet problem for a circle. The solution yields the mean sojourn times as an elliptic integral, which can be computed numerically very efficiently. In case $n\ge 2$ a numerical algorithm for computing the performance measures is presented, which is efficient for $n=2,3$. Since for $n\ge 4$ an exact analytical or/and numerical treatment is too complex a heuristic approximation for the mean sojourn times of the different types of customers is given, which in case of a (complete) symmetric system is exact. The numerical and simulation results show that, over a wide range of parameters, the approximation works well.

Description: The paper studies Hamiltonian systems with a strong potential forcing the solutions to oscillate on a very small time scale. In particular, we are interested in the limit situation where the size $\epsilon$ of this small time scale tends to zero but the velocity components remain oscillating with an amplitude variation of order ${\rm O}(1)$. The process of establishing an effective initial value problem for the limit positions will be called {\em homogenization} of the Hamiltonian system. This problem occurs in mechanics as the problem of realization of holonomic constraints, in plasma physics as the problem of guiding center motion, in the simulation of biomolecules as the so called smoothing problem. We suggest the systematic use of the notion of {\em weak convergence} in order to approach this problem. This methodology helps to establish unified and short proofs of the known results which throw light on the inherent structure of the problem. Moreover, we give a careful and critical review of the literature.

Description: Each invariant set of a given dynamical system is part of the global attractor. Therefore the global attractor contains all the potentially interesting dynamics, and, in particular, it contains every (global) unstable manifold. For this reason it is of interest to have an algorithm which allows to approximate the global attractor numerically. In this article we develop such an algorithm using a subdivision technique. We prove convergence of this method in a very general setting, and, moreover, we describe the qualitative convergence behavior in the presence of a hyperbolic structure. The algorithm can successfully be applied to dynamical systems of moderate dimension, and we illustrate this fact by several numerical examples.

Description: In this article algorithmic methods are presented that have essentially been introduced into computer algebra within the last decade. The main ideas are due to Stanley[1980] and Zeilberger[1990]. Some of them had already been discovered in the last century (see e.\ g.\ Beke[1894]), but because of the complexity of the underlying algorithms have fallen into oblivion. The combination of these ideas leads to a solution of the identification problem for a large class of transcendental functions. We present implementations of these algorithms in computer algebra systems.