Variational Segmentation Models for Selective Extraction of Features in An Image: Challenges in Modelling, Algorithms and Applications
Abstract
Mathematical imaging is not only a multidisciplinary research area but also a major cross-discipline subject within mathematical sciences as image analysis techniques involve differential geometry, optimization, nonlinear partial differential equations (PDEs), mathematical analysis, computational algorithms and numerical analysis. Segmentation refers to the essential problem in imaging and vision of automatically detecting objects in an image.
In this talk I first review some various models and techniques in the variational framework that are used for segmentation of images, with the purpose of discussing the state of arts rather than giving a comprehensive survey. Then I introduce the practically demanding task of detecting local features in a large image and our recent segmentation methods using energy minimization and PDEs. To ensure uniqueness and fast solution, we reformulate one non-convex functional as a convex one and further consider how to adapt the additive operator splitting method for subsequent solution. Finally I show our preliminary work to attempt segmentation of blurred images in the framework of joint deblurring and segmentation.
This talk covers joint work with Jianping Zhang, Lavdie Rada, Bryan Williams, Jack Spencer (Liverpool, UK), N. Badshah and H. Ali (Pakistan). Other collaborators in imaging in general include T. F. Chan, R. H. Chan, B. Yu, L. Sun, F. L. Yang (China), C. Brito (Mexico), N. Chumchob (Thailand), M. Hintermuller (Germany), Y. Q. Dong (Denmark), X. C. Tai (Norway) etc.
[Related publications from http://www.liv.ac.uk/~cmchenke ]
Stochastic and Multiscale Problems
Abstract
The aim of this two-day workshop is to bring together mathematicians, biologists and researchers from other disciplines whose work involves stochastic and multiscale phenomenon, to identify common methodologies to studying such systems, both from a numerical and analytical perspective. Relevant topics include asymptotic methods for PDEs; multiscale analysis of stochastic dynamical systems; mean-field limits of collective dynamics. Numerical methods, mathematical theory and applications (with a specific focus on biology) will all be discussed. The workshop will take place on the 1st and 2nd of September, at the Mathematical Institute, Oxford University. Please visithttps://sites.google.com/site/stochmultiscale2014/ for more information and to register.
Stochastic and Multiscale Problems
Abstract
The aim of this two-day workshop is to bring together mathematicians, biologists and researchers from other disciplines whose work involves stochastic and multiscale phenomenon, to identify common methodologies to studying such systems, both from a numerical and analytical perspective. Relevant topics include asymptotic methods for PDEs; multiscale analysis of stochastic dynamical systems; mean-field limits of collective dynamics. Numerical methods, mathematical theory and applications (with a specific focus on biology) will all be discussed. The workshop will take place on the 1st and 2nd of September, at the Mathematical Institute, Oxford University. Please visithttps://sites.google.com/site/stochmultiscale2014/ for more information and to register.
14:00
Modeling and Computation of Security-constrained Economic Dispatch with Multi-stage Rescheduling
Abstract
Economic dispatch is a critical part of electricity planning and
operation. Enhancing the dispatch problem to improve its robustness
in the face of equipment failures or other contingencies is standard
practice, but extremely time intensive, leading to restrictions on
the richness of scenarios considered. We model post-contingency
corrective actions in the security-constrained economic dispatch
and consider multiple stages of rescheduling to meet different
security constraints. The resulting linear program is not solvable
by traditional LP methods due to its large size. We devise and
implement a series of algorithmic enhancements based on the Benders'
decomposition method to ameliorate the computational difficulty.
In addition, we propose a set of online measures to diagnose
and correct infeasibility issues encountered in the solution process.
The overall solution approach is able to process the ``N-1''
contingency list in ten minutes for all large network cases
available for experiments. Extensions to the nonlinear setting will
be discussed via a semidefinite relaxation.
Symmetries and Correspondences in Number Theory, Geometry, Algebra and Quantum Computing: Intra-disciplinary Trends (organised by Kobi Kremnitzer et al)
Abstract
July 5
9:30-10:30
Robert Langlands (IAS, Princeton)
Problems in the theory of automorphic forms: 45 years later
11:00-12:00
Christopher Deninger (Univ. Münster)
Zeta functions and foliations
13:30-14:30
Christophe Soulé (IHES, Bures-sur-Yvette)
A singular arithmetic Riemann-Roch theorem
14:40-15:40
Minhyong Kim (Univ. Oxford)
Non-abelian reciprocity laws and Diophantine geometry
16:10-17:10
Constantin Teleman (Berkeley/Oxford)
Categorical representations and Langlands duality
July 6
9:30-10:30
Ted Chinburg (Univ. Pennsylvania, Philadelphia)
Higher Chern classes in Iwasawa theory
11:00-12:00
Yuri Tschinkel (Courant Institute, New York)
Introduction to almost abelian anabelian geometry
13:30-14:30
Ralf Meyer (Univ. Göttingen)
Groupoids and higher groupoids
14:40-15:40
Dennis Gaitsgory (Harvard Univ., Boston)
Picard-Lefschetz oscillators for Drinfeld-Lafforgue compactifications
16:10-17:10
François Loeser (Univ. Paris 6-7)
Motivic integration and representation theory
July 7
9:00-10:00
Matthew Morrow (Univ. Bonn)
On the deformation theory of algebraic cycles
10:30-11:30
Fedor Bogomolov (Courant Institute, New York/Univ. Nottingham)
On the section conjecture in anabelian geometry
13:15-14:15
Kevin Buzzard (ICL, London)
p-adic Langlands correspondences
14:45-15:45
Masatoshi Suzuki (Tokyo Institute of Technology)
Translation invariant subspaces and GRH for zeta functions
16:00-17:00
Edward Frenkel (Univ. California Berkeley)
"Love and Math", the Langlands programme - Public presentation
July 8
9:15-10:15
Mikhail Kapranov (Kavli IMPU, Tokyo)
Lie algebras and E_n-algebras associated to secondary polytopes
10:45-11:45
Sergey Oblezin (Univ. Nottingham)
Whittaker functions, mirror symmetry and the Langlands correspondence
13:30-14:30
Edward Frenkel (Univ. California Berkeley)
The Langlands programme and quantum dualities
14:40-15:40
Dominic Joyce (Univ. Oxford)
Derived symplectic geometry and categorification
16:10-17:10
Urs Schreiber (Univ. Nijmegen, The Netherlands)
Correspondences of cohesive linear homotopy types and quantization
Universality in numerical computations with random data. Case studies
Abstract
Universal fluctuations are shown to exist when well-known and widely used numerical algorithms are applied with random data. Similar universal behavior is shown in stochastic algorithms and algorithms that model neural computation. The question of whether universality is present in all, or nearly all, computation is raised. (Joint work with G.Menon, S.Olver and T. Trogdon.)
Computable Seismology: Imaging the Earth's interior by numerical waveform modeling and inversion
Abstract
Seismology currently undergoes rapid and exciting advances fueled by a simultaneous surge in recorded data (in both quality and quantity), realistic wave-propagation algorithms, and supercomputing capabilities. This enables us to sample parameter spaces of relevance for imaging the Earth's interior 3D structure with fully numerical techniques. Seismic imaging is the prime approach to illuminate and understand global processes such as mantle convection, plate tectonics, geodynamo, the vigorous interior of the Sun, and delivers crucial constraints on our grasp of volcanism, the carbon cycle and seismicity. At local scales, seismic Earth models are inevitable for hydrocarbon exploration, monitoring of flow processes, and natural hazard assessment.
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With a slight focus on global-scale applications, I will present the underlying physical model of realistic wave propagation, its numerical discretization and link such forward modeling to updating Earth models by means of inverse modeling. The associated computational burden to solve high-resolution statistical inverse problems with precise numerical techniques is however entirely out of reach for decades to come. Consequently, seismologists need to take approximations in resolution, physics, data and/or inverse methodology. I will scan a number of such end-member approximations, and focus on our own approach to simultaneously treat wave physics realistically across the frequency band while maximizing data usage and allow for uncertainty quantification. This approach is motivated by decisive approximations on the model space for typical Earth structures and linearized inverse theory.
Spiky Forecasting for Spiky Domestic Energy Demand Curves: problems and ideas...
Abstract
Peter Grindrod and Stephen Haben (UoOx)
Deformations of Axially Symmetric Initial Data and the Angular Momentum-Mass Inequality
Abstract
We show how to reduce the general formulation of the mass-angular momentum inequality, for axisymmetric initial data of the Einstein equations, to the known maximal case whenever a geometrically motivated system of equations admits a solution. This procedure is based on a certain deformation of the initial data which preserves the relevant geometry, while achieving the maximal condition and its implied inequality (in a weak sense) for the scalar curvature; this answers a question posed by R. Schoen. The primary equation involved, bears a strong resemblance to the Jang-type equations studied in the context of the positive mass theorem and the Penrose inequality. Each equation in the system is analyzed in detail individually, and it is shown that appropriate existence/uniqueness results hold with the solution satisfying desired asymptotics. Lastly, it is shown that the same reduction argument applies to the basic inequality yielding a lower bound for the area of black holes in terms of mass and angular momentum.
Model completeness for finite extensions of p-adic fields
Abstract
This is joint work with Angus Macintyre.
We prove that the first-order theory of a finite extension of the field of p-adic numbers is model-complete in the language of rings, for any prime p.
To prove this we prove universal definability of the valuation rings of such fields using work of Cluckers-Derakhshan-Leenknegt-Macintyre on existential
definability, quantifier elimination of Basarab-Kuhlmann for valued fields in a many-sorted language involving higher residue rings and groups,
a model completeness theorem for certain pre-ordered abelian groups which generalize Presburger arithmetic (we call finite-by-Presburger groups),
and an interpretation of higher residue rings of such fields in the higher residue groups.
Introduction to Lie algebroids
Abstract
Lie algebroids are geometric structures that interpolate between finite-dimensional Lie algebras and tangent bundles of manifolds. They give a useful language for describing geometric situations that have local symmetries. I will give an introduction to the basic theory of Lie algebroids, with examples drawn from foliations, principal bundles, group actions, Poisson brackets, and singular hypersurfaces.
Multilevel Richardson-Romberg extrapolation for Monte Carlo simulation
Abstract
This is a joint work with V. Lemaire
(LPMA-UPMC). We propose and analyze a Multilevel Richardson-Romberg
(MLRR) estimator which combines the higher order bias cancellation of
the Multistep Richardson-Romberg ($MSRR$) method introduced
in~[Pag\`es 07] and the variance control resulting from the
stratification in the Multilevel Monte Carlo (MLMC) method (see~$e.g.$
[Heinrich 01, M. Giles 08]). Thus we show that in standard frameworks
like discretization schemes of diffusion processes, an assigned
quadratic error $\varepsilon$ can be obtained with our (MLRR)
estimator with a global complexity of
$\log(1/\varepsilon)/\varepsilon^2$ instead of
$(\log(1/\varepsilon))^2/\varepsilon^2$ with the standard (MLMC)
method, at least when the weak error $\E Y_h-\EY_0}$ induced by the
biased implemented estimator $Y_h$ can be expanded at any order in
$h$. We analyze and compare these estimators on several numerical
problems: option pricing (vanilla or exotic) using $MC$ simulation and
the less classical Nested Monte Carlo simulation (see~[Gordy \& Juneja
2010]).
16:00
Collective dynamics and self-organization
Abstract
We are interested in large systems of agents collectively looking for a
consensus (about e.g. their direction of motion, like in bird flocks). In
spite of the local character of the interactions (only a few neighbours are
involved), these systems often exhibit large scale coordinated structures.
The understanding of how this self-organization emerges at the large scale
is still poorly understood and offer fascinating challenges to the modelling
science. We will discuss a few of these issues on a selection of specific
examples.
14:00
Preconditioning and deflation techniques for interior point methods
Abstract
The accurate and efficient solution of linear systems Ax = b is very important in many engineering and technological applications, and systems of this form also arise as subproblems within other algorithms. In particular, this is true for interior point methods (IPM), where the Newton system must be solved to find the search direction at each iteration. Solving this system is a computational bottleneck of an IPM, and in this talk I will explain how preconditioning and deflation techniques can be used, to lessen this computational burden.
This is joint work with Jacek Gondzio.
11:00
11:00
11:00
Uniform Diameter Bounds for Families of Finite Groups
Abstract
I shall outline a general method for finding upper bounds on the
diameters of finite groups, based on the Solovay-Kitaev procedure from
quantum computation. This method may be fruitfully applied to groups
arising as quotients of many familiar pro-p groups. Time permitting, I
will indicate a connection with weak spectral gap, and give some
applications.
A very brief introduction to Waldhausen K-Theory
Abstract
Waldhausen defined higher K-groups for categories with certain extra structure. In this talk I will define categories with cofibrations and weak equivalences, outline Waldhausen's construction of the associated K-Theory space, mention a few important theorems and give some examples. If time permits I will discuss the infinite loop space structure on the K-Theory space.