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Qian Ai

Publications and source records attributed to Qian Ai.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

A Functional Central Limit Theorem for Window Counts of Hardy--Szeg\H{o} Zeros

The Hardy--Szeg\H{o} zero process, investigated in the disk by Peres and Vir\'ag through the independent identically distributed Gaussian analytic function, is a canonical conformally invariant determinantal point process. This paper studies its upper half-plane realization. Although conformally equivalent to the disk model, this realization has its own natural geometry: real-translation invariance turns the process into a stationary object along the boundary and makes long horizontal windows the natural observables. For every admissible height window, we prove a Donsker-type functional central limit theorem for the centered zero counts in expanding horizontal windows, with an explicit intensity and variance depending on the height window. The proof is based on factorial cumulants and Brillinger mixing. The main technical input is a family of all-order integrability estimates for reduced cumulant densities, obtained by exploiting the determinantal cycle structure before integrating over the height variables. As further consequences, we derive an explicit covariance density, an asymptotic variance formula, and a macroscopic Gaussian white-noise limit for linear statistics.

math.PR

Hardy-Szeg\H{o} Point Processes: Large Deviations and Strong Szeg\H{o} Asymptotics

We study exponential-scale fluctuations of the Hardy-Szeg\H{o} zero process, investigated by Peres and Vir\'ag in the disk setting, in its upper-half-plane realization, which reveals a different probabilistic geometry. This conformally invariant determinantal zero process is equivalent to its disk realization, but the upper-half-plane coordinates make real-translation invariance explicit and single out long horizontal windows as natural observables. For the vertical window from height one to height $a>1$, let $N_a(L)$ denote the number of zeros in the corresponding horizontal window of length $L$. We identify the limiting scaled log-moment generating function explicitly. As a consequence, we prove a large deviations principle for $N_a(L)/L$, with rate function given by the Legendre transform of this limit. We also prove a strong Szeg\H{o} expansion for the log-moment generating function, including an explicit order-one correction, locally uniformly in the natural complex strip. The proof uses the planar determinantal structure before projection, reduces the problem to a one-dimensional Fredholm determinant, and combines fixed-power trace asymptotics with a Wiener-Hopf comparison.

math.PR

Liquid structure adjacent to solid surfaces follows the superposition principle

Liquid structure at solid-liquid interfaces is critical for many natural and engineered processes ranging from biological signal transduction to electrochemical energy conversion. Advanced experimental and computational methods have provided insights into the structure of liquids adjacent to planar substrates at the nanoscale. However, realistic solid-liquid interfaces are inevitably inhomogeneous across multiple length scales, presenting a complexity that surpasses the capabilities of existing approaches. Here we bridge the complexity gap by discovering and utilizing a hitherto hidden principle of interfacial liquid--superposition. Experimentally, we use 3D atomic force microscopy (3D-AFM) to image the interfacial structure of a wide range of organic and aqueous solvents and electrolytes, uncovering universal liquid density oscillations and emergent liquid layer reconfigurations at heterogeneous substrate sites. We further develop an analytical model, coined solid-liquid superposition (SLS), which solves the interfacial liquid density distribution based on a key descriptor: the effective total correlation function (ETCF) between a liquid molecule and nearby solid atoms. SLS not only explains all the experimentally observed interfacial liquid distribution profiles from the angstrom to near-micron scale, but also predicts more precise atomic-scale interference patterns which are further corroborated by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. This study unveils a key structural descriptor of interfacial liquids, and establishes a theoretical framework for rapidly and accurately predicting liquid structures adjacent to solid surfaces with arbitrary morphology and size scale.

physics.chem-ph

Coexistence of Two Types of Liquid Structures at Platinum-Water Interfaces

Platinum-water interfaces underpin many electrochemical energy conversion processes. However, despite decades of research, the real-space liquid structure of these interfaces remains elusive. Using three-dimensional atomic force microscopy (3D-AFM), we mapped Pt-water interface in real space with angstrom-level resolution. Topographic imaging revealed atomically flat (type I) and stripe-like (type II) surface nanodomains. Force-distance profiles above type I domains exhibited oscillatory decay patterns with periodicity of ~0.33 nm, consistent with water. In contrast, type II domains showed stronger oscillations with larger periodicity of ~0.45 nm and extended decay lengths, indicative of a different liquid structure with stronger correlation and ordering. Wide-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) measurements of pure water and a series of liquid n-alkanes revealed peaks at ~0.31 nm and ~0.46 nm, in agreement with 3D-AFM observations of type I and type II structures, respectively. Our findings uncover the coexistence of two types of liquid structures at Pt-water interfaces modulated by surface heterogeneity, enabling new understandings and design principles for energy conversion applications.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci

Correlative angstrom-scale microscopy and spectroscopy of graphite-water interfaces

Water at solid surfaces is key for many processes ranging from biological signal transduction to membrane separation and renewable energy conversion. However, under realistic conditions, which often include environmental and surface charge variations, the interfacial water structure remains elusive. Here we overcome this limit by combining three-dimensional atomic force microscopy and interface-sensitive Raman spectroscopy to characterize the graphite-water interfacial structure in situ. Through correlative analysis of the spatial liquid density maps and vibrational peaks within ~2 nm of the graphite surface, we find the existence of two interfacial configurations at open circuit potential, a transient state where pristine water exhibits strong hydrogen bond (HB) breaking effects, and a steady state with hydrocarbons dominating the interface and weak HB breaking in the surrounding water. At sufficiently negative potentials, both states transition into a stable structure featuring pristine water with a broader distribution of HB configurations. Our three-state model resolves many long-standing controversies on interfacial water structure.

physics.chem-ph

Towards Quantitative Interpretation of 3D Atomic Force Microscopy at Solid-Liquid Interfaces

Three-dimensional atomic force microscopy (3D-AFM) has been a powerful tool to probe the atomic-scale structure of solid-liquid interfaces. As a nanoprobe moves along the 3D volume of interfacial liquid, the probe-sample interaction force is sensed and mapped, providing information on not only the solid morphology, but also the liquid density distribution. To date 3D-AFM force maps of a diverse set of solid-liquid interfaces have been recorded, revealing remarkable force oscillations that are typically attributed to solvation layers or electrical double layers. However, despite the high resolution down to sub-angstrom level, quantitative interpretation of the 3D force maps has been an outstanding challenge. Here we will review the technical details of 3D-AFM and the existing approaches for quantitative data interpretation. Based on evidences in recent literature, we conclude that the perturbation-induced AFM force paradoxically represents the intrinsic, unperturbed liquid density profile. We will further discuss how the oscillatory force profiles can be attributed to the probe-modulation of the liquid configurational entropy, and how the quantitative, atomic-scale liquid density distribution can be derived from the force maps.

physics.chem-ph

Bending, breaking, and reconnecting of the electrical double layers at heterogeneous electrodes

In electrochemical systems, the structure of electrical double layers (EDLs) near electrode surfaces is crucial for energy conversion and storage functions. While the electrodes in real-world systems are usually heterogeneous, to date the investigation of EDLs is mainly limited to flat model solid surfaces. To bridge this gap, here we image the EDL structure of an ionic liquid-based electrolyte at a heterogeneous graphite electrode using our recently developed electrochemical 3D atomic force microscopy. These interfaces feature the formation of thin, nanoscale adlayer/cluster domains that closely mimic the early-stage solid-electrolyte interphases in many battery systems. We observe multiple discrete layers in the EDL near the flat electrode, which restructures at the heterogeneous interphase sites. Depending on the local size of the interphase clusters, the EDLs exhibit bending, breaking, and/or reconnecting behaviors, likely due to the combined steric and long-range interaction effects. These results shed light on the fundamental structure and reconfiguration mechanism of EDLs at heterogeneous interfaces.

physics.chem-ph

Redefinition of Digital Twin and its Situation Awareness Framework Designing Towards Fourth Paradigm for Energy Internet of Things

Traditional knowledge-based situation awareness (SA) modes struggle to adapt to the escalating complexity of today's Energy Internet of Things (EIoT), necessitating a pivotal paradigm shift. In response, this work introduces a pioneering data-driven SA framework, termed digital twin-based situation awareness (DT-SA), aiming to bridge existing gaps between data and demands, and further to enhance SA capabilities within the complex EIoT landscape. First, we redefine the concept of digital twin (DT) within the EIoT context, aligning it with data-intensive scientific discovery paradigm (the Fourth Paradigm) so as to waken EIoT's sleeping data; this contextual redefinition lays the cornerstone of our DT-SA framework for EIoT. Then, the framework is comprehensively explored through its four fundamental steps: digitalization, simulation, informatization, and intellectualization. These steps initiate a virtual ecosystem conducive to a continuously self-adaptive, self-learning, and self-evolving big model (BM), further contributing to the evolution and effectiveness of DT-SA in engineering. Our framework is characterized by the incorporation of system theory and Fourth Paradigm as guiding ideologies, DT as data engine, and BM as intelligence engine. This unique combination forms the backbone of our approach. This work extends beyond engineering, stepping into the domain of data science -- DT-SA not only enhances management practices for EIoT users/operators, but also propels advancements in pattern analysis and machine intelligence (PAMI) within the intricate fabric of a complex system. Numerous real-world cases validate our DT-SA framework.

cs.NI

Invisible Units Detection and Estimation Based on Random Matrix Theory

Invisible units mainly refer to small-scale units that are not monitored by, and thus are not visible to utilities. Integration of these invisible units into power systems does significantly affect the way in which a distribution grid is planned and operated. This paper, based on random matrix theory (RMT), proposes a statistical, data-driven framework to handle the massive grid data, in contrast to its deterministic, model-based counterpart. Combining the RMT-based data-mining framework with conventional techniques, some heuristics are derived as the solution to the invisible units detection and estimation task: linear eigenvalue statistic indicators (LESs) are suggested as the main ingredients of the solution; according to the statistical properties of LESs, the hypothesis testing is formulated to conduct change point detection in the high-dimensional space. The proposed method is promising for anomaly detection and pertinent to current distribution networks-it is capable of detecting invisible power usage and fraudulent behavior while even being able to locate the suspect's location. Case studies, using both simulated data and actual data, validate the proposed method.

stat.AP

A Hybrid Framework for Topology Identification of Distribution Grid with Renewables Integration

Topology identification (TI) is a key task for state estimation (SE) in distribution grids, especially the one with high-penetration renewables. The uncertainties, initiated by the time-series behavior of renewables, will almost certainly lead to bad TI results without a proper treatment. These uncertainties are analytically intractable under conventional framework-they are usually jointly spatial-temporal dependent, and hence cannot be simply treated as white noise. For this purpose, a hybrid framework is suggested in this paper to handle these uncertainties in a systematic and theoretical way; in particular, big data analytics are studied to harness the jointly spatial-temporal statistical properties of those uncertainties. With some prior knowledge, a model bank is built first to store the countable typical models of network configurations; therefore, the difference between the SE outputs of each bank model and our observation is capable of being defined as a matrix variate-the so-called random matrix. In order to gain insight into the random matrix, a well-designed metric space is needed. Auto-regression (AR) model, factor analysis (FA), and random matrix theory (RMT) are tied together for the metric space design, followed by jointly temporal-spatial analysis of those matrices which is conducted in a high-dimensional (vector) space. Under the proposed framework, some big data analytics and theoretical results are obtained to improve the TI performance. Our framework is validated using IEEE standard distribution network with some field data in practice.

stat.AP

Exploration of Superposition Theorem in Spectrum Space for Composite Event Analysis in an ADN

This study presents a formulation of the Superposition Theorem (ST) in the spectrum space, tailored for the analysis of composite events in an active distribution network (ADN). Our formulated ST enables a quantitative analysis on a composite event, uncovering the property of additivity among independent atom events in the spectrum space. This contribution is a significant addition to the existing literature and has profound implications in various application scenarios. To accomplish this, we leverage random matrix theory (RMT), specifically the asymptotic empirical spectral distribution, Stieltjes transform, and R transform. These mathematical tools establish a nonlinear, model-free, and unsupervised addition operation in the spectrum space. Comprehensive details, including a related roadmap,theorems, deductions, and proofs, are provided in this work. Case studies, utilizing field data, validate our newly derived ST formulation by demonstrating a remarkable performance. Our ST formulation is model-free, non-linear, non-supervised, theory-guided, and uncertainty-insensitive, making it a valuable asset in the realm of composite event analysis in ADN.

stat.AP

Collaborative planning and optimization for electric-thermal-hydrogen-coupled energy systems with portfolio selection of the complete hydrogen energy chain

Under the global low-carbon target, the uneven spatiotemporal distribution of renewable energy resources exacerbates the uncertainty and seasonal power imbalance. Additionally, the issue of an incomplete hydrogen energy chain is widely overlooked in planning models, which hinders the complete analysis of the role of hydrogen in energy systems. Therefore, this paper proposes a high-resolution collaborative planning model for electricity-thermal-hydrogen-coupled energy systems considering both the spatiotemporal distribution characteristics of renewable energy resources and the multi-scale bottom-to-top investment strategy for the complete hydrogen energy chain. Considering the high-resolution system operation flexibility, this paper proposes a hydrogen chain-based fast clustering optimization method that can handle high-dimensional data and multi-time scale operation characteristics. The model optimizes the geographical distribution and capacity configuration of the Northeast China energy system in 2050, with hourly operational characteristics. The planning optimization covered single-energy devices, multi-energy-coupled conversion devices, and electric-hydrogen transmission networks. Last but not least, this paper thoroughly examines the optimal portfolio selection of different hydrogen technologies based on the differences in cost, flexibility, and efficiency. In the Pareto analysis, the proposed model reduces CO2 emissions by 60% with a competitive cost. This paper provides a zero-carbon pathway for multi-energy systems with a cost 4% less than the social cost of carbon $44.6/ton, and the integration of the complete hydrogen energy chain reduces the renewable energy curtailment by 97.0%. Besides, the portfolio selection results indicate that the system favors the SOEC with the highest energy efficiency and the PEMFC with the fastest dynamic response when achieving zero-carbon emissions

eess.SY

Optimal Adaptive Prediction Intervals for Electricity Load Forecasting in Distribution Systems via Reinforcement Learning

Prediction intervals offer an effective tool for quantifying the uncertainty of loads in distribution systems. The traditional central PIs cannot adapt well to skewed distributions, and their offline training fashion is vulnerable to unforeseen changes in future load patterns. Therefore, we propose an optimal PI estimation approach, which is online and adaptive to different data distributions by adaptively determining symmetric or asymmetric probability proportion pairs for quantiles. It relies on the online learning ability of reinforcement learning to integrate the two online tasks, i.e., the adaptive selection of probability proportion pairs and quantile predictions, both of which are modeled by neural networks. As such, the quality of quantiles-formed PI can guide the selection process of optimal probability proportion pairs, which forms a closed loop to improve the quality of PIs. Furthermore, to improve the learning efficiency of quantile forecasts, a prioritized experience replay strategy is proposed for online quantile regression processes. Case studies on both load and net load demonstrate that the proposed method can better adapt to data distribution compared with online central PIs method. Compared with offline-trained methods, it obtains PIs with better quality and is more robust against concept drift.

stat.AP

Preliminary Exploration on Digital Twin for Power Systems: Challenges, Framework, and Applications

Digital twin (DT) is one of the most promising enabling technologies for realizing smart grids. Characterized by seamless and active---data-driven, real-time, and closed-loop---integration between digital and physical spaces, a DT is much more than a blueprint, simulation tool, or cyber-physical system (CPS). Numerous state-of-the-art technologies such as internet of things (IoT), 5G, big data, and artificial intelligence (AI) serve as a basis for DT. DT for power systems aims at situation awareness and virtual test to assist the decision-making on power grid operation and management under normal or urgent conditions. This paper, from both science paradigms and engineering practice, outlines the backgrounds, challenges, framework, tools, and possible directions of DT as a preliminary exploration. To our best knowledge, it is also the first exploration on DT in the context of power systems. Starting from the fundamental and most frequently used power flow (PF) analysis, some typical application scenarios are presented. Our work is expected to contribute some novel discoveries, as well as some high-dimensional analytics, to the engineering community. Besides, the connection of DT with big data analytics and AI may has deep impact on data science.

eess.SP

Data-driven Estimation of the Power Flow Jacobian Matrix in High Dimensional Space

The Jacobian matrix is the core part of power flow analysis, which is the basis for power system planning and operations. This paper estimates the Jacobian matrix in high dimensional space. Firstly, theoretical analysis and model-based calculation of the Jacobian matrix are introduced to obtain the benchmark value. Then, the estimation algorithms based on least-squared errors and the deviation estimation based on the neural network are studied in detail, including the theories, equations, derivations, codes, advantages and disadvantages, and application scenes. The proposed algorithms are data-driven and sensitive to up-to-date topology parameters and state variables. The efforts are validate by comparing the results to benchmark values.

eess.SY

A Novel Data-Driven Situation Awareness Approach for Future Grids--Using Large Random Matrices for Big Data Modeling

Data-driven approaches, when tasked with situation awareness, are suitable for complex grids with massive datasets. It is a challenge, however, to efficiently turn these massive datasets into useful big data analytics. To address such a challenge, this paper, based on random matrix theory (RMT), proposes a datadriven approach. The approach models massive datasets as large random matrices; it is model-free and requiring no knowledge about physical model parameters. In particular, the large data dimension N and the large time span T, from the spatial aspect and the temporal aspect respectively, lead to favorable results. The beautiful thing lies in that these linear eigenvalue statistics (LESs) built from data matrices follow Gaussian distributions for very general conditions, due to the latest breakthroughs in probability on the central limit theorems of those LESs. Numerous case studies, with both simulated data and field data, are given to validate the proposed new algorithms.

stat.ME

Designing for Situation Awareness of Future Power Grids: An Indicator System Based on Linear Eigenvalue Statistics of Large Random Matrices

Future power grids are fundamentally different from current ones, both in size and in complexity; this trend imposes challenges for situation awareness (SA) based on classical indicators, which are usually model-based and deterministic. As an alternative, this paper proposes a statistical indicator system based on linear eigenvalue statistics (LESs) of large random matrices: 1) from a data modeling viewpoint, we build, starting from power flows equations, the random matrix models (RMMs) only using the real-time data flow in a statistical manner; 2) for a data analysis that is fully driven from RMMs, we put forward the high-dimensional indicators, called LESs that have some unique statistical features such as Gaussian properties; and 3) we develop a three-dimensional (3D) power-map to visualize the system, respectively, from a high-dimensional viewpoint and a low-dimensional one. Therefore, a statistical methodology of SA is employed; it conducts SA with a model-free and data-driven procedure, requiring no knowledge of system topologies, units operation/control models, causal relationship, etc. This methodology has numerous advantages, such as sensitivity, universality, speed, and flexibility. In particular, its robustness against bad data is highlighted, with potential advantages in cyber security. The theory of big data based stability for on-line operations may prove feasible along with this line of work, although this critical development will be reported elsewhere.

stat.ME

A Correlation Analysis Method for Power Systems Based on Random Matrix Theory

The operating status of power systems is influenced by growing varieties of factors, resulting from the developing sizes and complexity of power systems; in this situation, the modelbased methods need be revisited. A data-driven method, as the novel alternative, on the other hand, is proposed in this paper: it reveals the correlations between the factors and the system status through statistical properties of data. An augmented matrix, as the data source, is the key trick for this method; it is formulated by two parts: 1) status data as the basic part, and 2) factor data as the augmented part. The random matrix theory (RMT) is applied as the mathematical framework. The linear eigenvalue statistics (LESs), such as the mean spectral radius (MSR), are defined to study data correlations through large random matrices. Compared with model-based methods, the proposed method is inspired by a pure statistical approach, without a prior knowledge of operation and interaction mechanism models for power systems and factors. In general, this method is direct in analysis, robust against bad data, universal to various factors, and applicable for real-time analysis. A case study, based on the standard IEEE 118-bus system, validates the proposed method.

stat.ME