RSICC Home Page EXPALS

RSICC CODE PACKAGE CCC-787

1.         NAME AND TITLE

EXPALS:         Least Square Fit of Linear Combination of Exponential Decay Function

2.         CONTRIBUTORS

Lawrence Livermore Laboratory Livermore, California, USA through the NEADB.

3.         CODING LANGUAGE AND COMPUTER

Fortran 4 CDC7600 (C00787C760000).

4.         NATURE OF PROBLEM SOLVED

This program fits by least squares a function which is a linear combination of real exponential decay functions. The function is y(k) = summation over j of a(j) * exp(-lambda(j) * k). Values of the independent variable (k) and the dependent variable y(k) are specified as input data. Weights may be specified as input information or set by the program (w(k) = 1/y(k)).

5.         METHOD OF SOLUTION

The Prony-Householder iteration method is used. For unequally-spaced data, a number of interpolation options are provided. This revision includes an option to call a differential correction subroutine REFINE to improve the approximation to unequally-spaced data when equal-interval interpolation is faulty. If convergence is achieved, the probable errors in the computed parameters are calculated also.

6.         RESTRICTIONS OR LIMITATIONS

Generally, it is desirable to have at least 10n observations where n equals the number of terms and to input k+n significant figures if k significant figures are expected.

7.         TYPICAL RUNNING TIME

Run times vary based on system, on the order of a few seconds.

8.         COMPUTER HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS

CDC 7600.

9.         COMPUTER SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS

A legacy Fortran 4 compiler, however, with editing, a Fortran77 compiler should also work.

10.       REFERENCES

C. Douglas Gardner, EXPALS-FORTRAN Code for Exponential Approximation by Least Squares, Lawrence Livermore Laboratory report UCRL-14541, Rev. 2 (August 1, 1978) Livermore, California.

R. E. von Holdt, “Minimize Linear Residuals,” LLL Computer Information Center Report F3-001 (March 1969).

J. D. Lawrence, “Polynomial Root Finder,” LLL Computer Information Center Report C2.2-001 (December 16, 1966).

A. S. Householder, On Prony's Method of Fitting Exponential Decay Curves and Multiple-Hit Survival Curves, Oak Ridge National Laboratory report ORNL-455 (February 3, 1950).

11.       CONTENTS OF CODE PACKAGE

Included are the referenced documents, source, data, and sample input and output files in a self-extracting executable on CD.

12.       DATE OF ABSTRACT

November 2011.

KEYWORDS:     RADIOACTIVITY