Information processing in sensor networks, with many small processors, demands a theory of computation that allows the minimization of processing effort, and the distribution of this effort throughout the network. Graphical model theory provides a probabilistic theory of computation that explicitly addresses complexity and decentralization for optimizing network computation. The junction tree algorithm, for decentralized inference on graphical probability models, can be instantiated in a variety of applications useful for wireless sensor networks, including: sensor validation and fusion; data compression and channel coding; expert systems, with decentralized data structures, and efficient local queries; pattern classification, and machine learning. Graphical models for these applications are sketched, and a model of dynamic sensor validation and fusion is presented in more depth, to illustrate the junction tree algorithm.

This report unveils new algorithms for actively measuring (not estimating) available bandwidths with very low intrusion, computing cross traffic, thus estimating the physical bandwidth, provides mathematical proof that the algorithms are accurate, and addresses conditions, requirements, and limitations for new and existing algorithms for measuring network bandwidths. The paper also discusses a number of important terminologies and issues for network bandwidth measurement, and introduces a fundamental parameter -Maximum Burst Size that is critical for implementing algorithms based on multiple packets.

We report the experimental confirmation of the production of element110. In the bombardment of a 208Pb target with a 309~MeV 64Ni beam, we have observed two chains of time- and position-correlated events. Each chain consisted of the implantation of an evaporation residue followed by the emission of alpha-particles. We attribute these two chains to the decay of 271-110 produced with a cross section of 8.3 (+11/-5.3)pb.