Making a difference:critical linguistic analysis in a legal context

One of the major problems for Critical Discourse Analysts is how to move on from their insightful critical analyses to successfully 'acting on the world in order to transform it'. This paper discusses, with detailed exemplification, some of the areas where linguists have moved beyond description to acting on and changing the world. Examples from three murder trials show how essential it is, in order to protect the rights of witnesses and defendants, to have audio records of significant interviews with police officers. The article moves on to discuss the potentially serious consequences of the many communicative problems inherent in legal/lay interaction and illustrates a few of the linguist-led improvements to important texts. Finally, the article turns to the problems of using linguistic data to try to determine the geographical origin of asylum seekers. The intention of the article is to act as a call to arms to linguists; it concludes with the observation that 'innumerable mountains remain for those with a critical linguistic perspective who would like to try to move one'. © 2011 John Benjamins Publishing Company.

Az 1990-2000 között benyújtott magyar szabadalmi bejelentések környezeti hatásának idősoros elemzése (Time series analysis of environmental effects of submitted Hungarian patents between 1990 and 2000)

A szerző e kutatás keretében az 1990–2000 közötti időszak magyar intézményi és egyéni szabadalmi bejelentők, illetve jogosultak („szabadalmasok”) szabadalmainak környezeti hatását vizsgálja. Konkrétan az ebben az időszakban a Magyar Szabadalmi Hivatalnál benyújtott szabadalmi bejelentésekből elfogadott szabadalmakat tanulmányozza, a PIPACS adatbázisban található szabadalmi leírások alapján. A pozitív környezeti hatású szabadalmak száma, valamint az összes szabadalomhoz viszonyított aránya alapján von le következtetéseket a magyar környezeti innovációs tevékenységről, és ennek potenciális magyar környezeti hatásáról. A pozitív környezeti hatású szabadalmak összes megadott szabadalomhoz viszonyított aránya az időszakban 92%-os szignifikanciaszinten növekszik. _______

Time-domain simulation of wave-induced ship motions by a Rankine panel method

In this thesis, a numerical program has been developed to simulate the wave-induced ship motions in the time domain. Wave-body interactions have been studied for various ships and floating bodies through forced motion and free motion simulations in a wide range of wave frequencies. A three-dimensional Rankine panel method is applied to solve the boundary value problem for the wave-body interactions. The velocity potentials and normal velocities on the boundaries are obtained in the time domain by solving the mixed boundary integral equations in relation to the source and dipole distributions. The hydrodynamic forces are calculated by the integration of the instantaneous hydrodynamic pressures over the body surface. The equations of ship motion are solved simultaneously with the boundary value problem for each time step. The wave elevation is computed by applying the linear free surface conditions. A numerical damping zone is adopted to absorb the outgoing waves in order to satisfy the radiation condition for the truncated free surface. A numerical filter is applied on the free surface for the smoothing of the wave elevation. Good convergence has been reached for both forced motion simulations and free motion simulations. The computed added-mass and damping coefficients, wave exciting forces, and motion responses for ships and floating bodies are in good agreement with the numerical results from other programs and experimental data.

Application of time series analysis for bridge monitoring

Peer reviewed

Application of time series analysis for bridge monitoring

Peer reviewed

Detection of seismic damage in buildings using time series analysis and pattern recognition

Peer reviewed

Rational Function Interpolation of Electromagnetic Transfer Functions of High-Speed Interconnect Systems from Discrete Time-Domain and Frequency-Domain Data

We present new methodologies to generate rational function approximations of broadband electromagnetic responses of linear and passive networks of high-speed interconnects, and to construct SPICE-compatible, equivalent circuit representations of the generated rational functions. These new methodologies are driven by the desire to improve the computational efficiency of the rational function fitting process, and to ensure enhanced accuracy of the generated rational function interpolation and its equivalent circuit representation. Toward this goal, we propose two new methodologies for rational function approximation of high-speed interconnect network responses. The first one relies on the use of both time-domain and frequency-domain data, obtained either through measurement or numerical simulation, to generate a rational function representation that extrapolates the input, early-time transient response data to late-time response while at the same time providing a means to both interpolate and extrapolate the used frequency-domain data. The aforementioned hybrid methodology can be considered as a generalization of the frequency-domain rational function fitting utilizing frequency-domain response data only, and the time-domain rational function fitting utilizing transient response data only. In this context, a guideline is proposed for estimating the order of the rational function approximation from transient data. The availability of such an estimate expedites the time-domain rational function fitting process. The second approach relies on the extraction of the delay associated with causal electromagnetic responses of interconnect systems to provide for a more stable rational function process utilizing a lower-order rational function interpolation. A distinctive feature of the proposed methodology is its utilization of scattering parameters. For both methodologies, the approach of fitting the electromagnetic network matrix one element at a time is applied. It is shown that, with regard to the computational cost of the rational function fitting process, such an element-by-element rational function fitting is more advantageous than full matrix fitting for systems with a large number of ports. Despite the disadvantage that different sets of poles are used in the rational function of different elements in the network matrix, such an approach provides for improved accuracy in the fitting of network matrices of systems characterized by both strongly coupled and weakly coupled ports. Finally, in order to provide a means for enforcing passivity in the adopted element-by-element rational function fitting approach, the methodology for passivity enforcement via quadratic programming is modified appropriately for this purpose and demonstrated in the context of element-by-element rational function fitting of the admittance matrix of an electromagnetic multiport.

Development of a real time Image analysis system for traffic monitoring applications.

Image processing offers unparalleled potential for traffic monitoring and control. For many years engineers have attempted to perfect the art of automatic data abstraction from sequences of video images. This paper outlines a research project undertaken at Napier University by the authors in the field of image processing for automatic traffic analysis. A software based system implementing TRIP algorithms to count cars and measure vehicle speed has been developed by members of the Transport Engineering Research Unit (TERU) at the University. The TRIP algorithm has been ported and evaluated on an IBM PC platform with a view to hardware implementation of the pre-processing routines required for vehicle detection. Results show that a software based traffic counting system is realisable for single window processing. Due to the high volume of data required to be processed for full frames or multiple lanes, system operations in real time are limited. Therefore specific hardware is required to be designed. The paper outlines a hardware design for implementation of inter-frame and background differencing, background updating and shadow removal techniques. Preliminary results showing the processing time and counting accuracy for the routines implemented in software are presented and a real time hardware pre-processing architecture is described.

Design, construction, and applications of a high-resolution terahertz time-domain spectrometer

This thesis reports on the design, construction, and initial applications of a high-resolution terahertz time-domain ASOPS spectrometer. The instrument employs asynchronous optical sampling (ASOPS) between two Ti:sapphire ultrafast lasers operating at a repetition rate of approximately 80 MHz, and we thus demonstrate a THz frequency resolution approaching the limit of that repetition rate. This is an order of magnitude improvement in resolution over typical THz time-domain spectrometers. The improved resolution is important for our primary effort of collecting THz spectra for far-infrared astronomy. We report on various spectroscopic applications including the THz rotational spectrum of water, where we achieve a mean frequency error, relative to established line centers, of 27.0 MHz. We also demonstrate application of the THz system to the long-duration observation of a coherent magnon mode in a anti-ferromagnetic yttrium iron oxide (YFeO3) crystal. Furthermore, we apply the all-optical virtual delay line of ASOPS to a transient thermoreflectance experiment for quickly measuring the thermal conductivity of semiconductors.

Floating wave energy converters: wave measurement & analysis techniques

The wave energy industry is entering a new phase of pre-commercial and commercial deployments of full-scale devices, so better understanding of seaway variability is critical to the successful operation of devices. The response of Wave Energy Converters to incident waves govern their operational performance and for many devices, this is highly dependent on spectral shape due to their resonant properties. Various methods of wave measurement are presented, along with analysis techniques and empirical models. Resource assessments, device performance predictions and monitoring of operational devices will often be based on summary statistics and assume a standard spectral shape such as Pierson-Moskowitz or JONSWAP. Furthermore, these are typically derived from the closest available wave data, frequently separated from the site on scales in the order of 1km. Therefore, variability of seaways from standard spectral shapes and spatial inconsistency between the measurement point and the device site will cause inaccuracies in the performance assessment. This thesis categorises time and frequency domain analysis techniques that can be used to identify changes in a sea state from record to record. Device specific issues such as dimensional scaling of sea states and power output are discussed along with potential differences that arise in estimated and actual output power of a WEC due to spectral shape variation. This is investigated using measured data from various phases of device development.

Development of Novel Time-Domain Electromagnetic Methods for Offshore Groundwater Studies: A Data Application from Bat Yam, Israel

Recent marine long-offset transient electromagnetic (LOTEM) measurements yielded the offshore delineation of a fresh groundwater body beneath the seafloor in the region of Bat Yam, Israel. The LOTEM application was effective in detecting this freshwater body underneath the Mediterranean Sea and allowed an estimation of its seaward extent. However, the measured data set was insufficient to understand the hydrogeological configuration and mechanism controlling the occurrence of this fresh groundwater discovery. Especially the lateral geometry of the freshwater boundary, important for the hydrogeological modelling, could not be resolved. Without such an understanding, a rational management of this unexploited groundwater reservoir is not possible. Two new high-resolution marine time-domain electromagnetic methods are theoretically developed to derive the hydrogeological structure of the western aquifer boundary. The first is called Circular Electric Dipole (CED). It is the land-based analogous of the Vertical Electric Dipole (VED), which is commonly applied to detect resistive structures in the subsurface. Although the CED shows exceptional detectability characteristics in the step-off signal towards the sub-seafloor freshwater body, an actual application was not carried out in the extent of this study. It was found that the method suffers from an insufficient signal strength to adequately delineate the resistive aquifer under realistic noise conditions. Moreover, modelling studies demonstrated that severe signal distortions are caused by the slightest geometrical inaccuracies. As a result, a successful application of CED in Israel proved to be rather doubtful. A second method called Differential Electric Dipole (DED) is developed as an alternative to the intended CED method. Compared to the conventional marine time-domain electromagnetic system that commonly applies a horizontal electric dipole transmitter, the DED is composed of two horizontal electric dipoles in an in-line configuration that share a common central electrode. Theoretically, DED has similar detectability/resolution characteristics compared to the conventional LOTEM system. However, the superior lateral resolution towards multi-dimensional resistivity structures make an application desirable. Furthermore, the method is less susceptible towards geometrical errors making an application in Israel feasible. In the extent of this thesis, the novel marine DED method is substantiated using several one-dimensional (1D) and multi-dimensional (2D/3D) modelling studies. The main emphasis lies on the application in Israel. Preliminary resistivity models are derived from the previous marine LOTEM measurement and tested for a DED application. The DED method is effective in locating the two-dimensional resistivity structure at the western aquifer boundary. Moreover, a prediction regarding the hydrogeological boundary conditions are feasible, provided a brackish water zone exists at the head of the interface. A seafloor-based DED transmitter/receiver system is designed and built at the Institute of Geophysics and Meteorology at the University of Cologne. The first DED measurements were carried out in Israel in April 2016. The acquired data set is the first of its kind. The measured data is processed and subsequently interpreted using 1D inversion. The intended aim of interpreting both step-on and step-off signals failed, due to the insufficient data quality of the latter. Yet, the 1D inversion models of the DED step-on signals clearly detect the freshwater body for receivers located close to the Israeli coast. Additionally, a lateral resistivity contrast is observable in the 1D inversion models that allow to constrain the seaward extent of this freshwater body. A large-scale 2D modelling study followed the 1D interpretation. In total, 425 600 forward calculations are conducted to find a sub-seafloor resistivity distribution that adequately explains the measured data. The results indicate that the western aquifer boundary is located at 3600 m - 3700 m before the coast. Moreover, a brackish water zone of 3 Omega*m to 5 Omega*m with a lateral extent of less than 300 m is likely located at the head of the freshwater aquifer. Based on these results, it is predicted that the sub-seafloor freshwater body is indeed open to the sea and may be vulnerable to seawater intrusion.

Two Axes of Domains for Domain Analysis

This paper adds two analytical devices to domain analysis, claiming that for domain analysis to work cumulatively transferable definitions of domains must be written. To establish this definition the author provides two axes to consider: Ar- eas of Modulation and Degrees of Specialization. These axes may serve as analytical devices for the domain analyst to delineate what is being studied and what is not being studied in a domain analysis.

What Does a Domain Analysis Look Like in Form, Function, and Genre?

This article presents an inventory what theorists describe as the definition of domain analysis. Survey writings on and of domain analyses for their distinct attributes and arguments. Compile these components and attributes, linking them to their function, and from there. Describe a proposed ideal form of domain analysis. Evidence that while the debate about the substance and form of the epistemic and ontological character of domain analysis will continue, some might find it useful to give shape to their ideas using a particular form that follows function. If our purpose is to delineate and communicate what it is that we are analyzing when we engage in domain analysis, then I hope this small contribution can be of use.