The psychological reality of rhythm classes: Perceptual studies

Linguists have traditionally classified languages into three rhythm classes, namely stress-timed, syllable-timed and mora-timed languages. However, this classification has remained controversial for various reasons: the search for reliable acoustic cues to the different rhythm types has long remained elusive; some languages are claimed to belong to none of the three classes; and few perceptual studies has bolstered the notion. We have previously proposed an acoustic/phonetic model of the different types of linguistic rhythm, and of their categorisation as such by listeners. Here, we present perceptual experiments that directly test the notion of rhythm classes, our model's predictions, and the question of intermediate languages. Language discrimination experiments were run using a speech resynthesis technique to ensure that only rhythmic cues were available to the subjects. Languages investigated were English, Dutch, Spanish, Catalan and Polish. Our results are consistent with the idea that English and Dutch are stress-timed, Spanish and Catalan are syllable-timed, but Polish seems to be different from any other language studied and thus may constitute a new rhythm class. We propose that perceptual studies tapping the ability to discriminate languages' rhythm are the proper way to generate more empirical data relevant to rhythm typology

New applications of Equinox code for real-time plasma equilibrium and profile reconstruction for tokamaks

Recent development of real-time equilibrium code Equinox [1] using a fixed-point algorithm [2] allow major plasma magnetic parameters to be identified in real-time, using rigorous analytical method. The code relies on the boundary flux code providing flux values on the first wall of vacuum vessel. By means of least-square minimization of differences between magnetic field obtained from previous solution and the next measurements the code identifies the source term of the non-linear Grad-Shafranov equation [3]. The strict use of analytical equations together with a flexible algorithm offers an opportunity to include new measurements into stable magnetic equilibrium code and compare the results directly between several tokamaks while maintaining the same physical model (i.e. no iron model is necessary inside the equilibrium code). The successful implementation of this equilibrium code for JET and Tore Supra have been already published [1], in this paper, we show the preliminary results of predictive runs of the Equinox code using the ITER geometry.Comment: 12th International Congress on Plasma Physics, 25-29 October 2004, Nice (France

A statistical theory of polymer network degradation

A statistical theory was proposed for the degradation (random scission of chains) of a network having f-functional nodes in the case where all chains contain equireactive groups and a chain scission event does not create new groups or suppress more than one group. Closedform relations were established between the conversion ratio of the degradation process and the crosslink density. Emphasis was put on the value of the conversion ratio for which the gel disappears. Some limited cases already considered in the literature were recovered, but a general solution was proposed for networks having any number of reactive groups per chain, be it uniform or not, and for conversion ratios up to the degelation point. The results were applied successfully to recent experiments regarding the hydrolysis of a polyester

A mesoscopic description of radiative heat transfer at the nanoscale

We present a formulation of the nanoscale radiative heat transfer (RHT) using concepts of mesoscopic physics. We introduce the analog of the Sharvin conductance using the quantum of thermal conductance. The formalism provides a convenient framework to analyse the physics of RHT at the nanoscale. Finally, we propose a RHT experiment in the regime of quantized conductance

Co-oxidation kinetic model for the thermal oxidation of polyethylene-unsaturated substrate systems

The thermal oxidation of polyethylene (PE) impregnated by the methyl esters of unsaturated fatty acids (UFEs) was studied using chemiluminescence, and infra-red spectrophotometry. It was shown that the presence of UFEs accelerates the PE aging process. This can be interpreted as a co-oxidation phenomenon. In this study, the previously established models for PE and UFEs self-oxidation have been coupled in order to develop a co-oxidation model. Using the existing rate constants for the PE and UFEs selfoxidations, this model can simulate the complex shape of the kinetic curves of PE-UFE co-oxidatio

Epenthetic vowels in Japanese: A perceptual illusion?

In four cross-linguistic experiments comparing French and Japanese hearers, we found that the phonotactic properties of Japanese (very reduced set of syllable types) induce Japanese listeners to perceive ``illusory'' vowels inside consonant clusters in VCCV stimuli. In Experiments 1 and 2, we used a continuum of stimuli ranging from no vowel (e.g. ebzo) to a full vowel between the consonants (e.g. ebuzo). Japanese, but not French participants, reported the presence of a vowel [u] between consonants, even in stimuli with no vowel. A speeded ABX discrimination paradigm was used in Experiments 3 and 4, and revealed that Japanese participants had trouble discriminating between VCCV and VCuCV stimuli. French participants, in contrast had problems discriminating items that differ in vowel length (ebuzo vs. ebuuzo), a distinctive contrast in Japanese but not in French. We conclude that models of speech perception have to be revised to account for phonotactically-based assimilations

A multilayer Saint-Venant system with mass exchanges for Shallow Water flows. Derivation and numerical validation

The standard multilayer Saint-Venant system consists in introducing fluid layers that are advected by the interfacial velocities. As a consequence there is no mass exchanges between these layers and each layer is described by its height and its average velocity. Here we introduce another multilayer system with mass exchanges between the neighborhing layers where the unknowns are a total height of water and an average velocity per layer. We derive it from Navier-Stokes system with an hydrostatic pressure and prove energy and hyperbolicity properties of the model. We also give a kinetic interpretation leading to effective numerical schemes with positivity and energy properties. Numerical tests show the versatility of the approach and its ability to compute recirculation cases with wind forcing.Comment: Submitted to M2A