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Foodscapes Exhibition Project Information & Background Idea

Triangle inequalities in path metric spaces

We study side-lengths of triangles in path metric spaces. We prove that unless such a space X is bounded, or quasi-isometric to line or half-line, every triple of real numbers satisfying the strict triangle inequalities, is realized by the side-lengths of a triangle in X. We construct an example of a complete path metric space quasi-isometric to the Euclidean plane, for which every degenerate triangle has one side which is shorter than a certain uniform constant.Comment: 21 pages, 6 figure

A toolbox for animal call recognition

Monitoring the natural environment is increasingly important as habit degradation and climate change reduce theworld’s biodiversity.We have developed software tools and applications to assist ecologists with the collection and analysis of acoustic data at large spatial and temporal scales.One of our key objectives is automated animal call recognition, and our approach has three novel attributes. First, we work with raw environmental audio, contaminated by noise and artefacts and containing calls that vary greatly in volume depending on the animal’s proximity to the microphone. Second, initial experimentation suggested that no single recognizer could dealwith the enormous variety of calls. Therefore, we developed a toolbox of generic recognizers to extract invariant features for each call type. Third, many species are cryptic and offer little data with which to train a recognizer. Many popular machine learning methods require large volumes of training and validation data and considerable time and expertise to prepare. Consequently we adopt bootstrap techniques that can be initiated with little data and refined subsequently. In this paper, we describe our recognition tools and present results for real ecological problems

A Musical Analysis and Performance Guide to Alejandro Viñao\u27s Burritt Variations for Solo Marimba

This dissertation and accompanying lecture recital examine musical aspects and performance considerations for Alejandro Viñao\u27s Burritt Variations (2012). An exhaustive examination of the formal, melodic, motivic, and rhythmic aspects of the piece will highlight the complex compositional processes and thematic transformations found throughout the work. The discussion will also briefly examine the composer\u27s background and the genesis of the work, as well as key influences found in Burritt Variations. These influences include the multi-temporal music of Conlon Nancarrow, and many Latin-American musical styles, especially Salsa music. The discussion will then focus on considerations for those wishing to perform the work. By illuminating Viñao\u27s compositional processes and shedding light on performance considerations, this document will serve as a valuable resource for those wishing to study or perform Alejandro Viñao\u27sBurritt Variations for solo marimba. Advisor: Dave Hal

Numerical and experimental analysis of initial water impact of an air-dropped REMUS AUV

Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Master of Science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution February 2005The initial water impact of a free-falling object is primarily related to the fluid forces on the wetted surface of the object. The shape-dependent added-mass coefficients express the fluid forces integrated over the body, and thus physically represent the additional inertia of water accelerated with fie body. The field of hydrodynamic impact has been primarily concerned with estimating the added-mass coefficients of various types of bodies for different water impact types, such as seaplane landings, torpedo drops, and ship slamming. In this study, a numerical model has been constructed to estimate the hydrodynamic impact loads of a REMUS dropped in free-fall from a helicopter in a low hover. Developed by von Alt and associates at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, the REMUS (Remote Environmental Monitoring Units) is a small, man-portable, torpedo shaped Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) that is normally operated from small boats for a variety of scientific, industrial, and military applications. Finite-element method software and computer aided drafting tools were used to create a simplified model of REMUS without fins, propeller, or transducers. This axisyrnmetric REMUS model was cut by a flat free surface at various pitch angles and submergence values, and a panel mesh of the wetted surface of the vehicle was created using an automatic mesh generator. Surface boundary conditions are enforced for the free surface by reflecting the body panels using the method of images. Each panel mesh was evaluated for its added-mass characteristics using a source collocation panel method developed by Dr. Yonghwan Kim, formerly of the Vortical Flow Research Laboratory (VFRL) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Experimental impact tests were conducted with a specially-instrumented test vehicle to verify the initial impact accelerations

Overview of the coordinated ground-based observations of Titan during the Huygens mission

Coordinated ground-based observations of Titan were performed around or during the Huygens atmospheric probe mission at Titan on 14 January 2005, connecting the momentary in situ observations by the probe with the synoptic coverage provided by continuing ground-based programs. These observations consisted of three different categories: (1) radio telescope tracking of the Huygens signal at 2040 MHz, (2) observations of the atmosphere and surface of Titan, and (3) attempts to observe radiation emitted during the Huygens Probe entry into Titan's atmosphere. The Probe radio signal was successfully acquired by a network of terrestrial telescopes, recovering a vertical profile of wind speed in Titan's atmosphere from 140 km altitude down to the surface. Ground-based observations brought new information on atmosphere and surface properties of the largest Saturnian moon. No positive detection of phenomena associated with the Probe entry was reported. This paper reviews all these measurements and highlights the achieved results. The ground-based observations, both radio and optical, are of fundamental importance for the interpretation of results from the Huygens mission

Impact of the earthworm Lumbricus terrestris (L.) on As, Cu, Pb and Zn mobility and speciation in contaminated soils

To assess the risks that contaminated soils pose to the environment properly a greater understanding of how soil biota influence the mobility of metal(loid)s in soils is required. Lumbricus terrestris L. were incubated in three soils contaminated with As, Cu, Pb and Zn. The concentration and speciation of metal(loid)s in pore waters and the mobility and partitioning in casts were compared with earthworm-free soil. Generally the concentrations of water extractable metal(loid)s in earthworm casts were greater than in earthworm-free soil. The impact of the earthworms on concentration and speciation in pore waters was soil and metal specific and could be explained either by earthworm induced changes in soil pH or soluble organic carbon. The mobilisation of metal(loid)s in the environment by earthworm activity may allow for leaching or uptake into biota

The development of the highway network in Poland and the future development of polish ferry shipping

The aim of this paper is to emphasize the role of the developing network of roads and motorways in the Polish economy and its impact upon expanding competitive solutions in alliance with the ferry shipping industry. The paper begins with an assessment of Poland within its geographical location in Europe and of its economic connections with other European nations. The first part of the paper presents the current situation of road infrastructure in Poland. The second part presents the proposed transport corridors which cross a series of European countries and the plans for development of the sections of these routes located in Poland. The next part assesses the advantages for Poland and for ferry shipping in particular