This book provides the reader with the knowledge necessary for comprehension of the field of Intelligent Audio Analysis. It firstly introduces standard methods and discusses the typical Intelligent Audio Analysis chain going from audio data to audio features to audio recognition. Further, an introduction to audio source separation, and enhancement and robustness are given. After the introductory parts, the book shows several applications for the three types of audio: speech, music, and general sound. Each task is shortly introduced, followed by a description of the specific data and methods applied, experiments and results, and a conclusion for this specific task. The books provides benchmark results and standardized test-beds for a broader range of audio analysis tasks. The main focus thereby lies on the parallel advancement of realism in audio analysis, as too often today's results are overly optimistic owing to idealized testing conditions, and it serves to stimulate synergies arising from transfer of methods and leads to a holistic audio analysis.

The Dynamical Ionosphere: A Systems Approach to Ionospheric Irregularity examines the Earth's ionosphere as a dynamical system with signatures of complexity. The system is robust in its overall configuration, with smooth space-time patterns of daily, seasonal and Solar Cycle variability, but shows a hierarchy of interactions among its sub-systems, yielding apparent unpredictability, space-time irregularity, and turbulence. This interplay leads to the need for constructing realistic models of the average ionosphere, incorporating the increasing knowledge and predictability of high variability components, and for addressing the difficulty of dealing with the worst cases of ionospheric disturbances, all of which are addressed in this interdisciplinary book. Borrowing tools and techniques from classical and stochastic dynamics, information theory, signal processing, fluid dynamics and turbulence science, The Dynamical Ionosphere presents the state-of-the-art in dealing with irregularity, forecasting ionospheric threats, and theoretical interpretation of various ionospheric configurations.

Advanced Remote Sensing: Terrestrial Information Extraction and Applications, Second Edition, is a thoroughly updated application-based reference that provides a single source on the mathematical concepts necessary for remote sensing data gathering and assimilation. It presents state-of-the-art techniques for estimating land surface variables from a variety of data types, including optical sensors like RADAR and LIDAR. The book provides scientists in a number of different fields, including geography, geophysics, geology, atmospheric science, environmental science, planetary science and ecology with access to critically-important data extraction techniques and their virtually unlimited applications. While rigorous enough for the most experienced of scientists, the techniques presented are well designed and integrated, making the book's content intuitive and practical in its implementation.

The Trans-Neptunian Solar System is a timely reference highlighting the state-of-the-art in current knowledge on the outer solar system. It not only explores the individual objects being discovered there, but also their relationships with other Solar System objects and their roles in the formation and evolution of the Solar System and other planets. Integrating important findings from recent missions, such as New Horizons and Rosetta, the book covers the physical properties of the bodies in the Trans-Neptunian Region, including Pluto and other large members of the Kuiper Belt, as well as dynamical indicators for Planet 9 and related objects and future prospects. Offering a complete look at exploration and findings in the Kuiper Belt and the rest of the outer solar system beyond Neptune, this book is an important resource to bring planetary scientists, space scientists and astrophysicists up-to-date on the latest research and current understandings.

This book provides a basic introduction to the application of conductive polymers in corrosion protection, especially for marine environment corrosion protection research. Conventional anticorrosive coatings, which are based on heavy metals such as chromium, zinc, and copper, are toxic to the environment. There has been a need to find suitable replacement coatings that are environmentally friendly as well as effective in inhibiting the corrosion of steel. Conductive polymers have garnered much attention in recent years due to their environmentally benign nature and high effectiveness in protecting against corrosion. This book introduces the history of these conductive polymers. The applications of conducting polymers, polymer composites, and nanocomposites for corrosion protection of different industrial metal substrates are explored based on reported experimental data, and their mechanism of inhibition is explained. This book also includes overviews of some recent works on marine antifouling, marine heavy-protective coatings, and waterborne paints by conducting polymer and inorganic composites. Conducting polymers and their family of stimuli-actuated polymers exhibit excellent application prospects in the fields of anticorrosion, antibacterial, antibiofouling, and waterborne-based coatings. This book will be of great interest to students, scholars, and professionals alike in the field of corrosion engineering and material science.

Features Introduces the physics of accelerators, lasers, and plasma in tandem with the industrial methodology of inventiveness. Outlines a path from idea to practical implementation of scientific and technological innovation. Contains more than 380 illustrations and numerous end-of-chapter exercises.

Spatial Cognitive Engine Technology discusses the increase in user demand for satellite wireless communication services that has led to the increasing development of spectrum resources and the fixed spectrum allocation mode which makes the utilization rate of spectrum resources lower. As an intelligent spectrum sharing technology, cognitive radio has innovated the traditional spectrum management system and is one of the effective ways to solve the above-mentioned problems. As the core of satellite cognitive radio, the spatial cognitive engine can use artificial intelligence to dynamically configure working parameters according to changes in the communication environment and user needs.

This book is the first of its kind to investigate the ongoing significance of industrial craft in deindustrialising places such as Australia. Providing an alternative to the nostalgic trope of the redundant factory 'craftsman', this book introduces the intriguing and little-known trade of engineering patternmaking, where objects are brought to life through the handmade 'originals' required for mass production. Drawing on oral histories collected by the author, this book highlights the experiences of industrial craftspeople in Australian manufacturing, as they navigate precarious employment, retraining, gendered career pathways, creative expression and technological change. The book argues that digital fabrication technologies may modify or transform industrial craft, but should not obliterate it. Industrial craft is about more than the rudimentary production of everyday objects: it is about human creativity, material knowledge and meaningful work, and it will be key to human survival in the troubled times ahead.

The Dynamic Loss of Earth's Radiation Belts: From Loss in the Magnetosphere to Particle Precipitation in the Atmosphere presents a timely review of data from various explorative missions, including the Van Allen Probes, the Magnetospheric Multiscale Mission (which aims to determine magnetopause losses), the completion of four BARREL balloon campaigns, and several CubeSat missions focusing on precipitation losses. This is the first book in the area to include a focus on loss, and not just acceleration and radial transport. Bringing together two communities, the book includes contributions from experts with knowledge in both precipitation mechanisms and the effects on the atmosphere. There is a direct link between what gets lost in the magnetospheric radiation environment and the energy deposited in the layers of our atmosphere. Very recently, NASA's Living With a Star program identified a new, targeted research topic that addresses this question, highlighting the timeliness of this precise science. The Dynamic Loss of Earth's Radiation Belts brings together scientists from the space and atmospheric science communities to examine both the causes and effects of particle loss in the magnetosphere.

Cluster was one of the two missions - the other being the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) - constituting the Solar Terrestrial Science Programme (STSP), the first `cornerstone' of ESA's Horizon 2000 Programme. After the catastrophic Ariane-5 accident on 4 June 1996 which destroyed the four Cluster spacecraft, the European Space Agency Science Programme Committee gave approval to refurbish the spare Cluster spacecraft and make it ready for flight. This new spacecraft, considered to be the first of a new fleet, is called Phoenix. In the meantime various options to repeat the Cluster four-point measurements are being studied. Since Phoenix, as the fifth Cluster spacecraft, will be equipped with the spare Cluster experiments, the instrumentation articles in this book are still appropriate to the new mission. Furthermore, the objectives of the recovery mission, the ground systems, the ground observation program and the theory and modelling efforts all remain unchanged. Thus this series of articles will continue to be essential to the Cluster community and to the general scientific community as the recovery mission is implemented.

The iconic, must-have guide for modern handcraft artisans, Blacksmith's Craft has been teaching the fundamentals of blacksmithing since 1952 for good reason. Traditional tools and techniques of the craft will never change and learning the classic cornerstones of the trade is crucial to fully understanding the behavior of iron and steel. The first in its series, this facsimile volume of the seminal British textbook includes 37 lessons, crisp photography, descriptive captions, and all the timelessly essential knowledge a beginner needs to practice and become a skilled blacksmith, from understanding the parts of the hearth, blast, and anvil to creating T-shaped pocket welds. With the modern resurgence in interest, Blacksmith's Craft is the primary, go-to source to learn the skills, tools, methods, and techniques from inside a blacksmith forge.

In this book the background and context of Africa's political and socio-economic landscape is presented and unpacked through a primary needs approach which focuses on climate, biodiversity, health, water, education, and space-related capacity building. African theoretical contributions from the International Relations field are discussed, and Africa's new Space Policy and Strategy, along with debates around the establishment of an African Space Agency, are explored. The African International Space Ecosystem is then analyzed, including its dimensions of intra-African space relations and initiatives, African participation in COPUOS, and international space activities, agreements, and initiatives in Africa. The final part is dedicated to the national space infrastructure and activities of African states.

Discusses recent advances and new problems in the exploration of the Sun's interior structure, solar dynamics and dynamo, mechanisms of sunspot and active regions formation, sources of solar irradiance variations and links between the subsurface dynamics, flaring and CME activity.

NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) mission has provided a large amount of new data on solar dynamics and magnetic activities during the rising phase of the current and highly unusual solar cycle. These data are complemented by the continuing SOHO mission and by ground-based observatories that include the GONG helioseismology network and the New Solar Telescope. Also, the observations are supported by realistic numerical simulations on supercomputers. This unprecedented amount of data provides a unique opportunity for multi-instrument investigations that address fundamental problems of the origin of solar magnetic activity at various spatial and temporal scales. This book demonstrates that the synergy of high-resolution multi-wavelength observations and simulations is a key to uncovering the long-standing puzzles of solar magnetism and dynamics.

This volume is aimed at researchers and graduate students active in solar physics and space science.

Originally published in Solar Physics journal, Vol. 287/1-2, 2013.

Key features: Complete introductory overview of cosmic ray physics Covers the origins, acceleration, transport mechanisms and detection of these particles Mathematical and technical detail is kept separate from the main text

Ship and Mobile Offshore Unit Automation: A Practical Guide: A Practical Guide gives engineers a much-needed reference on relevant standards and codes, along with practical case studies on how to use these standards on actual projects and plans. Packed with the critical procedures necessary for each phase of the project, the book also gives an outlook on trends of development for control and monitoring systems, including usage of artificial intelligence in software development and prospects for the use of autonomous vessels. Rounding out with a glossary and introductory chapter specific to the new marine engineer just starting, this book delivers a source of valuable information to help offshore engineers be better prepared to safely and efficiently design today's offshore unit control systems.

Probability and Mechanics of Ship Collision and Grounding provides simplified analytical procedures for ship collision and grounding assessments, including probabilistic methods, an estimation of the energy released during collisions, and a prediction of the extent of damage on involved structures. An additional chapter is dedicated to current finite element analysis techniques that are used for estimating structural damage during ship collisions. The book encapsulates reliable and fast analysis methods for collision and grounding assessment, presenting tactics that have been extensively validated with experimental and numerical results. In addition, all described analysis methods include realistic calculation examples to provide confidence in their use.

The various processes that connect the physics of the Sun with that of the Earths environment has become known as "Space Weather" during recent years, a slogan that has emerged in connection with many other expressions adapted from meteorology, such as solar wind, magnetic clouds or polar rain. This volume is intended as a first graduate-level textbook-style account on the physics of these solar-terrestrial relations and their impact on our natural and technological environment.

Merchant Ship Types provides a broad and detailed introduction to the classifications and main categories of merchant vessels for students and cadets. It introduces the concept of ship classification by usage, cargo type, and size, and shows how the various size categories affect which ports and channels the types of vessels are permitted to enter. Detailed outlines of each major vessel category are provided, including: Feeder ship General cargo vessels Container ships Tankers Dry bulk carriers Multi-purpose vessels Reefer ships Roll-on/roll-off vessels The book also explains where these are permitted to operate, the type of cargoes carried, and specific safety or risk factors associated with the vessel class, as well as their main characteristics. Relevant case studies are presented. The textbook is ideal for merchant navy cadets at HNC, HND, and foundation degree level in both the deck and engineering branches, and serves as a general reference for insurance, law, logistics, offshore and fisheries.