This book reports on an outstanding thesis that has significantly advanced the state-of-the-art in the automated analysis and classification of speech and music. It defines several standard acoustic parameter sets and describes their implementation in a novel, open-source, audio analysis framework called openSMILE, which has been accepted and intensively used worldwide. The book offers extensive descriptions of key methods for the automatic classification of speech and music signals in real-life conditions and reports on the evaluation of the framework developed and the acoustic parameter sets that were selected. It is not only intended as a manual for openSMILE users, but also and primarily as a guide and source of inspiration for students and scientists involved in the design of speech and music analysis methods that can robustly handle real-life conditions.

This newly-revised edition is written for professionals who need to gain an understanding of how weapon systems work and how these weapons can be intercepted and electronically jammed. It offers a thorough, up-to-date survey of sophisticated weapon and electronic warfare (EW) systems, and covers all the latest technological advances in this rapidly-changing area. Brand new material includes deep explanations of cutting-edge techniques, as well as an introduction to information operations and information warfare. The book explores a broad spectrum of defence equipment. It explains how these systems operate, the advantages and drawbacks of each system, and the theories on which these systems are based.

This book offers an essential introduction to the notions of sound wave topology, duality, coherence and wave-mixing, which constitute the emerging new science of sound. It includes general principles and specific examples that illuminate new non-conventional forms of sound (sound topology), unconventional quantum-like behavior of phonons (duality), radical linear and nonlinear phenomena associated with loss and its control (coherence), and exquisite effects that emerge from the interaction of sound with other physical and biological waves (wave mixing). The book provides the reader with the foundations needed to master these complex notions through simple yet meaningful examples. General principles for unraveling and describing the topology of acoustic wave functions in the space of their Eigen values are presented. These principles are then applied to uncover intrinsic and extrinsic approaches to achieving non-conventional topologies by breaking the time reversal symmetry of acoustic waves. Symmetry breaking can impart topological immunity to wave degradation from imperfection scattering and catalyze controlled coherence. In the intrinsic case and the phonon representation of acoustic waves, the self-interaction/interference of a wave through its supporting medium exposes the notion of duality in the quantum statistics (i.e. boson vs. fermion characterized by the symmetry of multiple particle states) and how the quantum analogue behaviors of sound can be exploited in the form of novel sound-based information transfer and processing devices. By considering media that mix different types of waves, the book addresses the interaction of sound with other physical and biological waves but also brings to light examples of extrinsic processes that can lead to symmetry breaking. The coherent conversion of sound into other types of waves as well as the sound-induced non-conventional topology of elastic, electronic, spin and biological waves are presented in the case of media exhibiting elasto-electronic, photo-elastic, magneto-elastic effects and biological mechano-transduction.

The mining sector is of major importance to the economy of Chile. Although dominated by copper - Chile is the world's leading producer - its production of potassium and sodium nitrate, gold, silver, rhenium, lithium iodine, molybdenum, boron and selenium, for example, is significant. Prominent representatives of the international minerals industry have contributed the papers that appear in Mining Latin America/Mineria Latinoamericana, the volume that lends its name to the conference organized by the Institution of Mining and Metallurgy, in association with the Instituto de Ingenieros de Minas de Chile, the Sociedad Nacional de Mineria Chilena and Latinomineria being held in Santiago de Chile in May, 1994. This book should be of interest to mining engineers, geotechnical engineers, geologists, and mineralogists.

There's no better guide through mind-expanding questions such as what the nature of space and time is, how we fit within the universe, and how the universe fits within us than Neil deGrasse Tyson. But today, few of us have time to contemplate the cosmos. So Tyson brings the universe down to Earth succinctly and clearly, with sparkling wit, in digestible chapters consumable any time and anywhere in the busy day. Astrophysics for People in a Hurry reveals just what you need to be fluent and ready for the next cosmic headlines: from the Big Bang to black holes, from quarks to quantum mechanics and from the search for planets to the search for life in the universe.

The thesis presents a tool to create rubble pile asteroid simulants for use in numerical impact experiments, and provides evidence that the asteroid disruption threshold and the resultant fragment size distribution are sensitive to the distribution of internal voids. This thesis represents an important step towards a deeper understanding of fragmentation processes in the asteroid belt, and provides a tool to infer the interior structure of rubble pile asteroids. Most small asteroids are 'rubble piles' - re-accumulated fragments of debris from earlier disruptive collisions. The study of fragmentation processes for rubble pile asteroids plays an essential part in understanding their collisional evolution. An important unanswered question is "what is the distribution of void space inside rubble pile asteroids?" As a result from this thesis, numerical impact experiments can now be used to link surface features to the internal structure and therefore help to answer this question. Applying this model to asteroid Steins, which was imaged from close range by the Rosetta spacecraft, a large hill-like structure is shown to be most likely primordial, while a catena of pits can be interpreted as evidence for the existence of fracturing of pre-existing internal voids.

This book highlights the acoustical metamaterials' capability to manipulate the direction of sound propagation in solids which in turn control the scattering, diffraction and refraction, the three basic mechanisms of sound propagation in solids. This gives rise to several novel theories and applications and hence the name new acoustics. As an introduction, the book mentions that symmetry of acoustic fields is the theoretical framework of acoustical metamaterials. This is then followed by describing that acoustical metamaterials began with locally resonant sonic materials which ushered in the concept of negative acoustic parameters such as mass density and bulk modulus. This complies with form invariance of the acoustic equation of motion which again exemplifies the symmetry property of acoustic fields.

The Command Companion of Seamanship Techniques is the latest work from the well-respected marine author, D J House. It contains all the information needed for command posts at sea. * All aspects of shipboard management are discussed, with special emphasis placed on health and safety. * Guidelines on how to respond to accidents and emergencies at sea * Contains the most recent SOLAS revisions and a discussion of marine law to keep you up to date with the latest rules and regulations. In order to aid learning, the book includes a number of worked examples in the text along with questions and answers at the end of chapters. The author tells you how to respond to accidents and emergencies at sea, in the event, for example of cargo contamination, collision, loss of stability due to cargo shift and damage due to flooding, fire plus loss of life/crew. In addition, the SOLAS revisions and a discussion of marine law is included to keep you up to date with all the latest rules and regulations. In order to aid learning, this book will include a number of worked examples in the text along with questions and answers at the end of chapters. D J House is senior lecturer in Nautical studies at the Nautical college, Fleetwood. His sea-going experience includes general cargo, reefer, bulk cargo, passenger and liner trades, underwater operations, and roll-on/roll-off ferries. He is a well-known marine author and has written Seamanship Techniques Volumes 1 and 2 (combined) and he has revised Cargo Work in the Kemp & Young series.

Where does a wannabe miner or established individual operator get the information to create a small yet highly profitable mining company? When author A R C Matuska searched for simple, practical mining books and information about the industry, he found high-powered studies, academic theses and computer modeling. In short, nothing of use to the small, practical mine operator. The best information he found was in booklets aimed at ex-servicemen after World War II, encouraging them to take up mining in the British colonies in Africa. Since then, there has not been much written in such a useful and practical manner. To answer this need, a veritable goldmine of information is included in the book Practical Mining and Gold Processing for the Small Scale Operator. Where does a newcomer to the industry find out how to sample and calculate a potential resource and plan his mining business? Where does he get the information to run a small ball mill or stamp mill? How does he set up and dress a simple amalgam plate, retort some amalgam or make up a retort, and calculate the percentage of gold in bullion? Where does a small operator find out how to set up a low-cost cyanide plant and its running procedures? And how does he improve mining and blasting efficiencies? This book provides practical applications and solutions to get you started in one of the most diverse, profitable and interesting industries. It is indexed in detail so information can be easily found without sifting through realms of data. A R C Matuska is a career miner. He owns and consults for several mining properties in East and Central Africa. Publisher's website: http: //sbpra.com/ARCMatuska

This book provides an overview of paste tailings disposal at mine sites. It deals comprehensively with the characterization of sulphide-rich tailings, geotechnical and microstructural behaviour, surface tailings disposal applications, underground paste backfilling, and case studies. The authors place emphasis on the characterization, monitoring, disposal and treatment, as well as environmental considerations of problematic sulphidic tailings. The framework is supported by worldwide case studies.

This thesis describes the studies on the solar interior where turbulent thermal convection plays an important role. The author solved, for the first time, one of the long-standing issues in solar physics, i.e., the maintenance mechanism of the solar differential rotation in the near-surface shear layer. The author attacked this problem with a newly developed approach, the reduced speed of sound technique, which enabled him to investigate the surface and deep solar layers in a self-consistent manner. This technique also made it possible to achieve an unprecedented performance in the solar convection simulations for the usage of the massively parallel supercomputers such as the RIKEN K system. It was found that the turbulence and the mean flows such as the differential rotation and the meridional circulation mutually interact with each other to maintain the flow structures in the Sun. Recent observations by helioseismology support the author's proposed theoretical mechanism. The book also addresses the generation of the magnetic field in such turbulent convective motions, which is an important step forward for solar cyclic dynamo research.

These are the proceedings of the "AstroNet-II International Final Conference". This conference was one of the last milestones of the Marie-Curie Research Training Network on Astrodynamics "AstroNet-II", that has been funded by the European Commission under the Seventh Framework Programme. The aim of the conference, and thus this book, is to communicate work on astrodynamics problems to an international and specialised audience. The results are presented by both members of the network and invited specialists. The topics include: trajectory design and control, attitude control, structural flexibility of spacecraft and formation flying. The book addresses a readership across the traditional boundaries between mathematics, engineering and industry by offering an interdisciplinary and multisectorial overview of the field.

This book explores creative solutions to the unique challenges inherent in crafting livable spaces in extra-terrestrial environments. The goal is to foster a constructive dialogue between the researchers and planners of future (space) habitats. The authors explore the diverse concepts of the term Habitability from the perspectives of the inhabitants as well as the planners and social sciences. The book provides an overview of the evolution and advancements of designed living spaces for manned space craft, as well as analogue research and simulation facilities in extreme environments on Earth. It highlights how various current and future concepts of Habitability have been translated into design and which ones are still missing. The main emphasis of this book is to identify the important factors that will provide for well-being in our future space environments and promote creative solutions to achieving living spaces where humans can thrive. Selected aspects are discussed from a socio-spatial professional background and possible applications are illustrated. Human factors and habitability design are important topics for all working and living spaces. For space exploration, they are vital. While human factors and certain habitability issues have been integrated into the design process of manned spacecraft, there is a crucial need to move from mere survivability to factors that support thriving. As of today, the risk of an incompatible vehicle or habitat design has already been identified by NASA as recognized key risk to human health and performance in space. Habitability and human factors will become even more important determinants for the design of future long-term and commercial space facilities as larger and more diverse groups occupy off-earth habitats. The book will not only benefit individuals and organizations responsible for manned space missions and mission simulators, but also provides relevant information to designers of terrestrial austere environments (e.g., remote operational and research facilities, hospitals, prisons, manufacturing). In addition it presents general insights on the socio-spatial relationship which is of interest to researchers of social sciences, engineers and architects.