Avalanche Dynamics : Dynamics of Rapid Flows of Dense Granular Avalanches
Avalanches, debris, mudflows and landslides are common and natural phenomena that occur worldwide, predominantly in mountainous regions. With an emphasis on snow avalanches, this book sets out to provide a survey and discussion about the motion of avalanche-like flows from initiation to run out. An important aspect of this book is the formulation and investigation of a simple but appropriate continuum mechanical model for the realistic prediction of geophysical flows of granular material. This will help the practitioners in the field to better understand the physical input and provide them with a tool for their work. Originating from many lectures the authors have given over the years, this instructive volume brings the reader to the forefront of research - an aim also supported by an extensive bibliogrpahy of almost 500 entries.
Autonomous Navigation in Dynamic Environments
The purpose of this book is to address the challenging problem of Autonomous Navigation in Dynamic Environments, and to present new ideas and approaches in this newly emerging technical domain. The book surveys the state-of-the-art, discusses in detail various related challenging technical aspects, and addresses upcoming technologies in this field. The aim of the book is to establish a foundation for a broad class of mobile robot mapping and navigation methodologies for indoor, outdoor, and exploratory missions.Three main topics located on the cutting edge of the state of the art are addressed, from both the theoretical and technological point of views: Dynamic world understanding and modelling for safe navigation, Obstacle avoidance and motion planning in dynamic environments, and Human-robot physical interactions. Several models and approaches are proposed for solving problems such as Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) in dynamic environments, Mobile obstacle detection and tracking, World state estimation and motion prediction, Safe navigation in dynamic environments, Motion planning in dynamic environments, Robust decision making under uncertainty, and Human-Robot physical interactions.
Augmented Humanity : Being and Remaining Agentic in a Digitalized World
This book will examine the implications of digitalization for the understanding of humanity, conceived as a community of intelligent agency. It addresses important topics across a range of social and behavioral theories and identifies a range of novel mechanisms and their social behavioral effects. Across the book, the author highlights the expansion of intelligent processing capability brought about by digitalization and the challenges this exposes for integrating artificial and human capabilities
Assessing Quality in European Higher Education Institutions : Dissemination, Methods and Procedures
This book collects the evaluation and accreditation experiences gathered by higher education institutions in Finland, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, the United Kingdom and Sweden.
Approaches to Metaphysics
Today, when systematic philosophy - and reason itself - are challenged both outside of and within philosophy, is it still possible to do metaphysics? This volume provides a broad perspective on contemporary approaches to the nature and the fundamental questions of metaphysics. Drawing on scholars from continental Europe, Asia, Canada, the United States, and Great Britain, and representing a variety of philosophical cultures and traditions, this volume surveys and extends work in metaphysics and its implications for broader philosophical concerns (e.g., in ethics and social philosophy, in mathematics and logic, and in epistemology). It also addresses such questions as the role of history and historicity in undertaking metaphysics, the nature of metaphysics, the priority of metaphysics over epistemology, and the challenges of empiricism and postmodernism.
Applied Semi-Markov Processes
The book presents homogeneous and non-homogeneous semi-Markov processes, as well as Markov and semi-Markov rewards processes. These concepts are fundamental for many applications, but they are not as thoroughly presented in other books on the subject as they are here.This book is intended for graduate students and researchers in mathematics, operations research and engineering; it might also appeal to actuaries and financial managers, and anyone interested in its applications for banks, mechanical industries for reliability aspects, and insurance companies.
Applied Probability and Statistics
This text is designed for a one-semester course on Probability and Statistics. The exposition unfolds systematically from an introductory chapter to such topics as random variables and vectors, stochastic processes, estimation, testing and regression. The topics are well chosen and the presentation is enriched by many examples from real life. Following every chapter, the reader will find many original, solved and unsolved problems and hundreds of multiple choice questions, enabling those unfamiliar with the topics to master them. Additionally appealing are the interesting historical notes on the mathematicians mentioned throughout and a useful bibliography. A distinguishing character of the book is the thorough and succinct handling of the various topics.
Applied Pattern Recognition
The main goal of this book is to cover some of the latest application domains of pattern recognition while presenting novel techniques that have been developed or customized in those domains.
Applied Multivariate Statistical Analysis
This book presents the tools and concepts of multivariate data analysis in a way that is understandable for non-mathematicians and practitioners who face statistical data analysis.
Applications of random matrices in physics
Random matrices are widely and successfully used in physics for almost 60-70 years, beginning with the works of Dyson and Wigner. Although it is an old subject, it is constantly developing into new areas of physics and mathematics. It constitutes now a part of the general culture of a theoretical physicist. Mathematical methods inspired by random matrix theory become more powerful, sophisticated and enjoy rapidly growing applications in physics. Recent examples include the calculation of universal correlations in the mesoscopic system, new applications in disordered and quantum chaotic systems, in combinatorial and growth models, as well as the recent breakthrough, due to the matrix models, in two dimensional gravity and string theory and the non-abelian gauge theories. The book consists of the lectures of the leading specialists and covers rather systematically many of these topics.
Analytical and Numerical Approaches to Mathematical Relativity
This book contains a representative collection of surveys by experts in mathematical relativity writing about the current status of, and problems in, their fields. There are four contributions for each of the following mathematical areas: differential geometry and differential topology, analytical methods and differential equations, and numerical methods. This book addresses graduate students and specialist researchers alike.
Analysis of variance for random models, Vol. 2 : Unbalanced data : Theory, methods, applications, and data analysis
Analysis of variance (ANOVA) models have become widely used tools and play a fundamental role in much of the application of statistics today. In particular, ANOVA models involving random effects have found widespread application to experimental design in a variety of fields requiring measurements of variance, including agriculture, biology, animal breeding, applied genetics, econometrics, quality control, medicine, engineering, and social sciences. This two-volume work is a comprehensive presentation of different methods and techniques for point estimation, interval estimation, and tests of hypotheses for linear models involving random effects. Both Bayesian and repeated sampling procedures are considered. Volume I examines models with balanced data (orthogonal models); Volume II studies models with unbalanced data (nonorthogonal models).
An Introduction to the Theory of Point Processes ; Vol. II : General Theory and Structure
Point processes and random measures find wide applicability in telecommunications, earthquakes, image analysis, spatial point patterns and stereology, to name but a few areas. The authors have made a major reshaping of their work in their first edition of 1988 and now present An Introduction to the Theory of Point Processes in two volumes with subtitles Volume I: Elementary Theory and Methods and Volume II: General Theory and Structure.
An Introduction to Programming and Numerical Methods in MATLAB
The book covers numerical methods for solving a wide range of problems, from integration to the numerical solution of differential equations or the stimulation of random processes. Examples of programmes that solve problems directly, as well as those that use MATLAB’s high-level commands are given. Each chapter includes extensive examples and tasks, at varying levels of complexity. For practice, the early chapters include programmes that require debugging by the reader, while full solutions are given for all the tasks. The book also includes: A glossary of MATLAB commands / Aappendices of mathematical techniques used in numerical methods / Designed as a text for a first course in programming and algorithm design, as well as in numerical methods courses, the book will be of benefit to a wide range of students from mathematics and engineering, to commerce."
An Introduction to Markov Processes
Provides a more accessible introduction than other books on Markov processes by emphasizing the structure of the subject and avoiding sophisticated measure theoryLeads the reader to a rigorous understanding of basic theory
An Interactive Multimedia Introduction to Signal Processing
A didactic concept is undertaken for microelectronics, computer technology and communication engineering, which deals with the visualization of signals and processes in addition to graphical programming of signal processing systems. Through the utilization of a professional and globally supported software for metrology and control engineering, DasyLab, useful applications can be developed, modified and optimized. Computer supported processing of real signals is made possible over the sound card and the parallel port. Over two hundred pre-programmed signal engineering systems and design transparencies are provided. Pictures also play a dominant rule in this book: there are numerous introduction-videos, one for every chapter, more than 250 high-quality pictures and - most important – all the "living" experiments and their results are visualized. With this learning system, readers can now make use of "equipment" and software, which was practically unaffordable for individuals in the past. What's more, here is a very new concept for learning Signal Processing, not only from the physically-based scientific fundamentals, but also from the didactic perspective, based on modern results of brain research.
Alla ricerca della via più breve : Un'avventura matematica = Finding the shortest way : A mathematical adventure
Il libro narra la vicenda di Rut, quindicenne, trasferitasi da poco in Germania con la famiglia, al seguito del padre che lavora per un’azienda internazionale produttrice di Software. Sarà proprio il padre a regalare a Rut un computer nuovo, mentre a scuola attraversa un periodo di crisi.E’ l’inizio di un’avventura. Nel computer è installato Vim: un programma che ascolta, capisce e risponde alle domande che la ragazza, inizialmente incredula, fa. Raccontata da Vim, la matematica prende una forma completamente nuova, sorprendente e affascinante.
Alcohol problems in adolescents and young adults : Epidemiology. neurobiology. prevention. and treatment
Alcohol continues to be the substance of choice for today’s youth, leading to serious physical, psychological, and social consequences. Alcohol Problems in Adolescents and Young Adults ably addresses this growing trend. The latest entry in the Recent Developments in Alcoholism series, it comprehensively presents a wide-ranging clinical picture of teen drinking - epidemiology, neurobiology, behavioral phenomena, diagnostic and assessment issues, prevention and treatment data - in a developmental context. Fifty expert contributors display the scientific rigor, practical wisdom, and nuanced analysis that readers have come to expect from previous volumes.
Agroecology now! : Transformations towards more just and sustainable food systems
Develops a framework for advancing agroecology transformations focusing on power, politics and governance. It explores the potential of agroecology as a sustainable and socially just alternative to today’s dominant food regime. Agroecology is an ecological approach to farming that addresses climate change and biodiversity loss while contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals
After Bourdieu : Influence, Critique, Elaboration
Intellectual origins & orientations We begin by providing an overview of Bourdieu’s life as a scholar and a public intellectual. The numerous obituaries and memorial tributes that have appeared following Bourdieu’s untimely death have revealed something of his life and career, but few have stressed the intersection of his social origins, career trajectory, and public intellectual life with the changing political and social context of France. This is precisely what David Swartz’s “In memoriam” attempts to accomplish. In it he emphasizes the coincidence of Bourdieu’s young and later adulthood with the period of decolonization, the May 1968 French university crisis, the opening up of France to privatization of many domains previously entrusted to the state (l’état providence), and, most threatening to post-World War II reforms, the emergence of globalization as the hegemonic structure of the 21st century.



















