Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Accent variation and attitude on the Merseyside/Lancashire border : a sociophonetic study of Southport and Ormskirk

Recent sociolinguistic studies have argued that speaker identity is accentuated in border regions due to speakers’ desire to project a strong sense of identity (Llamas 2007; 2010; Beal 2010, Britain 2010). The AISEB (Accent and Identity on the Scottish/English Border) project shows the effect of national political affiliation on linguistic output, observing that linguistic diversity along the Scottish/English border appears to be increasing in some areas in a way that coincides with heightened speaker attitudes in relation to the nearby boundary. In the light of these findings, increased attention has been paid to urban zones which are geographically either next to perceptual and/or physical boundaries or within areas which have undergone a political boundary change. Following the provisions of the Local Government Act 1972, the creation of the administrative county of Merseyside provides us with fertile ground for the study of the relationship between language variation and regional identity. Although Liverpool sits at the heart of the administrative county and the wider region, Merseyside and its immediate environs are a diverse mix of the urban, suburban and rural with quite different social, industrial and economic histories. In particular, the town of Southport, situated seventeen miles north of Liverpool, are often positioned by both residents of Liverpool and the towns themselves as quite distinct entities from the urban centre of the administrative county, despite both having been included within the borders of Merseyside from its inception (West 2013). These locations, peripheral to the urban core of the region, provide us with the opportunity to examine the interplay of language variation, speaker identity and the subsequent direction of linguistic change. This thesis investigates the diffusion of local Liverpool features – the lenition of intervocalic and word-final /t/ and /k/ and the fronted merger of NURSE and SQUARE (Knowles 1973) – in speech from a corpus of 63 speakers stratified by age, socioeconomic status and gender. I show that despite the links with Liverpool, the features of the Liverpool accent are not diffusing as rapidly as originally hypothesised. To investigate possible reasons for this, the thesis examines whether there is a correlation between speakers’ language use and their spatial mobility patterns by mapping their contact and attitudinal behaviour onto their linguistic production. I suggest that Liverpool’s negative stereotype (Montgomery 2007) may be acting as a barrier to the diffusion of Liverpool features: a negativity that could potentially be heightened in Southport due to the movement of the political border.
Arctic Oscillation signals in the East Asian summer monsoon

[1] The present study examines the relationship between the Arctic Oscillation (AO) and the East Asian summer monsoon. Two rainfall data sets are used. One is obtained from 10 stations along the Yangtze River to the southern Japan and the other from gridded global land rainfall data for the period 1900–1998. All data are high-pass filtered before analyzing to highlight the interannual variability. Results show that the AO significantly influences on year-to-year variations in the East Asian summer monsoon rainfall. When AO leads by one month, the correlation between May–July AO and summer total rainfall is −0.44. When AO leads by two months, correlation becomes −0.32. Of all monthly, May AO shows the strongest connection to the summer monsoon rainfall. Correlation coefficient between them is −0.45. The large-scale atmospheric circulation patterns in East Asia in association with the AO are also evident. A positive phase of the AO in late spring is found to lead to a northward shift in the summertime upper tropospheric jet stream over East Asia. This northward shift of the jet stream is closely related to anomalous sinking motion in 20°–40°N and rising motion in surrounding regions. These changes give rise to a drier condition over the region extending from the Yangtze River valley to the southern Japan and a wetter condition in the southern China. Possible mechanisms connecting the late spring AO and summer monsoon rainfall are suggested.
Variabilité interannuelle et intra-annuelle des transports solides de l’Oued Bouhamdane, à l’amont du barrage Hammam Debagh (Algérie orientale)

Résumé Dans la région du Maghreb au climat semi-aride méditerranéen, l’agressivité des pluies et leur forte variabilité contribuent à l’érosion des sols qui alimente la charge solide des oueds, facteur d’envasement rapide des barrages hydrauliques. Aspect important caractérisant les écoulements liquides et solides dans le contexte méditerranéen, le thème de la variabilité temporelle est privilégié dans ce travail, focalisé sur le bassin de l’Oued Bouhamdane (Algérie orientale). Depuis décembre 1987, les débits de l’oued, contrôlés depuis septembre 1969 par une station hydrométrique (1105 km2), sont régularisés par le barrage Hammam Debagh, situé à l’amont immédiat de la section de jaugeage (1070 km2). L’étude a nécessité le traitement d’une longue chronique de mesures directes de la concentration en matières en suspension (MES) et des écoulements liquides, complétée par les données d’apport journalier disponibles au barrage. A l’aide d’une fonction de type puissance liant les débits solides instantanés et les débits liquides instantanés, deux séries—1969–1987 et 1995–2010—de débits solides journaliers ont été générées, respectivement au droit de la station hydrométrique et au site du barrage. L’apport solide spécifique, modéré en valeur moyenne (257 t km−2 an−1), est marqué par une très forte variabilité interannuelle (0,5 et 1396 t km−2 an−1 respectivement en 1996/97 et 2004/05), qui augmente sensiblement pendant la saison des hautes eaux. La charge solide apportée par le cours d’eau pendant les évènements de crue contribue de façon considérable aux totaux annuels et mensuels de la dégradation spécifique calculée à l’échelle du bassin. L’approche comparative montre que le flux sédimentaire estimé par la méthode des mesures des concentrations de l’oued à la station hydrométrique (0,22–0,29 hm3 an−1) ne rend pas compte de la totalité du volume d’envasement du barrage (0,98 hm3 an−1 en moyenne), mise en évidence à l’aide de levés bathymétriques et incluant les transports de fond et d’autres apports de sédiments, très difficiles à mesurer. Editeur Z.W. Kundzewicz; Editeur associé G. Mahé Citation Louamri, A. , Mebarki, A. , et Laignel, B. , 2013. Variabilité interannuelle et intra-annuelle des transports solides de l’Oued Bouhamdane, à l’amont du barrage Hammam Debagh (Algérie orientale). Hydrological Sciences Journal, 58 (7), 1559–1572.
Comparing X‐ray densitometry and BSE‐image analysis of thin section in varved sediments

A 10‐cm long section from varved sequence of Lake Nautajärvi, Finland, has been analysed using both X‐ray densitometry and image analysis of Backscattered Scanning Electron microscope Images (BSEI) of thin sections. Lake Nautajärvi's clastic‐organi c varves appear in X‐ray images as a succession of dark and pale stripes, pale ones being the spring detrital minerogenic layers and dark ones organic matter laid down during the time of summer, autumn and winter ice cover. Owing to the sharp contrast of the minerogenic spring layer, a semiautomatic tree‐ring width and density measurement DendroScan system was applied to obtain seasonal/annual data of relative X‐ray density. Mean density of BSEI was also acquired. Then BSEI were processed to produce black and white images, where white pixels represent the clay‐rich sedimentary matrix and black pixels the particles in the matrix: silt‐ or sand‐sized, terrigenous grains, authigenic particles and diatoms. Measurements of the size of the detrital particles forming the varves were obtained. For each varve, mean grey‐level values in BSEI correlated well with the mean grey‐level values of X‐ray images, but grain size obtained on BSEI did not correlate with any parameters computed from X‐ray radiography.
Possible existence of small‐scale convection under the back arc

We discuss a possible existence of small‐scale convection under the back arc, which may be a cause of recently proposed along‐arc variation of thermal structure under northeastern Japan. Based on numerical simulations, we find that, under the situation of opening of Japan Sea, a possible existence of low viscosity layer (LVL) below the back arc makes the existence of small‐scale convection be likely. A shear produced by the movement of subducting slab aligns the axes of convection roll perpendicular to the arc. To explain the observed wavelength of along‐arc variation (∼50 to 80 km), our preferred model requires a similar thickness of the LVL whose viscosity is two‐orders of magnitude less than that of surrounding. Another notable feature is the upward movement of the mantle associated with the small‐scale convection. We discuss the water released from the subducting crust as a possible origin of the LVL.
Origin and Tectonic Implications of Across‐Strike Geochemical Variations in the Eocene Absaroka Volcanic Province, United States

In order better to understand the origin and significance of across‐strike geochemical variations in the Eocene Absaroka volcanic province (AVP), this article compares compositional data for magmatic rocks from two eruptive centers that define type localities for major stratigraphic subdivisions of the Absaroka Volcanic Supergroup. Geochemical variations for evolved lavas indicate that the calc‐alkaline differentiation trend at Washburn volcano results from mixing compositionally diverse mafic and silicic magmas, whereas the shoshonitic trend at the more easternly Sunlight volcano reflects assimilation‐fractional crystallization. The mantle source for both volcanoes is, as shown by incompatible trace element contents and radiogenic isotopic ratios of mafic lavas, largely within ancient depleted lithospheric mantle later enriched by a metasomatic event characterized by low Sm/Nd and Rb/Sr ratios. The approximate timing of the enrichment event, as calculated from Nd isotopic data (2.2–2.0 Ga), is similar to estimates from other magmatic fields in the Wyoming Province. Large variations in trace element ratios of mafic lavas involving large ion lithophile elements (LILE) and light rare earth element that are not obviously reflected in isotopic ratios also indicate a recent (<100 Ma) metasomatic enrichment event. Superficially, the mantle source for Sunlight volcano appears to contain larger amounts of the young metasomatic component, as measured by high LILE/high field strength element (HFSE) ratios. Parental magmas at both volcanoes have similar HFSE contents and HFSE/heavy rare earth element ratios, however, suggesting comparable degrees of source region melting and metasomatism. Rather than variable degrees of metasomatism and partial melting, the geochemical differences between the mafic rocks are best explained by compositional heterogeneity in metasomatic fluids inherited from breakdown of different phases in hydrous peridotite. A consistent geodynamic model to account for generation of AVP magmas involves metasomatism of asthenosphere and subcontinental mantle lithosphere during shallow subduction of the Farallon plate during the Late Cretaceous through Paleocene, followed in the Eocene by foundering of the slab and primary basalt generation through major heating associated with upwelling and influx of hot asthenosphere.
Harlequin Ducks in the Canadian Maritime Provinces

Abstract Harlequin Ducks (Histrionicus histrionicus) are a relatively rare species in the Canadian Maritime Provinces. Recent confirmed breeding records are restricted to northern New Brunswick. Sightings of small numbers of birds during the molting and staging periods occur in all three provinces. It is estimated that New Brunswick supports as many as 200 wintering Harlequin Ducks, and almost 600 winter off the coast of Nova Scotia, although due to the extent of coast and occasional sightings of Harlequin Ducks from previously unknown locations, it is likely that these are minimum estimates, particularly for Nova Scotia. Few trend data are available in the Maritimes, but available information suggests an increase in the last five years. Hunting, both intentional and unintentional, still occurs; hunter education and enforcement to stop the take of this species could be worthwhile. Coastal development, including vacation home building and aquaculture sites, are occurring in places where Harlequin Ducks winter. There is a general need to monitor the impacts of these developments on local Harlequin Duck populations.
Horizontal Round Buoyant Jet in Shallow Water

A common outfall configuration in practice involves a buoyant discharge through a horizontal circular pipe into a shallow body of water. A detailed experimental study of the near‐field flow and mixing characteristics is presented. The proximity of the bed and the free surface has a significant influence on the flow pattern. Experimental results are adequately represented by length and buoyancy scales defined by source momentum and source buoyancy flux. Jet path, centerline dilution and horizontal and vertical half widths are compared with an integral model in an unconfined environment.
Biomass burning smoke aerosol properties measured during Fire Laboratory at Missoula Experiments (FLAME)

[1] During the Fire Laboratory at Missoula Experiments (FLAME), we studied the physical, chemical, and optical properties of biomass burning smoke from the laboratory combustion of various wildland fuels. A good understanding of these properties is important in determining the radiative effects of biomass burning aerosols, with impacts on both local and regional visibility and global climate. We measured aerosol size distributions with two instruments: a differential mobility particle sizer (DMPS) and an optical particle counter (OPC). Volume size distributions from different burns varied from monomodal to multimodal, with geometric mean diameters ranging from 0.20–0.57 μm and geometric standard deviations ranging from 1.68–2.97. By reconciling the differences between the two sizing instruments, we estimated aerosol effective refractive indices with values ranging from 1.41 to 1.61. We reconstructed aerosol chemical composition for each burn using data from filters collected and analyzed with the Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments (IMPROVE) samplers and protocols. Aerosols were generally comprised of carbon with organic species accounting for the largest mass fraction in most cases. We used composition data to calculate aerosol density, which ranged from 1.22–1.92 g cm−3, and real and imaginary refractive indices, which had ranges of 1.55–1.80 and 0.01–0.50 respectively. Aerosol physical, chemical, and optical characterizations were combined to calculate dry mass scattering (MSE) and absorption (MAE) efficiencies at 532 nm. These parameters had values between 1.6–5.7 m2 g−1 and 0.04–0.94 m2 g−1.
Rising trend of relative sea level along the coast of East Asia

The rise or fall trend of the sea level along the coast of East Asia is estimated with different computational methods based on sea‐level data of longer time series collected from 45 tide gauge stations there. The results show that the relative sea level, on average, has been rising along the coast of the whole of East Asia from the early 1950s to the early 1990s. The regional change of sea‐level rise or fall is greater. The sea level along the coast of China, except along the Shandong Peninsula, is rising; the sea level along the coast of the southern islands of Japan and the southern Korean peninsula, as estimated by several methods, is mostly rising, but the rate of rise is very small. The difference between the results estimated in this study and the corresponding results of Barnett along the coast of East Asia is significant. This is mainly because the number of the stations selected by Barnett is relatively small, and the selected stations are concentrated at the southern and northern ends of the re.
Evidence of Persistent and Pervasive Workplace Discrimination Against LGBT People: The Need for Federal Legislation Prohibiting Discrimination and Providing for Equal Employment Benefits

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people have experienced a long and pervasive history of employment discrimination. Today, more than eight million people in the American workforce identify as LGBT, but there still is no federal law that explicitly prohibits sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination against them.This Article begins by surveying the social science research and other evidence illustrating the nature and scope of the discrimination against LGBT workers and the harmful effects of this discrimination on both employees and employers. It then analyzes the existing legal protections against this discrimination, which include constitutional protections for public sector workers, court interpretations of Title VII’s ban on sex discrimination, state and local antidiscrimination laws, and corporate policies. This Article determines that, while these laws and policies provide important protection, the current system is incomplete, confusing, and inadequate. This Article next considers empirical research showing that employers do not offer employees with a same-sex spouse or partner the same access to family benefits that they offer to employees with a different-sex spouse, and it examines court decisions finding that a denial of equal benefits is unlawful employment discrimination.Based on this research and legal analysis, the Article concludes that a federal law like the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), a bill pending in Congress that would prohibit sexual orientation and gender identity employment discrimination, is needed. To serve its purpose consistently, however, the bill’s current exemption of employee benefits should be removed. To be sure, ending all forms of unequal treatment based on sexual orientation or gender identity is warranted and feasible, and doing so will have positive effects for both employees and employers.
Energetics of sediment‐laden streamflows

The present approach, which considers a diluted sediment suspension as a perturbation to a clear‐water flow, permits a direct comparison of the energetics of turbulent sediment‐laden and clear‐water open‐channel flows of constant slope and depth. On the basis of the Boussinesq approximation to the momentum equations for the flow with sediment in suspension and the Navier‐Stokes equations for the clear‐water flow, a depth‐averaged equation for the change in turbulence energy dissipation rate and an equation for the flow energy budget are obtained. From the analysis of these equations it becomes clear that the presence of the suspension affects the distribution of energy in the flow; also, the turbulence kinetic energy can increase, decrease, or remain the same depending on the sediment loading conditions, and its rate of dissipation can increase, decrease, or remain the same depending on the magnitude of the flow hydraulic parameters relative to that of the loading conditions. These findings provide additional insight into the energetics of these complex flows, agree qualitatively with experimental data, and complement available models.
Refining locations of the 2005 Mukacheve, West Ukraine, earthquakes based on similarity of their waveforms

Based on the results of application of correlation analysis to records of the 2005 Mukacheve group of recurrent events and their subsequent relocation relative to the reference event of 7 July 2005, a conclusion has been drawn that all the events had most likely occurred on the same rup-ture plane. Station terms have been estimated for seismic stations of the Transcarpathians, accounting for variation of seismic velocities beneath their locations as compared to the travel time tables used in the study. In methodical aspect, potentials and usefulness of correlation analysis of seismic records for a more detailed study of seismic processes, tectonics and geodynamics of the Carpathian region have been demonstrated.
The characteristics of seasonal‐scale droughts in Australia, 1911–2009

Climatologies and variations in seasonal‐scale droughts in Australia are quantified using four indices representing the characteristics of the lower tails of rainfall and soil moisture distributions. These indices estimate variations in drought frequency, duration and intensity from 1911 to 2009 across Australia and for five large‐scale regions. Since 1911, large interdecadal variations in the characteristics of seasonal‐scale droughts have overlain trends towards less frequent, shorter and less severe droughts across much of Australia, with the strongest trends in northwest Australia. Regional exceptions include increases in seasonal‐scale drought frequency, duration and intensity in areas of southwest and southeast Australia. In parts of the west and southeast of the Murray–Darling Basin, the average duration of seasonal‐scale droughts, defined as successive seasons in drought, statistically significantly increased by between 10 and 69% during the second half of the 20th Century. Averaged across large‐scale regions in southeast and northwest Australia, decades with longer‐lasting and more intense soil moisture‐based seasonal droughts had statistically significantly higher actual evaporation compared with other decades. These were combined with modest rainfall deficits, suggesting that evaporation may be an important process for regulating drought duration or intensity in these regions. However, other hydroclimatic processes that were not assessed here likely also influence soil moisture, making attribution difficult. Copyright © 2012 Royal Meteorological Society
Mitigation of periodic GPS multipath errors using a normalised least mean square adaptive filter

A field trial over a period of four days has been conducted to investigate the impact of multipath in a highly obstructed environment and the capability of a Least Mean Square (LMS) adaptive filter to model and thereby reduce its effect. The multipath component of the GPS observations has been isolated by computing the double difference carrier phase residuals. Because multipath errors are a function of the satellite‐receiver geometry, the resulting daily time series show a repeated pattern of multipath contamination. The numerical analysis presented here demonstrates that adaptive filtering is able to identify and remove these repeated multipath errors. Besides a detailed description of the experimental procedure and the filtering results, a brief summary is also given of the theoretical background for the LMS adaptive filter.
The role of Indian minorities in Burma and Malaya

time of study was festering so badly that it was already marked for clearance by the government. Equally important, 77% of the Chinese of the street were of Cantonese origin but only 22% of the Chinese of all Singapore, in 1947, were Cantonese in origin (p. 163). There is, however, perhaps another reason for the author's reluctance to generalize in this study. He has drawn very little upon a literature that might be helpful in widening his horizons. Thus he has failed to use work which describes living conditions and family life in relevant portions of China, general works on Chinese social organization, and comparable works on non-Chinese immigrant slum dwellers in other portions of the world. The reviewer realizes, however, that this is not an altogether fair criticism since it calls for another kind of book than the one the author has chosen to give us. The book we have is of value essentially as raw data; we hope that Dr. Kaye may use his data now in a broader comparative way, thereby elucidating important materials for a wider audience.