Different signal processing techniques for synthetic aperture acoustic (SAA) and highresolution voxel radar (HRVR) sensing modalities for side-attack explosive ballistic (SAEB) detection are proposed in this thesis. The sensing modalities were vehicle mounted and the data used was collected at an army test site. More specifically, the use of a frequency azimuthal (fraz) feature for SAA and the fusion of a matched filter (MF) and size contrast filter (SCF) for HRVR was explored. For SAA, the focus was to find a signature in the target’s response that would vary as the vehicle’s view on the target changed. For the HRVR, the focus was put on finding objects that were both anomalous (SCF) and target-like (MF). The results in both cases are obtained using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and both are very encouraging.

La maîtrise des risques d'incendie et d'explosion dans les procédés industriels repose sur une évaluation des conditions d'occurrence et des conséquences prévisibles de ces évènements. L'étude du retour d'expérience relatif aux accidents industriels impliquant des produits combustibles met souvent en évidence la méconnaissance des dangers des produits par les opérateurs et/ou une évaluation insuffisante ou incomplète des risques générés par le procédé exploité. Les évolutions réglementaires intervenues ces dix dernières années ont pour objectif de mieux identifier et gérer ces risques. Pour autant, afin de réduire la fréquence et la gravité de ces accidents, il est nécessaire d'améliorer encore la sécurité des procédés qui mettent en oeuvre des produits combustibles. C'est lorsque cette évaluation est la plus juste et réaliste que les mesures de prévention et de protection sont adaptées. Ceci nécessite avant tout de caractériser les dangers présentés par les produits stockés, transportés ou utilisés. Il est ensuite nécessaire de mieux identifier et gérer les risques induits. Les travaux effectués ont été consacrés en premier lieu à la caractérisation réglementaire des dangers physico-chimiques des substances et des mélanges, ainsi qu'à l'évaluation de l'aptitude des produits inflammables sous forme de gaz, de vapeur ou de poussière à générer des atmosphères explosives et à être enflammés. En second lieu, ces travaux se sont attachés à mettre en évidence les éléments essentiels du contexte réglementaire, normatif et méthodologique sur les thèmes des atmosphères explosives et de l'évaluation des risques associés et à développer une méthode d'étude du risque associé à la formation d'atmosphères explosives dans les installations industrielles compatible avec les exigences réglementaires applicables / Controlling fire and explosion hazards in industrial processes is based on occurrence conditions and the assessment of possible effects and consequences of these events. The feedback from industrial accidents involving combustible products often reveals an insufficient identification of products hazards and/or an incorrect or incomplete risk assessment of the processes by the operators. The regulatory evolutions in the past decade were aimed at better identification and management of these risks. Nevertheless, in order to reduce the frequency and the severity of these accidents, it is necessary to further improve the safety procedures concerning combustible materials. When this evaluation is the most accurate and realistic, prevention and protection measures are the most adequate. This requires an accurate hazard characterization of the products stored, transported or used. It is also necessary to better identify and manage the risks associated. This work has been devoted primarily to the regulatory characterization of physical and chemical hazards of substances and mixtures, as well as evaluating the ability of flammable gas, vapour or dust to form explosive atmospheres and an eventual ignition. Secondly, this work have attempted to highlight the key elements of the regulatory, normative and methodological context concerning explosive atmospheres and to develop a specific methodology allowing explosive atmospheres explosion risk assessment in industrial facilities, consistent with applicable regulatory requirements

L’objectif général de la présente thèse était d’étudier les effets et les facteurs d’influence des exercices et des programmes d’entraînement consistant en la co-contraction maximale isométrique volontaire (CCMIV) de l’articulation du coude : effet de l’entraînement en CCMIV sur la force explosive (Etude A), influence de l’heure habituelle d’entraînement (Etude B) et de charges additionnelles pendant les CCMIV (Etude C). Les résultats ont montré que 6 semaines d’entraînement en CCMIV peuvent améliorer simultanément la force maximale volontaire des muscles sans altération de la force explosive (Etude A et B) et indépendamment de l’heure habituelle d’entraînement (Etude B). Ces gains de force s’accompagnaient d’une augmentation de l’activité électromyographique des muscles agonistes (Etude A et B). Cependant, les résultats de l’étude B suggèrent que l’entraînement le matin s’accompagne d’un meilleur gain de la force musculaire, masquant ainsi les différences de force entre le matin et le soir. Par ailleurs, l’étude C a montré qu’une charge additionnelle (50% FMV) associée à une CCMIV modifie le pattern d’activation des muscles agonistes-antagonistes : augmentation du niveau d’activation des muscles agonistes et diminution de celui des antagonistes. Par conséquent, un programme d’entraînement en CCMIV avec charge additionnelle devrait comprendre des exercices avec charge pour les fléchisseurs et les extenseurs. De plus, les résultats de l’étude C suggèrent que le concept du fléchisseur équivalent pourrait être appliqué non seulement quand les fléchisseurs agissent comme agonistes mais aussi quand ils agissent comme antagonistes. / The aim of the present thesis was to study the effects and the influencing factors during the elbow joint maximal isometric voluntary co-contractions (MIVCC) exercises and training program: effect of the MIVCC training on the explosive force (Study A), influence of the time-of-day at which training was scheduled (Study B) and additional load during MIVCC (Study C). The results showed that six weeks of MIVCC training can simultaneously improve the maximum voluntary force, without altering the explosive force (Study A and B) and independently of the time-of-day at which training was scheduled (Study B). These improvements were accompanied by an increase in electromyography activity of agonist muscles (Study A and B). However, the results of study B suggest that morning training is accompanied by a higher strength improvement, by masking the strength differences between the morning and evening. Furthermore, the study C showed that additional load (50% MVF) associated with MIVCC modifies the activation pattern of the agonist-antagonist muscles: by increasing the activation level of the agonist muscles and decreasing the co-activation level of the antagonist muscles. Therefore, MIVCC training program with additional load should include exercises with load for flexor and extensor muscles. In addition, the results of the study C suggest that the concept of “flexor equivalent” may be applied not only when the flexor muscles acting as agonist but also when they acting as antagonist muscles.

L'astrophysique nucléaire est la discipline scientifique qui étudie la production d'énergie et la synthèse des éléments (nucléosynthèse) dans les étoiles. Les réactions nucléaires entre des noyaux légers (A < 20-30) et des protons ou des particules alpha jouent un rôle fondamental. Elles produisent les éléments lourds à partir des éléments plus légers et permettent à l'étoile de dégager de l'énergie. Cette production d'énergie et des éléments explique à son tour la structure et l'évolution des étoiles et, donc de l'Univers. Quels que soient les processus considérés (nucléosynthèse primordiale, stellaire ou explosive) le calcul des abondances des éléments dans les étoiles requiert la connaissance de nombreuses sections efficaces de réactions nucléaires [B2FH57]. Les réactions nucléaires sous-coulombiennes entre noyaux légers interviennent au cœur des étoiles lors des phases de combustion de l'hydrogène et de l'hélium en équilibre hydrostatique. Dans des processus à température plus élevée (novae, supernovae, sursauts X) les éléments radioactifs sont largement impliqués dans le réseau de réactions, ce qui, d'autre part, amène des problèmes spécifiques aux expérimentateurs [Bla06]. Ma dissertation est une récapitulation des travaux expérimentaux et théoriques en astrophysique nucléaire que j'ai réalisés de janvier 1993 à janvier 2006 (cette thèse ne présente pas mes autres travaux en physique nucléaire, principalement sur la structure et les interactions des noyaux exotiques, voir par exemple [Ang03a, Raa04, Cas06]). Je présente quelques méthodes expérimentales en astrophysique nucléaire et je discute brièvement certains problèmes techniques liés aux mesures des sections efficaces très petites, et en particulier, au caractère spécifique de certains appareils (accélérateurs, spectromètres, etc.). Un premier exemple se rapporte à la mise au point de l'accélérateur de protons de 250 kV construit au CSNSM à Orsay (France) dont j'ai été responsable de la calibration [Bog94]. Ensuite, je présente les tests du spectromètre de recul ARES [Cou03] construit au Centre de Recherches du Cyclotron et l'étude d'une réaction d'intérêt astrophysique avec le premier faisceau radioactif produit par le cyclotron CYCLONE44 [Cou04]. Je discute également d'une manière générale les mesures de sections efficaces de réactions nucléaires par des méthodes directes et indirectes. Pour les méthodes directes, je me suis intéressée plus particulièrement aux mesures avec des faisceaux de protons très intenses (accélérateur de 100 kV au DTL-Bochum), ainsi qu'aux expériences avec des éléments radioactifs -cibles ou faisceaux- (CSNSM, Orsay et cyclotrons de Louvain-la-Neuve). Dans ce contexte, je présente plusieurs cas de réactions d'intérêt en astrophysique comme, par exemple, 9Be(p,gamma)10B [Zah95] (nucléosynthèse stellaire), 7Be(p,gamma)8B [Ham98, Ham01] (liée au problème du neutrino solaire), 7Be(p,p)7Be [Ang03b] (liée à la réaction 7Be(p,?)8B), 18F(p,alpha)15O [Ser03] (nucléosynthèse explosive dans les novae), 7Be(d,p)2alpha [Ang05a] (nucléosynthèse du Big Bang). Quand une mesure directe est très difficile à réaliser, il existe des méthodes indirectes comme, par exemple, les réactions de transfert. Elles sont utiles, entre autres, dans l'étude des largeurs alpha des états d'importance astrophysique de certains noyaux. Je discute les cas du 19F (nucléosynthèse du fluor) étudié par la réaction 15N(7Li,t)19F [Oli95] et du 19Ne (nucléosynthèse dans les novae) étudié avec 18F(d,p)19F [Ser03]. Un traitement théorique rigoureux de la dépendance en énergie des sections efficaces est nécessaire pour extrapoler ces dernières aux énergies caractéristiques des processus astrophysiques, à partir des sections efficaces expérimentales (prises à des énergies plus élevées). Un des effets dont il faut tenir compte pour ces extrapolations est l'effet d'écrantage électronique en laboratoire [Ass87] qui devient important à des énergies très basses (< 10-20 keV). Parmi les différents modèles théoriques généralement appliqués aux réactions d'intérêt astrophysique, je me suis spécialement intéressée à la méthode de la matrice R [Lan58]. Cette approche contient des paramètres ajustables sur les sections efficaces disponibles, et les valeurs des sections efficaces aux énergies stellaires sont obtenues par extrapolation. Je présente l'étude de l'écrantage électronique de réactions non-résonnantes en appliquant le modèle de la matrice R [Ang98]. Je montre également son application à deux réactions de capture radiative importantes en astrophysique, 12C(alpha,gamma)16O [Ang00] et 14N(p,gamma)15O [Ang01]. L'analyse de la réaction 14N(p,gamma)15O est discutée en détails [For04, Run04, Ang05b]. Elle joue un rôle important dans la détermination de l'âge des amas globulaires, donc dans la détermination de l'âge de l'Univers [Deg04], et dans la nucléosynthèse dans des étoiles géantes rouges [Her06]. Finalement, je discute l'importance des bases de données pour l'astrophysique nucléaire, et en particulier, des compilations de taux de réactions. Je présente la compilation de taux de réactions la plus récente [Ang99], que j'ai coordonnée pendant mon séjour à l'Université Libre de Bruxelles (1995-1998) dans le cadre d'une collaboration entre 10 laboratoires européens (cette publication a actuellement plus de 350 citations à la date de mai 2006). Je présente aussi une compilation des réactions les plus importantes impliquées dans la nucléosynthèse du Big Bang [Des04] et une évaluation de l'effet des nouveaux taux de réactions sur la valeur de la densité baryonique de l'univers [Coc04]. Les conclusions situent ces travaux dans leur contexte actuel.

MA / Department of Communication and Applied Language Studies / Orthographic symbols of languages represent specific speech sounds with their specific phonetic qualities. This research aimed at analysing orthographic representations of murmured speech sounds in the Xitsonga orthography. The qualitative approach was employed to examine the production of murmured speech sounds and their orthographic representations in Xitsonga. The analysis was based on data collected from interviews with speakers of the Xitsonga language, Xitsonga educators and lecturers who are themselves Xitsonga-speaking, Xitsonga authors and Xitsonga subject specialists, and also from existing literature by Xitsonga authors and language scholars. The study made recommendations that will help the development and revitalisation of the Xitsonga language and also benefit the speakers of the language as well as scholars and linguists.

<p>  </p> <p>With bombings in the United States on the rise for the first time since 2016, the detection and identification of explosives remains of pertinent interest to law enforcement agencies. This work presents two soon-to-be published research articles that focus on the detection and identification of explosives by both chemical instrumentation and canines. The first article, <em>Quantitative Analysis of Smokeless Powder Particles in Post-Blast Debris via Gas Chromatography/Vacuum Ultraviolet Spectroscopy (GC/VUV)</em>, utilizes gas chromatography/vacuum ultraviolet spectroscopy (GC/VUV) to determine the difference in chemical composition of two smokeless powders in both pre- and post-blast conditions. The compounds of interest in this study were nitroglycerin, 2,4-dinitrotoluene, diphenylamine, ethyl centralite, and di-n-butyl phthalate. Concentration changes between pre- and post-blast smokeless powder particles were determined as well as microscopic differences between pre- and post-blast debris for both smokeless powders in all devices. To our knowledge, this is the first use of GC/VUV for the quantification of explosives. The second article, <em>An Odor-Permeable Membrane Device for the Storage of Canine Training Aids</em>, proposes the use of an odor-permeable membrane device (OPMD) as a standardized storage method for canine training aids. It is hypothesized that the OPMD would minimize cross-contamination between training aids, and that the OPMD could be used for canine training as well as storage. The goal of this research is to use flux and evaporation rate to quantify the explosive odor that escapes from the OPMD compared to unconfined explosives. Preliminary data suggests that there is an exponential relationship between relative boiling point and evaporation rate. It has been determined that compounds with higher boiling points have lower evaporation rates than compounds that have lower boiling points. The materials studied thus far are known odor compounds produced by explosive formulations. These include nitromethane, nitroethane, 1-nitropropane, r-limonene, and toluene. </p>

Emerging health concern for gaseous nitrogen oxides (NOx) emitted during surface mine blasting has prompted mining authorities in the United States to pursue new regulations. NOx is comprised of various binary compounds of nitrogen and oxygen. Nitric oxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) are the most prominent. Modern explosive formulations are not designed to produce NOx during properly-sustained detonations, and researchers have identified several causes through laboratory experiments; however, direct sampling of NOx following full-scale surface mine blasting has not been accomplished. The purpose of this thesis was to demonstrate a safe, innovative method of directly quantifying NOx concentrations in a full-scale surface mining environment. A small unmanned aircraft system was used with a continuous gas monitor to sample concentrated fumes. Three flights were completed – two in the Powder River Basin. Results from a moderate NOx emission showed peak NO and NO2 concentrations of 257 ppm and 67.2 ppm, respectively. The estimated NO2 presence following a severe NOx emission was 137.3 ppm. Dispersion of the gases occurred over short distances, and novel geometric models were developed to describe emission characteristics. Overall, the direct sampling method was successful, and the data collected are new to the body of scientific knowledge.

Plyometrics is primarily used by coaches and sport scientists to improve explosive power among athletes who participate in dynamic, high intensity type of sports. One of the plyometric-related training methods that has received attention in recent years, is loaded or resistance (resistive) jump training. Limited research does, however, exist with regard to the benefits and use of this training method as well as in conjunction with other training methods, especially among team sport participants. It is against this background that the research objectives of this study were firstly, to examine the effects of a 4-week combined rugby-conditioning and resisted jump training program compared to a combined rugby-conditioning and normal jump training program, on selected physical, motor ability and anthropometric components of university-level rugby players. The second objective was to examine the acute effects of a resisted compared to a normal jump training session on selected physical and motor ability components of university-level rugby players. Thirty rugby players (age: 19.60 ± 0.79 years) from the first and second u/19 and u/21 rugby teams of a university in South Africa were randomly selected to participate in the first part of study. For the second part of the study thirty senior rugby players (1st and 2nd senior teams) (age: 21.78 ± 1.86 years) of the Rugby Institute at a university in South Africa were randomly selected to participate in the study. For both studies the thirty players were in turn randomly divided into two groups of fifteen players each. One group formed the experimental and the other group the control group. The first objective was tested by subjecting the players to a 4-week combined sport-specific and resisted plyometric training program (experimental group) or a combined sport-specific and normal plyometric training program to investigate the adaptations of body composition, lower body flexibility, explosive leg power, speed, agility and leg strength. After a 10-week period (“wash-out period”) during which subjects continued with their normal rugby-conditioning program, the same testing procedures as before, were executed by following a crossover design. In order to test the second objective of the study players’ body weight and height were firstly measured after which they were subjected to a thorough warm-up, followed by the execution of the flexibility;Vertical Jump Test (VJT); 5-, 10- and 20 m speed tests; the Illinois Agility Run Test (IART) and the 6RM (repetition maximum) Smith Machine Squat Test (6RM-SMST). The experimental group was subject to the resisted jump training session on the Vertimax whereas the control group executed the same exercises on the floor. Directly after the training session each of the players again completed the test battery. After the first week, a crossover design was implemented. Although the overall study (independent t-test and main effect ANOVA) results of the first study suggested that the experimental group experienced more positive changes, especially with regard to the body fat, skeletal mass and somatotype-related anthropometric and flexibility-related measurements, only relaxed upper-arm girth, ectomorphy, left Active-straight-leg-raise-test and the left Modified Thomas Quadriceps Test values showed significant differences (p < 0.05) when the two groups of players were compared. Although the experimental group demonstrated significantly better average scores in the majority of the last-mentioned components, this group experienced a significantly higher reduction in relaxed upper-arm girth due to the conditioning program than the control group. The main effect ANOVA results of the acute study showed that no significant differences were obtained for any of the measured components between an acute resisted and normal jump training session. To conclude, the study revealed that a 4-week combined rugby-conditioning and resisted jump training program (experimental group) did not benefit university-level rugby players significantly more with regard to selected physical, motor ability and anthropometric components than a combined rugby-conditioning and normal jump training program (control group). Furthermore, despite the fact that the acute resisted and normal jump training exercises met all the requirements to produce post-activation potentiation, the study results showed that these exercise sessions did not lead to any significant acute changes in the physical and motor ability components of university-level rugby players. / MA (Sport Science), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

The project has demonstrated the use of both poly(styrene-divinylbenzene) PS-DVB and silica monolithic columns for the separation of nitro-compounds. Methods were developed with PS-DVB and ODS silica packed columns for the separation of these compounds. The first part of the project was the preparation of the monolithic stationary phases prepared from PS-DVB of (250 μm I.D. × 70 mm) functionalized with methacrylate by in-situ polymerisation. The alkylated PS-DVB then was used successfully for the first time in the separation of three aryl nitro-compounds (2-NA, 1,4-DNB and 4-NT) on micro-HPLC. However, the efficiency of this column was poor N = 318 (4675/m).The second part of the thesis used a commercial column (Chromolith Performance from Merck), with different diameters for the separation of nitro-compounds. Nitrocompounds were analysed on both Chromolith Performance 3 mm I.D. column and Chromolith Performance 4 mm I.D. column by HPLC/UV. Van Deemter plots showed that the 3 mm I.D. column gave higher efficiencies at higher flow rates than the 4.6 mm I.D. column. The plate number was 8216 (H = 0.0121 mm) at a flow rate of 0.4 ml/min (1.0206 mm/sec) and for Chromolith 4.6 mm I.D. it was 9436 (H = 0.0105 mm) at a flow rate of 0.8 ml/min (0.8577 mm/sec). The nitro-compounds analysed in this study were nitroaromatic, nitramines and nitrate esters which are used in the manufacture of explosives. These compounds were analysed for the first time using a Chromolith Performance 3 mm I.D. column on LCMS using both ESI and APCI in negative ionization modes. The sensitivity was higher in the APCI than the ESI mode in terms of higher intensity and lower background noise especially for nitroaromatic compounds. The LC-ESI-MS method was evaluated by injection of samples of pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN) in different concentrations. Calibration curves were constructed over the range of 1-1000 pg/μl with a correlation coefficient of (R2 = 0.9986) and with a concentration range between 1-200 ng/μl with a correlation coefficient of (R2 = 0.9971) and were found to be linear. The limit of detection (LOT) for pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN) was 5 pg/μl at a signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) of 3:1 and the limit of quantification (LOQ) was 10 pg/μl at a signal-to-noise ratio of 10:1. The applicability of the monolithic column for the LC-ESI-MS method was evaluated by injection of samples of the commercial explosives, P9 and Semtex 1H. The results showed that Semtex 1H contains 35% PETN using calibration curve 1-200 ng/μl and was much higher than in P9 0.0082% using calibration curve 1-1000 pg/μl.

CHDS State/Local / During the past decade the world has witnessed an increase in the use of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs). Explosives in the hands of terrorists continue to pose a significant threat. Lessons learned indicate that when traditional explosives become difficult to obtain, bomb makers turn to common chemicals as precursors to manufacture explosives. Only the imagination and the availability of certain chemicals limits the number explosives which can be manufactured with relative ease utilizing common chemicals readily available in our communities. Availability of precursor chemicals and ease by which explosives can be manufactured, increase the potential that IEDs will be deployed in the Homeland and requires a careful study of the options necessary to defeat IED deployment. This thesis analyzes various options, policies and procedures to ascertain which would be most appropriate to defeat explosives manufactured from common chemicals. Options include removing, restricting, and tracking certain chemicals available to the public as well as increasing awareness to emergency responders and the public. State and federal legislation pertaining to methamphetamine laboratories is analyzed to identify potential crossover legislation to counter explosives manufacture. Intelligence gathering and information sharing technologies and procedures are assessed for effectiveness as law enforcement tools. / Director, Isanti County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management