This thesis is concerned with several problems in general relativity and low energy string theory that are pertinent to the time evolution of the gravitational field. We present a formulation of the Einstein field equations in terms of variational techniques borrowed from geometric analysis. These equations yield the evolution equations for the Cauchy problems of both general relativity and low energy string theory. We then proceed to investigate the evolutionary linear stability of Schwarzschild-like solutions in higher dimensional relativity called black strings. These objects are determined to be linearly unstable. This motivates a further stability analysis of the charged p-brane solutions of low energy string theory. We show that one can eliminate linear instabilities in p-branes for sufficiently large values of charge. We also consider the characteristic problem of general relativistic magnetohydrodynamics (GRMHD). We compute the eigenvalues and eigenvectors of GRMHD and establish degeneracy conditions. Finally, we consider the initial value problem for axisymmetric GRMHD. We formulate the general Einstein and MHD equations under the assumption of a stationary axisymmetric spacetime without assuming the circularity condition.

No description available.

Until now the quantum field theory (QFT) that successfully describes the electric, weak and strong interactions (three out of the four fundamental forces) between particles is the Standard Model, but it omits gravity. The prime candidate for a quantum theory of gravity is string theory. However, recent developments in string theory suggest that a portion of the alternative quantum field theories that are being considered, are incompatible with gravity. In 2005, this led string theorists to outline the conditions an effective field theory (EFT) should satisfy in order to be consistent with a quantum theory of gravity. These conditions are the ones that separate the so-called landscape from the swampland. An EFT that satisfies these conditions is said to reside in the landscape, while EFTs that do not satisfy these conditions belong to the swampland. This mapping out of EFTs to the swampland gives rise to a number of predictions that are related to the physics of the Early universe and the nature of dark energy. The de Sitter conjecture and the Trans-Planckian censorship conjecture are some of these conditions and will be the main focus of this thesis. The main purpose behind this work is to gain a deep understanding of each criterium, as well as unravel their implications and predictions related to the dynamics of the Early Universe. We do this by writing a pedagogical introduction of the topic and by introducing some possible alternative to the inflationary scenario, cosmologies that seem to be consistent with the aforementioned constraints.

The dissertation consists of four recitals: one chamber music recital, two solo recitals, and one lecture recital. The repertoire of these programs was chosen with the intention of demonstrating the capability of the performer to deal with problems arising in works of varying types and of different historical periods. The lecture recital, Aaron Copland's Concerto for Clarinet, begins with biographical information, followed by a discussion of various other works of the composer and of important stylistic traits that are contained therein. After thus setting the Concerto in perspective to other major works, an investigation is made into various aspects of form and style which make the Concerto atypical in some respects to the composer t total body of works. Particular emphasis is given to rhythmic and melodic characteristics of the piece which are related to jazz and Latin-American popular music. The formal and stylistic analysis is followed by a discussion of problems involved in performing the Concerto with a piano reduction of the orchestral part, and the lecture concludes with a survey of interpretative problems posed by the work. At the conclusion of the lecture portion of the presentation, the Concerto was performed.

Syftet med föreliggande arbete är att undersöka hur stråklärare designar användningen av musikteoretiska moment i enskild stråkundervisning. För att undersöka detta har ett antal lektioner med lärare i stråk videoinspelats som datainsamlingsmetod. Dessa videoinspelningar har sedan analyserats med en socialsemiotisk utgångspunkt och med hjälp av multimodal analysmetod. Studien har en kvalitativ forskningsansats med socialkonstruktionistisk ontologisk och epistemologisk utgångspunkt. I resultatet framkommer lärares multimodalitet i undervisningen, stråklärare designade användningen av musikteoretiska moment genom att integrera olika semiotiska resurser för att tillämpa musikteori. I resultatet lyfts även lärares representationer av olika musikteoretiska moment samt vilka semiotiska resurser lärarna använder och vilken funktion de fyller i samspel med elever. Dessa resurser inkluderade visuell representation av noter, muntlig kommunikation och kroppslig gestaltning av musikaliska begrepp. Resultatet diskuteras i relation till tidigare nämnd litteratur om musikteori och musikundervisning, i resultatet beskrivs också vilka möjligheter eller begränsningar som kan finnas i lärarnas representationer av olika musikteoretiska moment samt meningserbjudande. Genom att betrakta musikteorin ur ett socialsemiotiskt perspektiv kan stråklärare bli medvetna om hur de designar musikteoretiska moment med eleverna och anpassa sin undervisning för att främja en djupare förståelse av stråkinstrumentet och musikens språk. / The purpose of this study is to investigate how string teachers design the use of music theoretical moments in individual string education. To examine this, several lessons with string teachers were video recorded as data collection method. The video recordings were then analysed using a social semiotic approach and the multi-modal analysis method. The study adopts a qualitative research approach with a social constructionist ontological and epistemological perspective. The results show the teachers' multimodality in their teaching, as string teachers designed the use of music theory concepts by integrating different semiotic resources to apply music theory. The result also highlights teachers' representations of various music theoretical moments and the semiotic resources they use as well as the function these resources serve in interaction with students. These resources included visual representation of notation, verbal communication, and bodily embodiment of musical concepts. The results are discussed in relation to previously mentioned literature on music theory and music education. The findings also describe the possibilities or limitations that may exist in teachers' representations of various music theory concepts and their offering of meanings. By considering music theory from a social semiotic

An interrogation of architecture's prevailing myths, and a practice for how to live and die well as an architect in the Anthropocene epoch.  It is an effort to combine joyful representation and speculation (because architecture is both too serious and not nearly serious enough), with philosophy, for still possible pasts, presents and futures. For this it leans mainly on the ideas of Donna Haraway, Gilles Delueze and Felix Guattari, to present a methodology called Nomad Storytelling. A methodology that aims to move between a multiplicity of adjacent sites as to care for them in appropriate ways, with the intention of contributing to the idea of relationally unmaking the environmental urgencies of the 21th century. It consists of 8 chapters dealing with juridical care, letting be as care, humour and shaming, fabulous speculation, non-quantifiable architecture as dissent and graphic design as a crucial part of remembering what the cost of architecture is beyond the monetary, in the end suggesting the idea of architect-as-worm and compost architecture. It’s about not telling another killer story, because they always end with apocalypse or dystopia, and instead tell stories of gathering and fabulous futures, as Ursula K. Le Guin called it. Because it matters which architectures architect architecture and which lines line lines.

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No description available.

No description available.

The work presented is a master’s thesis at the track Machine Design at KTH Royal Institute ofTechnology. The project was commissioned by Epiroc AB through Svea Teknik AB. Epiroc’s Easer L is a highly versatile and flexible mobile raise boring machine used to drill opening holes and media holes. A drill string handling system is used to construct and deconstruct the drill string during a raise. Currently, the Easer utilizes a lifting arm to move the drill string components between a pipe rack and the derrick. A pipe loader, which is a second arm mounted on the derrick, is used to align the components with the drill string. This work aims to examinethe possibility to replace this system with a more compact and preferably automatable solution. The work had its main focus on a concept generation and evaluation process, where a wide range of possible means of handling the drill string handling system’s sub functions were methodically mapped in function means trees. Several concepts were synthesized using a morphological method and brain storming in a diverging process and their variants were explored and mapped. An iterative screening process utilizing a Pugh Matrix and GATEs converged the ideas until a final concept selection was performed. The resulting conceptual drill string handling system consist of a new crane and gripper solution and a new pipe loader, all modified to lift pipes horizontally instead of vertically. The pipe racks were modified to enable better interaction with the gripper module, even if racks are inclined. A sliding mechanism was integrated in the crane mounting bracket to eliminate the need for remounting the crane, reducing down times. The resulting conceptual drill string handling solves many of the challenges of the existing system and increases the flexibility, automation and productivity of the Easer L. / Detta är ett examensarbete på masterspåret Maskinkonstruktion på Kungliga Tekniska Högskolan. Arbetet utfördes på uppdrag av Epiroc AB genom Svea Teknik AB. Epirocs Easer L är en mångsidig och flexibel mobil stigortsmaskin som används till öppningshål och mediehål. Borrsträngskomponenternas hanteringssystem används för att gradvis montera och demontera borrsträngen under drift. Dagens hanteringssystem inkluderar en kran med en gripanordning som flyttar borrsträngskomponenter mellan deras förvaringsställning och borrtornet. En borrörsladdare, vilken är en ytterligare arm monterad på borrtornet, används för att placera borrsträngskomponenter i linje med borrsträngen. Arbetet syftar till att undersöka möjligheteratt byta ut detta hanteringssystem mot ett mer kompakt och automatiserbart alternativ. Arbetets huvudfokus låg på konceptutveckling, där ett brett utbud av lösningar på hanteringsystemets delfunktioner kartlades metodiskt i funktions­medelträd. Detta följdes av en divergerande process där syntes av en bred mängd koncept utfördes genom morfologisk metod och idéspåning och konceptens variationer kartlades noggrant. En iterativ gallringsprocess kovergerade antalet koncept med hjälp av en Pughmatris och GATEr tills ett konceptval kunde utföras. Slutresultatet är ett konceptuellt hanteringssystem för borrsträngskomponenter beståendes av en kran och gripenhet med tillhörande borrörsladdare, vilka anpassades för att hantera borrsträngskomponenter i horisontellt läge. Detta möjliggör en mer kompakt arbetsvolym. Förvaringsställningarna modifierades för bättre interaktion med gripenheten, även vid ojämn mark. En linjärenhet integrerades i kranens fästpunkt, vilket gör att kranen inte behöver monteras om vilket tidigare orsakade ställtider. Det nya alternativet löser flertalet problem med det nuvarande hanteringssystemet, vilket gör Easer L mer flexibel och automatiserad och ökar därmed produktiviteten.