Hash-based signature schemes are a class of post-quantum algorithms that usually consist of hash-trees built upon OTS solutions. These schemes have small key sizes, eficient processing and are simple to implement, while their security properties rely basically on the pre-image or collision resistance of the their underlying hash function. Despite such advantages, however, they have relatively large signature sizes compared to traditional signature algorithms. One way of tackling this issue is to reduce the sizes of their underlying OTS algorithms. Besides that, in applications where signature verifications are done much more frequently than signature generation (e.g. trusted software distribution), it is desirable that signature verification has less overhead than signature generation. In this work, two contributions are presented to tackle these issues. The first one is a probabilistic technique that, with negligible processing overhead, allows reductions in the underlying OTS signature sizes; namely, up to 12.5% average size reduction can be achieved depending on the w parameter chosen for the signature (however, for w = 4 the reduction is only 0.2%). The second contribution is a novel OTS scheme which has all advantages of W-OTS and W-OTS+ and yet has much faster signature verification times at the cost of slightly slower signature generation times. / Esquemas de assinaturas baseadas em hash são uma classe de algoritmos pós-quânticos que basicamente consistem em árvores de hash construídas em cima de soluções de assinaturas unitárias (OTS). Tais esquemas possuem tamanhos pequenos de chaves, processamento eficiente e são simples de se implementar, enquanto que a segurança desses esquemas baseia-se na resistência à pré-imagem ou à colisão das funções de hash utilizadas. Apesar dessas vantagens, eles possuem tamanhos de assinaturas relativamente grandes comparados aos algoritmos tradicionais de assinatura. Nesse caso, uma forma de lidar com essa questão é reduzir os tamanhos de assinatura das OTS utilizadas. Além disso, em aplicações em que se faz muito mais verificações de assinatura do que gerações de assinatura, é desejável que a vericação seja significativamente mais rápida do que a geração. Nesse trabalho, duas contribuições são apresentadas para mitigar os problemas acima mencionados. A primeira é uma técnica probabilística que permite a redução do tamanho das assinaturas nas OTS utilizadas com custo adicional de processamento desprezível, isto é, pode-se alcançar uma redução média de até 12.5% dependendo do valor de w escolhido para a assinatura (no entanto, para w = 4 a redução é de apenas 0.2%). A segunda contribuição é um esquema inovador de assinatura digital que possui todas as vantagens do W-OTS e do W-OTS+, além de possuir verificação bem mais rápida do que estes em troca de uma geração de assinatura um pouco mais lenta.

L'approccio argomentativo alla definizione permette di aprire una nuova prospettiva su questo tema. La definizione può essere infatti analizzata dialetticamente come un endoxon, una conoscenza comunemente accettata che ha come oggetto la struttura semantico-ontologica condivisa. La definizione dialettica può costituire lo standpoint di un'argomentazione ed essere fondata su argomenti, oppure fungere da premessa in un sillogismo retorico ed essere quindi uno strumento argomentativo e persuasivo. Le caratteristiche della definizione dialettica possono essere delineate a partire dalle sue origini nella Topica di Aristotele. Da un'interpretazione in chiave predicativo-argomentale di quest'opera emerge come la definizione per genere e specie sia uno strumento di analisi semantica fondamentale per comprendere il nesso di ragionevolezza negli entimemi ed al tempo stesso origine di inferenze argomentative. La tradizione aristotelica è ripresa nella tradizione latina e medievale, in cui viene evidenziato il rapporto tra i differenti tipi di definizione e la loro funzione argomentativa e persuasiva. Nella riflessione moderna e contemporanea il concetto di definizione dialettica è alla base dell'analisi della definizione persuasiva, cioè una strategia argomentativa fondata sulla ridefinizione e sulle inferenze valoriali che derivano dal “significato emotivo” del definito. Le categorie di definizione dialettica e di definizione persuasiva permettono di analizzare le funzioni argomentative della definizione nel contesto comunicativo scientifico, giuridico e politico. / A new perspective on the problem of definition can be opened by an argumentative approach to this subject. Definition can be dialectically analyzed as an endoxon, namely as an aspect of common knowledge regarding the shared semantic-ontological structure. The dialectical definition can be the standpoint of an argumentation and be supported by arguments, or the premise of a rhetorical syllogism. In this case, the dialectical definition can be used argumentatively and persuasively. The characteristics of dialectical definition can be found inquiring into its origins, namely Aristotle's Topics. By interpreting this work in a predicate-argument perspective, it is possible to notice how genus-species definition is a instrument of semantic analysis, which is fundamental to understand the relation between logic and reasonableness in enthymemes and how definitions can be source of inferences. The Aristotelian tradition has been revived in the Latin and Medieval tradition by analyzing the relationship between different types of definition and their argumentative and persuasive function. In the framework of modern and contemporary argumentation theories, the dialectical definition can be considered the foundation for a new interpretation of a particular argumentative and persuasive strategy grounded on definition: the persuasive definition. Persuasive definition can be seen as a redefinition aimed at altering the inferences from values (or judgments of value) which can be drawn from the definiendum. The concepts of dialectical definition and persuasive definition allow one to examine the argumentative functions of definitions in the scientific, legal, and political communicative context.

On January 29-30, 2008 a squall line of thunderstorms moved through the Ohio Valley resulting in four deaths and one injury. Such events highlight the importance of accurate forecasting for public safety. Mesoscale Modeling plays an important role in any forecast of a potential squall line. The focus of this study was to examine the performance of several parameterization scheme combinations in the Weather Research and Forecasting Model version three (WRF) as they related to this event. These examinations included cloud microphysics (WRF Single-Moment 3-class, 6-class, and Goddard), cumulus parameterization (Kain-Fritsch and Bets-Miller-Janjic) and planetary boundary layer schemes (Yonsei-University and Mellor-Yamada-Janjic). A total of 12 WRF simulations were conducted for all potential scheme combinations. Data from the WRF simulations for several locations in south central Kentucky were analyzed and compared using Kentucky Mesonet observations for four locations: Bowling Green, Russellville, Murray and Liberty, KY. A fine model resolution of 1 km was used over these locations. Coarser resolutions of 3 km and 9 km were used on the outer two domains, which encompassed the Ohio and Tennessee Valleys. The model simulation performance was assessed using established statistical measures for the above four locations and by visually comparing the North American Regional Reanalysis dataset (NARR) along with modeled simulations. The most satisfactory scheme combination was the WRF Single-Moment 3-class Microphysics scheme, Kain-Fritsch cumulus parameterization scheme and Yonsei University scheme for the planetary boundary layer. The planetary boundary layer schemes were noted to have the greatest influence in determining the most satisfactory model simulations. There was limited influence from different selections of microphysics and cumulus parameterization schemes. The preferred physics parameters from these simulations were then used in six additional simulations to analyze the affect different initialization data sets have with regards to model output. Data sets used in these simulations were the Final Operational Analysis global data, North American Regional Reanalysis (3 and 6 hour) and the North American Mesoscale Model at 1, 3 and 6 hour timesteps, for a total of six simulations. More timesteps or an increase in model resolution did not materially improve the model performance.

Time splitting is a numerical procedure used in solution of partial differential equations whose solutions allow multiple time scales. Numerical schemes are split for handling the stiffness in equations, i.e. when there are multiple time scales with a few time scales being smaller than the others. When there are such terms with smaller time scales, due to the Courant number restriction, the computational cost becomes high if these terms are treated explicitly. In the present work a nonlinear advective equation is solved numerically using different techniques based on a generalised framework for splitting methods. The nonlinear advective equation was chosen because it has an analytical solution making comparisons with numerical schemes amenable and also because its nonlinearity mimics the equations encountered in atmospheric modelling. Using the nonlinear advective equation as a test bed, an analysis of the splitting methods and their influence on the split solutions has been made. An understanding of influence of splitting schemes requires knowledge of behaviour of unsplit schemes beforehand. Hence a study on unsplit methods has also been made. In the present work, using the nonlinear advective equation, it shown that the three time level schemes have high phase errors and underestimate energy (even though they have a higher order of accuracy in time). It is also found that the leap-frog method, which is used widely in atmospheric modelling, is the worst among examined unsplit methods. The semi implicit method, again a popular splitting method with atmospheric modellers is the worst among examined split methods. Three time-level schemes also need explicit filtering to remove the computational mode. This filtering can have a significant impact on the obtained numerical solutions, and hence three-time level schemes appear to be unattractive in the context of the nonlinear convective equation. Based on this experience, splitting methods for the two-time level schemes is proposed. These schemes realistically capture the phase and energy of the nonlinear advective equation.

Το αντικείμενο της διατριβής είναι η παρατηρησιακή και αριθμητική μελέτη των δυναμικών και φυσικών διεργασιών που συνδέονται με τη θερινή καταιγιδοφόρο δραστηριότητα στον Ελλαδικό χώρο. Αναλυτικότερα τα εξεταζόμενα αντικείμενα είναι τα εξής: 1. Η μελέτη των ηλεκτρικών εκκενώσεων στον Ελλαδικό χώρο κατά τη θερινή περίοδο για 4 τουλάχιστον έτη. Για την πραγματοποίηση των στόχων του παραπάνω αντικειμένου έχει ήδη γίνει η συλλογή και η επεξεργασία των ηλεκτρικών εκκενώσεων στη περιοχή του ευρύτερου Ελλαδικού χώρου για τις θερινές περιόδους των ετών 2003 έως και 2006. Τα δεδομένα που έχουν χρησιμοποιηθεί προέρχονται από το σύστημα καταγραφής των ηλεκτρικών εκκενώσεων της Βρετανικής Μετεωρολογικής Υπηρεσίας ATD (Arrival Time Difference). Τα γεγονότα τα οποία κατεγράφησαν στον Ελλαδικό χώρο για την περίοδο μελέτης, μετά τον απαραίτητο έλεγχο ποιότητας, κατανεμήθηκαν σε πλέγμα διαστάσεων 0,1° x 0,1° και υπολογίστηκε η πυκνότητα των ηλεκτρικών εκκενώσεων ανά τετραγωνικό χιλιόμετρο ανά θερινή περίοδο. Στις περιοχές με τις υψηλότερες τιμές πυκνότητας ηλεκτρικών εκκενώσεων συγκαταλέγονται η Μακεδονία, η Ήπειρος, ο ορεινός κεντρικός ηπειρωτικός κορμός καθώς και οι ορεινές περιοχές της Πελοποννήσου, γεγονός που αποτελεί μία πρώτη ένδειξη της σύνδεσης που υπάρχει μεταξύ της θέρμανσης του εδάφους, λόγω της ηλιακής ακτινοβολίας, και της ανάπτυξης θερινών καταιγίδων. Η άποψη αυτή ενισχύεται και από το γεγονός ότι το μέγιστο της δραστηριότητας παρατηρείται τις μεσημεριανές και πρώτες απογευματινές ώρες. 2. Η μελέτη των παραμετροποιήσεων ανοδικών κινήσεων (convection) και μικροφυσικής των αριθμητικών μοντέλων πρόγνωσης καιρού με στόχο την ορθότερη πρόβλεψη της θερινής καταιγιδοφόρου δραστηριότητας που συνοδεύεται από έντονη ηλεκτρική δραστηριότητα. Στο αντικείμενο αυτό κύριος στόχος είναι η σύγκριση τριών διαφορετικών σχημάτων παραμετροποίησης που χρησιμοποιούνται στο αριθμητικό μοντέλο πρόγνωσης καιρού MM5. Τα σχήματα αυτά είναι τα κάτωθι: Kain – Fritch, Betts – Miller – Janjic και Grell και χρησιμοποιούνται στην παραμετροποίηση του μοντέλου για τον υπολογισμό της βροχόπτωσης που προέρχεται από τις κατακόρυφες κινήσεις μεταφοράς. Κατά τη σύγκριση των τριών σχημάτων παραμετροποίησης τα καλύτερα στατιστικά σκορ εμφανίζει το σχήμα Kain – Fritch ενώ τα αποτελέσματα που δίνει το σχήμα του Grell είναι αρκετά κοντά με αυτά του προαναφερθέντος σχήματος. 3. Η τροποποίηση του σχήματος παραμετροποίησης κατακόρυφων κινήσεων στην ατμόσφαιρα των Kain – Fritsch με στόχο τη βελτιστοποίηση των αποτελεσμάτων της προβλεπόμενης βροχόπτωσης στην περιοχή του Ελλαδικού χώρου, κατά τη θερμή περίοδο του έτους Στο αντικείμενο αυτό έχει μελετηθεί στατιστικά η ικανότητα πρόβλεψης του πεδίου της βροχόπτωσης, εφαρμόζοντας ποικίλες τροποποιήσεις του σχήματος παραμετροποίησης Kain – Fritsch. Πιο συγκεκριμένα πέρα από την βασική έκδοση του σχήματος που χρησιμοποιείται στην επιχειρησιακή αλυσίδα του προγνωστικού μοντέλου ΜΜ5, αναπτύχθηκαν οκτώ συνολικά τροποποιήσεις. Εφαρμόζοντας τις παραπάνω τροποποιήσεις, πραγματοποιήθηκαν συνολικά 180 πειράματα για συνολικά 20 διαφορετικές ημέρες με έντονη βροχόπτωση κατά την θερμή περίοδο των ετών 2005 – 2007. Η σύγκριση των αποτελεσμάτων παρείχε ενθαρρυντικά στοιχεία, καθώς ωθώντας το σχήμα να παράξει περισσότερο υετό παρατηρήθηκε βελτίωση στην ικανότητα του μοντέλου να προβλέπει τον υετό. / The present Ph.D. Thesis is divided into three main parts. In the first part the lightning activity over Greece during the warm season (May-September) of the years 2003 through 2006 is investigated, in relation with the synoptic meteorological conditions that prevailed in the region. The study is based on the use of cloud-to-ground lightning activity data and of upper-air analyses. The analysis of the spatial variability of lightning shows that the highest “relative” flash densities are observed in Northern and Western Greece and in Central and Western Peloponnissos. The study of the synoptic patterns related to lightning is based on the analysis of 60 active and 60 inactive days in terms of lightning activity over Greece. The days with high lightning activity are characterised by a short wave trough at the 500 hPa level over the Ionian Sea. On the other hand, during the days with no lightning a northwest flow prevails over Greece. It was also found that high lightning activity is related with high values of absolute vorticity, equivalent potential temperature and convective available potential energy. In the second part the sensitivity of numerical model quantitative precipitation forecasts to the choice of the convective parameterization scheme (CPS) is examined for twenty selected cases characterized by intense convective activity over Greece, during the warm period of 2005 – 2007. Namely, the study is conducted using MM5 model and the following three different CPSs: Kain – Fritsch, Grell and Betts – Miller – Janjic. Sixty numerical simulations were carried out. The simulated precipitation was verified against raingauge measurements and lightning data. Verification results showed that for all three schemes the model presented a tendency to overestimate light to moderate rain while in general it underestimated the high precipitation amounts. The validation against both sources of data showed that among the three CPSs, the more consistent behaviour in quantitative precipitation forecasting was obtained by the Kain – Fritsch scheme that provided the best statistical scores. However, the differences of the results of statistical analysis between the Kain – Fritsch and Grell schemes were not large. In the third part the sensitivity of quantitative precipitation forecasts to various modifications of the Kain – Fritsch (KF) convective parameterization scheme (CPS) is examined for twenty selected cases characterized by intense convective activity and widespread precipitation over Greece, during the warm period of 2005-2007. The modifications include: (i) the maximization of the convective scheme precipitation efficiency, (ii) the change of the convective time step, (iii) the forcing of the convective scheme to produce more/less cloud material, (iv) changes to the trigger function and (v) the alteration of the vertical profile of updraft mass flux detrainment. In general, forcing the model to produce less cloud material improves the precipitation forecast for the moderate and high precipitation amounts.

Dans le cadre du développement récent des schémas numériques compacts d’ordre élevé, tels que la méthode de Galerkin discontinu (discontinuous Galerkin) ou la méthode des différences spectrales (spectral differences), nous nous intéressons aux difficultés liées à l’utilisation de ces méthodes lors de la simulation de solutions discontinues.L’utilisation par ces schémas numériques d’une représentation polynomiale des champs les prédisposent à fournir des solutions fortement oscillantes aux abords des discontinuités. Ces oscillations pouvant aller jusqu’à l’arrêt du processus de simulation, l’utilisation d’un dispositif numérique de détection et de contrôle de ces oscillations est alors un prérequis nécessaire au bon déroulement du calcul. Les processus de limitation les plus courants tels que les algorithmes WENO ou l’utilisation d’une viscosité artificielle ont d’ores et déjà été adaptés aux différentes méthodes compactes d’ordres élevés et ont permis d’appliquer ces méthodes à la classe des écoulements compressibles. Les différences entre les stencils utilisés par ces processus de limitation et les schémas numériques compacts peuvent néanmoins être une source importante de perte de performances. Dans cette thèse nous détaillons les concepts et le cheminement permettant d’aboutir à la définition d’un processus de limitation compact adapté à la description polynomiale des champs. Suite à une étude de configurations monodimensionnels, différentes projections polynomiales sont introduites et permettent la construction d’un processus de limitation préservant l’ordre élevé. Nous présentons ensuite l’extension de cette méthodologie à la simulation d’écoulements compressibles bidimensionnels et tridimensionnels. Nous avons en effet développé les schémas de discrétisation des différences spectrales dans un code CFD non structuré, massivement parallèle et basé historiquement sur une méthodologie volumes finis. Nous présentons en particulier différents résultats obtenus lors de la simulation de l’interaction entre une onde de choc et une couche limite turbulente. / Following the recent development of high order compact schemes such as the discontinuous Galerkin or the spectraldifferences, this thesis investigates the issues encountered with the simulation of discontinuous flows. High order compactschemes use polynomial representations which tends to introduce spurious oscillations around discontinuities that can lead to computational failure. To prevent the emergence of these numerical issues, it is necessary to improve the schemewith an additional procedure that can detect and control its behaviour in the neighbourhood of the discontinuities,usually referred to as a limiting procedure or a limiter. Most usual limiters include either the WENO procedure, TVB schemes or the use of an artificial viscosity. All of these solutions have already been adapted to high order compact schemes but none of these techniques takes a real advantage of the richness offered by the polynomial structure. What’s more, the original compactness of the scheme is generally deteriorated and losses of scalability can occur. This thesis investigates the concept of a compact limiter based on the polynomial structure of the solution. A monodimensional study allows us to define some algebraic projections that can be used as a high-order tool for the limiting procedure. The extension of this methodology is then evaluated thanks to the simulation of different 2D and 3D test cases. Those results have been obtained thanks to the development of a parallel solver which have been based on a existing unstructured finite volume CFD code. The different exposed studies detailed end up to the numerical simulation of the shock turbulent boundary layer.

La notion de schémas gradients, conçue pour les équations elliptiques et paraboliques, linéaires et non-linéaires a l'avantage de fournir des résultats de convergence et d'estimations d'erreur valables pour de nombreuses familles de méthodes numériques (éléments finis conformes et non-conformes, éléments finis mixtes, différences finies ...). Vérifier un ensemble restreint de propriétés suffit pour prouver qu'une méthode numérique donnée rentre dans le cadre de travail des schémas gradients et donc qu'elle sera convergente sur les différents problèmes traités. L'étude du problème de Stefan, celle du problème de Stokes incompressible, ainsi que celle des équations de Navier-Stokes incompressibles sont présentées dans cette thèse, chacune présentant un théorème de convergence établi à l'aide des schémas gradients. Pour Stokes et Navier-Stokes, nous donnerons une preuve de convergence pour les cas stationnaires et transitoires en modifiant certaines hypothèses ce qui aura comme effet de trouver des résultats de convergence différents. Finalement, nous présentons également quatre méthodes (Taylor-Hood, Crouzeix-Raviart, Marker-and-Cell, Hybrid Mixed Mimetic) pour ces deux problèmes et nous vérifions qu'elles rentrent bien dans le cadre des schémas gradients / The notion of gradient schemes, designed for linear and nonlinear elliptic and parabolic problems has the benefit of providing common convergence and error estimates results, which hold for a wide variety of numerical methods (finite element methods, nonconforming and mixed finite element methods, hybrid and mixed mimetic finite difference methods ...). Checking a minimal set of properties for a given numerical method suffices to prove that it belongs to the gradient schemes framework, and therefore that it is convergent on the different problems studied here. The study of the Stefan problem, the incompressible Stokes one and also the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations are presented in this thesis, where each one gets a convergence theorem set up with the gradient schemes framework. For Stokes and Navier-Stokes, we both provide the proof for the steady and the transient case dealing with some variational hypotheses which bring different convergence results. Finally, we also present four methods (Taylor-Hood, Crouzeix-Raviart, Marker-and-Cell, Hybrid Mixed Mimetic) for these two problems and we check that they enter in the gradient schemes framework

This study focuses on the right of access to justice and the factors that limit the realisation of the right. It also examines the concept of legal aid, its importance and then discusses the legal aid schemes that have been developed in Tanzania and Ghana and how they promote the right of access to justice. The author also compares the legal aid schemes of Tanzania and Ghana and how the legal aid schemes could be improved to further promote the right of access to justice / Thesis (LLM (Human Rights and Democratisation in Africa)) -- University of Pretoria, 2008. / A Dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Law University of Pretoria, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Masters of Law (LLM in Human Rights and Democratisation in Africa). Prepared under the supervision of Dr Kwadwo Appiagyei-Atua of the Faculty of Law, University of Ghana, Legon / http://www.chr.up.ac.za/ / Centre for Human Rights / LLM

No description available.

Thesis (PhD (Mathematics))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / Contains bibliography. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: See full text for summary. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Sien volteks vir opsomming