This study attempts to analyze the Eucharist in the Synoptic Gospels including their co-texts (Matt 26:14–35; Mark 14:10–31; Luke 22:3–23, 31–34), via a Mode Register Analysis based on Systemic Functional Linguistics. The purpose of this study is threefold: (1) to model a linguistic methodology and to apply it to each text of the Eucharist and its co-texts in the Synoptic Gospels, (2) to find meaningful linguistic characteristics of each designated text via a comparative analysis based on the preceding study, and finally (3) to suggest a balanced and plausible hypothesis which may offer convincing explanations of the Synoptic Gospels' construction process. The thesis of this study is as follows: in the Synoptic Gospels' construction process, each constructor reflected the oral Gospel tradition(s) significantly, as the one who had formed/contributed the tradition (probably Matthew), or the one who delivered it (probably Mark), or the one who preserved it (probably Luke), though there is also the possibility that each of them made use of written sources including the other Gospel(s).

The reliance on freshwater released by mountain glaciers and ice caps demands that the effects of climate change on these thermally-sensitive systems are evaluated thoroughly. Coupling climate variability to processes of mass and energy exchange at the glacier scale is challenged, however, by a lack of climate data at an appropriately fine spatial resolution. The thesis addresses this challenge through attempting to reconcile this scale mismatch: glacier boundary-layer observations of meteorology and ablation at Vestari Hagafellsjökull, Iceland, and Storglaciären, Sweden, are related to synoptic-scale meteorological variability recorded in gridded, reanalysis data. Specific attention is directed toward synoptic controls on: i) near-surface air temperature lapse rates; ii) stationarity of temperature-index melt model parameters; and iii) glacier-surface ablation. A synoptic weather-typing procedure, which groups days of similar reanalysis meteorology into weather categories , forms the basis of the analytical approach adopted to achieve these aims. Lapse rates at Vestari Hagafellsjökull were found to be shallowest during weather categories characterised by warm, cloud-free weather that encouraged katabatic drainage; steep lapse rates were encountered in weather categories associated with strong synoptic winds. Quantitatively, 26% to 38% of the daily lapse-rate variability could be explained by weather-category and regression-based models utilizing the reanalysis data: a level of skill sufficient to effect appreciable improvements in the accuracy of air temperatures extrapolated vertically over Vestari Hagafellsjökull. Weather categories also highlighted the dynamic nature of the temperature-ablation relationship. Notably, the sensitivity of ablation to changes in air temperature was observed to be non-stationary between weather categories, highlighting vulnerabilities of temperature-index models. An innovative solution to this limitation is suggested: the relationship between temperature and ablation can be varied as a function of weather-category membership. This flexibility leads to an overall improvement in the simulation of daily ablation compared to traditional temperature-index formulations (up to a 14% improvement in the amount of variance explained), without the need for additional meteorological data recorded in-situ. It is concluded that weather categories are highly appropriate for evaluating synoptic controls on glacier meteorology and surface energetics; significant improvements in the parameterization of boundary-layer meteorology and ablation rates are realised through their application.

Approved for public release, distribution is unlimited / The Monterey Bay sea breeze varies because of the influence of features such as inversions, clouds, synopticscale flow, and topography. The sea breeze is important because it impacts fire weather, air pollution, agriculture, and aviation operations, among other things. Analyses are conducted using a multi-quadric based program, which incorporates aircraft data, surface observations, and profiler data, to investigate the Monterey Bay sea breeze during 01-31 August 2003. Factors including inversions, cloud cover, amount of heating, distribution of heating, synoptic-scale flow, and topography are studied to determine their influence on the sea breeze. Six days are selected that best illustrate the factors that influence the structure of the Monterey Bay sea breeze. Results show that offs hore flow weakened the strength of the sea breeze and decreased the depth. A cooling trend in surface temperatures at the end of August also weakened the strength of the sea breezes and decreased the depth. Clouds are present during this period, which influenced the amount of heating, and consequently, the sea breeze response. The presence of a marine layer weakened the thermal gradient that in turn, weakened the sea breeze circulation. / Lieutenant Junior Grade, United States Naval Reserve

Com o intuito de estudar a resposta da Plataforma Continental Sudeste, e particularmente na Plataforma Continental de São Paulo (PCSP), aos ventos sinóticos, foram realizadas simulações numéricas através do modelo sECOM. As simulações prognósticas consideraram campos estratificados de temperatura e salinidade. Como forçante externa, foi introduzido o cisalhamento do vento de nordeste, típicos do centro de Alta Pressão do Atlântico Sul, e ventos sinóticos de sudoeste de um sistema frontal de baixa pressão (frente fria). Os resultados obtidos com a forçante vento atuando apenas no sul da PCSE mostraram que os ventos remotos são capazes de excitar perturbações do nível do mar sob a forma de Ondas de Plataforma Continental (OPC), principalmente na PCI e na PCM da PCSP. A velocidade de propagação da OPC foi entre 9.2 e 10.2 ms -¹ na região sul da PCSE. Na região norte, com maior variabilidade, os valores foram entre 2.4 e 5.0 ms -¹. O vento remoto de sudoeste foi capaz de inverter o sentido da corrente superficial de nordeste para sudoeste e, após a inversão, a corrente apresentou oscilação natural com período de 30 horas nas regiões próximas da atuação do vento. Nos experimentos com o vento atuando em toda a plataforma, as correlações do nível do mar entre as radiais de estudo foram máximas na PCI e na PCM da região sul da PCSE, com OPCs se propagando a 15.3 ms -¹. Na região norte, as OPCs apresentatam velocidades de 3.6 a 7.2 ms -¹, dependendo da velocidade das frentes frias. As simulações ainda revelaram ressonância da corrente superficial associada com a velocidade de propagação dos sistemas frontais, com correntes na região de Cananéia se amplificando com frentes se deslocando a 11.4 ms -¹. A região de Santos e Ubatuba apresentou corrente máxima com frentes se propagando a 9.5 ms -¹. As correntes superficiais geradas nas simulações de vento em toda a plataforma também apresentaram oscilações inerciais na PCM e PCE da PCSE, após a inversão dos ventos. / Numerical simulations were made using the sECOM model to study the response of the South Brazilian Bight (SBB), especially the São Paulo Continental Shelf (SPCS), to synoptic winds. Prognostic simulations were performed using a stratified sanility and temperature fields as initial conditions. Two different wind shear forcing were included: the northeast winds derived from the South Atlantic High, and the southweast synoptic winds from low pressure frontal systems. Results from the wind forcing experiments only in the south of SBB showed that the remote winds are capable of exciting sea level disturbances in the form of continental shelf waves (CSW), mainly in the inner and middle shelf of SPCS. Phase speed between 9.2 and 10.2 ms -¹ were found at southern of the SBB. The northern region showed high variability, with values between 2.4 e 5.0 ms -¹. Southwest remote wind was able to reverse the direction of the surface current from northeast to southweast. Such the inversion promoted natural oscillation of surface current with period of 30 hours in regions close to the wind action. In the wind experiments acting over the SBB, the cross correlation between the sea level of differents stations were highest at the southern portion of the inner and middle shelf, displaying CSW phase speed of 15.3 ms -¹. In the northern region, CSW phase speed ranges from 3.6 to 7.2 ms -¹, depending on the velocity of the frontal systems propagation. Numerical simulations results revealed the resonance of the surface current associated with the speed propagation of the frontal systems. Currents off Cananéia amplified when fronts propagate at speeds of 11.4 ms -¹. Continental shelf regions off Santos and Ubatuba exhibit maximum currents with fronts moving at 9.5 ms -¹. Surface currents resulting from local wind forcing showed the occurrence of inertial oscillations after the inversion of the winds, mainly in middle shelf and outer shelf of SBB.

Este trabalho teve como objetivo analisar as condições meteorológicas favoráveis e desfavoráveis à dispersão de poluentes, com ênfase no ozônio, nas áreas urbanas associadas à Região Metropolitana de São Paulo (RMSP) e a Grande Santiago (GS). Medidas de concentração de estações localizadas em ambas as áreas de estudo foram utilizadas para determinar o comportamento médio, o número de ocorrências de ultrapassagens de padrão de qualidade do ar e o aumento noturno das concentrações de ozônio num período de dez anos. Foi encontrado que o máximo horário acontece próximo das 14 horas (horário local) nas duas regiões, e que existe uma tendência à diminuição no número de ultrapassagens do padrão de qualidade do ar associado a este poluente. Na RMSP é possível observar um máximo secundário durante a madrugada, enquanto que este fenômeno não é claramente observado nos valores médios de concentração na GS. Com dados da Reanálise do NCEP/NCAR foi visto que a ocorrência deste fenômeno está associada a configurações sinóticas específicas na GS, enquanto que na RMSP não existe padrão sinótico específico que diferencie casos com e sem aumento de ozônio noturno. Um novo módulo fotoquímico (NPM), contendo 95 reações foi inserido no modelo BRAMS na tentativa de melhorar o prognóstico das concentrações de poluentes, principalmente em relação ao ozônio. O NPM mostrou melhor desempenho que o módulo fotoquímico original do modelo (SPM; Simple Photochemical Module) para todos os poluentes considerados, salvo o ozônio, para o qual o SPM apresentou melhores índices estatísticos em 5 das 7 estações avaliadas. As características locais associadas à ocorrência simultânea ou não de aumento na concentração de ozônio foram estudadas utilizando o modelo BRAMS com o módulo SPM ativado, sendo verificado que o aumento de ozônio na RMSP está associado, principalmente, ao transporte vertical deste poluente a partir de níveis mais elevados da atmosfera, enquanto que o transporte horizontal é a maior contribuição para o aumento das concentrações de ozônio durante o período noturno na GS. / This work aimed to analyze the favorable and unfavorable meteorological conditions for pollutant dispersion, especially ozone, at the Metropolitan Area of São Paulo (MASP) and the Greater Santiago (GS). Ozone concentration measurements from stations located in both urban areas were used to determinate the mean behavior, the number of standard air quality exceedances and the increase on nocturnal ozone concentration over a 10 years period. It was found that the diurnal maximum occurs around 14 local time in both urban areas, and that there is a diminishment tendency of the total cases of standard air quality exceedances during all period. A secondary maximum of ozone concentration was observed in MASP at night, which was not clearly seen on mean values over GS. By using the NCEP/NCAR Reanalysis data it was seen that the occurrence of this phenomenon is associated to specific synoptic patterns for GS, while there is no specific synoptic pattern for the MASP cases, with or without nocturnal increase in ozone concentrations. A New Photochemical Module (NPM), containing 95 reactions was coupled to BRAMS model in an attempt to improve the prediction of air pollutants, especially ozone. The NPM showed a better performance than the original module, the SPM (Simple Photochemical Module), for all considered pollutants but ozone. For this pollutant, the SPM presents better statistical indexes for 5 of the 7 stations analyzed. The local characteristics related to simultaneous occurrence of nocturnal ozone increase was studied using the SPM-BRAMS model, which showed that the secondary nocturnal maximum of ozone concentrations in MASP are related to vertical transport of this pollutant from higher levels of the atmosphere to the surface, while the horizontal transport is a major contributor to the increase of ozone concentrations in the GS during the night.

O propósito deste estudo foi verificar a contribuição dos Distúrbios Ondulatórios de Leste (DOLs) na precipitação observada no período chuvoso (AMJJ) e avaliar previsões sazonais de chuva obtidas do RegCM3 (Regional Climate Model version 3) no Leste do Nordeste do Brasil (LNB). Para a identificação subjetiva dos DOLs foram utilizadas imagens de satélite no infravermelho e os campos de linhas de corrente e vorticidade relativa em 700 e 850 hPa da reanálise ERA-Interim, nos períodos chuvosos de 2006 a 2010. Cerca de 90% dos cavados observados em 700 hPa estiveram associados aos 116 DOLs que atingiram o LNB. Isto fornece média de 23 DOLs por ano com pequena variabilidade interanual. Foram construídas composições de variáveis meteorológicas desde 2 dias antes (-2) até 2 dias depois (+2) dos DOLs atingirem o LNB. A circulação apresentou anomalia ciclônica e confluente, vorticidade relativa ciclônica e convergência entre os dias -2 e 0 em baixos níveis, principalmente em 1000 hPa. Encontraram-se anomalias negativas de radiação de onda longa emergente (ROLE) e de omega e positivas de umidade relativa. A composição de precipitação indicou que são responsáveis por: 70% ou mais da chuva do período chuvoso do litoral norte de Alagoas (AL) ao leste do Rio Grande do Norte (RN), 60% entre a Zona da Mata de AL e o Agreste do RN, e 50% entre Sergipe e demais áreas do RN. Em média, os DOLs apresentaram período de 5,3 dias, comprimento de onda de 4307 km e velocidade de fase de 9,5 m s-1. O RegCM3 simulou a observada propagação para oeste dos cavados em 850-700 hPa, bem como a precipitação associada, para dois eventos de DOLs ocorridos entre 21-25 de maio de 2006. Em termos sazonais, o RegCM3 com a parametrização de Grell previu o padrão espacial da chuva similar à observada, mas superestimou-a. A detecção de DOLs utilizando diagramas do tipo Hovmöller identificou ~68% dos eventos obtidos subjetivamente. Aplicação de algoritmo de tracking utilizando ROLE ou vorticidade mostrou-se insatisfatória no rastreamento de DOLs, identificando, através de ROLE, ~55% dos eventos obtidos subjetivamente. / This study purpose was to verify the contribution of Easterly Wave Disturbances (EWDs) in the observed precipitation over the eastern part of Northeast Brazil (ENEB) during rainy season (AMJJ) and evaluate seasonal rainfall forecasts from RegCM3 (Regional Climate Model version 3). For the EWDs subjective identification it was used infrared satellite images and ERA-Interim reanalysis streamlines and relative vorticity fields at 700 and 850 hPa, at the rainy periods from 2006 to 2010. About 90% of the observed troughs at 700 hPa were associated with 116 EWDs that reached the ENEB. This provides a 23 EWDs average per year with small interannual variability. Meteorological variables compositions were constructed from 2 days before (-2) until 2 days after (+2) EWDs reached the ENEB. The circulation showed cyclonic and confluent anomaly, cyclonic relative vorticity and convergence between days -2 and 0 in low levels, mainly in 1000 hPa. Negative anomalies were found for outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) and omega whereas relative humidity presented positive anomaly. The precipitation composition indicated that the EWDs account for: 70% or more of rainy seasons precipitation from northern coast of Alagoas (AL) to the eastern Rio Grande do Nortes (RN), 60% from ALs Zona da Mata to the RNs Agreste, and 50% between Sergipe and the other RN areas. On average, the EWDs presented a 5.3 days period, a wavelength of 4307 km and phase velocity of 9.5 m s-1. The RegCM3 simulated the observed westward troughs propagation at the 850-700 hPa levels, and their associated precipitation as well, for two EWDs occurred between 21 and 25 May 2006. For seasonal simulations, the RegCM3 with Grell parameterization predicted the spatial pattern similar to the observed rain, but overestimated it. Approximately 68% of the events subjectively obtained EWDs were also identified using Hovmöller diagrams. The tracking algorithm using OLR or vorticity was unsatisfactory in the detection of EWDs, identifying with OLR ~55% of the events subjectively obtained.

Automatic speech recognition (ASR) is one of the most important research areas in the field of speech technology and research. It is also known as the recognition of speech by a machine or, by some artificial intelligence. However, in spite of focused research in this field for the past several decades, robust speech recognition with high reliability has not been achieved as it degrades in presence of speaker variabilities, channel mismatch condi- tions, and in noisy environments. The superb ability of the human auditory system has motivated researchers to include features of human perception in the speech recognition process. This dissertation investigates the roles of perceptual features of human hearing in automatic speech recognition in clean and noisy environments. Methods of simplified synaptic adaptation and two-tone suppression by companding are introduced by temporal processing of speech using a zero-crossing algorithm. It is observed that a high frequency enhancement technique such as synaptic adaptation performs better in stationary Gaussian white noise, whereas a low frequency enhancement technique such as the two-tone sup- pression performs better in non-Gaussian non-stationary noise types. The effects of static compression on ASR parametrization are investigated as observed in the psychoacoustic input/output (I/O) perception curves. A method of frequency dependent asymmetric compression technique, that is, higher compression in the higher frequency regions than the lower frequency regions, is proposed. By asymmetric compression, degradation of the spectral contrast of the low frequency formants due to the added compression is avoided. A novel feature extraction method for ASR based on the auditory processing in the cochlear nucleus is presented. The processings for synchrony detection, average discharge (mean rate) processing and the two tone suppression are segregated and processed separately at the feature extraction level according to the differential processing scheme as observed in the AVCN, PVCN and the DCN, respectively, of the cochlear nucleus. It is further observed that improved ASR performances can be achieved by separating the synchrony detection from the synaptic processing. A time-frequency perceptual spectral subtraction method based on several psychoacoustic properties of human audition is developed and evaluated by an ASR front-end. An auditory masking threshold is determined based on these psychoacoustic e?ects. It is observed that in speech recognition applications, spec- tral subtraction utilizing psychoacoustics may be used for improved performance in noisy conditions. The performance may be further improved if masking of noise by the tonal components is augmented by spectral subtraction in the masked region.

The atmospheric drivers of winter and summer surface climate in western Canada are evaluated using a synoptic climatological approach. Winter snow accumulation provides the largest contribution to annual streamflow of the north-flowing Mackenzie and east-flowing Saskatchewan Rivers, while summer water availability is primarily a product of basin-wide precipitation and evapotranspiration. A catalogue of dominant synoptic types is produced for winter (Nov-Apr) and summer (May-Oct) using the method of Self-Organizing Maps. Water availability, quantified through high-resolution gridded temperature and precipitation data, associated with these synoptic types is then determined. The frequency of dominant types during positive/negative phases of the Southern Oscillation Index, Pacific Decadal Oscillation, and Arctic Oscillation reveal the atmospheric processes through which these teleconnections influence surface climate. Results from the winter analysis are more coherent than summer, with strong relationships found between synoptic types, teleconnections, and surface climate. Although not as strong, links between summer synoptic types and water availability also exist. Additionally, time-series analysis of synoptic type frequencies indicates a trend toward circulation patterns that produce warmer, drier winters as well as an earlier onset and extension of the summer season. This study increases our understanding of the atmospheric processes controlling the distribution of water resources in western Canada. / Graduate / 0388 / 0725 / 0368 / bwnewton@uvic.ca

This thesis deals with the extreme daily temperature range (DTR) during the period 1961-2007 for the extended winter season, based on an analysis of the daily series from 49 climatological stations in the Czech Republic. The aim of the research was to find the frequency of the extreme DTR in the individual months and describe the effect of the sunshine, the snow cover and the altitude on the magnitude of the extreme DTR. Moreover, the work focused on the identification of typical synoptic situations, during the days with extreme DTR. During the study period, 1746 days with extreme DTR were detected at least at one climatological station. The extreme DTR occurred most often in March in the anticyclonic situations. During the days with strong wind, the eastern flow direction prevailed anticyclonic situations whereas the western direction prevailed cyclonic situations. The highest values of the extreme DTR generally occurred in the lowlands since the magnitude of extreme DTR decreased with increasing altitude. In general, the values of extreme DTR were reduced (by 0,2 řC on average) during the days with snow cover. Cloud cover had a similar effect, the mean difference of extreme DTR between cloudy days (defined as days with sunshine duration less than 1 h/day) and sunny days was 0,5 řC. The acquired...

The connection between Upper Tropospheric Cyclonic Vortex (UTCV) and Brazilian Northeast Jet Stream (BNEJS) was analyzed for 9 years between 1988 and 2000, separated by El Niño, La Niña and Neutral years. Through the reanalysis products from NCEP, and METEOSAT satellite images in the infrared channel, were observed 167 UTCVs, most of them originated over the Atlantic Ocean with an average last of 4 days and showed no significant variability in years of El Niño and La Niña. Approximately 54% of the observed UTCVs were associated to air currents superior than 20m.s-1 in its periphery, these currents are called BNEJS. In El Niño years was observed an increase of BNEJS cases associated to UTCV, while in La Niña years, the number of occurrences was practically the same as in neutral years. The BNEJS showed intensitity up to 40 m.s-1, and the most observed wind directions were from south, southeast, northwest and west. Thus, 3 patterns of occurrence of BNEJS were identified, named Meridional, Zonal and Transversal. The Meridional BNEJS occurs in the UTCVs west periphery, usually over the continent, showing the upward movements between the BNEJS and the Northern Subtropical Jet Stream (NSJS). And finally, the transversal BNEJS, showed two kinds of currents, one from southeast and another from northwest. In these cases, the UTCVs axis showed an inclination to west and the upward movements were observed in the UTCVs periphery, where the winds were weaker. Thus, three cases were chosen to represent the observed patterns and investigate the vertical movements, comparing to the cloudiness in the satellite images, where was observed, in both cases, that the upward movements doesn t exists or are too weak in the jet streak BNEJS area. / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico / A ligação entre Vórtice Ciclônico em Altos Níveis (VCAN) e a Corrente de Jato do Nordeste Brasileiro (CJNEB), foi analisada durante 9 anos entre 1988-2000, divididos em períodos de El Niño, La Niña e Neutro. Através dos produtos de reanálise do NCEP, e imagens do satélite METEOSAT no canal infravermelho, foram observados 167 VCAN s, em grande maioria originados sobre o oceano Atlântico, com uma duração média de 4 dias, não apresentando variabilidade significativa em anos de El Niño e La Niña. Dos VCAN s observados, aproximadamente 54%, estavam associados a correntes de ar superiores a 20m.s-1 em sua periferia, essas correntes são chamadas de CJNEB. Em anos de El Niño, foi observado um aumento dos casos de CJNEB associados à VCAN, enquanto que em anos de La Niña, o número de ocorrências foi praticamente o mesmo que em anos neutros. As CJNEB apresentaram intensidade de até 40 m.s-1, e as direções mais observadas foram de sul, sudeste, noroeste e oeste. Assim, foram identificados 3 padrões de ocorrência de CJNEB, denominadas de Meridional, Zonal e Transversal. A CJNEB Meridional ocorre na periferia oeste do VCAN, geralmente sobre o continente, apresentando os movimentos ascendentes no lado oeste da corrente. A CJNEB Zonal ocorreu sobre a periferia norte do VCAN, apresentando movimentos ascendentes entre a CJNEB e o Jato Subtropical do Hemisfério Norte (JSTHN). E finalmente, a CJNEB Transversal, que apresentou dois tipos de correntes, uma de sudeste e outra de noroeste. Nesses casos, o eixo do VCAN apresentou uma inclinação para oeste, e os movimentos ascendentes foram observados na periferia do VCAN, onde os ventos foram mais fracos. Assim, três casos foram escolhidos a fim de representar os padrões observados e investigar os movimentos verticais, comparando com a nebulosidade nas imagens de satélites, onde foi observado em ambos os casos, que os movimentos ascendentes inexistem ou são muito fracos na região mais intensa da CJNEB ( Jet Streak ).