Examining the effects of anti-space weaponization arguments in the media: Some experimental findings from Canada

This study examines how political activists are framing the space weaponization debate in Canada and whether their arguments can influence public attitudes and perceptions about the issue. Eighty university students from two undergraduate courses were recruited as participants in a quasi-experiment. One class (n = 38) was exposed to the documentary Masters of Space, an episode of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's program The Nature of Things, and another class (n = 42) served as the control group. Pre-test and post-test questionnaires were used to measure the effects of viewing anti-weaponization arguments in the media, while also controlling for the influence of prior beliefs and background characteristics of participants. Results suggest that visually depicting the use of satellite technology in society can convince viewers that satellites are important to their way of life, but not necessarily to the defense of North America. Framing missile defense as a ‘space weapon in disguise’ also seemed to raise opposition to Canada's participation in continental missile defense. The findings, meanwhile, indicate that viewers respond strongly to the issue of space debris and that mobilizing support for joint military space projects may best be achieved by emphasizing the usefulness of these projects for locating and tracking such debris. In the end, media exposure seemed to help legitimize anti-weaponization arguments based more on rational self-interests than on idealistic beliefs. These findings can have implications for the way space policies are communicated to the public.     

大学生就业质量评价指标体系及其测算

在我国现有的政治经济制度背景和传统文化条件下,高校毕业生就业质量指标体系的基本内容应包括3个一级指标和15个分指标,并通过建立评价标准和数学模型的方法进行计算。     

专科英语、本科英语及成人专科英语的定位和相互关系

专科英语在理论上被界定为专门用途英语(ESP)分支下,介于学术英语(EAP)与职业英语(EOP)之间的业务用途英语(EPP).而本科(大学)英语在理论体系上属于普通英语(GE).本文从ESP理论的角度探讨了专科英语,本科英语及成人专科英语的定位和相互关系.     

Selecting a reference frame

Reference frames are representations that parse space. In the case of spatial terms, reference frames mediate the mapping of linguistic expressions onto spatial configurations of objects. In the sentence ``The fly is above the cat,' ``above' is defined with respect to a reference frame that is imposed on the cat. Different types of reference frames can be used to define spatial terms, each based on a different source of information. For example, gravity, the orientation of objects in the scene or the orientation of the viewer can all be used to set the orientation of a reference frame. When these reference frames disagree (because the viewer is reclining or because the objects in the scene are overturned), there are competing definitions for the spatial term, resulting in the need for reference frame selection. The purpose of this paper is to review a line of research that examines reference frame selection in the context of spatial language. This work shows that all reference frames are initially active and assign a direction to a spatial term. Moreover, this activation is automatic, and is followed by the selection of a single reference frame, with selection accompanied by inhibition of the non-selected frames. Parallels between reference frame selection in language and in perception and attention are discussed.     

The new debate on the working methods of the UNCOPUOS Legal Subcommittee

The 2014 session of the Legal Subcommittee (LSC) of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UNCOPUOS) saw a particularly extensive and thorough debate on the working methods of this forum, which has the status of the highest body in space law making. By discussing the working methods it also became apparent how delegations actually regard the LSC and what expectations they have from it. In a time of considerable changes in space activities and space diplomacy alike, it was only a matter of time that such a comprehensive discussion arose. And while it did not immediately lead to decisions, it provided numerous signals for the future of the LSC.     

Verb Semantics Affects the Interpretation of Spatial Prepositions

Abstract

Spatial prepositions, more specifically projective prepositions, such as in front of or behind can be interpreted in different ways. Their interpretation depends on the spatial perspective taken as the basis for determining the reference frame's orientation. In 3 series of placement experiments with German speakers, we examined whether the interpretation of projective prepositions in a motion context is affected by the verb used in a spatial instruction. Results suggest that verb semantics is a factor accounting for previously observed seemingly social-situational differences in the interpretation of projective prepositions. Specifically, the findings indicate that, relative to a car as reference object, the semantic aspect of motion interruption associated with some verbs leads to a higher proportion of deictic interpretations determined by the direction from which one is approaching the car. This verb effect on the interpretation of spatial prepositions can be explained by an activation of the temporal dimension through stop-implying verbs, which is integrated into the spatial situation model of the perceived dynamic scene making the deictic frame of reference more compatible. The experimental evidence also shows that verb semantics can account for previously unexplained cross-linguistic differences, and is related to patterns concerning the prepositional inventory of languages.     

Qualitative Spatial Reasoning for Topological Map Learning

Abstract

In this paper we investigate the application of qualitative spatial reasoning methods for learning the topological map of an unknown environment. We develop a topological mapping framework that achieves robustness against ambiguity in the available information by tracking all possible graph hypotheses simultaneously. We then exploit spatial reasoning to reduce the space of possible hypotheses. The considered constraints are qualitative direction information and the assumption that the map is planar. We investigate the effects of absolute and relative direction information using two different spatial calculi and combine the approach with a real mapping system based on Voronoi graphs.     

面向稀薄流非线性本构预测的机器学习方法

稀薄非平衡流域内连续介质假设已经失效,主要围绕Boltzmann方程及模型方程对稀薄非平衡流开展理论与计算研究,统一气体动理论格式（UGKS）是其中一种代表性方法。在稀薄非平衡流数值模拟中,Navier-Stokes （N-S）方程连续介质假设已经失效,不能有效描述流场非平衡特征。UGKS方法虽然计算精度高,但速度空间离散导致计算效率低下,多维高速条件下数值计算难以开展。基于数据驱动的思想,在N-S方程与UGKS方法的研究基础上发展出了一种稀薄非平衡流非线性本构关系求解方法（DNCR）。该方法以N-S与UGKS求解器获得的流场数值模拟计算结果作为训练数据集,基于流场特征参数采用极端随机树算法生成机器学习模型,对预测流场中线性黏性应力项与热流项进行非线性修正,并耦合非线性本构关系求解宏观守恒方程得到目标状态稀薄非平衡流动数值解。针对DNCR方法中所采用的机器学习方法-极端随机树模型,通过二维顶盖驱动方腔流算例对高维非线性建模涉及的特征参数选取、参数调优开展了相关验证工作,选取若干典型状态对极端随机树模型的泛化性能开展研究,并评估了相关模型与方法的计算精度与计算效率。