Boundary Of Medium Research Articles

Embodied Social Cognition and Comparative Literature

There is a growing sense among scholars working in cognitive literary studies that their assumptions and methodologies increasingly align them with another paradigmatically interdisciplinary field: comparative literature. This introduction to the special issue on cognitive approaches to comparative literature explores points of alignment between the two fields, outlining possible cognitivist interventions into debates that have been animating comparative literature, such as those concerning “universals,” politics of translatability (especially in the context of world literature), and practices of thinking across the boundaries of media. It discusses both fields’ indebtedness to cultural studies, as well as cognitive literary theorists’ commitment to historicizing and their sustained focus on the embodied social mind.

A societal history of potato knowledge in Sweden c. 1650–1800

ABSTRACT This article concerns the societal history of potato knowledge in early modern Sweden. Focusing on the communication process, it analyses when, how, why, and which type of knowledge of the potato was communicated and ultimately experienced a societal breakthrough in early modern Sweden. The article shows that knowledge of the potato was transformed as it crossed social, spatial, and media boundaries. The breakthrough – which only came in 1749–50 – was not the result of a linear, cumulative diffusion process dating from the initial knowledge intervention in the 1650s; instead, it was the result of a particular knowledge network, long devoted to promoting the potato, finally gaining influence over important knowledge institutions, thus making mass communication possible. In the 1720s and 1730s, this network had redefined the potato in the context of agriculture and especially in relation to the phenomenon of famine and crop failure. In the subsequent period, this revised knowledge became increasingly relevant to Swedish society, as the elite became ever more concerned with food security, population policy, and agricultural and fiscal reforms. Finally, following a severe crop failure in the 1740s, political support for a broad knowledge intervention was secured.

Equations and fundamental characteristics of transverse waves propagating in fluid-saturated porous materials

The main purpose of the paper is to present an extended analysis of the coupled system of linear equations describing wave propagation in fluid-saturated porous materials used for the determination of their fundamental characteristics. The present paper is the first part, mainly devoted to the analysis of the system of equations describing transverse wave propagation. The analysis of equations for compressional waves will be presented in a separate paper. The starting point of considerations are nonlinear equations describing the dynamic behavior of the medium formulated in the spirit of the theory of interacting continua in which parameters of isotropic pore space structure are explicitly present in the model, and constitutive equations are formulated for each physical component separately. They contain all fundamental mechanical couplings between components of this medium in the general nonlinear form and of clear physical meaning. Linear equations of this theory for barotropic fluid and hyperelastic skeleton are the subject of the analysis performed in the paper. They are equivalent to Biot's model, widely used in the description and analysis of wave propagation in saturated porous materials and wave interaction with the boundary of such media. A new method of analysis is proposed in the paper, based on spectral decomposition of the system of equations in the two-dimensional vector space of rotations of solid and fluid particles. It is shown that each choice of the base in this vector space defines the division of the medium into two new components and transforms the system of equation to the form describing the dynamic behavior of these components, and the requirement of the basic dynamic properties of the medium to be invariant in each chosen base uniquely determines the mass densities and bulk modules of the new components. Such an approach enabled decomposition of the system of equations for particle rotations to two uncoupled scalar equations, the only one of which describes propagation of the transverse wave. This also allowed obtaining expressions characterizing transverse wave propagation in fluid-saturated porous materials: velocity, effective mass densities and wave impedance of the medium associated with this wave and its frequency characteristics: phase velocity and attenuation coefficient. It is shown that both frequency characteristics are fully defined by the effective mass densities of both components associated with the transverse wave, the tortuosity of the pore space, and the coefficient characterizing the viscous interaction of the fluid with the skeleton.

Co-opting the nation brand: The politics of cross-cultural co-production

This paper analyzes the political implications of aesthetic mimicry in the popular mobile game, Onmyoji. Created by the Chinese company, NetEase, Onmyoji takes advantage of the expansive network of signifiers revolving around the historical Japanese figure, Abe-no-Seimei, and co-opts this network to display a recognizable Japanese popular aesthetic. By remixing elements of Japanese culture, Onmyoji presents a commodifiable and mediated image of Japanese cultural authenticity that is recognizable globally. Mimicry and the co-opting of another nation’s cultural signifiers initiates a negotiated process of ambivalent national self-empowerment that has since resulted in shifting labor flows within the digital entertainment industries in East Asia. The malleability of cultural signifiers allows for the purposeful framing of global media texts. Such multivalent encodings of recognizable symbols emerge from the provocative slippages between media boundaries. This, in turn, engages with the dialectical processes of nation branding within the framework of transnational co-production models.

Specially for Television?

Abstract This article analyses tensions between medium specificity and intermediality in Beckett’s first original drama for television, Eh Joe (1966), which exploits features of the medium such as the spatiality of the studio, monochrome images and close-up. But its visual motifs also echo Beckett’s cinema debut, Film (1964), and uses of sound and voice from his radio plays. The public promotion of Eh Joe centred on its relationships with Beckett’s theatre plays, while Eh Joe’s first audiences adduced frames of reference from both theatre and television. Eh Joe works with the porosity of media boundaries and performatively renegotiates them.

Laws of reflection and refraction of TE and TM polarization waves on the border of rhombic crystals

The article analytically solves the problem of reflection and refraction of electromagnetic plane waves of different polarization at the boundary of anisotropic half-spaces of rhombic symmetry. Based on the matrix method, the angles of refraction of electromagnetic waves of different polarization, the amplitudes of the reflected and refracted waves, the angles that determine the direction of the group velocities and vectors of the flow of electromagnetic energy, the magnitudes of the flows of electromagnetic energy and their components depending on the direction of the wave vector of the incident wave are determined. The determination of the angles of total internal reflection and the refractive index of electromagnetic waves of different polarization is considered. A significantly different dependence of the kinematic and energy characteristics of electromagnetic waves of different polarization on the anisotropy of the magnetic and dielectric tensors is shown. For electromagnetic waves, the polarization of which is determined by the component of the electric tension vector perpendicular to the wave propagation plane (TE wave), the characteristics of the reflected and refracted waves, the velocity indicatrix, the propagation angles, etc. determined primarily by the components of the magnetic permeability tensor. In the case of electromagnetic waves, when the polarization is determined by the component of the magnetic field (TM wave), perpendicular to the plane of wave propagation, all characteristics depend mainly on the components of the dielectric constant. The validity of the Fresnel formulas for determining the coefficients of reflected and refracted waves at the boundary of anisotropic media of rhombic symmetry is shown. However, in this case, the components of the wave vectors included in the Fresnel formulas are determined by their indicatrices. In addition, it is necessary to take into account the dependence of these components on the angle of refraction in the second medium.

Underwater transmission of high-dimensional twisted photons over 55 meters

As an emerging channel resource for modern optics, big data, internet traffic and quantum technologies, twisted photons carrying orbital angular momentum (OAM) have been extended their applicable boundary in different media, such as optical fiber and atmosphere. Due to the extreme condition of loss and pressure, underwater transmission of twisted photons has not been well investigated yet. Especially, single-photon tests were all limited at a level of a few meters, and it is in practice unclear what will happen for longer transmission distances. Here we experimentally demonstrate the transmission of single-photon twisted light over an underwater channel up to 55 m, which reach a distance allowing potential real applications. For different order OAM states and their superposition, a good preservation of modal structure and topological charge are observed. Our results for the first time reveal the real transmission performance of twisted photons in a long-distance regime, representing a step further towards OAM-based underwater quantum communication.

КНИГИ О ПОСТДРАМАТИЧЕСКОМ ТЕАТРЕ

The review considers three books on post-dramatic theatre (in various studies it is also called anti-mimetic, radical, post-modern theatre, metatheatre, etc.). Different concepts of post-dramatic theatre are brought together by what may be considered as experiments per se, overcoming or problematizing genre and media boundaries, neutralizing binary oppositions, such as subject – object, playwright – director, platform – hall, actor – character, etc. I analyze the concept of H.-T. Lehmann (“Postdramatic theatre: 1999), who argues concerning the main feature of the “radical theatre” in weakening the connection with the text of the play, “re-theatricalization”, and rejection of the mimesis. For E. Fischer-Lichte (“Ästhetik des Performativen”, 2004 / “The Transformative Power of Performance: A New Aesthetics”, 2008), the main feature of the newest theatre is “performativity” – the production of aesthetic meaning within the event of a performance, and not in the perception of an artifact by an observing subject. The criteria for the so called “performative turn” in drama and theatre, which, according to Fischer-Lichte, are self-reference, materiality, bodily contact, the liminality of aesthetic experience, and the transformation of the spectator. The neoconservative point of view of G. Stadelmaier (“Director’s Theatre. On the Scenes of the Spirit of the Times”, 2016), which expresses nostalgia for the tradition, is considered as polemic in respect to the innovations of the post-drama

PHYSICAL MODELING OF THE ELASTIC WAVES REFLECTION FROM THE BOUNDARY WITH LOW-VELOCITY AZIMUTHALLY ANISOTROPIC MEDIUM

The physical modelling of elastic waves reflected from the boundary between the water and the model of low-velocity azimuthally anisotropic medium was carried out. The model of anisotropic medium was made using 3D printer. The results of experiments showed that the reflection coefficients are practically independent from the azimuth at the angles of incidence less than 25°. At larger angles of incidence, the azimuthal dependence of the reflection coefficients is observed, which is most pronounced at azimuths from 45° to 75°. The results of measurements in the layering direction are in good agreement with the theoretical reflection coefficients for the boundary of isotropic media.

The Spectral Properties of a Pre-Stressed Thermoelastic Layer Coupled to a Half-Space

In the framework of the linearized theory of the propagation of thermoelastic waves, a dynamic coupled problem of oscillations of an inhomogeneous medium under the influence of a thermal load oscillating on its surface simulating the action of a frequency-modulated laser beam is considered. The medium is a thermoelastic prestressed layer rigidly adhered to a thermoelastic prestressed half-space. The surface of the layer is free from mechanical stress and insulated outside the area of thermal load acting. At the media boundary thermal insulation condition is considered: ideal thermal contact and. The initial stress state is assumed to be uniform and is created due to preheating and the action of mechanical forces. As an example, the distribution of the phase velocities of the body with initial heating and without it differences are obtained and shown graphically.

Reflection characteristics of plane-S-wave at the free boundary of unsaturated porothermoelastic media

In the present work, the reflection of plane-S-wave at the free boundary of an unsaturated porothermoelastic medium is studied taking into consideration of the theory of porous media and the generalized thermoelasticity model. Based on the wave equations for an unsaturated porous medium considering thermo-fluid-solid coupling and the boundary conditions, the theoretical expressions of the reflection coefficient of five kinds of reflected waves at the free boundary of the unsaturated porothermoelastic medium, i.e., reflected P1 wave, reflected P2 wave, reflected P3 wave, reflected S wave and reflected thermal wave, are derived by using the classical Helmholtz potential function decomposition method. Then the numerical calculations are used to discuss the variation of the reflection coefficients of each reflected wave with the incident angle of plane-S-wave and the thermophysical parameters such as saturation, thermal expansion coefficient, thermal conductivity, medium temperature and phase-lag of heat flux and gradient of temperature. The results show that the reflection coefficient of each reflected wave is affected by not only the incident angle but also the saturation. The change of thermal expansion coefficient has a significant influence on the reflection coefficient of each reflected wave. The change of medium temperature only affects the reflection coefficient of the reflected P2 wave, reflected P3 wave and reflected thermal wave. The change of thermal conductivity, phase-lag of heat flux and phase-lag of gradient of temperature only has a large effect on the reflection coefficient of reflected thermal wave. These conclusions are helpful in the theoretical research and seismic exploration projects.

Compression waves reflection from the low-velocity azimuthally anisotropic medium: a physical model study

SUMMARYInterest in azimuthal anisotropy of rocks is mainly associated with fractured reservoirs, which may contain hydrocarbon deposits. Cracks in such deposits in most cases have a subvertical orientation, which is caused by the predominance of vertical stresses in rocks over horizontal ones. To determine the azimuthal direction of fractures, one can use, in particular, the dependence of the reflection coefficients of elastic waves on the boundaries with such media on the azimuth. This paper presents the results of physical modelling, demonstrating this dependence. To conduct experiments, we developed a technology for manufacturing models of azimuthally anisotropic (HTI) media with a high degree of anisotropy by 3-D printing. The features of the reflection of compression waves from the boundary of water and low-velocity azimuthally anisotropic media were experimentally investigated on the example of the model HTI medium produced by this method. Experiments have shown that at angles of incidence less than 25°, the reflection coefficients are practically independent from the azimuth. However, at larger angles of incidence, an azimuthal dependence of the reflection coefficients is observed, most pronounced at azimuths from 45° to 75°. The results of measurements in the direction of the isotropy plane agree well with the theoretical reflection coefficients for the boundary of isotropic media.

The small-slope approximation for layered, fluid seafloors.

The small-slope approximation (SSA) for rough-interface scattering is most commonly applied to the upper boundary of either impenetrable media or uniform half-space media, but has been recently developed for layered media in the acoustic and electromagnetic cases. The present work gives an overview of three forms of the SSA for layered media. The first has been previously presented in the acoustics literature. The second is from the electromagnetics literature and in the present work is converted to the fluid-sediment problem. A missing proof is supplied of a key consistency condition demanded of the small-slope ansatz. As is usual, these small-slope results are expressed in k-space. A third SSA for layered seafloors follows from conversion of the usual half-space formulation from k-space to coordinate space. This form turns out to be useful for reverberation simulations. The three different approaches are compared with respect to scattering strength and the coherent reflection coefficient, but an assessment of their relative merits will require comparison with exact calculations.

Across the Boundaries of Signs and Media: On Transgeneric Qualities of Selected Contemporary Fiction

The following article construes the novel as a genre and explores how the innovations of utilizing multiple semiotic resources and media platforms are transforming it these days. With Marisha Pessl’s Night Film (2013) as the primary example I look into the properties of the multimodal and multimedia novel with a view to presenting various ways of transgressing the parameters of the traditional (monomodal and mono-medial) novel. Drawing from L. Ellestrom’s theory of “modalities of media” I seek to go to the depth of the semiotic and semantic mechanisms of Night Film and argue how the integration of the verbal and the visual renders a new reading experience. Also, on the basis of J.P. Bolter and R. Grusin’s idea of hypermedia I claim that the multiplication of sign systems and media aims at enhancing the ontological illusion.

Challenges of Media Ethics Education in Lebanon in the Midst of Political and Economic Pressure

The Lebanese media sector has played a pioneering role in the Arab world due to its free and diverse system. However, the lack of professional and ethical structures in journalistic practices can be attributed to political and economic pressures. Through both a quantitative and qualitative methodology, this study contributes to the complex boundaries of the Lebanese media landscape that make the gap between media ethics education and real-world pressures in need of sustained analysis. This research aims to explore the challenges media ethics education in Lebanon faces, along with the perceptions formed by media students about journalistic practices and the application of moral reasoning in the field. In addition, the study investigates whether media ethics courses prepare students for settling moral dilemmas in the professional arena. To address the multiple factors affecting ethics education, it is significant to understand the relationship between journalists and power, democratic norms, technological change, global community, and academic critiques. Survey and focus groups results indicated that the majority of students rated moral reasoning as important for their future media professions, and that the media ethics course prepares them for professional life. On the other hand, the majority believe that the corrupt system in Lebanon makes journalists resort to unethical practices which in turn compromise journalists’ credibility and integrity. Students consider that journalists have power as the so-called fourth estate, yet that power seems minimal when journalists lack the freedom to write facts without fear from editors and/or gatekeepers’ political views, economic pressure, and on-the-job demands, placing journalistic integrity again at stake.

Estimation of sand water content using GPR combined time-frequency analysis in the Ordos Basin, China

Abstract Groundwater is the key factor of determining the growth of vegetation. Identifying the characteristics of groundwater is an important basis to formulate a management plan for water resources and develop the technology of controlling desertification in arid areas scientifically. It is also important to the environmental protection in China. Ground penetrating radar (GPR) signals produce a special response to the changes in water content during propagation, thus it is essential to study the propagation of electromagnetic pulse in aeolian sand with different water content. The GPR tests of aeolian sand samples with different water content were conducted by a GPR system, dielectric constant meter, and conductivity meter. The temporal and frequency spectral characteristics of electromagnetic signals measured from aeolian sand samples were analyzed. The results show that the dielectric constant and conductivity of aeolian sand increase nonlinearly as the water content increases, and the attenuation coefficient of electromagnetic pulses increases parabolically. Meanwhile, the temporal waveform fluctuates significantly at the boundary of different media, and its two-way travel time increases nonlinearly as the water content increases, the pulse velocity decreases nonlinearly. Furthermore, the peak frequency of the spectrum for a signal propagating through aeolian sand decreases as the water content increases. The peak frequency is concentrated in the 1000 to 1400 MHz range, but the shape and bandwidth of the spectrum are less affected by water content. The above-mentioned correlations can provide a water content estimation of aeolian sand with direct value to the local authorities which are involved in the decision-making process for effective water management in arid and semi-arid area.

From Correspondence to Computers: A Theory of Mediated Presence in History

AbstractThis article proposes a theory of mediated presence, defined as the sense of presence— despite physical absence—made possible by technology. Pushing the boundaries of media, the theory integrates various notions of presence at a distance: telepresence in telecommunications and computer-mediated communication, liveness in broadcasting and on the Internet, and the epistolary presence of antiquity. Theoretically, it adopts a social constructivist approach to long-term communication history, with an emphasis on technological breakdowns. The core discussion addresses three criteria for a historical, comparative analysis of mediated presence: dissemination versus dialogue, transmission-reception time lags, and levels of disembodiment. Refuting axiological and technology-centered views of history, the article concludes that increased technological options for presence at a distance have remained essentially ambivalent for users who vacillate between the need for distance and the search for connection.

O twórczym przekraczaniu granic. Przetworzenia i reprezentacje w przestrzeni sztuki

The paper analyzes the thesis that constantly transgressing boundaries in art is a fundamental principle and essential condition for artistic progress. Crossing external (the art – other discourses) and internal (between various art genres) boundaries is analyzed on the basis of transformations (especially adaptation) and representations. Dialogue relations initialized by art crossing the boundaries are analyzed as well: reinterpretations, polemics, extensions and supplementations. There is also a discussion of the ways in which semiotic and media boundaries are trangressed, especially the semiotic and media borders that are essential for the semiotic sphere of one artistic genre for the semiotic and media sphere of the other. The article refers to examples taken from literature, film, sculpture and painting.

O twórczym przekraczaniu granic. Przetworzenia i reprezentacje w przestrzeni sztuki

The paper analyzes the thesis that constantly transgressing boundaries in art is a fundamental principle and essential condition for artistic progress. Crossing external (the art – other discourses) and internal (between various art genres) boundaries is analyzed on the basis of transformations (especially adaptation) and representations. Dialogue relations initialized by art crossing the boundaries are analyzed as well: reinterpretations, polemics, extensions and supplementations. There is also a discussion of the ways in which semiotic and media boundaries are trangressed, especially the semiotic and media borders that are essential for the semiotic sphere of one artistic genre for the semiotic and media sphere of the other. The article refers to examples taken from literature, film, sculpture and painting.

Automation of contrast media boundary detection when processing GPR data

The paper presents the field results of the inspection of transport facilities, in which the contrasting media in terms of radio wave propagation velocities are found. The possibility of high-precision determination of interface boundaries for such media at shallow depths (for example, the contact of asphalt concrete pavement and crushed stone and sand mixture), as well as at high depths (for example, the determination of the bottom of water bodies) is discussed. In addition, the possibility of using artificial neural networks to identify contrasting boundaries on the GPR data and the transition to less contrasting boundaries is justified.