Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Start of Mission'

Thesis (MTh.(R)) - University of Glasgow, 2008.
MTh.(R) thesis submitted to the Department of Theology and Religious Studies, Faculty of Arts, University of Glasgow, 2008. Includes bibliographical references. Print version also available.

The Diploma thesis deals with beginnings of entrepreneur, who is going to set up his first company. The objective of thesis is checking hypothesis that visionary company is viable, with economic potencial and possibilities for growth. Theoretical part descripes major factors, which are important for health and strength of the enterprise. In these factors belong demands on entrepreneur's personality, knowledge and skills. Further protection of company -- how protect company and its own know-how before rivals. Chosing suitable legal form and choise of compaion. Thesis also saying about usefulness to have a mission. Practical part shows how the business is conceived for real market. Thesis also thinking about growth of the business and how to do it to not be such a little company with one branch. Financial statements show economical potencial, which the business is able to generate to all investors and companions in this concept of the business. The conclusion is dedicated to commentary related to objectives of this Diploma thesis.

International Telemetering Conference Proceedings / October 25-28, 1993 / Riviera Hotel and Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada
This paper provides a brief history of the role strategic ballistic missile telemetry has played in U.S.-Soviet and Russian arms control relations from the first Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (SALT I) through the second Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START II).

The general objective of the present work is to contribute to the knowledge of the physics of Be Stars. In particular, we are interested in studying and characterizing their pulsational properties. A very suitable tool to reach this goal is the study and analysis of photometric time series with the maximum time baseline, density and photometric accuracy.The space mission COROT scheduled to be launched in December 2006, will provide ultra high precision, relative stellar photometry for very long continuous observing runs. Up to ten stars will be observed in the seismology fields with a photometric accuracy of a few 10-4 and color information during 150 days.The observations of Be stars with COROT will provide photometric time series with unprecedented quality. Their analysis will allow us to qualitatively improve our knowledge and understanding of the pulsational characteristics of Be stars. In consequence, we have started a research project aimed at observing Be stars both in the seismology and exoplanet fields of COROT.In this thesis we present the first step of this project, which is the preparation and study of the sample of Be stars that will be observed by COROT. We have performed photometric analysis of all Be stars located in the seismology fields (Chap. 2). Special emphasis has been given to two stars (NW Ser and V1446 Aql) in which we have detected multiperiodic variability and these variations have been modeled in terms of stellar pulsations (Chap. 3). We have also performed an in-depth spectroscopic study of NW Ser and identified the non-radial pulsating modes taking into account the rotational effects (Chap. 4). A technique to search for faint Be stars based on CCD photometry has been developed and is presented in Chap. 5. We also present a list of faint Be stars located in the exoplanet fields of COROT detected with this technique and which we propose as targets for COROT. In addition, we have proven that our period-analysis techniques are suitable to detect multiperiodicity in large temporal baseline data. In particular, we have detected non-radial pulsations in some Be stars in the low-metallicity galaxy Small Magellanic Clouds (Chap. 6). The current theoretical models do not predict the presence of pulsational instabilities in such low-metallicity environment, and therefore, our results point towards the necessity of new and improved models.

This fictional novella takes place during the narrator Smoot's two-year mission to Melbourne, Australia. It chronicles the intertwining of the lives and destinies of three main characters: Smoot, a Utah native who struggles with carnality and lack of conversion and spirituality; Babakian, an Australian convert who used to be a punk rocker and has become frustrated with Mormonism's blandness and conformity; and Samantha, a nonmember part-Tongan Utahn with whom Smoot was involved before his mission. Speaking generally, the novella is about how Babakian misuses his creative powers of art and sexuality, how Samantha explores the gospel and changes her life, and how Smoot matures spiritually and learns to sacrifice.

The purpose of this thesis was to visualize the 1.7 billion stars released by the European Space Agency, as the second data release (DR2) of their Gaia mission, in the open source software OpenSpace with interactive framerates and also to be able to filter the data in real-time. An additional implementation goal was to streamline the data pipeline so that astronomers could use OpenSpace as a visualization tool in their research. An out-of-core rendering technique has been implemented where the data is streamed from disk during runtime. To be able to stream the data it first has to be read, sorted into an octree structure and then stored as binary files in a preprocess. The results of this report show that the entire DR2 dataset can be read from multiple files in a folder and stored as binary values in about seven hours. This step determines what values the user will be able to filter by and only has to be done once for a specific dataset. Then an octree can be created in about 5 to 60 minutes where the user can define if the stars should be filtered by any of the previously stored values. Only values used in the rendering will be stored in the octree. If the created octree can fit in the computer’s working memory then the entire octree will be loaded asynchronously on start-up otherwise only a binary file with the structure of the octree will be read during start-up while the actual star data will be streamed from disk during runtime. When the data have been loaded it is streamed to the GPU. Only stars that are visible are uploaded and the application also keeps track of which nodes that already have been uploaded to eliminate redundant updates. The inner nodes of the octree store the brightest stars in all its descendants as a level-of-detail cache that can be used when the nodes are small enough in screen space. The previous star rendering in OpenSpace has been improved by dividing the rendering phase into two passes. The first pass renders into a framebuffer object while the second pass then performs a tonemapping of the values. The rendering can be done either with billboard instancing or point splatting. The latter is generally the faster alternative. The user can also switch between using VBOs or SSBOs when updating the buffers. The latter is faster but requires OpenGL 4.3, which Apple products do not currently support. The rendering runs with interactive framerates for both flat and curved screen, such as domes/planetariums. The user can also switch dataset during render as well as render technique, buffer objects, color settings and many other properties. It is also possible to turn time on and see the stars move with their calculated space velocity, or transverse velocity if the star lacks radial velocity measurements. The calculations omits the gravitational rotation. The purpose of the thesis has been fulfilled as it is possible to fly through the entire DR2 dataset on a moderate desktop computer and filter the data in real-time. However, the main contribution of the project may be that the ground work has been laid in OpenSpace for astronomers to actually use it as a tool when visualizing their own datasets and also for continuing to explore the coming Gaia releases.

Il s'agit de demontrer comment la vedettarisation d'un evenement dans la presse, fait ecran a l'information. L'exemple etudie ici, la mission de mm. Maurice couve de murville et georges gorse au liban en 1975, le confirme. Apres la fin de la mission, on ne connait rien ou presque, de la guerre au liban, pourtant l'emissaire est venu pour la resoudre. Pour des raisons diverses, quelques fois contradictoires, les quatre supports de notre etude, la croix, le monde, l'humanite et l'aurore, ont contribue, chacun a sa maniere, au faconnement de la vedette couve de murville. Par les citations, le jeu des guillemets, les titres la dramatisation, la mise en page et bien d'autres artifices propres a la presse, nous avons assiste a la celebration d'un mythe, monte de toute piece. M. Couve de murville s'est transforme tour a tour de "emissaire de paix", "negociateur habile" et bien d'autres attributs, pour devenir enfin un "missionnaire", et meme un "messie"; et son action "une mission de bonne volonte". La celebrite qui est un excellent critere de vente, devient une necessite pour l'information, et l'actualite se transforme en un "fast-food" mediatique. Le souci essentiel pour le journal etant de vendre, il faut donc plaire. S'adressant a tout le monde et a personne en particulier, la star est un excellent lieu ou chacun s'y individualise, mais tous s'y retrouvent. L'information devient un spectacle, et son personnage, un acteur. Si cette vedettarisation de l'evenement est un simple hasard pour ces quatre quotidiens, "le hasard ne frappe jamais par hasard", selon le mot de jacques prevert. --------.

ITC/USA 2011 Conference Proceedings / The Forty-Seventh Annual International Telemetering Conference and Technical Exhibition / October 24-27, 2011 / Bally's Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada
In geometrically complex indoor industrial environments, such as factories, health care facilities, or offices, it can be challenging to determine where each telemetry receiver needs to be located to collect data from one or more mobile transmitters. Accurately estimating the areas that each transmitter frequently travels, rarely travels, and quickly travels through, helps to simplify the telemetry system planning problem and establishes which areas may be acceptable to provide marginal coverage. This paper discusses how using A* (A-Star) for transmitter path planning can assist in the telemetry system planning problem.

L’Archéologie Galactique a pour objectif de révéler l’histoire de la Voie Lactée grâce à l’analyse de différentes propriétés stellaires: des abondances chimiques, de la cinématique, de la dynamique et de l’âge. En particulier, l’abondance d’éléments α (e.g. O, Mg, Si, S, Ca, Ti) par rapport au fer ([α/Fe]) est une importante signature fossile pour tracer l’évolution chimique des populations du disque Galactique, i.e. les disques épais et mince. Le but de cette thèse est d’explorer les différentes contraintes relatives à la determination précise d’abondances à partir des spectres stellaires observés et, en utilisant les donnés astrométriques de grand précision de la mission spatiale Gaia, analyser les propriétés chimique-dynamique du disque Galactique (e.g. gradients radiaux de abondance, rôle de la migration stellaire, relations âge-abondance) pour inférer la formation et évolution de la Voie Lactée.L’algorithm employé a été la procédure automatique d’estimation d’abondances GAUGUIN, qui fait partie d’analyse du RVS (Spectromètre de Vitesse Radiale) de la mission Gaia. En premier lieu, nous avons determiné les abondances de [Mg/Fe] pour 2210 étoiles observés dans le voisinage solaire par le spectrograph HARPS ESO (haute résolution spectrale: R ∼ 115000), et paramétrées par le Projet AMBRE (température effective, gravité de surface, métallicité globale [M/H], abondance [α/Fe], et vitesse radiale). Il a été trouvé que la définition de continuum pour normaliser les spectres observés est responsable de la majeure fraction d’incertitude dans l’estimation d’abondances pour les spectres d’étoiles riches en métaux. On montre une méthode qui améliore notablement la précision, et que nous permet d’observer une tendance décroissante de la abondance de [Mg/Fe] même à metallicités supérieures à la solaire ([M/H] > 0), à résoudre partiellement les divergences entre le plateau observé dans la literature, et la majeure pente prédite par les modèles d’évolution chimique de la Galaxie. Nous avons utilisé ces nouvelles mesures de [Mg/Fe] pour interpréter la fomation et l’évolution du disque Galactique. À cet effet, nous avons estimé des âges précises et des paramètres orbitaux pour 366 étoiles de la ‘main sequence turn-off’ (MSTO), en utilisant des isochrones PARSEC, ainsi que des données astrometriques et photométriques de Gaia DR2. Nous constatons un gradient plus escarpé de [Mg/Fe], par rapport aux valeurs de la literature, qui est un résultat direct de la amélioration des estimations d’abondances pour les étoiles riches en métaux. De plus, une dispersion significative des âges stellaires a été trouvé pour chaque valeur de [Mg/Fe], et aussi une claire corrélation de la dispersion d’abondances de [Mg/Fe] avec la métallicité pour un âge fixe. Tandis que pour [M/H] ≤ -0.2, une claire tendance âge-métellicité et âge-[Mg/Fe] est observée, des étoiles plus riches montrent des âges entre 3 jusqu’à 12 Gyr, en décrivant une tendance plate dans les relations [M/H]-age et [Mg/Fe]-age. De plus, nous trouvons une fraction significative d’étoiles ayant migré radialement dans le disque galactique, dont la distribution d’ages est très dispersée.Enfin, les résultats ont montré l’apparition d’une deuxième séquence chimique dans le disque extérieur, il y a 10-12 Gyr. Ces étoiles sont moins riches en métaux que la population stellaire coexistante dans les parts intérieures du disque, et montrent des valeurs inférieurs de [Mg/Fe] que les étoiles plus anciennes avec la même métallicité, en produisant une discontinuité chimique. Au vu de ces résultats, ils privilégient une formation rapide d’un disque primitif qui s’est développée dans les régions internes, suivie d’une accrétion de gaz pauvre en métaux, probablement lié à l’accrétion d’un satellite riche en gaz, qui a pu avoir déclenché la formation du disque mince
Galactic archaeology aims at unveiling the history of the Milky Way by analysing different stellar properties: chemical abundances, kinematics, dynamics and ages. In particular, the abundance of α-elements (e.g. O, Mg, Si, S, Ca, Ti) with respect to iron ([α/Fe]) is an important fossil signature to trace the chemical evolution of the Galactic disc’s populations, i.e. the thin and the thick disc. The goal of this thesis is to explore the main issues concerning the determination of high-precision abundances from observed spectral data and, by using the high-quality astrometric data provided by the Gaia space mission, analyse the chemodynamical properties of the Galactic disc (e.g. radial abundance gradients, role of stellar migration, age-abundance relations) in order to infer the formation and evolution of the Milky Way.The implemented algorithm was the automated abundance estimation procedure GAUGUIN, which is integrated into the RVS (Radial Velocity Spectrometer) DPAC analysis pipeline of the Gaia mission. We first applied our method to derive [Mg/Fe] abundances for 2210 solar neighbourhood stars observed by the HARPS ESO spectrograph (high spectral resolution: R ∼ 115000), and parametrised by the AMBRE Project (effective temperature, surface gravity, overall metallicity [M/H], [α/Fe] abundance, and radial velocity). We found that the definition of continuum to normalise the observed spectra is responsible for the largest fraction of the uncertainty in the abundance estimate for the metal-rich stellar spectra. We show a methodology that significantly improve the abundance estimate precision, and allows to observe a decreasing trend in the [Mg/Fe] abundance even at supersolar metallicites ([M/H] > 0), partly solving the apparent discrepancies between the observed flat trend in the literature, and the steeper slope predicted by Galactic chemical evolution models.We used these new [Mg/Fe] abundance measurements to interpret the Galactic disc formation and evolution. To this purpose, we estimated ages and orbital properties for 366 main sequence turn-off (MSTO) stars, using PARSEC isochrones, together with astrometric and photometric values from Gaia DR2. We observe a steeper [Mg/Fe] gradient, compared to literature values, which is a direct result of the improvement of the abundance estimates in the metal-rich regime. Moreover, we find a significant spread of stellar ages at any given [Mg/Fe] value, and observe a clear correlated dispersion of the [Mg/Fe] abundance with the metallicity at a given age. While for [M/H] ≤ -0.2, a clear age-metallicity and age-[Mg/Fe] trends are observed, more metal-rich stars display ages from 3 up to 12 Gyr, describing an almost flat trend in the [M/H]-age and [Mg/Fe]-age relations. In addition, we found a significant fraction of radial migrated stars in the Galactic disc, for a wide range of stellar ages. Finally, we observe the appearance of a second chemical sequence at the outer disc, 10-12 Gyr ago. These stars are more metal-poor with respect to the coexisting stellar population in the inner parts of the disc, and show lower [Mg/Fe] abundances than prior disc stars of the same metallicity, leading to a chemical discontinuity. Our data favour the rapid formation of an early disc that settled in the inner regions, followed by the accretion of metal-poor gas, probably related to a major accretion event from a gas-rich satellite merger, that may have triggered the formation of the thin disc population

International Telemetering Conference Proceedings / October 30-November 02, 1995 / Riviera Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada
This paper suggests possible applications of telemetry as a cooperative measure in potential, future arms control agreements related to missiles and space launch vehicles (i.e., an agreement leading to clarification of the ABM Treaty for theater missile defense, and a notional regional or global ban on ground-launched, theater-range missiles). The opportunities for telemetry as a cooperative measure in future international arms control agreements should certainly grow, as confidence and appreciation in its utility are realized from the on-going ballistic missile telemetry exchanges between the US and Russia in START implementation.

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Buscando melhorar a estatística de parâmetros sismológicos de estrelas do tipoA,apresentamosnestetrabalhoaanálisededadosespectroscópicosefotométricos de oito estrelas observadas na direção do Pólo Galáctico durante a Campanha 8 da missão Kepler K2, proposto pelo nosso grupo de pesquisa. A observação fotométrica pelo satélite espacial Kepler ocorreu entre janeiro e março de 2016. A análise das frequências das oito curvas de luz foi feita usando o algoritmo CLEANEST e Period04. A espectroscopia de solo foi feita no OPD/LNA em outubro de 2015 com o telescópio Zeiss (0,6m) e em agosto de 2016 com o telescópio Perkin-Elmer (1,6m).Informaçõesespectroscópicascompletamosdadosdascurvasdeluzdosatélite, permitindo a caracterização da estrutura interna das estrelas. A determinação dos parâmetros estelares foi realizada por meio do Spectroscopy Made Easy (SME). Parâmetros como massa, raio e luminosidade foram obtidos usando as grades Code dÉvolution Stellaire Adaptatif et Modulaire (CESAM) e Porto Oscillations Code (POSC). Permitindo assim, gerar o modelo evolutivo para as oito estrelas. Estrelas dotipoespectralBmuitasvezessãoerroneamenteclassificadascomoestrelasdotipo espectralA,quandosomentedadosdefotometriasãoutilizadosparaaclassificação. Como exemplo, temos as estrelas: Epic220679442 e Epic220607132. Classificadas fotométricamente como tipo espectral A0, revelaram através da análise espectral, tratar-se do tipo espectral B9V. Epic220532854 é uma binária, Epic220466722 é uma δ e Epic220679442 possue variações fotométrica e, dados de espectroscopia revelam linha de Silício pronunciada (SiII λ4128), característica apresentada pela classe peculiar de estrelas Bp magnética.
Searching to improve the statistics of seismological parameters of stars of type A, we this work we present the analysis of spectroscopic and photometric data of eight stars observed in the direction of the Galactic Pole during the Kepler mission Campaign 8, proposed by our research group. The photometric observation occurred between January and March 2016. Frequency analysis of the eight light curves was made using the CLEANEST and Period04 algorithm. In addition to the photometric data, ground-based spectroscopy was done at the OPD/LNA in October 2015 with the Zeiss Telescope (0.6m) and in August 2016 with the Perkin-Elmer Telescope (1.6m). Spectroscopic information enhances the data from thesatellite’slightcurves,allowingthecharacterizationoftheinternalstellarstructure. Spectral characterization was done using Spectroscopy Made Easy (SME). Parameters such as mass, radius and luminosity were obtained using the Code d Évolution Stellaire Adaptatif et Modulaire (CESAM) and Porto Oscillations Code (POSC) grids, allowing to generate evolutionary models for the eight stars. Stars of spectral type B are often erroneously classified as stars of spectral type A, when only photometry data is used for classification. As an example, we have the stars: Epic220679442 and Epic220607132. Photometrically classified as spectral type A0, revealed through spectral analysis, to be spectral type B9V. Epic220532854 is a binary, Epic220466722 is a δ Scuti and Epic220679442 has photometric variations and spectroscopy data reveals pronounced silicon line (SiII λ4128), characteristic presented by the class peculiar stars Ap magnetic.

COROT est une expérience de photométrie spatiale de haute précision utilisant des dispositifs à transfert de charges (DTC) et dont les objectifs sont l'étude de la sismologie stellaire et la détection de planètes extra-solaires. Le travail présente définit les caractéristiques de son système de détection. Il s'inscrit dans le cadre d'un programme de recherche et de développement du CNES. En sismologie stellaire, l'analyse de la transformée de Fourier du signal temporel en provenance de quelques étoiles doit permettre la détection de variations périodiques d'amplitude relative inférieure au millionième, avec une résolution en fréquence de 0. 1 microhz. La recherche de planètes extra-solaires demande de pouvoir détecter des variations temporelles de signal d'un dix millième. Les deux expériences nécessitent une étude des performances des DTC utilisés. L'étude du rapport signal à bruit peut se décomposer en une étude des perturbations périodiques, dont l'amplitude spectrale varie avec le temps d'observation comme celle du signal, et en une étude des bruits blancs, pour lesquels le rapport signal à bruit dans le spectre de Fourier augmente avec la durée de la mesure. Une attention particulière a été portée aux bruits générés par le couplage entre la non-uniformité spatiale de réponse du DTC et les mouvements ou les déformations de la tâche image, qui ont donné lieu à de nombreuses simulations. Cette étude a permis de définir la dimension et la forme de la tâche image utilisée, de specifier les caractéristiques du DTC, en particulier son uniformité spatiale de réponse, de specifier la stabilité spatiale de la tâche et sa température de fonctionnement. Un banc de test a été réalisé en parallèle. Les résultats des études et des simulations des bruits d'une part et l'étude des réponses spatiales de nombreux DTC d'autre part ont permis de définir les tests nécessaires à la validation de la faisabilité de cette expérience.

L'environnement spatial proche de la Terre est complexe et divers. La cinétique des ions joue un rôle clé pour comprendre la nature des phénomènes essentiels et les processus physiques prenant place dans le "Géospace". Au moyen de données à haute résolution enregistrées par les quatre satellites Cluster et les deux satellites Double Star, cette thèse étudie la cinétique des ions de faible énergie dans certaines couches frontières essentielles de la magnétosphère terrestre. Le rôle dominant joué par la cinétique des particules dans les formations de ces structures de plasma à petite échelle et les caractéristiques des processus de couplage à différentes échelles y sont résumés
The near-Earth space environment is complex and diverse. Particle kinetics plays a key role in understanding the nature of key phenomena and physical processes taking place in the Geospace. By means of the high-resolution data recorded by the multiple-point Cluster and Double star spacecraft, the present thesis investigated low energy ion kinetics in some crucial boundary layers of the terrestrial magnetosphere. The dominating roles played by the particle kinetics in the formations of those small-scale plasma structures and the feature of cross-scale coupling processes are summarized

L'environnement spatial proche de la Terre est complexe et divers. La cinétique des ions joue un rôle clé pour comprendre la nature des phénomènes essentiels et les processus physiques prenant place dans le "Géospace". Au moyen de données à haute résolution enregistrées par les quatre satellites Cluster et les deux satellites Double Star, cette thèse étudie la cinétique des ions de faible énergie dans certaines couches frontières essentielles de la magnétosphère terrestre. Le rôle dominant joué par la cinétique des particules dans les formations de ces structures de plasma à petite échelle et les caractéristiques des processus de couplage à différentes échelles y sont résumés.

The first part of the research was conducted within the project TRACE-IT in collaboration with ECM, with the Department of Industrial Engineering of the University of Florence and the Institute of Science and Technology of the CNR Pisa. The research project deals with the study, design, development and testing of systems of protection of the train running (Automatic Train Protection, or ATC Automatic Train Control, ATC) of railway vehicles that use leading edge technologies and are applicable both in the context of interoperable European Rail System and in applications of light rail and metro. In particular, the research has focused on protection systems and automatic drive of train in the field of light rail and subway called CBTC (Communication Based Train Control). In the second part of the research activity, has designed and built a platform for scanning Social Network: for the purpose are used the Twitter API to create a database of messages. This platform is developed by DISIT Lab of the University of Florence and allows to monitor Twitter channels and slow and explosive events on Twitter. This project is the result of a collaboration between UNIFI DISIT laboratory, CNR IBIMET and LAMMA to investigate and build specific metrics and a dashboard reliable to monitor the tweets that refer to the weather.

碩士
國立中央大學
太空科學研究所
103
In this thesis, I analyze the light curves of 77 G type stars observed by Kepler Mission based on flaring events and well-defined periodicity, and find 4944 confirmed superflares excluding the false events. By estimating the flares duration and flare energy with Stefan-Boltzmann law, I find the superflares have energy on average of 5×1034 - 1036 ergs and saturation with 2×1037 ergs. Furthermore, the long duration flares tend to have smaller flare amplitudes with several bumps in the decay phase, while short duration flares have higher amplitudes with smooth decay. Additionally, the power-law index γ values vary widely from 0.68±0.24 to 2.91±0.29, suggesting that the stars are at random phases, and have different chromospheric activities. If we only consider the stars with flare percentage larger than 10%, the γ values have range 1.2-2.18. Additionally, a trend is shown that the stars with shorter rotation periods tend to have larger power-law indices. Moreover, two indicators of the stellar activity show that most of the stars have 3-20 superflares a year; and that the stars generally have spot coverage 0.5 - 5% of surface. The lowest limit of spot size to produce superflares need to be larger than 0.5% of stellar surface, which is the size of the biggest sun spot in 1947. And most of superflares with 1034-1035 ergs have 8-25% spot coverage. Besides, the relation between stellar phase and flare timing shows that there are 7.3% of superflares occur at the dimmer part of light curve, and 9.5% at the brightest part of light curves.

Thesis (M. Sc.)--York University, 1997. Graduate Programme in Physics and Astronomy.
Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 137-141). Also available on the Internet. MODE OF ACCESS via web browser by entering the following URL: http://wwwlib.umi.com/cr/yorku/fullcit?pMQ27373.

The tension between top-down directives and local-level decision-making is a constant theme running through implementation studies. Through the case study of Sure Start (a UK early childhood program introduced in 1997, which brings together services for children under four and their families and has a particular focus on local level decision-making), this thesis provides a deeper understanding of these relationship tensions by examining the impact of the Localism Act 2011 (UK) on decision-making at the local level. (The aim of the Localism Act, introduced in November 2011, is to facilitate the devolution of decision-making powers from central government to individuals, communities and local councils). The research involved interviews with local-level service providers and bureaucrats, county- and national-level bureaucrats, government ministers and national peak bodies involved in the implementation of Sure Start. Interviews with key actors revealed little evidence of the Localism Act positively influencing decision making at the local level. As well as identifying the reasons why the Localism Act has had so little impact on local-level decision making, the thesis combines policy implementation and complexity leadership theories to develop a new way of thinking about the complex relationships that characterise implementation of local-level programs initiated and funded by central government. This new way of thinking about complex relationship tensions is based on three discoveries. The first is the importance of adequate resources in managing complexity and change. The second is the need for a generative leadership style to nurture an enabling approach to leadership. The third is that fragmentation can have positive as well as negative impacts.

Text in German, summaries and German and English
Das Ziel dieser Forschungsarbeit besteht darin, die Kontextanalyse als Methode für den missionalen Gemeindebau zu evaluieren. Im Fokus steht dabei die Fra-gestellung, wie die Kontextanalyse von Mitarbeitergruppen der Kirche für Bonn wahrgenommen und bewertet wird. Als theologische Herleitung dient die Aus-einandersetzung mit der kontextuellen Theologie. Anschließend wird der Zyklus Gesellschaftsrelevanter Gemeindearbeit erläutert, der für die Gemeindepraxis der Kirche für Bonn sowohl eine theoretische Grundlage als auch praktischer Leitfaden ist. Anhand des Empirisch-Theologischen Praxiszyklus wird anschlie-ßend eine qualitative Studie mit Gruppendiskussionen durchgeführt, welche an-hand der dokumentarischen Methode analysiert werden. Die Ergebnisse führen zu Thesen und Richtlinien für den Gebrauch der Kontextanalyse. Darüber hin-aus will die Studie einen missiologischen Beitrag leisten, indem die Ergebnisse in einen Dialog mit der kontextuellen Theologie gebracht werden und die Kontextanalyse als eine geeignete Methode für die missionale Praxis der Kirche vor-geschlagen wird.
The purpose of this research paper is to analyze the context analysis as a method for missional church ministry. The focus is on the question how groups of vol-unteers from the Kirche für Bonn perceive and evaluate the context analysis. The discussion of contextual theology serves as a theological derivation. The cycle of society-relevant church ministry is then explained, which is a theoretical foundation as well as a practical guide for the ministry of the Kirche für Bonn. On the basis of an empirical-theological cycle of practice a qualitative study of a group discussion is conducted and analyzed by the documentary method. The results lead to theses and guidelines for the use of context analysis. In addition, the study aims to provide a missiological contribution by bringing the results into a dialog with contextual theology and proposing context analysis as an ad-equate method for the missional practice of the church.
Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology
M. Th. (Missiology)

Abstracts in German and English
In dieser empirisch-theologischen Untersuchung werden ExpertInnen missionaler Jugendarbeiten in ostdeutschen Städten befragt. Es soll herausgefunden werden, welche Vorgehensweisen im Blick auf die missionarische Erreichbarkeit Jugendlicher wirksam sind. Der Aufbau der Masterthesis orientiert sich am Forschungsprozess des empirisch- theologischen Praxiszyklus. (Faix 2007:64ff) Im ersten Teil befindet sich die Einleitung, welche Forschungsmotivation und -Ziel erläutert und einen Überblick über die Methodologie und Vorgehensweise gibt. Dem folgt eine Einführung anhand der Schlüsselbegriffe, welche die soziologischen und theologischen Bedingungen des Praxisfeldes darlegt. Im dritten Teil befindet sich die missiologische Problem- und Zielentwicklung. Die methodologische Grundlegung schließt sich an: Der empirisch-theologische Praxiszyklus, die Vorgehensweise bei den ExpertInneninterviews und die Auswertung anhand der Grounded Theory. Dieser folgt die qualitative Erhebung. Die ExpertInnen werden nach ihren Sichtweisen befragt und diese werden nach der Grounded Theory ausgewertet. Die Ergebnisse werden im fünften Teil zusammengefasst und anhand der Frage nach wirksamen Vorgehensweisen für missionale Jugendarbeiten reflektiert.
This empirical theological study surveys experts in missional youth work in east German towns. The aim is to discover which approaches constitute effective means for missionaries to reach out to young people. The work is structured in line with the research process found in the praxis cycle of empirical theology. (Faix 2007: 64ff) The Master’s thesis thus starts with a preamble explaining the motivation and goal of research, and an overview of the methodology and approach used in the work. This is followed by an introduction, setting out the sociological and theological conditions of this field of practice based on the key terms. The third section contains the missiological problem statement and formulates objectives. After this, the methodological basis of the Master’s thesis is formed, with a description of the praxis cycle based on empirical theology, the procedure used in interviews and the analysis following grounded theory. The qualitative survey follows in the fourth section. Experts in missional youth work in east German towns are asked about their subjective views on how missionaries can reach out to young people in their projects, and their answers are analysed using grounded theory. The fifth part summarises the findings of this analysis, and reflects on means of effective practice for missional youth work, based on the research question.
Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology
M. Th. (Missiology)
M. Th. (Missiology)

Text in German
Die vorliegende Untersuchung beschäftigt sich mit inkarnatorischer Verkündigung, indem sie danach fragt, wie die christliche Botschaft heutzutage ganzheitlich präsentiert werden kann. Sie soll sowohl die Bevölkerung als auch Kirchen und Gemeinschaften eines urbanen Kontextes erreichen und dazu ermutigen, die Wirklichkeit der Guten Nachricht zu leben. Die Untersuchung definiert, wie ein inkarnatorisches Verständnis von Predigt als Ausdruck der kenotischen Partizipation, der kerygmatischen Leiterschaft und der sozialen Dimension aussieht und wie dieses in der mikro-, meso- und makrosozialen Ebene umgesetzt werden kann. Basierend auf dem Anspruch des Neuen Testaments, dass das Reich Gottes im Messias nahe herbeigekommen ist, dienen die Literaturstudie (deduktiv) und die qualitativen Experteninterviews (induktiv) der Erörterung des Untersuchungsgegenstandes. In einem mehrsprachigen Umfeld, in welchem die christliche Gemeinschaft fragmentiert und multikulturell existiert, kann der besprochene Ansatz zur Dialogfähigkeit, wechselseitigen Wertschätzung und vertieften Konzilianz beitragen. Ein inkarnatorisches Verständnis christlicher Verkündigung vermag Widerständen unterschiedlicher Art zu trotzen. Sowohl innerkirchlich als auch nach aussen gerichtet, kann ein gemeinsames Zeugnis der Gemeinschaften und Kirchen vor Ort wachsen. Die Sprach- und Handlungsfähigkeit einer auf Sammlung und Sendung ausgerichteten Ekklesiologie wird gefördert.
The presented research deals with incarnational preaching by asking how the Christian message can be presented nowadays so that both the population as well as churches and communities of an urban setting can be reached and encouraged to live and experience the Kingdom of God. The study defines what a incarnational understanding of preaching as an expression of kenotic participation, kerygmatic leadership and the social dimension looks like, and how this can be implemented in the micro-, meso- and macro social level. Based on the New Testament’s claim that in the Messiah the Kingdom of God is at hand, literature study (deductive) and expert interviews (inductive) will discuss the object of study. In a multilingual environment with a fragmented and multicultural Christian community, the discussed approach can contribute to dialog ability, mutual respect and reconciliation. An incarnational view of Christian preaching is able to defy various kinds of opposition. As a result a common witness of communities and local churches can grow – directed both within and outside the church. The ability to act and speak of a gathering- and missionoriented ecclesiology is promoted.
Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology
M. Th. (Missiology)

American jurisprudence currently applies two incompatible validity standards to determine which laws are enforceable. The natural law tradition evaluates validity by an uncertain standard of divine law, and its methodology relies on contradictory views of human reason. Legal positivism, on the other hand, relies on a methodology that commits the analytic fallacy, separates law from its application, and produces an incomplete model of law. These incompatible standards have created a schism in American jurisprudence that impairs the delivery of justice. This dissertation therefore formulates a new standard for legal validity. This new standard rejects the uncertainties and inconsistencies inherent in natural law theory. It also rejects the narrow linguistic methodology of legal positivism. In their stead, this dissertation adopts a pragmatic methodology that develops a standard for legal validity based on actual legal experience. This approach focuses on the operations of law and its effects upon ongoing human activities, and it evaluates legal principles by applying the experimental method to the social consequences they produce. Because legal history provides a long record of past experimentation with legal principles, legal history is an essential feature of this method. This new validity standard contains three principles. The principle of reason requires legal systems to respect every subject as a rational creature with a free will. The principle of reason also requires procedural due process to protect against the punishment of the innocent and the tyranny of the majority. Legal systems that respect their subjects' status as rational creatures with free wills permit their subjects to orient their own behavior. The principle of reason therefore requires substantive due process to ensure that laws provide dependable guideposts to individuals in orienting their behavior. The principle of consent recognizes that the legitimacy of law derives from the consent of those subject to its power. Common law custom, the doctrine of stare decisis, and legislation sanctioned by the subjects' legitimate representatives all evidence consent. The principle of autonomy establishes the authority of law. Laws must wield supremacy over political rulers, and political rulers must be subject to the same laws as other citizens. Political rulers may not arbitrarily alter the law to accord to their will. Legal history demonstrates that, in the absence of a validity standard based on these principles, legal systems will not treat their subjects as ends in themselves. They will inevitably treat their subjects as mere means to other ends. Once laws do this, men have no rest from evil.

mondo universitario ha subito un’ondata di cambiamenti che si possono ricondurre alla ricerca dell’eccellenza, declinata secondo le due dimensioni della valutazione e della rendicontazione. Tre sono quelli più evidenti: il primo, il passaggio da una ricerca curiosity driven a una ricerca funzionale al raggiungimento di risultati valutabili in tempi brevi; dalla ricerca pura a quella applicata, da un approccio problem-making a uno problem-solving, da una conoscenza come processo a una conoscenza come prodotto, da un modello disinteressato a uno utilitaristico (Barnett, 1994); il secondo, riguardante l’offerta formativa: dal momento che si è modificato il modo di concepire l’apprendimento; i curricula tendono a essere definiti in termini di risultati di apprendimento predefiniti (Blackmore, 2016); il terzo, peculiare della struttura amministrativa: dal momento in cui sono divenute essenziali una serie di nuove sovrastrutture (programmazione, valutazione, controlli, comunicazione) rispetto al mandato originario della struttura universitaria si registra un aumento consistente del personale delle strutture amministrative. Questi cambiamenti devono fare i conti con la perdita di prestigio della vita accademica, il cambiamento del ruolo dello studente, che è diventato sempre più importante e l’aumento delle procedure burocratiche che rischiano di ingessare un sistema un tempo caratterizzato da un’elevata autonomia. Per consentire alle strutture universitarie di affrontare le sfide culturali a partire dagli anni Settanta nelle università nord-americane si sono strutturate iniziative finalizzate allo sviluppo e alla promozione di una migliore offerta formativa. Tali iniziative vengono definite con l’espressione Faculty Development (FD), una policy accademica finalizzata a creare le condizioni per un miglioramento delle competenze di tutti coloro che sono coinvolti nelle attività svolte in un ateneo. Nella realtà italiana emerge la mancanza di una vera politica di formazione al teaching per i ricercatori e i docenti universitari, per non parlare dell’esigenza di superare il pregiudizio, di gentiliana memoria, secondo il quale non è necessario apprendere a insegnare, ma sia sufficiente avere successo nella ricerca, cui si aggiunge nell’ultimo decennio una continua e affannata richiesta al personale accademico di azioni organizzative, valutative e documentali, che assorbono tempo e energie senza il supporto di adeguati apparati gestionali e senza predisporre indagini valutative capaci di misurare l’effettivo esito di tutte queste azioni. L’effetto finale è un evidente declino (Capano et al., 2017) dell’istituzione universitaria. Si può ipotizzare che la cultura del organizzazione propria del Faculty Development possa contribuire nel contesto italiano a fornire azioni a supporto del cambiamento: è quanto mai essenziale dotare gli atenei di risorse funzionali a riqualificare la vita accademica, fornendo al personale accademico gli strumenti necessari per performare una buona scholarship, realizzare un’efficace offerta formativa e attuare adeguate forme di terza missione, capaci di incrementare la vita culturale della comunità. Il presente studio si propone come un’analisi sistematica della letteratura sul tema del Faculty Development, che persegue l’obiettivo di sviluppare una disamina estesa dell’oggetto, in modo che l’esplicitazione della datità raccolta fornisca un’analisi del fenomeno che possa essere di supporto a un’avveduta educational policy nel campo della formazione universitaria. Nel contesto italiano ad oggi non esiste una cultura di attenzione ai contesti di apprendimento universitario. L’offerta formativa è concepita come offerta di pacchetti curriculari e la predisposizione delle condizioni di apprendimento per il conseguimento del titolo universitario si risolve nella organizzazione di una serie di lezioni, frontali o laboratoriali, senza che tutto questo sia innervato da una specifica intenzionalità didattica. Questa immagine poco confortante non intende affatto trascurare tutti i casi di buone prassi sviluppati nei vari corsi di studio, ma il buono che emerge è demandato all’impegno del singolo, senza che l’istituzione universitaria si interroghi sul come predisporre le condizioni per il potenziamento della qualità dei processi di apprendimento. A fronte di questa situazione la necessità di migliorare la qualità dell’insegnamento non è mai stata così stringente e sfidante come lo è oggi, in un clima di continuo cambiamento della formazione superiore. Nuove tendenze definiscono la formazione superiore, attraversando confini istituzionali e nazionali. Essi influiscono sul modo in cui un insegnamento efficace viene concettualizzato, condotto e supportato, valutato, valorizzato e riconosciuto. È necessario affrontare temi quali l’inadeguata preparazione per il lavoro accademico nei corsi di studio magistrali, l’incapacità dei docenti a trasferire competenze, la crescente complessità degli ambienti accademici, le attese e le responsabilità istituzionali, la necessità di preparare meglio gli studenti con bisogni diversi, e la necessità di stare al passo con i balzi della conoscenza e i cambiamenti nelle professioni. Migliorare la qualità della didattica è inoltre essenziale perché consente di ridurre il numero degli abbandoni. È venuto il momento di transitare da un’offerta formativa di tipo episodico a una prospettiva di esperienze di apprendimento in continuità nel tempo, per accompagnare la formazione dei docenti in un modo strutturalmente organizzato (Webster-Wright, 2009). Sulla base della rilevazione fenomenica, sono emerse le seguenti domande di ricerca: che cosa è il FD? Cosa consente di fare? Come si mette in pratica? Quali sono le potenzialità? Quali sono i limiti? Il FD ha il compito di incentivare i docenti ad interessarsi ai processi di insegnamento e apprendimento e a procurare un ambiente sicuro e positivo nel quale fare ricerca, sperimentare, valutare e adottare nuovi metodi (Lancaster et al. 2014). È finalizzato a promuovere cambiamento sia a livello individuale sia a livello organizzativo. Occupa un posto centrale il miglioramento delle competenze di teaching (Steinert, 2014). Due importanti obiettivi sono rappresentati dalla promozione delle capacità di leadership e di gestione dei contesti (Steiner et al., 2012). Una volta definite le metodologie del teaching, che possono essere oggetto di apprendimento da parte del personale accademico, è risultato necessario identificare le principali modalità formative che un centro di Faculty Development (FDc) dovrebbe mettere in atto per favorire l’apprendimento delle competenze didattiche. Per comprenderne la funzione reale è stato utile prendere in esame le attività proposte dai più importanti centri del panorama accademico nordamericano, analizzandone la struttura organizzativa, le risorse disponibili ed identificandone le due figure principali: il responsabile dell’organizzazione dei processi formativi e il responsabile della struttura. L’analisi dei casi ha consentito di evidenziare i molteplici servizi che possono essere forniti da un FDc. Questa analisi di realtà è risultata molto utile poiché ha offerto indicazioni pragmatiche ai fini di una politica accademica innovativa anche in ambito italiano. Alla luce degli argomenti sviluppati è stato possibile ipotizzare anche per gli atenei italiani l’istituzione di “Centri per la professionalità accademica”, indicando possibili iniziative da essi realizzabili, che potrebbero trovare spazio nella realtà del nostro paese.