Das Projekt "Analysis of Methodologies for Ecobalances for Packaging and Packaging Waste" wird/wurde gefördert durch: Kommission der Europäischen Gemeinschaften Brüssel. Es wird/wurde ausgeführt durch: Öko-Institut. Institut für angewandte Ökologie e.V..
Das Projekt "Standardisierte Rahmenstruktur und Methodik für Ökobilanzen" wird/wurde gefördert durch: Redland Braas Building Group GmbH. Es wird/wurde ausgeführt durch: Öko-Institut. Institut für angewandte Ökologie e.V..
Das Projekt "Schwerpunktprogramm (SPP) 1488: Planetary Magnetism (PlanetMag), Current Systems around Terrestrial Planets: EOF Analysis and Modeling" wird/wurde gefördert durch: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft. Es wird/wurde ausgeführt durch: Jacobs University Bremen gGmbH, Focus Area Health - Physics & Earth Sciences.The magnetosphere of a planet is controlled by a number of factors such as the intrinsic magnetic field, the atmosphere and ionosphere, and the solar wind. Different combinations of these control factors are at work at the terrestrial planets Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars, hence they form a very suitable set for quantitative comparative studies. A significant intrinsic dipolar magnetic field is present only on Earth and on Mercury. However, the configuration at Mercury differs considerably from that at Earth because Mercury does not support an atmosphere and ionosphere, the dipolar field is much weaker, the solar wind denser, and the interplanetary magnetic field stronger. Both Mars and Venus have atmospheres but lack a global planetary magnetic field, with regional crustal magnetization being present on Mars. This proposal aims at investigating and comparing electrical current systems in the space environments of terrestrial planets using magnetic vector data collected by orbiting spacecraft such as Venus Express, Mars Global Surveyor, CHAMP (Earth), and MESSENGER (Mercury). We propose to construct data-driven and physically meaningful representations that reveal and quantify the influence of various control factors. To achieve this, we will tailor Empirical Orthogonal Function (EOF) analysis and other multivariate methods to the specifics of planetary magnetic field observations. In contrast to representations that build on predefined functions like spherical harmonics, basis functions in the EOF approach are derived directly from the data. EOFs are designed to extract dominant coherent variations for further interpretation in terms of known physical phenomena, and then, in a regression step, for modeling using suitable control variables. The EOF methodology thus allows quantifying the relative importance of control factors for each planet individually, and thus contributes to the solution of topical science questions. The resulting empirical models will facilitate comparative studies of current systems at the terrestrial planets.
Das Projekt "Analysis of dairy production systems differentiated by location" wird/wurde gefördert durch: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft. Es wird/wurde ausgeführt durch: Universität Bonn, Institut für Lebensmittel- und Ressourcenökonomik (ILR), Professur Wirtschafts- und Agrarpolitik.Dairy farming across Germany displays diverse production systems. Factor endowment, management, technology adoption as well as competitive dynamics in the local or regional land, agribusiness and dairy processing sectors contribute to this differentiation on farm level. These differences impact on the ability of dairy farms and regional dairy production systems to successfully respond to pressures arising from future market and policy changes. The overall objective of the research activities of which this project is a part of, is to develop a thorough understanding of the processes that govern the spatial dynamics of dairy farm development in different regions in Germany. The central hypothesis of this research project is that management system and technological choices differ systematically across local production and market conditions. The empirical approach will focus on the estimation of farm specific nonparametric cost functions for dairy farms located in across Germany differentiated by time and location. A spatially differentiated data base with information on input use, resource availability, as well as local market conditions for land and output markets will be compiled. The nonparametric approach is specifically suited to disclose a more accurate representation of dairy production system heterogeneity across locations and time compared to parametric concepts as it provides the necessary flexibility to accommodate non-linearities relevant for a wide domain of explanatory variables. The methodology employed goes beyond the state of the art of the literature as it combines kernel density estimation with a Bayesian sampling approach to provide theory consistent parameters for each farm in the data sample.The specific methodological hypothesis is that the nonparametric approach is superior to current parametric techniques and this hypothesis is tested using statistical model evaluation. Regarding the farm management and technological choices, we hypothesize that land suitability for feed production determines the farm intensity of dairy production and thus management and technological choices. With respect to the ability of farms to successfully respond to market pressures we hypothesize that farms at the upper and lower tail of the intensity distribution both can generate positive returns from dairy production. These last two hypotheses will be tested using the estimated spatially differentiated farm specific costs and marginal costs.The expected outcomes are of relevance for the agricultural sector and the food supply chain economy as a whole as fundamental market structure changes in the dairy sector are ongoing due to the abolition of the quota regulation in the years 2014/2015. Thus, exact knowledge about differences and development of dairy cost heterogeneity of farms within and between regions are an important factor for the actors involved in the market as well as the political support of this process.
Das Projekt "First-principles kinetic modeling for solar hydrogen production" wird/wurde gefördert durch: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft. Es wird/wurde ausgeführt durch: Technische Universität München, Fakultät für Chemie, Lehrstuhl für Theoretische Chemie.The development of sustainable and efficient energy conversion processes at interfaces is at the center of the rapidly growing field of basic energy science. How successful this challenge can be addressed will ultimately depend on the acquired degree of molecular-level understanding. In this respect, the severe knowledge gap in electro- or photocatalytic conversions compared to corresponding thermal processes in heterogeneous catalysis is staggering. This discrepancy is most blatant in the present status of predictive-quality, viz. first-principles based modelling in the two fields, which largely owes to multifactorial methodological issues connected with the treatment of the electrochemical environment and the description of the surface redox chemistry driven by the photo-excited charges or external potentials.Successfully tackling these complexities will advance modelling methodology in (photo)electrocatalysis to a similar level as already established in heterogeneous catalysis, with an impact that likely even supersedes the one seen there in the last decade. A corresponding method development is the core objective of the present proposal, with particular emphasis on numerically efficient approaches that will ultimately allow to reach comprehensive microkinetic formulations. Synergistically combining the methodological expertise of the two participating groups we specifically aim to implement and advance implicit and mixed implicit/explicit solvation models, as well as QM/MM approaches to describe energy-related processes at solid-liquid interfaces. With the clear objective to develop general-purpose methodology we will illustrate their use with applications to hydrogen generation through water splitting. Disentangling the electro- resp. photocatalytic effect with respect to the corresponding dark reaction, this concerns both the hydrogen evolution reaction at metal electrodes like Pt and direct water splitting at oxide photocatalysts like TiO2. Through this we expect to arrive at a detailed mechanistic understanding that will culminate in the formulation of comprehensive microkinetic models of the light- or potential-driven redox process. Evaluating these models with kinetic Monte Carlo simulations will unambiguously identify the rate-determining and overpotential-creating steps and therewith provide the basis for a rational optimization of the overall process. As such our study will provide a key example of how systematic method development in computational approaches to basic energy sciences leads to breakthrough progress and serves both fundamental understanding and cutting-edge application.
Das Projekt "Multiple-site seismic hazard assessment" wird/wurde gefördert durch: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft. Es wird/wurde ausgeführt durch: Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT), Geophysikalisches Institut.The classical point wise Cornell-McGuire probabilistic seismic hazard assessment (PSHA), which is widely used for seismic hazard mapping and development of design codes, does not allow direct estimation of multiple-location hazard for distributed structures and facilities: what is the (annual) probability that specific level of ground motion will be exceeded simultaneously in several sites? It is possible to extent the classical methodology to the multiple sites problem considering also ground-motion correlation. We study multiple-location PSHA, as compared with the classical point wise PSHA, using Monte Carlo simulation. Specific items are:(1) Development of the algorithms for multiple-location PSHA;(2) Analysis of the role of the geometry of multiple sites, correlation of ground motion, and evel of seimicity for multiple-location PSHA;(3) Study of correspondence and differences between multiple-location PSHA and classical point wise PSHA and analysis of possibility of utilization of classical PSHA procedures for simplified multiple-location hazard assessment.The project is innovative because only few attempts have been made so far regarding our research questions.
Das Fachinformationssystem Boden (FISBO) ist Bestandteil des übergeordneten Bodeninformationssystems. Die Hauptfunktion besteht in der Datensammlung, -pflege und -auswertung. Profil-, Horizont- und Labordaten werden in Datenbanken verwaltet.
Das Projekt "International Collaboration in Chemistry: First Principles Multi-Lattice Kinetic Monte Carlo Simulations of NOx Storage Reduction Catalysts" wird/wurde gefördert durch: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft. Es wird/wurde ausgeführt durch: Technische Universität München, Fakultät für Chemie, Lehrstuhl für Theoretische Chemie.The broad objective of the research is to gain a fundamental understanding of the surface reaction chemistry of exhaust catalysts operating under cycling conditions. Using an integrated theoretical approach we specifically target NOx abatement, with particular emphasis on the appearance and destruction of surface oxide phases as the reactor conditions cycle from oxidative to reductive during the operation of the NOx Storage Reduction (NSR) catalyst system. Methodologically this requires material-specific, quantitative and explicitly time-dependent simulation tools that can follow the evolution of the system over the macroscopic time-scales of NSR cycles, while simultaneously accounting for the atomic-scale site heterogeneity and spatial distributions at the evolving surface. To meet these challenging demands we will develop a novel multi-scale methodology relying on a multi-lattice first-principles kinetic Monte Carlo (kMC) approach. As representative example the simulations will be carried out on a PdO(101)/Pd(100) surface oxide model, but care will be taken to ensure a generalization of the multi-lattice first-principles kMC approach to other systems in which phase transformations may occur and result in a change in the surface lattice structure depending upon environmental variables.
Das Projekt "Between Path Dependence and Path Creation: The Impact of Farmers' Behavior and Policies on Structural Change in Agriculture" wird/wurde gefördert durch: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft. Es wird/wurde ausgeführt durch: Leibniz-Institut für Agrarentwicklung in Mittel- und Osteuropa.Farm structures are often characterized by regional heterogeneity, agglomeration effects, sub-optimal farm sizes and income disparities. The main objective of this study is to analyze whether this is a result of path dependent structural change, what the determinants of path dependence are, and how it may be overcome. The focus is on the German dairy sector which has been highly regulated and subsidized in the past and faces severe structural deficits. The future of this sector in the process of an ongoing liberalization will be analyzed by applying theoretical concepts of path dependence and path breaking. In these regards, key issues are the actual situation, technological and market trends as well as agricultural policies. The methodology will be based on a participative use of the agent-based model AgriPoliS and participatory laboratory experiments. On the one hand, AgriPoliS will be tested as a tool for stakeholder oriented analysis of mechanisms, trends and policy effects. This part aims to analyze whether and how path dependence of structural change can be overcome on a sector level. In a second part, AgriPoliS will be extended such that human players (farmers, students) can take over the role of agents in the model. This part aims to compare human agents with computer agents in order to overcome single farm path dependence.
Das Projekt "Stand der Landschaftsplanung auf der Stufe der vorbereitenden Bauleitplanung in Rheinland-Pfalz" wird/wurde gefördert durch: Landesamt für Umweltschutz und Gewerbeaufsicht Rheinland-Pfalz / Ministerium für Umwelt und Gesundheit Rheinland-Pfalz. Es wird/wurde ausgeführt durch: Universität Hannover, Institut für Landschaftspflege und Naturschutz.Ziel des Projektes, welches sich ueber einen Zeitraum von mehreren Jahren erstreckt, ist die Erarbeitung einer Anleitung zum Vollzug der Landschaftsplanung nach Paragraph 17 des Landespflegegesetzes Rheinland-Pfalz (Landschaftsplanung in der Bauleitplanung). Hierzu soll in einem ersten Schritt (Teil I) zunaechst die bisher in diesem Bundesland betriebene Landschaftsplanung einer Betrachtung nach sachlich-inhaltlichen und methodischen Gesichtspunkten unterzogen sowie die Umsetzungsprobleme im Integrationsprozess in den Flaechennutzungsplan beleuchtet werden. Auf der Grundlage eines hieraus entwickelten differenzierten Katalogs von Anforderungen an die zukuenftige Landschaftsplanung sollen dann (Teil II) unter wissenschaftlicher Begleitung durch das Institut fuer Landschaftspflege und Naturschutz eigene Beispiels-Landschaftsplanungen durchgefuehrt werden, deren Ergebnisse zum einen als Muster fuer andere Gemeinden mit vergleichbaren Verhaeltnissen herangezogen werden koennen, zum anderen als Erfahrungshintergrund bei der anschliessend (Teil III) vorgesehenen Formulierung einer generellen Anleitung zur Landschaftsplanung auf der Stufe der Flaechennutzungsplanung dienen koennen.