Results
- Showing results for:
- Reset all filters
Search results
-
Journal articleYu W, Campos L, Shi T, et al., 2015,
Enhanced removal of manganese in organic-rich surface water by combined sodium hypochlorite and potassium permanganate during drinking water treatment
, RSC ADVANCES, Vol: 5, Pages: 27970-27977- Author Web Link
- Cite
- Citations: 15
-
Journal articleHermerschmidt F, Kalogirou AS, Min J, et al., 2015,
4<i>H</i>-1,2,6-Thiadiazin-4-one-containing small molecule donors and additive effects on their performance in solution-processed organic solar cells
, JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY C, Vol: 3, Pages: 2358-2365, ISSN: 2050-7526- Author Web Link
- Cite
- Citations: 26
-
Journal articleBastow ID, Eaton DW, Kendall J-M, et al., 2015,
The Hudson Bay Lithospheric Experiment (HuBLE): Insights into Pre-cambrian Plate Tectonics and the Development of Mantle Keels
, Special Publication - Geological Society of London, Vol: 389, Pages: 41-67 -
Journal articleWinkler M, Romain C, Meier MAR, et al., 2015,
Renewable polycarbonates and polyesters from 1,4-cyclohexadiene
, GREEN CHEMISTRY, Vol: 17, Pages: 300-306, ISSN: 1463-9262- Author Web Link
- Cite
- Citations: 161
-
Journal articleOffer GJ, 2015,
Automated vehicles and electrification of transport
, ENERGY & ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE, Vol: 8, Pages: 26-30, ISSN: 1754-5692- Author Web Link
- Open Access Link
- Cite
- Citations: 32
-
Journal articleLiu W, Ismail M, Dunstan MT, et al., 2015,
Inhibiting the interaction between FeO and Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> during chemical looping production of hydrogen
, RSC ADVANCES, Vol: 5, Pages: 1759-1771, ISSN: 2046-2069- Author Web Link
- Cite
- Citations: 67
-
Conference paperFarhidi F, Madani K, 2015,
A Game Theoretic Analysis of the Conflict over Iran's Nuclear Program
, IEEE International Conference on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics (SMC), Publisher: IEEE COMPUTER SOC, Pages: 617-622, ISSN: 1062-922X- Author Web Link
- Cite
- Citations: 6
-
Journal articleBrennan A, Woodward G, Seehausen O, et al., 2014,
Hybridization due to changing species distributions: adding problems or solutions to conservation of biodiversity during global change?
, Evolutionary Ecology Research, Vol: 16, Pages: 475-491, ISSN: 1937-3791Background: Due to increasing global change, the rate of hybridization seemsto be increasing.Question: Is hybridization adding problems or solutions to the effects of globalchange on biodiversity?Methods: We divided ourselves into two independent groups. Each group listedtopics it thought appropriate. We then compared and combined the lists, extracting anatural structure of the topics. We next divided ourselves into three specializedsubgroups and discussed the topics in more depth. In a final plenary meeting, webrought ideas together, discussed open topics, identified consensus or differences ofopinion, and prepared a preliminary report.Results: Our lists of topics were highly similar, suggesting that we missed only afew topics. We agreed that it is important to consider hybridization in both its geneticand ecological contexts and with explicit attention paid to phylogenetic andbiogeographic history. It is also necessary to distinguish between underlyingprocesses and resulting consequences. Knowledge of the consequences ofhybridization is more developed in genetics than in ecology. We suggest thathybridization adds problems (loss of biodiversity, ecosystem degradation) as well assolutions (new adaptive variation, ecosystem robustness) to global change challenges.Which of these applies in a given case depends on its evolutionary and environmentalcontext, and on the objectives of conservation management. We provide five groupsof questions to stimulate further research.
-
Journal articleBanks JR, Brindley HE, Hobby M, et al., 2014,
The daytime cycle in dust aerosol direct radiative effects observed in the central Sahara during the Fennec campaign in June 2011
, JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-ATMOSPHERES, Vol: 119, Pages: 13861-13876, ISSN: 2169-897X- Author Web Link
- Open Access Link
- Cite
- Citations: 15
-
Journal articleWade J, Steiner F, Niedzialek D, et al., 2014,
Charge mobility anisotropy of functionalized pentacenes in organic field effect transistors fabricated by solution processing
, JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY C, Vol: 2, Pages: 10110-10115, ISSN: 2050-7526 -
Journal articleShirshova N, Qian H, Houlle M, et al., 2014,
Multifunctional structural energy storage composite supercapacitors
, Faraday Discussions, Vol: 172, Pages: 81-103, ISSN: 1359-6640This paper addresses the challenge of producing multifunctional composites that can simultaneously carry mechanical loads whilst storing (and delivering) electrical energy. The embodiment is a structural supercapacitor built around laminated structural carbon fibre (CF) fabrics. Each cell consists of two modified structural CF fabric electrodes, separated by a structural glass fibre fabric or polymer membrane, infused with a multifunctional polymeric electrolyte. Rather than using conventional activated carbon fibres, structural carbon fibres were treated to produce a mechanically robust, high surface area material, using a variety of methods, including direct etching, carbon nanotube sizing, and carbon nanotube in situ growth. One of the most promising approaches is to integrate a porous bicontinuous monolithic carbon aerogel (CAG) throughout the matrix. This nanostructured matrix both provides a dramatic increase in active surface area of the electrodes, and has the potential to address mechanical issues associated with matrix-dominated failures. The effect of the initial reaction mixture composition is assessed for both the CAG modified carbon fibre electrodes and resulting devices. A low temperature CAG modification of carbon fibres was evaluated using poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) to enhance the electrochemical performance. For the multifunctional structural electrolyte, simple crosslinked gels have been replaced with bicontinuous structural epoxy–ionic liquid hybrids that offer a much better balance between the conflicting demands of rigidity and molecular motion. The formation of both aerogel precursors and the multifunctional electrolyte are described, including the influence of key components, and the defining characteristics of the products. Working structural supercapacitor composite prototypes have been produced and characterised electrochemically. The effect of introducing the necessary multifunctional resin on the mechanical properties
-
Conference paperWilson DJ, van de Flierdt T, Bridgestock LJ, et al., 2014,
Radiogenic isotopes as paleoceanographic tracers in deep-sea corals: advances in TIMS measurements of Pb isotopes and application to Southern Ocean corals
, American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting 2014 -
Journal articleRitson JP, Bell M, Graham NJD, et al., 2014,
Simulated climate change impact on summer dissolved organic carbon release from peat and surface vegetation: implications for drinking water treatment
, Water Research, Vol: 67, Pages: 66-76, ISSN: 0043-1354Uncertainty regarding changes in dissolved organic carbon (DOC) quantity and quality has created interest in managing peatlands for their ecosystem services such as drinking water provision. The evidence base for such interventions is, however, sometimes contradictory. We performed a laboratory climate manipulation using a factorial design on two dominant peatland vegetation types (Calluna vulgaris and Sphagnum Spp.) and a peat soil collected from a drinking water catchment in Exmoor National Park, UK. Temperature and rainfall were set to represent baseline and future conditions under the UKCP09 2080s high emissions scenario for July and August. DOC leachate then underwent standard water treatment of coagulation/flocculation before chlorination. C. vulgaris leached more DOC than Sphagnum Spp. (7.17 versus 3.00 mg g−1) with higher specific ultraviolet (SUVA) values and a greater sensitivity to climate, leaching more DOC under simulated future conditions. The peat soil leached less DOC (0.37 mg g−1) than the vegetation and was less sensitive to climate. Differences in coagulation removal efficiency between the DOC sources appears to be driven by relative solubilisation of protein-like DOC, observed through the fluorescence peak C/T. Post-coagulation only differences between vegetation types were detected for the regulated disinfection by-products (DBPs), suggesting climate change influence at this scale can be removed via coagulation. Our results suggest current biodiversity restoration programmes to encourage Sphagnum Spp. will result in lower DOC concentrations and SUVA values, particularly with warmer and drier summers.
-
Journal articleHo CP, Parpas P, 2014,
Singularly perturbed markov decision processes: a multiresolution algorithm
, SIAM Journal on Control and Optimization, Vol: 52, Pages: 3854-3886, ISSN: 0363-0129Singular perturbation techniques allow the derivation of an aggregate model whose solution is asymptotically optimal for Markov decision processes with strong and weak interactions. We develop an algorithm that takes advantage of the asymptotic optimality of the aggregate model in order to compute the solution of the original model. We derive conditions for which the proposed algorithm has better worst case complexity than conventional contraction algorithms. Based on our complexity analysis, we show that the major benefit of aggregation is that the reduced order model is no longer ill conditioned. The reduction in the number of states (due to aggregation) is a secondary benefit. This is a surprising result since intuition would suggest that the reduced order model can be solved more efficiently because it has fewer states. However, we show that this is not necessarily the case. Our theoretical analysis and numerical experiments show that the proposed algorithm can compute the optimal solution with a reduction in computational complexity and without any penalty in accuracy.
-
Journal articleStephenson SN, Roberts GG, Hoggard MJ, et al., 2014,
A Cenozoic Uplift History of Mexico and its Surroundings From Longitudinal River Profiles
, Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, Vol: 15, Pages: 4734-4758, ISSN: 1525-2027Geodynamic models of mantle convection predict that Mexico and western North America share a history of dynamic support. We calculate admittance between gravity and topography, which indicates that the elastic thickness of the plate in Mexico is 11 km and in western North America it is 12 km. Admittance at wavelengths > 500 km in these regions suggests that topography is partly supported by subcrustal processes. These results corroborate estimates of residual topography from isostatic calculations and suggest that the amount of North American topography supported by the mantle may exceed 1 km. The Cenozoic history of magmatism, sedimentary flux, thermochronometric denudation estimates, and uplifted marine terraces imply that North American lithosphere was uplifted and eroded during the last 30 Ma. We jointly invert 533 Mexican and North American longitudinal river profiles to reconstruct a continent-scale rock uplift rate history. Uplift rate is permitted to vary in space and time. Erosional parameters are calibrated using incision rate data in southwest Mexico and the Colorado Plateau. Calculated rock uplift rates were 0.15–0.2 mm/yr between 25 and10 Ma. Central Mexico experienced the highest uplift rates. Central and southern Mexico continued to uplift at 0.1 mm/yr until recent times. This uplift history is corroborated by independent constraints. We predict clastic flux to the Gulf of Mexico and compare it to independent estimates. We tentatively suggest that the loop between uplift, erosion, and deposition can be closed here. Mexico's staged uplift history suggests that its dynamic support has changed during the last 30 Ma.
-
Journal articleMilner-Gulland EJ, Clements T, 2014,
Impact of payments for environmental services and protected areas on local livelihoods and forest conservation in northern Cambodia
, Conservation Biology, ISSN: 1523-1739The potential impacts of payments for environmental services (PES) and protected areas (PAs) on environmental outcomes and local livelihoods in developing countries are contentious and have been widely debated. The available evidence is sparse, with few rigorous evaluations of the environmental and social impacts of PAs and particularly of PES. We measured the impacts on forests and human well-being of three different PES programs instituted within two PAs in northern Cambodia, using a panel of intervention villages and matched controls. Both PES and PAs delivered additional environmental outcomes relative to the counterfactual: reducing deforestation rates significantly relative to controls. PAs increased security of access to land and forest resources for local households, benefiting forest resource users but restricting households’ ability to expand and diversify their agriculture. The impacts of PES on household well-being were related to the magnitude of the payments provided. The two higher paying market-linked PES programs had significant positive impacts, whereas a lower paying program that targeted biodiversity protection had no detectable effect on livelihoods, despite its positive environmental outcomes. Households that signed up for the higher paying PES programs, however, typically needed more capital assets; hence, they were less poor and more food secure than other villagers. Therefore, whereas the impacts of PAs on household well-being were limited overall and varied between livelihood strategies, the PES programs had significant positive impacts on livelihoods for those that could afford to participate. Our results are consistent with theories that PES, when designed appropriately, can be a powerful new tool for delivering conservation goals whilst benefiting local people.
-
Journal articleReeve MT, Bell RE, Duffy OB, et al., 2014,
The Development of Non-Colinear Fault Systems: What Can We Learn From 3D Seismic Reflection Data?
, Journal of Structural Geology, Vol: 70, Pages: 141-155, ISSN: 0191-8141Many rift zones exhibit a range of fault orientations, rather than simple colinear faults that strike orthogonal to the least principal stress. The formation of non-colinear fault sets has implications in assessing rift zone kinematics, as well as determining the palaeo-stress state in extensional basins. Using high-resolution borehole-constrained 3D seismic reflection data we deduce the likely mechanisms responsible for the formation of a population of non-colinear faults in the Måløy Slope area of the northern North Sea. Three basement-displacing fault populations exist on the Måløy Slope; (i) large (>1 km throw), N-S-striking faults, and smaller (<250 m throw) (ii) N-S- and (iii) NE-SW-striking faults, all of which initiated in the Middle Jurassic. Coeval growth of these fault populations, and the apparent correlation between the NE-SW faults and a NE-SW-trending gravity and magnetic anomaly high suggests that variation in basement properties may have represented a NE-SW trending zone of weakness which was subsequently exploited during Jurassic extension. The results of our study have critical implications for understanding the larger-scale kinematic evolution of the North Sea rift, arguing that major rotations in the extension direction are not required to generate multiple fault sets locally or across the rift.
-
Journal articleLi G, Harrison SP, Prentice IC, et al., 2014,
Simulation of tree-ring widths with a model for primary production, carbon allocation, and growth
, Biogeosciences, Vol: 11, Pages: 6711-6724, ISSN: 1726-4170We present a simple, generic model of annual tree growth, called "T". This model accepts input from a first-principles light-use efficiency model (the "P" model). The P model provides values for gross primary production (GPP) per unit of absorbed photosynthetically active radiation (PAR). Absorbed PAR is estimated from the current leaf area. GPP is allocated to foliage, transport tissue, and fine-root production and respiration in such a way as to satisfy well-understood dimensional and functional relationships. Our approach thereby integrates two modelling approaches separately developed in the global carbon-cycle and forest-science literature. The T model can represent both ontogenetic effects (the impact of ageing) and the effects of environmental variations and trends (climate and CO2) on growth. Driven by local climate records, the model was applied to simulate ring widths during the period 1958–2006 for multiple trees of Pinus koraiensis from the Changbai Mountains in northeastern China. Each tree was initialised at its actual diameter at the time when local climate records started. The model produces realistic simulations of the interannual variability in ring width for different age cohorts (young, mature, and old). Both the simulations and observations show a significant positive response of tree-ring width to growing-season total photosynthetically active radiation (PAR0) and the ratio of actual to potential evapotranspiration (α), and a significant negative response to mean annual temperature (MAT). The slopes of the simulated and observed relationships with PAR0 and α are similar; the negative response to MAT is underestimated by the model. Comparison of simulations with fixed and changing atmospheric CO2 concentration shows that CO2 fertilisation over the past 50 years is too small to be distinguished in the ring-width data, given ontogenetic trends and interannual variability in climate.
-
Journal articleDavies TK, Mees CC, Milner-Gulland EJ, 2014,
Modelling the Spatial Behaviour of a Tropical Tuna Purse Seine Fleet
, PLOS ONE, Vol: 9, ISSN: 1932-6203- Author Web Link
- Open Access Link
- Cite
- Citations: 25
-
Journal articleMadani K, 2014,
Water management in Iran: what is causing the looming crisis?
, Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, Vol: 4, Pages: 315-328, ISSN: 2190-6483Despite having a more advanced water management system than most Middle Eastern countries, similar to the other countries in the region, Iran is experiencing a serious water crisis. The government blames the current crisis on the changing climate, frequent droughts, and international sanctions, believing that water shortages are periodic. However, the dramatic water security issues of Iran are rooted in decades of disintegrated planning and managerial myopia. Iran has suffered from a symptom-based management paradigm, which mainly focuses on curing the problem symptoms rather than addressing the main causes. This paper reviews the current status of water resources in Iran and recognizes three major causes for the current water crisis: (1) rapid population growth and inappropriate spatial population distribution; (2) inefficient agriculture sector; and (3) mismanagement and thirst for development. The country is faced with serious challenges in the water sector, including but not limited to rising water demand and shortage, declining groundwater levels, deteriorating water quality, and increasing ecosystem losses. If immediate actions are not taken to address these issues, the situation could become more tragic in the near future. The paper suggests some crisis exit strategies that need to be immediately adopted to secure sustainable water resources, if Iran does not want to lose its international reputation for significant success in water resources management over thousands of years in an arid area of the world.
-
Journal articleSchoch CL, Robbertse B, Robert V, et al., 2014,
Finding needles in haystacks: linking scientific names, reference specimens and molecular data for Fungi
, Database, Vol: 2014, ISSN: 0162-4105DNA phylogenetic comparisons have shown that morphology-based species recognition often underestimates fungal diversity. Therefore, the need for accurate DNA sequence data, tied to both correct taxonomic names and clearly annotated specimen data, has never been greater. Furthermore, the growing number of molecular ecology and microbiome projects using high-throughput sequencing require fast and effective methods for en masse species assignments. In this article, we focus on selecting and re-annotating a set of marker reference sequences that represent each currently accepted order of Fungi. The particular focus is on sequences from the internal transcribed spacer region in the nuclear ribosomal cistron, derived from type specimens and/or ex-type cultures. Re-annotated and verified sequences were deposited in a curated public database at the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), namely the RefSeq Targeted Loci (RTL) database, and will be visible during routine sequence similarity searches with NR_prefixed accession numbers. A set of standards and protocols is proposed to improve the data quality of new sequences, and we suggest how type and other reference sequences can be used to improve identification of Fungi.
-
Journal articleGambhir A, Napp TA, Emmott CJM, et al., 2014,
India's CO<sub>2</sub> emissions pathways to 2050: Energy system, economic and fossil fuel impacts with and without carbon permit trading
, ENERGY, Vol: 77, Pages: 791-801, ISSN: 0360-5442- Author Web Link
- Open Access Link
- Cite
- Citations: 45
-
Journal articleKimura S, Holland PR, Jenkins A, et al., 2014,
The Effect of Meltwater Plumes on the Melting of a Vertical Glacier Face
, JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL OCEANOGRAPHY, Vol: 44, Pages: 3099-3117, ISSN: 0022-3670- Author Web Link
- Cite
- Citations: 55
-
Journal articleCollins A, Voulvoulis N, 2014,
Ecological assessments of surface water bodies at the river basin level: a case study from England
, ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT, Vol: 186, Pages: 8649-8665, ISSN: 0167-6369- Author Web Link
- Cite
- Citations: 5
-
Journal articleWang L, Quiceno R, Price C, et al., 2014,
Economic and GHG emissions analyses for sugarcane ethanol in Brazil: Looking forward
, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Vol: 40, Pages: 571-582, ISSN: 1364-0321Abstract There have been many efforts to improve sugarcane cultivation and conversion technologies in the ethanol industry. In this study, an economic assessment and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions analysis are performed on ethanol produced conventionally from sugarcane sugar and on an emerging process where the sugarcane bagasse is additionally used to produce ethanol. The combined conventional plus lignocellulosic ethanol pathway is found to be less economically favorable than the conventional ethanol pathway unless a series of technical challenges associated with cost reductions in lignocellulosic ethanol production are overcome, reaching a production cost at 0.31 $/L. This is expected to be achieved in a prospective 2020 scenario. GHG emissions savings against gasoline for both the conventional ethanol and the conventional plus lignocellulosic ethanol pathways are confirmed and found to increase with technological developments projected to occur over time. However, the absolute numbers are highly sensitive to the way of claiming credits from surplus electricity co-generated in the mill. These are 86%, 110% and 150% for the conventional ethanol in the 2020 scenario when the surplus electricity is assumed to replace the average electricity, the ‘combined-sources’ based electricity and the marginal electricity, respectively. For the conventional plus lignocellulosic ethanol pathway, they are 80%, 85% and 95% respectively in the 2020 scenario. Finally, a series of sensitivity analyses found the comparison in the GHG emissions between the two production pathways is not sensitive to changes in the sugarcane yield or the emissions factor for the enzymes used in the lignocellulosic ethanol process. However, the plant size is an influential factor on both the ethanol production cost (a lowest MESP of 0.26 $/L at the scale of 4 MM tonne cane/yr) and the GHG emission factors, partially because of the important role that transport of feedstock biomass (sugarcane
-
Journal articleClements T, Suon S, Wilkie DS, et al., 2014,
Impacts of Protected Areas on Local Livelihoods in Cambodia
, WORLD DEVELOPMENT, Vol: 64, Pages: S125-S134, ISSN: 0305-750X- Author Web Link
- Cite
- Citations: 92
-
Journal articleHudson LN, Newbold T, Contu S, et al., 2014,
The PREDICTS database: a global database of how local terrestrial biodiversity responds to human impacts
, ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION, Vol: 4, Pages: 4701-4735, ISSN: 2045-7758- Author Web Link
- Cite
- Citations: 149
-
Journal articleChebli E, Casey M, Martinez-Botas R, et al., 2014,
The Variable Outlet Turbine Concept for Turbochargers
, JOURNAL OF TURBOMACHINERY-TRANSACTIONS OF THE ASME, Vol: 136, ISSN: 0889-504X- Author Web Link
- Cite
- Citations: 6
-
Journal articleBatsaikhan N, Buuveibaatar B, Chimed B, et al., 2014,
Conserving the World's Finest Grassland Amidst Ambitious National Development
, CONSERVATION BIOLOGY, Vol: 28, Pages: 1736-1739, ISSN: 0888-8892- Author Web Link
- Cite
- Citations: 42
-
Journal articleHodge VJ, Krishnan R, Austin J, et al., 2014,
Short-term prediction of traffic flow using a binary neural network
, NEURAL COMPUTING & APPLICATIONS, Vol: 25, Pages: 1639-1655, ISSN: 0941-0643- Author Web Link
- Cite
- Citations: 37
This data is extracted from the Web of Science and reproduced under a licence from Thomson Reuters. You may not copy or re-distribute this data in whole or in part without the written consent of the Science business of Thomson Reuters.
View publications by:
Topic
Climate Science
Earth and Life Sciences
Energy and Low-Carbon Futures
Resources and Pollution
Economics and Finance
Health
View all publications and browse by year
Publication type
Briefing papers and Briefing notes
Grantham Institute Outlooks
Evidence & submission papers
Infographics