24,661 research outputs found
Laser-Induced Skyrmion Writing and Erasing in an Ultrafast Cryo-Lorentz Transmission Electron Microscopy
We demonstrate that light-induced heat pulses of different duration and
energy can write skyrmions in a broad range of temperatures and magnetic field
in FeGe. Using a combination of camera-rate and pump-probe cryo-Lorentz
Transmission Electron Microscopy, we directly resolve the spatio-temporal
evolution of the magnetization ensuing optical excitation. The skyrmion lattice
was found to maintain its structural properties during the laser-induced
demagnetization, and its recovery to the initial state happened in the
sub-{\mu}s to {\mu}s range, depending on the cooling rate of the system
Carbon Trading with Blockchain
Blockchain has the potential to accelerate the deployment of emissions
trading systems (ETS) worldwide and improve upon the efficiency of existing
systems. In this paper, we present a model for a permissioned blockchain
implementation based on the successful European Union (EU) ETS and discuss its
potential advantages over existing technology. We propose an ETS model that is
both backwards compatible and future-proof, characterised by
interconnectedness, transparency, tamper-resistance and high liquidity.
Further, we identify key challenges to implementation of a blockchain ETS, as
well as areas of future work required to enable a fully-decentralised
blockchain ETS
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The environmental externalities of tobacco manufacturing: A review of tobacco industry reporting.
Growing research and public awareness of the environmental impacts of tobacco present an opportunity for environmental science and public health to work together. Various United Nations agencies share interests in mitigating the environmental costs of tobacco. Since 2000, transnational tobacco industry consolidation has accelerated, spotlighting the specific companies responsible for the environmental and human harms along the tobacco production chain. Simultaneously, corporate social responsibility norms have led the industry to disclose statistics on the environmental harms their business causes. Yet, independent and consistent reporting remain hurdles to accurately assessing tobacco's environmental impact. This article is the first to analyze publicly available industry data on tobacco manufacturing pollution. Tobacco's significant environmental impact suggests this industry should be included in environmental analyses as a driver of environmental degradation influencing climate change. Countries aiming to meet UN Sustainable Development Goals must act to reduce environmental harms caused by the tobacco industry
Mean-Field Theory of Water-Water Correlations in Electrolyte Solutions
Long-range ion induced water-water correlations were recently observed in
femtosecond elastic second harmonic scattering experiments of electrolyte
solutions. To further the qualitative understanding of these correlations, we
derive an analytical expression that quantifies ion induced dipole-dipole
correlations in a non-interacting gas of dipoles. This model is a logical
extension of Debye-H\"uckel theory that can be used to qualitatively understand
how the combined electric field of the ions induces correlations in the
orientational distributions of the water molecules in an aqueous solution. The
model agrees with results from molecular dynamics simulations and provides an
important starting point for further theoretical work
Author Correction: A consensus-based transparency checklist.
An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper
Russian perspectives of online learning technologies in higher education: An empirical study of a MOOC
There has been a rapid growth of massive open online courses (MOOCs) in the global education market in the last decade. Online learning technologies are becoming increasingly widespread in the non-formal education sector and in higher and supplementary vocational education. The use of MOOCs in Russia to support the delivery of educational programmes at university level opens opportunities in terms of expanding the educational choice for students, the development of virtual academic mobility, reduction in the cost of educational services, and improvement in the accessibility of education. However, the effectiveness of using different online learning technologies at university level, and the consequences of their widespread adoption, has not been sufficiently explored. In this research study, a comparative analysis is made of the effects of different online learning models on student educational outcomes in a university setting. A study was undertaken in which different groups of students at the Ural Federal University, Russia, were encouraged to study technical and humanities disciplines using a framework of blended learning, and online learning with tutoring support. The results of the study were compared with the results of a reference (control) group of students who studied the same disciplines in a traditionally taught model. It was found that both models (blended and online) of MOOC implementation demonstrated greater learning gains, in comparison with the traditional model. For engineering and technical disciplines, there was no statistically significant difference between blended or online learning technologies. For the humanities discipline, where the communicative component of the learning process was significant, the blended learning technology produced better results. Conclusions of this empirical research may be useful for heads of educational organizations and teachers in helping them to make strategic decisions about the modernization of university courses by increasing the effectiveness of the implementation of new educational technologies. The results of this research project will be used for implementing the State Priority Project, ‘The Modern Digital Educational Environment of the Russian Federation’
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