Actors, decision-making, and institutions in quantitative system modelling

Increasing realism in quantitative system modelling with respect to the representation of actors, decision-making, and institutions is critical to better understand the transition towards a low-carbon sustainable society. Yet, studies using quantitative system models, which have become a key analytical tool to support sustainability and decarbonization policies, focus on outcomes, therefore overlooking the dynamics of the drivers of change. We explore opportunities that arise from a deeper engagement of quantitative systems modelling with social science. We argue that several opportunities for enriching the realism in model-based scenario analysis can arise through model refinements oriented towards a more detailed approach in terms of actor heterogeneity, as well as through integration across different analytical and disciplinary approaches. Several opportunities that do not require major changes in model structure are ready to be seized. Promising ones include combining different types of models and enriching model-based scenarios with evidence from applied economics and transition studies

Ion pairing and Langmuir-like adsorption at aqueous surfaces studied by core-level spectroscopy

Surface-bulk equilibria for solutes in aqueous solutions are studied using X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) with high surface and chemical sensitivity. In the first part, the results show a reduction of the biochemically relevant guanidinium ions’ surface propensity with the addition of disodium sulphate due to ion pairing with the strongly hydrated sulphate ion, which could have implications for protein folding. Thereafter, the work considers amphiphilic organic compounds related to atmospheric science where the surface propensities, orientations at the surface and solute-solute and solute-solvent interactions are investigated. In the second part, two linear organic ions are investigated both as single solutes and in mixture. Both organic ions are surface enriched on their own and even more in the mixed solute solution. Due to hydrophobic expulsion of the alkyl chains, ion pairing between the organic ions and van der Waals interaction, the organic ions seem to assemble in clusters with their alkyl chains pointing out of the surface. The third part also covers linear organic compounds but one at a time probing the surface concentration as a function of bulk concentration. A Langmuir-like adsorption behavior was observed and Gibb’s free energy of surface adsorption (ΔGAds) values were extracted. An empiric model for deriving values for ΔGAds is proposed based upon the seemingly linear change in ΔGAds per carbon when comparing alcohols of different chain lengths. The fourth part investigates the acid/base fraction at the surface as function of bulk pH. The most important factor for this fraction seems to be how the surface propensity varies with the charge state of the acid or base instead of a possible difference in pH or pKa value at the surface. In the fifth part the oxygen K-edge of aqueous carbonate and bicarbonate is probed with the bulk-sensitive Resonant Inelastic X-ray Scattering (RIXS) technique

Ion pairing and Langmuir-like adsorption at aqueous surfaces studied by core-level spectroscopy

Surface-bulk equilibria for solutes in aqueous solutions are studied using X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) with high surface and chemical sensitivity. In the first part, the results show a reduction of the biochemically relevant guanidinium ions’ surface propensity with the addition of disodium sulphate due to ion pairing with the strongly hydrated sulphate ion, which could have implications for protein folding. Thereafter, the work considers amphiphilic organic compounds related to atmospheric science where the surface propensities, orientations at the surface and solute-solute and solute-solvent interactions are investigated. In the second part, two linear organic ions are investigated both as single solutes and in mixture. Both organic ions are surface enriched on their own and even more in the mixed solute solution. Due to hydrophobic expulsion of the alkyl chains, ion pairing between the organic ions and van der Waals interaction, the organic ions seem to assemble in clusters with their alkyl chains pointing out of the surface. The third part also covers linear organic compounds but one at a time probing the surface concentration as a function of bulk concentration. A Langmuir-like adsorption behavior was observed and Gibb’s free energy of surface adsorption (ΔGAds) values were extracted. An empiric model for deriving values for ΔGAds is proposed based upon the seemingly linear change in ΔGAds per carbon when comparing alcohols of different chain lengths. The fourth part investigates the acid/base fraction at the surface as function of bulk pH. The most important factor for this fraction seems to be how the surface propensity varies with the charge state of the acid or base instead of a possible difference in pH or pKa value at the surface. In the fifth part the oxygen K-edge of aqueous carbonate and bicarbonate is probed with the bulk-sensitive Resonant Inelastic X-ray Scattering (RIXS) technique

Hur personlig får man vara? : Diskursanalys av musiklärares samtal om personligt uttryck

I gymnasieskolans kursplan för musikämnet står personligt uttryck med som en del av det centrala innehållet. Detta begrepp har vi som musikstudenter och utövande musiker även stött på i många andra sammanhang. Begreppets betydelse är dock inte definierat. Skolverket definierar inte heller vad personligt innebär i denna kontext. För att veta hur vi själva skulle kunna förstå och göra personligt uttryck till en del av vår undervisning ville vi därför ta reda på hur andra musiklärare talar om personligt uttryck. Syftet med detta självständiga arbete är att bidra med mer kunskap om musiklärares syn på personligt uttryck i musikundervisningen. Genom att bjuda in musiklärare till fokusgruppsamtal har resonemang och tankar delats och vidareutvecklats emellan musiklärare. Det insamlade materialet har sedan sammanställts och analyserats ur ett diskursanalytiskt perspektiv. Materialet samlades in genom video- och röstinspelningar. I resultatet presenteras tre diskurser som framkommit ur samtalen: diskursen om konkret och abstrakt, diskursen om personligt som omöjligt samt diskursen om musikerskap kontra artisteri. Vår slutsats är att det trots att tidigare forskning visar på att personligt uttryck och uttryck generellt historiskt sett har glömts bort i musikundervisningen finns tendenser till att göra det fortfarande idag. Den största utmaningen verkar ligga i att definiera personligt. Allt som oftast används det synonymt med ett unikt sound

Alcohols at the aqueous surface: chain length and isomer effects

Surface-active organic molecules at the liquid-vapor interface are of great importance in atmospheric science. Therefore, we studied the surface behavior of alcohol isomers with different chain lengths (C4-C6) in aqueous solution with surface-and chemically sensitive X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), which reveals information about the surface structure on a molecular level. Gibbs free energies of adsorption and surface concentrations are determined from the XPS results using a standard Langmuir adsorption isotherm model. The free energies of adsorption, ranging from around -15 to -19 kJ mol(-1) (C4-C6), scale linearly with the number of carbon atoms within the alcohols with Delta G(Ads) per-CH2-approximate to -2 kJ mol(-1.) While for the linear alcohols, surface concentrations lie around 2.4 x 10(14) molecules per cm(2) at the bulk concentrations where monolayers are formed, the studied branched alcohols show lower surface concentrations of around 1.6 x 10(14) molecules per cm(2), both of which are in line with the molecular structure and their orientation at the interface. Interestingly, we find that there is a maximum in the surface enrichment factor for linear alcohols at low concentrations, which is not observed for the shorter branched alcohols. This is interpreted in terms of a cooperative effect, which we suggest to be the result of more effective van der Waals interactions between the linear alcohol alkyl chains at the aqueous surface, making it energetically even more favorable to reside at the liquid-vapor interface

Propensity, free energy contributions and conformation of primary : N -alcohols at a water surface

Atmospheric aerosols contain organic molecules that serve as cloud condensation nucleation sites and affect the climate. Several experimental and simulation studies have been dedicated to investigate their surface propensity, but the mechanisms that drive them to the water surface are still not fully understood. In this molecular dynamics (MD) simulation study, primary alcohols are considered as a model system representing polar organic molecules. We find that the surface affinity of n-alcohols increases linearly with the length of the hydrophobic tail. By decomposing the adsorption free energy into enthalpy and entropy contributions, we find that the transition from bulk to surface is entropically driven, compatible with the fact that the hydrophobic effect of small solutes is of entropic origin. The enthalpy of surface adsorption is nearly invariant among different n-alcohols because the loss of solvent-alcohol interactions is balanced by a gain in solvent-solvent interactions. Structural analysis shows that, at the surface, the linear alcohols prefer an orientation with the hydrophobic tail pointing out from the surface, whereas the hydroxyl group remains buried in the water. This general behaviour is likely transferable to other small molecules with similar structures but other functional groups that are present in the atmosphere. Therefore, the present study is a step forward toward a general description of organic molecules in aerosols

Development of an online marketplace with a high level of usability for companies active within Ung Företagsamhet which is easy to navigate for all users.

Ung Företagsamhet (UF) erbjuder ungdomar i gymnasiet möjligheten att testa på hur det är att driva ett företag under ett års tid. Enligt en enkätundersökning, som utfördes på studenter från Linköpings Universitet och på olika gymnasieskolor, framkom det att den största försäljningen av UF-produkter sker på fysiska marknadsplatser. Enkäten visade även att det fanns ett intresse för en extern e-marknadsplats där UF-företag kan utöka sin försäljning. I det här projektet har Xpanda utvecklats för att möta detta behov med fokus på att försöka skapa en webbapplikation som har hög användbarhet för UF-företag och är lättnavigerad för alla användare. För att uppnå dessa kriterier togs det fram vetenskapliga källor som låg till grund för utformandet av webbapplikationen. Projektet arbetade efter de agila metoderna och var uppdelat i tre iterationer, även känt som sprintar. Efter varje sprint utvärderades resultatet av den dåvarande applikationen med hjälp av användartester. Testgruppernas åsikter samt kommentarer värderades och ledde till förändringar av applikationen för att främja frågeställningen. Prioriteringar behövde göras i utvecklandet, vilket diskuteras i rapporten. Slutsatsen av rapporten är att det är möjligt att utveckla en webbapplikation som upplevs som användbar och lättnavigerad av dess användare.Ung Företagsamhet (UF) gives youths in high school the possibility to try what it is like to run a business for one year. According to a survey conducted on students at Linköping University and various high schools, it was clear that the majority of sales of UF-products takes place at physical marketplaces. The survey also concluded that there is an interest for an external e-marketplace where UF-companies can expand their sales. In this project, Xpanda has been developed to meet this need with focus on trying to create a web-based application with high usability for UF-companies and has high navigability for all users. In order to achieve these criteria, scientific references were gathered which lay the foundation for the development of the web application. The project worked according to agile methods and the project was divided into three iterations, also known as sprints. After each sprint, the results of the current application was evaluated through user tests. The test groups opinions and comments were evaluated and in some cases led to changes in the application to work towards answering the key questions of the report. Certain priorities had to be made during the development, which is discussed in the report. The conclusion of the report is that it is possible to develop a web application that is perceived as usable and navigable for its users.

Development of an online marketplace with a high level of usability for companies active within Ung Företagsamhet which is easy to navigate for all users.

Ung Företagsamhet (UF) erbjuder ungdomar i gymnasiet möjligheten att testa på hur det är att driva ett företag under ett års tid. Enligt en enkätundersökning, som utfördes på studenter från Linköpings Universitet och på olika gymnasieskolor, framkom det att den största försäljningen av UF-produkter sker på fysiska marknadsplatser. Enkäten visade även att det fanns ett intresse för en extern e-marknadsplats där UF-företag kan utöka sin försäljning. I det här projektet har Xpanda utvecklats för att möta detta behov med fokus på att försöka skapa en webbapplikation som har hög användbarhet för UF-företag och är lättnavigerad för alla användare. För att uppnå dessa kriterier togs det fram vetenskapliga källor som låg till grund för utformandet av webbapplikationen. Projektet arbetade efter de agila metoderna och var uppdelat i tre iterationer, även känt som sprintar. Efter varje sprint utvärderades resultatet av den dåvarande applikationen med hjälp av användartester. Testgruppernas åsikter samt kommentarer värderades och ledde till förändringar av applikationen för att främja frågeställningen. Prioriteringar behövde göras i utvecklandet, vilket diskuteras i rapporten. Slutsatsen av rapporten är att det är möjligt att utveckla en webbapplikation som upplevs som användbar och lättnavigerad av dess användare.Ung Företagsamhet (UF) gives youths in high school the possibility to try what it is like to run a business for one year. According to a survey conducted on students at Linköping University and various high schools, it was clear that the majority of sales of UF-products takes place at physical marketplaces. The survey also concluded that there is an interest for an external e-marketplace where UF-companies can expand their sales. In this project, Xpanda has been developed to meet this need with focus on trying to create a web-based application with high usability for UF-companies and has high navigability for all users. In order to achieve these criteria, scientific references were gathered which lay the foundation for the development of the web application. The project worked according to agile methods and the project was divided into three iterations, also known as sprints. After each sprint, the results of the current application was evaluated through user tests. The test groups opinions and comments were evaluated and in some cases led to changes in the application to work towards answering the key questions of the report. Certain priorities had to be made during the development, which is discussed in the report. The conclusion of the report is that it is possible to develop a web application that is perceived as usable and navigable for its users.

Development of an online marketplace with a high level of usability for companies active within Ung Företagsamhet which is easy to navigate for all users.

Ung Företagsamhet (UF) erbjuder ungdomar i gymnasiet möjligheten att testa på hur det är att driva ett företag under ett års tid. Enligt en enkätundersökning, som utfördes på studenter från Linköpings Universitet och på olika gymnasieskolor, framkom det att den största försäljningen av UF-produkter sker på fysiska marknadsplatser. Enkäten visade även att det fanns ett intresse för en extern e-marknadsplats där UF-företag kan utöka sin försäljning. I det här projektet har Xpanda utvecklats för att möta detta behov med fokus på att försöka skapa en webbapplikation som har hög användbarhet för UF-företag och är lättnavigerad för alla användare. För att uppnå dessa kriterier togs det fram vetenskapliga källor som låg till grund för utformandet av webbapplikationen. Projektet arbetade efter de agila metoderna och var uppdelat i tre iterationer, även känt som sprintar. Efter varje sprint utvärderades resultatet av den dåvarande applikationen med hjälp av användartester. Testgruppernas åsikter samt kommentarer värderades och ledde till förändringar av applikationen för att främja frågeställningen. Prioriteringar behövde göras i utvecklandet, vilket diskuteras i rapporten. Slutsatsen av rapporten är att det är möjligt att utveckla en webbapplikation som upplevs som användbar och lättnavigerad av dess användare.Ung Företagsamhet (UF) gives youths in high school the possibility to try what it is like to run a business for one year. According to a survey conducted on students at Linköping University and various high schools, it was clear that the majority of sales of UF-products takes place at physical marketplaces. The survey also concluded that there is an interest for an external e-marketplace where UF-companies can expand their sales. In this project, Xpanda has been developed to meet this need with focus on trying to create a web-based application with high usability for UF-companies and has high navigability for all users. In order to achieve these criteria, scientific references were gathered which lay the foundation for the development of the web application. The project worked according to agile methods and the project was divided into three iterations, also known as sprints. After each sprint, the results of the current application was evaluated through user tests. The test groups opinions and comments were evaluated and in some cases led to changes in the application to work towards answering the key questions of the report. Certain priorities had to be made during the development, which is discussed in the report. The conclusion of the report is that it is possible to develop a web application that is perceived as usable and navigable for its users.

Acid-Base Speciation of Carboxylate Ions in the Surface Region of Aqueous Solutions in the Presence of Ammonium and Aminium Ions

The acid base speciation of surface-active carboxylate ions in the surface region of aqueous solutions was studied with synchrotron-radiation-based photoelectron spectroscopy. The protonated form was found at an extraordinarily large fraction compared to that expected from the bulk pH. When adding salts containing the weak acid NH4+ to the solution, the fraction of the acidic form at the surface increases, and to a Much greatet extent than expected from the bulk pH of the solution. We show that ammonium ions also are overrepresented in the surface region, and propose that the interaction between the surface-active anionic carboxylates and cationic ammonium ions creates a carboxylateammonium bilayer close to the surface, which increases the probability of the protonation of the carboxylae ions. By comparing the situation when a salt of the less volatile amine diethanolatnine is used, We also show that the observed evaporation of ammonia that occurs after such an event only affects the equilibrium marginally